STAFF REPORT
Living in Los Angeles County is an adventure in itself, but the prospect of opening a small business here is even more impressive. Did you know that there are more and a quarter of a million businesses operating in the county and that if just the county alone was compared to nations around the globe, it would rank as 19th on a global economic level? Whether you live in Los Cerritos or anywhere else in Long Beach, you are within the borders of Los Angeles County while not part of LA itself. This means that you will need information pertinent to both your neighborhood and your county if you intend to start a small business from home. Here is some of what you need to know and a few tips for getting started.
If you intend to start a small business, you will first need to decide how you want to register. Do you want to be a sole proprietor or perhaps a non-profit? A business is a business whether for profit or not, and with Los Angeles County leading the nation in businesses owned by women and minorities, you can see how many of them are probably non-profits dealing with concerns within their respective communities. In any case, in order to legally operate a small business, you must be registered with the state, obtain a license under what is called a “Fictitious Name”, and operate within the confines of zoning laws within your area. A great resource for this information is on the County of Los Angeles web page.
Notwithstanding that there are probably zoning ordinances which might prevent you from having clients and/or customers coming to your home to do business, it is imperative to understand the necessity of doing business online. This would require both strong internet connectivity through your provider as well as a strong hosting company that guarantees at least 99.99% uptime. Even large corporations do a great deal of their business online, and a small business based from home like yours will almost always rely on Internet traffic. For this, it may cost a bit more, but you might want to consider the advantages of dedicated web hosting. You won’t be sharing server space with other businesses and so you will realize advantages in speed, storage space, and above all, security.
If you need one tip when starting an online business in Los Cerritos or anywhere else in the world, preparation is always going to be your best friend. Research your product line or services to see if there is truly a demand, investigate the legal requirements and then determine how and where to set up shop. Many fledgling entrepreneurs choose to work from home because it is the most cost-effective alternative. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row before making the first move to name and register your business. Just know that you are living virtually in what amounts to an economically strong nation, so get your facts straight and you could be a part of this amazing economy. Welcome to business life in Long Beach.
