• Your company should be based on a promising business opportunity. The most successful businesses take advantage of the best opportunities. Think about what is popular right now, what service is lacking, or what product/service needs improvement. From this, you can shape what your business will offer to make the best use of business opportunities available to you.
• Clearly identify what your company will and will not do. While it is important to keep your mind open to new ideas, you must have a clear definition of what products and services your company will offer so that you know what must be done to get started.
• Think of a good name. Do not let this issue fall by the wayside; a name is very important. You want something that people will remember so the buzz about your company spreads quickly and effectively.
• Determine your company's structure and register accordingly. There are many company structures out there: sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, etc. Different business structures function in different ways, so it's important to know what structure will work best for your company. Also, when registering the company with local and federal municipalities, your business structure may change what paperwork is required.
• Determine your location. Your company's location will often determine what sort of people will purchase your products or services. Your company may need to cater to these customers. Keep your target audience clear, and work to draw them to your company.

Registering Your Business

One of the most important steps in starting your business is registering with government offices. This registration gives your company a number of benefits essential to efficient business operations. These benefits include:

• assuring no other company has the same name as yours
• assuring no other company can take your name in the future
• allowing customers easy contact to your business and its owners
• you will be able to open a business bank account
• you will be able to enforce contracts and take action in court as a legal entity

The registration process varies in different states. Many states require you to register with the Department of State via the Secretary of State's office. Other states only require you to register on the county level, in which case you would call the county clerk's office or municipal building. No matter what the rules of your state, registering is fairly simple. Usually, you will begin by looking through the county or state's business name database to make sure the name you want is not in use. Then, you must request the proper registration forms, and submit them along with a filing fee, typically under $100. There are sometimes a few small steps after this depending on the state. Once you complete these, you are an official business!

There are also other offices with which you may wish to register. If you plan to organize the company as a corporation, Limited Liability Company or limited partnership, you must submit files of incorporation. Many businesses also choose to register their name as a trademark for further copyright protection. Others register with the federal government by putting their business name on the Central Contractor Registration. This list puts you in line for highly sought after government contracts, which can bring in great revenue. If you are a woman- or minority-owned company, you will want to register for that as well.

No matter where or with whom you wish to register, make sure you do. It is an essential step in legitimizing your company and starting its operation.