i need some help on starting a business... i searched google for help and all i get is legal documents that i (15 yr old) can not understand... i think i need a license, but am not sure... i have emailed some people, but heard nothing back yet. and since it revolves around web design, i thought maybe you guys(girls) could help me out. does anyone have their own web design business from home? what all would i need to get started? it will be just me working and it will be simple layouts i will be selling...
Originally posted by JDM71488 i need some help on starting a business... i searched google for help and all i get is legal documents that i (15 yr old) can not understand... i think i need a license, but am not sure... i have emailed some people, but heard nothing back yet. and since it revolves around web design, i thought maybe you guys(girls) could help me out. does anyone have their own web design business from home? what all would i need to get started? it will be just me working and it will be simple layouts i will be selling...
any help? id appreciate!!!
Well, you can start off by knowing that you cannot legally start a commercial business until you are 18 years of age...
I started my business (registered with the Gov) when i was 16. Atleast thats the law in Australia.
The best thing for you to do now is read up heavily on business practises and marketing, etc. Its more important that you have a firm understanding of how Internet Business operates apposed to the technical knowledge. Your skills wont be very handy if you dont know how to attract and secure clients! Though, technical knowhow is an important factor, also.
www.sitepoint.com offer a fantastic box-set, which goes into details about how to start a Web Design Business (rather pricey, though).
Go to some of the local clubs, churches, small business's, etc and offer to write them a simple Web Site for a small fee (or for Free!). This will build your design portfolio, and experience.
Be confident when it comes to attracting business. Potential clients dont need to know your only 15! I got a contract to write a database-driven Events Calendar when i was 16. As long as you can provide the service professionally, the rest is secondary.
Originally posted by buntine www.sitepoint.com offer a fantastic box-set, which goes into details about how to start a Web Design Business (rather pricey, though).
I'm currently reading through the 700+ page manual that is in the set as I contine to put together some web design stuff to show to potential clients. There is some really good stuff in there. As buntime said, being able to sell yourself, and your skills is just as important as your web design skills themselves. You can have the greatest CMS tool ever, but if you can't sell it to anyone, aka making your potential clients believe in the CMS, it won't matter.
I am 17 and will maybe have my own business within the next few months. Technically its will be my dad's. But here in the states you only need to fill out a few forms to start your own sole proprietership. You will have to file income taxes etc, and state sales taxes will vary of course. I was going to do a lot of freelance stuff if I could not get a job this summer, but I have a job now, so my freelance plans are on the back burner, If I have time I will continue on though. But I am still working on a personal site and still plan on buying a block of space once I have a client or two secured. Keep in mind, you can do freelance web design and not be a 'business' and do everything under the table if you are making below 500 bucks, after 500 bucks it becomes illegal.
*possible option: subcontracting. I was looking into getting my own clients, but then they would pay a company and the company would shave off the sales tax, and social security and pass the rest to me and I would only be left needing to pay the income tax. Actually you might need to pay the social security, they would only kill the sales tax, but this way you could have your own clients and all and it would be perfectly legal as long as you have a go between on the payment. Your title would officially be a subcontractor for the other company. Subcontracting can mean a lot of things, but I mean this is just one way it could be setup, subctonracting basically comes down to a contract between the contractor and the subcontractor and it is very open, you are simply performing a service for the contractor but are not really their employee, you are independent of them.
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