Thanks for Asking!
There's very little information available on the Web specifically
about starting a newsstand business, which I would guess is the reason
you've come to GoogleAnswers. I've gathered the information that IS
available, have collected resources that that apply to starting any
retail business, plus some over-the-fence recommendations from the
Vice-president of our local Chamber of Commerce about what it would
take to start such a business in this community.
You'll need to:
Develop a business plan
Educate yourself about your market, industry, and potential customers
Obtain permits, licenses, and a tax I.D. number
Raise money
Find suppliers, space to lease, and supportive services
Stock your retail space
Open and operate your business, based on the practices you decided on
in your business plan
Keep records
The most important step is planning. If you plan well, the other steps
take care of themselves. Your plan is your map, the step-by-step guide
to profitability. There's a wealth of information about planning and
running a retail business available online, but you might also want to
locate a book or guide that will act as a checklist. You'll find
business startup checklists online also. Two of the best are published
by Prentiss-Hall, and the US Small Business Administration:
http://www.sba.gov/starting/getting.html
http://www.prenhall.com/scarbzim/html/checkfull.html
Additional start-up resources may be found at Bplan.com, Checklists,
in-depth articles about business planning, and plan templates used by
successful retail businesses. Bplan.com's According to their Ask the
Experts column, there are
"Seven Steps to Starting a Small Business:
Question: I'd like a basic outline for the fundamentals of how to
start my own business. Please include some insight on financial
management, legalities, literature that may come in handy, etc.
Thanks!
Answer: I would be happy to. What is interesting about this question
is that, while many businesses are indeed created after much thought
and planning, probably just as many are started on the fly; the guy
who has had the itch to go solo but gets fired from his day job before
actually doing so is apt to just wing it and hope for the best.
By the same token, there are many companies that start out planning to
be one thing and end up doing something quite different. This is not
to say that forethought and planning are a waste of time when starting
a business; that's certainly not true. Rather, it points out one of
the fundamental laws of successful entrepreneurship: be flexible. For
example, a few years ago Microsoft had no Internet strategy at all,
yet seeing the folly of that, shifted much of its focus almost
overnight. That's a good lesson for all of us."
The outline is continued at:
http://www.bplans.com/st/ck/ehs.cfm?id=1604&bt=CKQA
An broad business startup checklist is also provided at:
http://www.bplans.com/st/ck/ehs.cfm?id=1667&bt=CKQA
If you're a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of planning a business
venture by yourself, there's help available from the Service Corps of
Retired Executives. S.C.O.R.E. is a volunteer organization of
experienced business mentors - experts who'll offer resources and
planning assistance, one-on-one. Services are free to prospective
business owners. S.C.O.R.E. maintains a website, and e-mail support is
available, however, I highly recommend checking with your local SBA
office (listed in the phone book under U.S. Government) to find the
nearest S.C.O.R.E. program.
http://www.score.org
Planning is critical, and learning about your industry is extremely
important also. You'll need to know if growth is forecast, who the
major players are, and what larger market forces influence your sales.
Learn about the business climate in your locality by contacting your
local Chamber of Commerce or local retail business association(s).
Legalwise, you'll need to find out what city or county permits and
necessary. You'll need to obtain a federal tax identification number.
Most counties or other licensing agencies offer online information.
You'll need to find out how your state sales tax applies to the items
you plan to sell, and obtain the necessary authorization for
collecting sales taxes from your state's tax board, as well as set up
an escrow account for turning sales taxes collected over to the state
auditor or controller. It can also be helpful to consult an attorney
for setup of your business structure.
An accountant can be another helpful business consultant. Even if you
plan on handling the bookkeeping yourself, an accountant can help you
set up an optimum accounting system, and provide useful information in
regard to taxation and other regulations, such as withholding and
social security requirements.
You'll need to plan your financing. The best starting point for
information about small business financing is available from the Small
Business Administration. The SBA offers a local locator map at:
http://www.sba.gov/regions/states.html
You'll need to find sources for all the products you plan to sell, as
well as store fixtures and supplies. The Thomas Register is the
leading Business-to-Business Directory in the U.S. You'll find
wholesalers, products and manufacturers listed in their online
directory as well. Use is free with registration:
http://www.thomasregister.com/
You find additional supplier sources in Google's Directory of
Publishing Wholesale Distributors:
http://directory.google.com/Top/Business/Industries/Publishing/Wholesale_Distributors/
Newsstand Franchises are also available for purchase from:
Street Corner News
http://www.streetcornernews.com/
and
Gateway News:
http://www.gatewaynewstands.com/franch.shtml
Franchise operations provide retail space, suppliers, advertising, and
numerous support services for a new business owner.
Additional retail business startup information, operating tips and
procedures are available by visiting:
http://directory.google.com/Top/Business/Industries/Retail/
http://www.retailadvisors.net/BookStore/retailspec.htm
http://directory.google.com/Top/Business/Small_Business/Resources/?tc=1
http://www.smallbusinessresources.com/
Search terms used:
newsstand franchises
publishing wholesalers
retail business startup
small business resources
If you would like clarification of any part of the information I've
provided, please feel free to ask.
Thank you for using Google Answers.
~larre-ga |
