Gr8611
New Member
I am trying to start my own business. What i would like to know is what do i need to do to get licensed to do that. Can someone please point me in the right direction.
starting my own business
- Thread starter Gr8611
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woodchux
Addicted to ArboristSite
Gr8611
New Member
real funny
ozzy42
Addicted to ArboristSite
You need to be more specificGR
Gr8611
New Member
i am trying to get my licenses to start my business and i don't know how to or where i need to go.
I'll take a stab at this.
As an arborist, tree care worker, firewood seller, etc., there are industry associations, certifications, etc., depending upon what your business will do. I can't address those, as I don't work in those areas.
But any 'business' will have certain legal requirements, depending upon where your live and work. There are tax and insurance requirements. These vary by state, and sometimes city. There may be local licensing requirements or ordinances about whether you can locate your business in your home or if you can park your work truck at home, what hours you can make noise, etc.
My best advice is to contact local chamber of commerce type organizations, as part of their role is to encourage the growth of new businesses.
Here in Minnesota, the State publishes a free book "A Guide to Starting a Business in Minnesota" ( http://www.mnsbao.com/publications.htm ). They also sponsor inexpensive seminars on this topic along with S.C.O.R.E. ( http://www.score.org/index.html ) covering topics such as type of business organization, record keeping, legal requirements as an employer, etc. Find out what your state Department of Commerce or Economic Development might offer.
Once you make the initial contacts with these types of groups, they can usually provide you with some direction for the more specific questions you have.
Good luck!
Philbert
StihlRockin'
ArboristSite Guru
Most cities will have a license requirement. Usually it won't be that much, but you'll have to prove you have their minimum insurance requirements to be eligible to buy the license. Also, they may require some sort of performance bond. You can purchase this from the same place you get your business liability insurance. The city clerk of each city will be able to help you with obtaining the license application.
So, in actuality, it's not the license that will be the biggest investment, but getting the proper insurance first.
If anyone is starting a business in this industry, what should be on the top of your list of things to do... is get your business liability insurance and make sure you have enough coverage.
StihlRockin'
So, in actuality, it's not the license that will be the biggest investment, but getting the proper insurance first.
If anyone is starting a business in this industry, what should be on the top of your list of things to do... is get your business liability insurance and make sure you have enough coverage.
StihlRockin'
Gardner
New Member
Woodchuks arrow is really funny though in context. Twelve years ago I was starting up in the landscape maint. biz and we worked for other co`s doing clean-ups these industrial co`s couldn`t get to, or couldn`t trust their unionized employees to get it done or liability....OR smaller co`s that needed your services that couldn`t pay their hired help what it took to get the jobs finished.Like sod work after their crew tore the hell out of a customers property or replacing shrubs where they had run a telehandler ...(glass work). Then we got state licence to legally spray shrubs trees and turfgrass, got into more sub-work with other CO`S. Got our name out there, been honest ,ate many ,many jobs starting up as well as "knowing better" and eating as job when hungry( long after we were full time contracting). Know many and best friends with a few tree companys and if you are considering tree work full time , I hope you have a lot of experiance under your belt because once you have your name on the trucks everything will obviously land in your lap and will cost money. And everything needs worked on which seems at times you spend more time fixing something than doing the work. Then advertizing causes so many dead end jobs that you spend all morning answering and driving to to only find out you are the 4th company in a week to look at and bid on... It gets tough . It get so bad at times you will be so overwhelmed with disappointment . IF YOU TRY, IF YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN with what you have, will get better.How many times , I couldn`t tell you, I have knelt down on my knees on the floor of our shop with tools everywhere, the phone ringing, with tons of good jobs waiting that we can get to because of equipment failure or weather, filthy from head to toe, with everyone on your ass because your attitude sucks. With no one there but you to make a business decision you will be tested in small business beyond your capacity and it will wreck a marriage,IF you cop out, it will separate family members who were once close, friends will
disappear ,well you will find out who they are. BUT , and I apologize if this all sounds like a lunatic ranting, now I/we are on the other side of the "getting to know what you are made of" set-backs of operating a business without a rich dad or mom to bail you out when you go in the red. We have had ,because my wife stood beside me when it got real dark, and appeared we were finished,so much experiance at moving forward when all seemed lost, I can say I/WE gave it our best and will do it again . The rewards are immeasurable and cannot be put into words. I don`t know what you`ve been through in life or what you age is.... the younger the sooner to start a biz , the better because it-is- stressful and many will never be able to laugh off (in order to survive) the setbacks. Looking back, I ,if had to do over, would have sought out an established company and got beside them and stayed in their small circle and worked for them as an employee, and just be hungry to help them make money. If an owner has a guy like that he will take care of him financially and he the owner isn`t strapped with the entire load as far as making the calls and trusting someone with his equipment. Because he has already been through hell and back and will be happy to bring you into the business world, providing you are a man of character and willing to do it his way. Run crews as a foreman for a while and become seasoned for on the spot decisions. If you`ve done all that and are known to be counted on when it gets tough.........want to make that commitment to your customers and tackle the administrative part of running a small business............ When you put yourself out there and make yourself available and gain the respect of your "competitors" because you have a good name, generally speaking you will always have work. If you bid stuff too cheap you will quickly be covered up until you realize you should be making money and aren`t. OK I have gone through the garbage jobs and now getting into some nice jobs so up goes the price. Hence eliminating the unrealistic customers (problematic) you don`t need. After a while you will sense with built in radar, the bad customers and run them off with a high bid. You gotta be tough and be able to take some crap without going off on people that desparately need their ass kicked. Like neigbors next door to a job you are working on clogging up the street with equipment. You`re already having a bad morning and then some dweeby little intellectual homeowner walks over and starts going off on you because your trailer tires touched his corner lot .....or an employee walked on his property with a wheelbarrow. Or "you can`t PARK HERE !!!! IT HAS A NO PARKING SIGN, and I`m calling the police!! The work is the easy part of being in business. Its the paying outrageous lnsurance premiums,taxes, payroll taxes,stupid ordinances, rediculous compliance laws ( in some cases) dealing with the city or county,is the minefields you need to learn about.
Dumping fees.....EPA....DNR , then last but not least the good ole DOT, who can put a startup prospect out of business overnight. These guys have the power to screw you out of a months invoices over something reallty stupid, like try a $1600.00 fine for not having the registration updated on one of the trucks that went out in early spring with a new driver who had no clue there was a problem.:hmm3grin2orange: If you make it through all the crap thrown at you and go through X amount of employees before getting a good one, and can somehow tune out the media`s non stop lie`s of "tax beaks for the wealthy" , when in reality its how you survive tax season and can keep you trucks on the road.....The Chamber is fine ,we belonged for a few years, but your business is you ,it is different than any other company, and unique in the sense you may be much higher priced in services,but they like you and even more, trust you.
I just wished someone would have at least warned me 12 years ago, the roller coaster ride I was in for. Maybe they didn`t think I`d go for it. Or maybe they knew ,but didn`t want to discourage the endeaver. Don`t get me wrong, I think everyone should have to endure from time to time what business owners are subjected to, but I now have a network of freinds that I can call up and vent to and vise versa. The wife won`t have it, you can either have a shrink, a close relationship with Jesus (don`t think I am minimising this) and many good friends in the business you can call up and vent your frustrations with. Anyone else including inlaws will just think you are nuts.
disappear ,well you will find out who they are. BUT , and I apologize if this all sounds like a lunatic ranting, now I/we are on the other side of the "getting to know what you are made of" set-backs of operating a business without a rich dad or mom to bail you out when you go in the red. We have had ,because my wife stood beside me when it got real dark, and appeared we were finished,so much experiance at moving forward when all seemed lost, I can say I/WE gave it our best and will do it again . The rewards are immeasurable and cannot be put into words. I don`t know what you`ve been through in life or what you age is.... the younger the sooner to start a biz , the better because it-is- stressful and many will never be able to laugh off (in order to survive) the setbacks. Looking back, I ,if had to do over, would have sought out an established company and got beside them and stayed in their small circle and worked for them as an employee, and just be hungry to help them make money. If an owner has a guy like that he will take care of him financially and he the owner isn`t strapped with the entire load as far as making the calls and trusting someone with his equipment. Because he has already been through hell and back and will be happy to bring you into the business world, providing you are a man of character and willing to do it his way. Run crews as a foreman for a while and become seasoned for on the spot decisions. If you`ve done all that and are known to be counted on when it gets tough.........want to make that commitment to your customers and tackle the administrative part of running a small business............ When you put yourself out there and make yourself available and gain the respect of your "competitors" because you have a good name, generally speaking you will always have work. If you bid stuff too cheap you will quickly be covered up until you realize you should be making money and aren`t. OK I have gone through the garbage jobs and now getting into some nice jobs so up goes the price. Hence eliminating the unrealistic customers (problematic) you don`t need. After a while you will sense with built in radar, the bad customers and run them off with a high bid. You gotta be tough and be able to take some crap without going off on people that desparately need their ass kicked. Like neigbors next door to a job you are working on clogging up the street with equipment. You`re already having a bad morning and then some dweeby little intellectual homeowner walks over and starts going off on you because your trailer tires touched his corner lot .....or an employee walked on his property with a wheelbarrow. Or "you can`t PARK HERE !!!! IT HAS A NO PARKING SIGN, and I`m calling the police!! The work is the easy part of being in business. Its the paying outrageous lnsurance premiums,taxes, payroll taxes,stupid ordinances, rediculous compliance laws ( in some cases) dealing with the city or county,is the minefields you need to learn about.
Dumping fees.....EPA....DNR , then last but not least the good ole DOT, who can put a startup prospect out of business overnight. These guys have the power to screw you out of a months invoices over something reallty stupid, like try a $1600.00 fine for not having the registration updated on one of the trucks that went out in early spring with a new driver who had no clue there was a problem.:hmm3grin2orange: If you make it through all the crap thrown at you and go through X amount of employees before getting a good one, and can somehow tune out the media`s non stop lie`s of "tax beaks for the wealthy" , when in reality its how you survive tax season and can keep you trucks on the road.....The Chamber is fine ,we belonged for a few years, but your business is you ,it is different than any other company, and unique in the sense you may be much higher priced in services,but they like you and even more, trust you.
I just wished someone would have at least warned me 12 years ago, the roller coaster ride I was in for. Maybe they didn`t think I`d go for it. Or maybe they knew ,but didn`t want to discourage the endeaver. Don`t get me wrong, I think everyone should have to endure from time to time what business owners are subjected to, but I now have a network of freinds that I can call up and vent to and vise versa. The wife won`t have it, you can either have a shrink, a close relationship with Jesus (don`t think I am minimising this) and many good friends in the business you can call up and vent your frustrations with. Anyone else including inlaws will just think you are nuts.Gardner's post with some paragraph breaks to make it a little easier to read. Thanks Gardner.
Philbert
Philbert
Woodchuks arrow is really funny though in context.
Twelve years ago I was starting up in the landscape maint. biz and we worked for other co`s doing clean-ups these industrial co`s couldn`t get to, or couldn`t trust their unionized employees to get it done or liability....OR smaller co`s that needed your services that couldn`t pay their hired help what it took to get the jobs finished.Like sod work after their crew tore the hell out of a customers property or replacing shrubs where they had run a telehandler ...(glass work).
Then we got state licence to legally spray shrubs trees and turfgrass, got into more sub-work with other CO`S. Got our name out there, been honest ,ate many ,many jobs starting up as well as "knowing better" and eating as job when hungry( long after we were full time contracting).
Know many and best friends with a few tree companys and if you are considering tree work full time , I hope you have a lot of experiance under your belt because once you have your name on the trucks everything will obviously land in your lap and will cost money. And everything needs worked on which seems at times you spend more time fixing something than doing the work.
Then advertizing causes so many dead end jobs that you spend all morning answering and driving to to only find out you are the 4th company in a week to look at and bid on... It gets tough . It get so bad at times you will be so overwhelmed with disappointment . IF YOU TRY, IF YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN with what you have, will get better.
How many times , I couldn`t tell you, I have knelt down on my knees on the floor of our shop with tools everywhere, the phone ringing, with tons of good jobs waiting that we can get to because of equipment failure or weather, filthy from head to toe, with everyone on your ass because your attitude sucks. With no one there but you to make a business decision you will be tested in small business beyond your capacity. And it will wreck a marriage,IF you cop out, it will separate family members who were once close, friends will disappear ,well you will find out who they are.
BUT , and I apologize if this all sounds like a lunatic ranting, now I/we are on the other side of the "getting to know what you are made of" set-backs of operating a business without a rich dad or mom to bail you out when you go in the red. We have had ,because my wife stood beside me when it got real dark, and appeared we were finished,so much experiance at moving forward when all seemed lost, I can say I/WE gave it our best and will do it again .
The rewards are immeasurable and cannot be put into words. I don`t know what you`ve been through in life or what you age is.... the younger the sooner to start a biz , the better because it-is- stressful and many will never be able to laugh off (in order to survive) the setbacks. Looking back, I ,if had to do over, would have sought out an established company and got beside them and stayed in their small circle and worked for them as an employee, and just be hungry to help them make money.
If an owner has a guy like that he will take care of him financially and he the owner isn`t strapped with the entire load as far as making the calls and trusting someone with his equipment. Because he has already been through hell and back and will be happy to bring you into the business world, providing you are a man of character and willing to do it his way.
Run crews as a foreman for a while and become seasoned for on the spot decisions. If you`ve done all that and are known to be counted on when it gets tough.........want to make that commitment to your customers and tackle the administrative part of running a small business............ When you put yourself out there and make yourself available and gain the respect of your "competitors" because you have a good name, generally speaking you will always have work.
If you bid stuff too cheap you will quickly be covered up until you realize you should be making money and aren`t. OK I have gone through the garbage jobs and now getting into some nice jobs so up goes the price. Hence eliminating the unrealistic customers (problematic) you don`t need. After a while you will sense with built in radar, the bad customers and run them off with a high bid.
You gotta be tough and be able to take some crap without going off on people that desparately need their ass kicked. Like neigbors next door to a job you are working on clogging up the street with equipment. You`re already having a bad morning and then some dweeby little intellectual homeowner walks over and starts going off on you because your trailer tires touched his corner lot .....or an employee walked on his property with a wheelbarrow. Or "you can`t PARK HERE !!!! IT HAS A NO PARKING SIGN, and I`m calling the police!!
The work is the easy part of being in business. Its the paying outrageous lnsurance premiums,taxes, payroll taxes,stupid ordinances, rediculous compliance laws ( in some cases) dealing with the city or county,is the minefields you need to learn about. Dumping fees.....EPA....DNR , then last but not least the good ole DOT, who can put a startup prospect out of business overnight.
These guys have the power to screw you out of a months invoices over something reallty stupid, like try a $1600.00 fine for not having the registration updated on one of the trucks that went out in early spring with a new driver who had no clue there was a problem.:hmm3grin2orange:
If you make it through all the crap thrown at you and go through X amount of employees before getting a good one, and can somehow tune out the media`s non stop lie`s of "tax beaks for the wealthy" , when in reality its how you survive tax season and can keep you trucks on the road.....The Chamber is fine ,we belonged for a few years, but your business is you ,it is different than any other company, and unique in the sense you may be much higher priced in services,but they like you and even more, trust you.
I just wished someone would have at least warned me 12 years ago, the roller coaster ride I was in for. Maybe they didn`t think I`d go for it. Or maybe they knew ,but didn`t want to discourage the endeaver. Don`t get me wrong, I think everyone should have to endure from time to time what business owners are subjected to, but I now have a network of freinds that I can call up and vent to and vise versa. The wife won`t have it, you can either have a shrink, a close relationship with Jesus (don`t think I am minimising this) and many good friends in the business you can call up and vent your frustrations with. Anyone else including inlaws will just think you are nuts.
Gardner
New Member
Appeciate that Philbert.
Lumberjacked
ArboristSite Operative
Before coming here and asking "how do I start my business" which is basically what I gathered. Try talking to some people that have started their own biz in your town. I don't care if it is a hair saloon or a gas station starting any biz begins the same way. I was in the EXACT same spot you are 8 years ago and luckly I live in a family of entrepreneurs so it was easier for me to start, in terms of filing paper work and such.
If you wonder why you are not getting a lot of posts....It is pretty insulting to some when you basically ask "how did you become successful? so I can do the same and take business away from you" Everyone needs to find their niche in the market and what works for one person in a certain part of the country will fail miserably in another.
My suggestion to you is go to your county, state or federal Small Business Association website and STUDY. In the current economy I don't care how hard you work, if you are not a good business minded person you are ****ed.
If you wonder why you are not getting a lot of posts....It is pretty insulting to some when you basically ask "how did you become successful? so I can do the same and take business away from you" Everyone needs to find their niche in the market and what works for one person in a certain part of the country will fail miserably in another.
My suggestion to you is go to your county, state or federal Small Business Association website and STUDY. In the current economy I don't care how hard you work, if you are not a good business minded person you are ****ed.
