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Starting Your Business

Managing Your Business

Growing Your Business

  

Overview

• Read the State's guide to starting a business
• Small Business Administration Small Business Startup Guide
• Doing Business in Connecticut
• How-To Start Your Business - Entrepreneur.com

Naming Your Business

• Learn about trade names (fictitious business names)
• Register your trade name with the town clerk's office
  • Other areas
• Search existing names of corporations, LLC's, LP's, etc., to determine availability and avoid infringement
• Reserve a name for your corporation, LLC, LP, LLP, etc. (Register it when you file the documents creating your business structure.)

Business Structures

• Learn about business structures choices in your state
• Lookup filing fee information
• Obtain forms and filing instructions to create your business structure
• Forms Of Ownership
• Choose a Structures Brief descriptions of common business ownership structures.
• Legal and tax considerations of various business structures.
• Special Structures Some structures are only available in some states.
• Business Structures It is important to find out how the company is structured legally. The type of business structure used will affect your purchasing strategy as well as the eventual price.
• The Businesslaw.gov website provides some comparative information on business structures as well as links to other sources of information on legal structure.
  
  

Licenses And Permits

• Federal Licensing federal requirements for your business, including specific licenses, Employer Identification Number (EIN), and registration
• State Licensing
• Read about required licenses and permits
• Use Connecticut's Smart Start to identify your registration and licensing requirements with appropriate state agencies
• Read the state's guide to environmental permits
• Local Licensing
• Other areas

Trademarks

• Learn about trademarks
• Search state registered trademarks to determine availability and avoid infringement
• Obtain forms and register your trademark with the state

Connecticut Small Business Development Center

Kaufmann Foundation's EntreWorld - Starting Your Business