Hi everyone, I recently got laid off and I'm looking to make my own money, be my one boss, etc. I know I can make some money with the skills I have, but I'm not too sure about the legalities of it. There seems to be a lot of business owners here, making your own money and stuff, but did you also apply for a license to do business in your specific city? And i'm also wondering how you incorporate the income you've earned into your tax return. Is there any place, like a website, where I can learn about all the legal stuff I have to take care of first, before actually starting a business?

Thanks,
~mioi

The best place to start is with the California Dept. of Trade and Economic Development. They should have some publications on "how to" start a Business in CA along with all the tax rules & regulations.

If all else fails, call the secretary of state's office and they'll be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

Don't forget about SCORE (http://www.score.org)


Good Luck!