What are the easiest businesses to start? (sales, sued, license)
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How about selling at farmer's markets or flea markets? Does anyone know if it's legal in most places to sell homemade baked goods at FM? I've noticed that most people who do have a business name but I'm not sure if they just make that up to sound more professional or whether they have to have a storefront as well to sell at them.
We are in the US so almost everything is extremely regulated... I would say try to think of something new for which there is no regulation...or start a business illegally and if you make money then try to get in compliance with the law...LOL
Look, in the US if you sell food, you're opening up an entire regulatory can of worms... The reason others have a business name is probably to protect themselves from liability...since you may be sued or get into legal trouble. If you have a business entity, then the other party may sue the business and not you...
Hmm easy business to start...honestly I can't think of one in the US. IN a lot of other countries you could simply start selling your stuff...granted you may give people food poisoning or whatever...but it is a little easier...
Whatever you do, make sure you spend the money and get a business entity if there's a chance for liability. It is a pain, but it may save your home or reputation one day...
You can try selling something non-edible...that's 100% safe...Something for which it is unlikely you'll be sued or audited or taxed...
How about selling at farmer's markets or flea markets? Does anyone know if it's legal in most places to sell homemade baked goods at FM? I've noticed that most people who do have a business name but I'm not sure if they just make that up to sound more professional or whether they have to have a storefront as well to sell at them.
The regulations on food safety will vary from state to state, so you must check with your local authorities.
Many states will not allow the sale of prepared foods unless they come from a licensed/inspected commercial food kitchen (or bakery).
You'll also need to comply with applicable sales tax requirements. Some states tax food ready for consumption, some tax all food sales, some exempt food sales from sales tax.
At that, I'd call a bakery operation on any sizable scale more than a one-person business. I know one lady who bakes cupcakes for our local Farmer's Market ... sells out every time ... and it takes her and her two daughters to bake 400 cupcakes and bring the product in to the market, set up her tables and signage, and handle the sales. They could probably sell 3-4 times that number of cupcakes each sale day, but it's way too much work for them to do and their vehicle isn't big enough to bring in that much more product. She rents a commercial kitchen for the hours it takes to prepare and bake her products.
OTOH, we've got a couple of bakeries that do sell at our Farmer's Market, and they have hundreds of loaves of breads and specialty pastries for sale each sale day. But they've got commercial bakery proofing and ovens for their products, and several employees to help with the operations.
Probably the easiest is reselling items on eBay. My wife does clothing, she finds name brands at yard sales and flea markets then resells. Start up is minimal, maybe $100 in purchases, set up a paypal account, set up a shipping account on USPS and get at it.
If you're asking because you want to find a business to go into, I would suggest you do something you are good at and enjoy doing, and not pick a job just because it is "easy to start".
If I told you "baking cookies" but you can't stand cooking, are you going to bake cookies?
Or is this simply a theoretical exercise? If so, I'd say "prostitution".
She rents a commercial kitchen for the hours it takes to prepare and bake her products.
OTOH, we've got a couple of bakeries that do sell at our Farmer's Market, and they have hundreds of loaves of breads and specialty pastries for sale each sale day. But they've got commercial bakery proofing and ovens for their products, and several employees to help with the operations.
I wonder how one goes about renting a commercial kitchen? Or even looking into it?
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