Planning a Business

This page provides the journey from ideation to launching a business. There are many steps in planning a business not all are applicable to each business type, but the following may help in orienting about where the need may be. All business planning has common areas which should be considered when starting a business.

Example of creating a new page: We really need to link to a resource on How to negotiate rent?

Needs Assessment

Exploratory & Orientation Questions

• What have you thought about so far?
• Do you have any previous experience?
• Have you attempted to write your business plan yet? If so, are you stuck at any particular steps? If not, you might want to start with How do I write a business plan?

Industry-specific questions

If the customer has an idea of what industry they want to start a business in that matches one of these industries, it may be helpful to go to these pages for more industry-specific questions and resources:

Industry Specific Questions & Resources

Industry	Subcategories	Category 2	Category 3
Art	Artwork Graphic Design Painting
Authorship	Book Publishing Selling Books Writing Books
Beauty & Cosmetology	Barbershop/Hair Salon Hair Supply Store Make-up Artists Nail/ Pedicure Technician Skincare Waxing
Business Laws & Regulation	NEED SUBCATEGORIES
Childcare	Childcare Business Home-Based Nanny Services
Cleaning Services	NEED SUBCATEGORIES
Computer Science & Technology	Coding/Programming Computer Repair Cyber Security Social Media Technology Assistant Web Design
Construction	Carpentry Electrical Flooring Handyman HVAC Landscaping Plumbing Renovation Roofing Snow Removal
Consulting	Business Marketing Training
E-Commerce	NEED SUBCATEGORIES
Education	Adult Education/Training Apprenticeship/Internship (Paid/Non-Paid) College/University Early Childhood School-Aged Tutoring
Entertainment	Bands Dancers DJ’s Roller/Ice Skate Lessons Party/Wedding Planners Singers
Farming/Gardening/Landscaping	NEED SUBCATEGORIES
Finances	Banking Services Credit Repair Investments/Saving Auto/Home/Life Insurance
Food Industry	Catering Food Truck Restaurant Food Safety and Handling Liquor license
Government Contracting
Health & Wellness	Dentistry Funeral Services Lifeguard/Swimming Instructor Massage Therapy Medical Mental Health Nutritionists Personal Trainer Physical Therapy Vitamin Supplements Yoga
Home Based Business
Multi-Level Marketing
Music
Non-Profit	501(c)(3)
Photography & Videography
Religion	Ministry/Church
Retail
Security Services	Home Security Personal Security Security Guard
Sports	Coaching Personal Trainer
Store-Front Business	Event Space
Transportation	Bus Service Delivery Services Towing Trucking CDL Uber/Taxi/Lyft/Limousine

Question Index

Marketing

Questions related to marketing in general and applicable across contexts.

• How do I find out who my potential customers are?
• How might I reach my potential customers?
• What kinds of marketing activities are possible?

Competition

Questions related to understanding competitors in a market

• How do I find out who my (potential) competitors are?

Revenue/Sales

• How can I estimate how much I could earn from my business?
• How might my potential customers pay for my goods and services?
• What kinds of sales channels are possible?
• What kinds of revenue streams are possible?

Expenses/Operations

• What might it cost to run my business?
• How do I find out who my potential partners are?
• How can I find or choose a location for my business?
• How do I get medical benefits for myself and my employees?
• Where can I get funding?

Legal

• How do I get official?
• What do I need to do to comply with tax laws?

Business Plan

• How do I write a business plan?

If a business plan draft is ready and it may be time to look to local resources for registering and Launching a Business.

Diversity & Inclusion

Race and Social Equity

How do I ensure that I have a diverse team?

Accessibility

Where do I find laws about accessibility?

https://ada.gov