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Business legal structures

When you start your business, you must decide what legal structure it will have. There are several choices of business formats in Colorado including sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited partnership, corporation, limited liability company, etc.

• Legal Structure & Organization Guide
  (from the Colorado Business Resource Guide)
• Comparison of Entities (from Kathy Knapp)

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How to register your business

Once you figure out what type of legal structure you want for your business (sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, Corporation, etc.), you will then need to register your business. To register a business in Colorado, you need to do the following things:

1. Register for an Employer Identification Number (form SS-4) from the IRS. You can do this online and get more information at the IRS website (click here).
2. Register with the state of Colorado (form SR0100).
3. Register your trade name with the Colorado Secretary of State.

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Business tax help

The Colorado Business Resource Guide has some information on taxes in the following sections. For more specific information you should contact the Internal Revenue Service and the Colorado Department of Revenue.

• Income and Property Tax
• Colorado Sales Tax
• Business Tax information from the IRS website

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Logo help

Having a nice and unique logo in your business can really help give you in marketing your products. Courtney Nelson from Creative Cultivations can work with you to have a logo designed that can be used in all of your marketing products.

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Business card help

Courtney Nelson from Creative Cultivations can help you with your business card design, or you can attempt to design them yourself using software such as Microsoft Publisher. A good place to order cheap cards with good quality paper is Overnight Prints.

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How to setup a website

To check if your domain name is available, you can use a number of places on the web. Yahoo! is one good place: http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/domains/

• Website Basics (by Karen Thayer)
• Building a web site for your home-based business

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Quickbooks tips

• Quickbooks Workshop (by Kathy Knapp)

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Computer tips and tricks

• Basic Computer Tips and Tricks (by Karen Thayer)

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Marketing help

• Marketing your business (by Courtney Nelson)
• Four Elements Marketing Mix (by Tiffany Burns)
• Marketing Plans (by Tiffany Burns)

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Accepting credit cards

• Business Bank Accounts (by Laura Dietz)
• Also see the minutes from the November 8, 2005 meeting.

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Business plans

• Business Plan Info
• Business Plan Resources
• Addressing Risk

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Advertising

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Distinguishing your business

• Branding (by Tiffany Burns)

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Pricing your services/products

• Business Names and Pricing (by Courtney Nelson)
• Pricing Worksheet (by Courtney Nelson)
• Project Worksheet (by Courtney Nelson)