Laurie Kirk ⋅ Tampa , FL Bristol-Myers Squibb ⋅ 30 years experience

Chris - try reaching out to the SCORE organization in your area, they have good advice for start ups. They are comprised of retired business people who help for free, they have seminars etc. I attended one years ago in my area & found them to be useful in providing good, relable info.

Jim Wilson ⋅ Richmond , VA Wilson Law Group ⋅ 20 years experience

The very first step is to decide what kind of business you want to operate. You could waste a lot of time gearing up on regulations that have no impact on the type of business you plan on operating. Once that is done, however, I think the first step is to form a busines entity, that way potential liabilities are separated from your personal assets and you can encounter liabilities even at this early stage. Then write the executive summary of your business plan. I know, the business plan itself isn't written yet, but write out the general idea of what the business plan will be first so it can guide you thorugh the preparing the rest of it. Then take the plan a piece at a time and start doing research for that part. Such as, if the business will need a retail space, start looking into the differences in rents in your area, where there are vacancies where it might be located, what kind of tax or regulatory differences exist at the various sites where you might locate. Keep working through the business plan noting the problems or tough challenges your business idea might face. Develop ways to solve or work around those challenges. Spend particular time on financing the business. Consider well how much you will need to get started, how cash will flow once you are going and how you will be able to pay the bills and yourself.

I agree with Laurie that SCORE can be a big help with this analysis, but to get good help you have to frame the discussion. Don't ask for help starting a business, ask for help starting an American Grill restuarant with bar service that attracts families or whatever you are thinking of doing. It makes it much easier for those trying to help you.

Wayne Williams ⋅ Westminster , CO U.S. Army, Specialist ⋅ 3 years served

Mr Levi-
I have a plan for you to champion. Public Law 106-50, The Veterans Entrepreneur Bill of 1999 requires 3 % of all Federal Procurement to be set-aside to Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business. (SDVOSB). This was followed up with Public Law 108-183 to further enforce this existing Federal Law and then Executive Order 13360. http://web.governmentcontractors.org/content/issues/Veteran-Owned_Business_Programs.aspx
It was reported a year ago that fraud from said SDVOB were not Veterans at all. See http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-205T
The laws are already established. The bottom line in Executive Order 13360 is "(d) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, instrumentalities or entities, its officers, employees or agents, or any other person." An EO without any repercussions for fraud. Can't make Federal Acquisition do anything it declines to do. Like enforce the law. I get a bit hot but then tis is our opportunity lost.