Your Questions About Business Online Payroll

Jere answers:

Starting a gardening business is similar to starting any other small business, but you must first decide what type of gardening business you intend to operate. Landscaping services vary greatly from retail garden product sales, so outline which business fits your capabilities the best. Identify a local market for this service, look at the potential profitability, and follow a few basic business principles and you can have your own gardening business in no time.

1

Choose the right name for your gardening business as it tells the world who you are and what type of service you are offering. Be creative and choose a name that is easy to remember. Finding one that will stand out from your competition wherever you advertise is also a consideration. Once you have decided on your name, perform a trademark search to check on its availability. If possible, register your with the Trademark Office for approximately $325. Another important aspect to your business name is to register a website domain for your gardening business. The domains only cost around $10 for each one, so register as many configurations as you can to avoid complication when your gardening business becomes a success.

2

Determine the structure of your business and get a business license. You can start your gardening business simply as a sole proprietor or as an LLC. You may wish to contact an attorney for help with the LLC or other, more complicated structures. Having as license is necessary for tax and insurance purposes, as well as product and supply discounts. Your structure is also for your protection in terms of tax and product liability.

3

Develop a business plan outlining the specific services your gardening business will offer along with projections for future growth. Include a budget for any necessary gardening and office supplies, payroll with related tax and insurance expenses, utilities, rent and business insurance. You can find detailed information about creating a business plan at the Small Business Administration website.

4

Obtain financing for your gardening business with a well thought out business plan complete with realistic projections for profit as well as an outline including accurate costs both for start-up and ongoing business expenses. Collateral, personal financial records and tax returns for at least two years will also be required when you apply for financing.

5

Advertise your gardening business in your local paper, on local television and online. Personally contact home builders in your area to let them know you are available if you plan to offer landscaping as part of your gardening business.

6

Find the appropriate location for your gardening business depends on the type of business you plan to operate. Small landscaping businesses can be run from a home office, eliminating the expense of renting space. If your gardening business involves retail sales for plants and supplies, you will need a large space with both outdoor and indoor retail capabilities.

7

Purchase the equipment and supplies for your gardening business by opening accounts with local vendors. Some retailers offer discounts to small businesses and contractors, so identify those resources.

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Jere answers:

You want a course on entrepreneurship, which is about how to start a business.

One thing you want to know before choosing an entrepreneurship course is what kinds of businesses it focuses on. If you want to start your own small business, look for a course that teaches about starting micro businesses or small businesses. It will focus more on developing your concept, writing a business plan, doing day-to-day business operations such as hiring, payroll, etc.

If you want to start a company that will become a large corporation or one that will be bought out by a major corporation, look for that kind of entrepreneurship course. It will focus more on getting venture capital funding, putting together a board of directors, etc.

If you want to start a large technology company, there are a few free courses online.

One just started at Coursera this week. You can sign up now and not be behind: https://www.coursera.org/course/innovativeideas
I have to say, I signed up for this one and was disappointed. It’s all PowerPoint slides – I un-enrolled. I thought it would be about innovation, but it’s all about tech entrepreneurship, and I’ve already been through one of those courses.
Udacity has one you can take any time. Https://www.udacity.com/course/ep245

Stanford University had one last fall and should be offering it again. More info here: https://www.venture-lab.org/

Jere answers:

In home based businesses, depending on which one you get involved in, it usually takes about 2 to 4 weeks to start making an average income. (about the same time frame as your first payroll period) Then as you keep working your business, 4 to 6 weeks to increase that income, and 3 to 6 months to be self sufficient. That is only if you put the time and effort into it. If you just say “I started a business” and don’t put any time or the effort needed in your business, then you won’t make an income.
Most people have full time jobs and run their business on the side. When their business reaches the income level they desire, they put their normal jobs down and continue with their business growing. Other’s dive into it head first and tackle it and get it going faster. Either way, you have the same opportunity to make a sufficient amount of income.
I don’t know what you enjoy doing, hobbies, interests etc, so I’m not sure which home based business to refer you over to.

Jere answers:

You will need to have a BN. You can open one online, and can obtain the information for deductions online as well. Unless you’re willing to allow the person to have tremendous freedom, it wouldn’t meet the criteria for them to be a self employed/contract person; they’d be your employee, like the other poster sugested. CRA also puts on small business seminars aimed at instructing you on Payroll deductions. They are free.

For information on employee/self employed:
As a self-employed person (as you know) there is some degree of risk of loss. You have a space dedicated to child care, you advertise to get my clients, you could lose money if no-one signed up. You will likely want control over your relationship with this assistant (you’ll decide their hours of work, you’ll provide their work location, you’ll provide all the toys, food, etc, for the chilldren, all of the clients will be yours, and not theirs, they won’t be allowed to hire a replacement to show up in their stead, etc).

Jere answers:

Hi there – I work at Intuit and we offer a few different payroll options, including online payroll which has a 30-day Free Trial: http://payroll.intuit.com/payroll_services/online_payroll.jsp

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Chris