How to start an arts, crafts, antiques and curios business in the
state of Iowa as either a sole proprietor or franchisee, to include, a
sample business plan and internet links.

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Request for Question Clarification by bcguide-ga on 14 Oct 2002 23:37 PDT

Hi,

Are you interested in a brick and mortar store or an online store - or
both?

It will make a difference in what you'll require to successfully get
an accurate business plan drafted.

bcguide-ga

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Request for Question Clarification by larre-ga on 15 Oct 2002 00:54 PDT

More specifically, what county or city within Iowa will the business
be located in?. Business licensing will be partially regulated by one
of those governments. Also, if the business is operated as a
franchise, would you form a corporation as the management entity? How
detailed should the business plan be? Are you seeking a boilerplate
that can be modified, or a custom plan that includes specific sources,
suppliers, and the like? The more we know about the type of
information you want, the better we can meet your expectations.

=l=

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Clarification of Question by hawkeye1-ga on 15 Oct 2002 16:59 PDT

CLARIFICATIONS

1. STORE: Brick- and- mortar with online access
2. CITY/COUNTY: Home  base: Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52411. Marketing Range:
250 mile radius.
3. BUSINESS ENTITY:  Sole Proprietorship  or Sub-Chapter S Corporation
4. BUSINESS PLAN: A "Custom Plan" detailing sources, suppliers, etc.,
is preferrable. A "Sample Plan" of an existing arts, crafts, curios
wholesaler/retailer is acceptable.
5. NOTE: My interest in dealing with the "so-called" local College or
University trained/sponsored/personnel is "luke-warm" at best.
Therefore, if your research is limited to this as the primary resource
-- not interested.

2 places to start:

http://www.sba.gov
http://www.score.org

Contact your local college, university, or community college.  Ask
where the nearest SBDC is located.  An SBDC (Small Business
Development Center) is funded through the SBA, but is managed and
staffed by a local college or university in your state, in this case,
Iowa.  They have staff available to help you prepare to start your
business adventure.  They can help you plan regarding licenses,
permits, tax requirements, investment and loan sources; assist in the
development of a effective business plan, and act as an intermediary
with lenders and federal agencies who can provide further help.

Most of the information you need can be found at:
http://www.sba.gov/ia/desmo/startupkit.html

If you'd like additional help, you'll need to take alook at the
requests for clarification.

bcguide-ga