Learn
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Learn how to turn your dream into a business, with this step-by-step guide.
Sections:
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Introduction
What do you want your dream to do, and how can you sustain it?
Legal considerations
Walk through some important questions to ask yourself before starting a business.
Independent Contracting
When getting started, it’s important that you classify your new business accordingly. Which one is right for your dream?
Social entrepreneurship
You and the business are legally one and the same, with the same liabilities but all the profit is yours.
Vision, Mission, and Business description
In this structure, you and at least one other person team up to start and run a business.
California laws
With this model, stakeholders invest resources in exchange for the business’s capital stock in the form of profit.
Resource List
Additional Resources
More information on the structure, permits, and registration specifics required to get your business started are here.
Worksheet
Starting a business
Introduction
What do you want your dream to do, and how can you sustain it?
Legal considerations
Walk through some important questions to ask yourself before starting a business.
Independent Contracting
When getting started, it’s important that you classify your new business accordingly. Which one is right for your dream?
Social entrepreneurship
You and the business are legally one and the same, with the same liabilities but all the profit is yours.
Vision, Mission, and Business description
In this structure, you and at least one other person team up to start and run a business.
California laws
With this model, stakeholders invest resources in exchange for the business’s capital stock in the form of profit.
Resource List
Additional Resources
More information on the structure, permits, and registration specifics required to get your business started are here.
Worksheet
Starting a business
Sections:
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Introduction
How will you or your business find and keep customers? Marketing is work designed to get you more work.
Define Your Product
What do you or your company provide that others are willing to pay for, and what’s its value?
People
How do you learn more about the person at the center of your business — your customer?
Set the Right Price
Are you charging too little for your work? Too much? How might you price your work accordingly?
Position Your Product
How do you want to be thought of by customers? What do you want them to believe and say?
Promote Your Business
How will you get your message in front of the right customers at the right time?
Additional Resources
A brief, high-level view at the essential components of marketing, with a few useful tips as well.
Worksheet
Marketing and Promotion
Introduction
How will you or your business find and keep customers? Marketing is work designed to get you more work.
Define Your Product
What do you or your company provide that others are willing to pay for, and what’s its value?
People
How do you learn more about the person at the center of your business — your customer?
Set the Right Price
Are you charging too little for your work? Too much? How might you price your work accordingly?
Position Your Product
How do you want to be thought of by customers? What do you want them to believe and say?
Promote Your Business
How will you get your message in front of the right customers at the right time?
Additional Resources
A brief, high-level view at the essential components of marketing, with a few useful tips as well.
Worksheet
Marketing and Promotion
Earn a living or to make extra income by working for yourself.
Sections:
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Introduction
Get started with the basics of Independent Contracting.
Choosing Your Business Structure
What is your vision for how you might benefit from the gig economy or by offering professional services?
Sole Proprietorship
Being an Independent Contractor comes with some legal considerations. Make sure you get to know IRCA!
Partnership
Being new to anything can feel a bit daunting, but with some practice you’ll learn how to be a successful independent contractor.
Corporations
What will you talk about with prospective clients? How do you protect yourself and still win work?
Limited Liability Company (LLC) and Co-ops
Contracts are essential for protecting you and your clients. They define the terms of engagement and set expectations.
Permits
What forms will you need as an independent contractor? Check out this module to learn about IRS forms.
Resource List
Contracts and IRS Forms
Not sure where to find resources for your marketing, legal, and financial needs? This module will help.
Resources
Not sure where to find resources for your marketing, legal, and financial needs? This module will help.
Worksheet
Business Structures and Permits
Use this worksheet to start developing ideas around your person, product, price, position, and promotion.
Introduction
Get started with the basics of Independent Contracting.
Choosing Your Business Structure
What is your vision for how you might benefit from the gig economy or by offering professional services?
Sole Proprietorship
Being an Independent Contractor comes with some legal considerations. Make sure you get to know IRCA!
Partnership
Being new to anything can feel a bit daunting, but with some practice you’ll learn how to be a successful independent contractor.
Corporations
What will you talk about with prospective clients? How do you protect yourself and still win work?
Limited Liability Company (LLC) and Co-ops
Contracts are essential for protecting you and your clients. They define the terms of engagement and set expectations.
Permits
What forms will you need as an independent contractor? Check out this module to learn about IRS forms.
Resource List
Contracts and IRS Forms
Not sure where to find resources for your marketing, legal, and financial needs? This module will help.
Resources
Not sure where to find resources for your marketing, legal, and financial needs? This module will help.
Worksheet
Business Structures and Permits
Use this worksheet to start developing ideas around your person, product, price, position, and promotion.
Understand the funding opportunities available to jump start your hustle.
Sections:
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Introduction to Financing
You know that credit is important, but how do you build it and how do you use it to access capital?
Setting Your Goals and Creating a Budget
Do you think about your personal and business financial goals?
What is Credit?
How can you let people know you’re able to repay debt? Good credit allows you to borrow money.
Credit Score
Which factors are figured into your credit score, and what do the numbers mean?
How to Establish or Strengthen Credit
Do you know what your credit score is? Do you know how to access it? We’ll show you how.
Accessing your Credit Report
With lending circles, a group of individuals help participants raise money for various needs at little to no cost
Accessing Credit: Small Business Capital
Regardless of your immigration status, you may still be able to access loans through the Small Business Administration.
What Lenders Look For
What bearing does your credit, liquidity, collateral, capital, and character have on how lenders see you?
What Borrowers Should Look For
Lenders don’t have all the power. What should you look for in a lender when you need to access capital?
Resource List
Helpful Resources
There’s a lot of information you’ll need when it comes to capital. Fortunately we have some resources for you.
Worksheet
Finance and Capital
Introduction to Financing
You know that credit is important, but how do you build it and how do you use it to access capital?
Setting Your Goals and Creating a Budget
Do you think about your personal and business financial goals?
What is Credit?
How can you let people know you’re able to repay debt? Good credit allows you to borrow money.
Credit Score
Which factors are figured into your credit score, and what do the numbers mean?
How to Establish or Strengthen Credit
Do you know what your credit score is? Do you know how to access it? We’ll show you how.
Accessing your Credit Report
With lending circles, a group of individuals help participants raise money for various needs at little to no cost
Accessing Credit: Small Business Capital
Regardless of your immigration status, you may still be able to access loans through the Small Business Administration.
What Lenders Look For
What bearing does your credit, liquidity, collateral, capital, and character have on how lenders see you?
What Borrowers Should Look For
Lenders don’t have all the power. What should you look for in a lender when you need to access capital?
Resource List
Helpful Resources
There’s a lot of information you’ll need when it comes to capital. Fortunately we have some resources for you.
Worksheet
Finance and Capital
Filing taxes doesn’t have to be a headache. Learn to plan your tax filings.
Sections:
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Introduction to Taxes
Knowing how to effectively manage your taxes can help ensure that you are maximizing the money you keep.
Individual Taxpayer ID Number (ITIN)
Taxpayer identification for those without a Social Security Number or who are ineligible to receive one.
Employer Identification Number (EIN)
EINs are assigned to employers, sole proprietors, corporations and others to identify and collect employment tax information.
Filing Taxes as a Business Owner
Self-employed individuals are generally required to file an annual return and pay estimated taxes on a quarterly basis.
Helpful Resources
More information about ITINs, EINs, and filing taxes as an independent contractor can be found here.
Creating an action plan
More information about getting started.
Worksheet
Next Steps
Introduction to Taxes
Knowing how to effectively manage your taxes can help ensure that you are maximizing the money you keep.
Individual Taxpayer ID Number (ITIN)
Taxpayer identification for those without a Social Security Number or who are ineligible to receive one.
Employer Identification Number (EIN)
EINs are assigned to employers, sole proprietors, corporations and others to identify and collect employment tax information.
Filing Taxes as a Business Owner
Self-employed individuals are generally required to file an annual return and pay estimated taxes on a quarterly basis.
Helpful Resources
More information about ITINs, EINs, and filing taxes as an independent contractor can be found here.
Creating an action plan
More information about getting started.
Worksheet