Small Business Center

From naming your business to deciding between a sole proprietorship and an LLC, get tips on getting your business off the ground.

• Writing a Business Plan
Look ahead, plan for the resources you'll need, focus on your top priorities, and be ready for unexpected problems and opportunities.


• Naming your Business
Before using a cool sounding name, it's an extremely good idea to find out if someone else already has rights to the name.


• Leases and Rental Agreements: An Overview
Since you're not likely to get everything you want in a lease, get your priorities straight in your mind and focus on what's most important to you.


• Complying with Zoning Laws
Is it legal to run a business in your home? The answer depends on where you live and what you do.


• Sole Proprietorships
If you can sufficiently protect your business against risk by carrying adequate liability insurance, consider organizing as a sole proprietorship.


• Incorporation Basics
Incorporating takes more than just filling out a form. See what steps you'll need to take.


• Choosing Between a Corporation and an LLC
The relative simplicity and flexibility of the LLC often makes it the better choice, but there are some exceptions.


• Corporations
If you're concerned about limiting your personal liability for business debts, consider organizing your business as a corporation: it's a separate entity.


• Limited Liability Companies
If you're concerned about limiting your personal liability for business debts, organizing your business as an LLC offers some opportunities unavailable to corporations.


• Why Form a Nonprofit Corporation?
If you organization was formed for a religious, charitable, educational, literary or scientific purpose, there may be many benefits to organizing as a nonprofit corporation.


• Partnerships
If you and one or more people can sufficiently protect your business against risk by carrying adequate liability insurance, consider organizing as a partnership.


• Getting Licenses and Permits
All levels of government have licensing and permit requirements. This article helps you slice your way through the bureaucratic jungle and get down to business.