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“What’s Everyone Talking About?” Update

by Moderator on 12-01-2009 09:37 AM - last edited on 12-01-2009 09:51 AM

November has been a busy month in the Business.gov community, with a lot of conversation on a wide variety of topics.

 

Welcome to the United States of America!

Though the United States is in a recession, people from around the world are still ever so interested in doing business here. Questions from Canada, Singapore, Mongolia, China,and the United Kingdom about starting various types of businesses are popping up all over Business.gov.

 

If you are a foreign national and plan to import and do business in the U.S., read Starting a Business in the U.S. as a Foreign National for guidance on tax and legal obligations.  Have questions about selling imported goods to US consumers? Check out this small business checklist for importers.  

 

How about a LLC? S-Corp? Sole Proprietorship? Non-Profit?

Each business structure has benefits and limitations, and it can often be challenging to decide which form is the best fit for your venture. One Community member wanted to figure out the best business structure for a new multimedia company; another a real estate investment club; and another a non-profit senior citizen dance program.

 

Before you decide to run off with an idea, remember to do thorough research on the benefits and disadvantages of each business structure. We have a wealth of resources within the community that you can take advantage of. You can start off with reading up on it in our blogs:

 

Marketing Woes

Once their business is up and running, many small business owners run into obstacles marketing their products and services. This month, our members asked the Community:

A big thanks to all the members that have provided great suggestions.  Feel free to read up on our bloggers' take on holiday marketing tips, creative strategies to market in a recession, and other basic marketing tactics as well.

 

I Need Money for My Business

Do you need money for a truck and trailer business, women-based company, or dental office going green?  Have poor credit or no money to start a business?  These are some of the most commonly questions in our Loans and Grants discussion board.   The quest for start up capital is such a popular topic that we wrote "I Need Money - Where do I get it?" for a summary of straightforward and concise answers to these frequently asked questions.

 

If you have insight to these articles and conversations, please feel free to click on the links above to share your advice and feedback.

Message Edited by ChristineL on 12-01-2009 09:51 AM

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  • Hi! I'm Ari and I am a consultant for the U.S. government, supporting the Business Gateway program. I've been on the team since 2009 and I have a background in small businesses, since my dad has owned one since I was 6! I'm really interested in trying to help anyone out there who has a business question. Enjoy the community and don't hesitate to make the most of all the resources on Business.gov!
  • Caron Beesley has over 15 years of experience working in marketing, with a particular focus on the government sector. Caron is also a small business owner and works with the Business.gov team to promote essential government resources for small business owners.
  • Hi! I am a consultant supporting the Business Gateway program. I look forward to hearing from you.
  • Hello, and welcome to the Business.gov Community. I am a consultant for the U.S. government, supporting the Business Gateway program. Several of my family members own their own businesses, and I'm interested in learning how others in the small business community are doing.
  • Hi, my name is Steve. I am a Presidential Management Fellow working with the fantastic Business.Gov team. Our goal is to continually improve this community to meet your needs, so we appreciate your feedback and participation.
  • Hi! I'm a consultant for the Business Gateway who hosts Business.gov. I have been a small business owner for over 18 years. I'm excited that information on running a successful business is becoming more and more accessible. When I first started it was impossible to get the tax forms I needed let alone figure out how to fill them out. I wish you great success!
  • Hi - I'm Sue and I work as a marketing consultant for Business.gov and the Business.gov Community. Both my husband and I run small businesses so we are very familiar with the highs and lows of being entrepreneurs. I help to promote the Business.gov Community and am excited to be part of such a vibrant community of diverse businesses and experiences. Looking forward to hearing and learning from you!
  • Hi! My name is Zaneta. I'm a consultant for the Business Gateway program and a content manager for Business.gov. I write content for the site; blogs; and send e-mail updates on timely news across federal and state government. I'm looking forward to hearing about topics that interest you and how we can expand and clarify information on the site.