Question: What things do I need to start a small business? I am looking to open a hobby store. I know what I want to sell and I know what clientel I am looking to serve, but what I need to know is a solid place to find grants, and other details like what I need to do go about getting a business license, leasing options, and distributors.

Answer: You need a lot of information. I suggest you read the following books:\n\n- What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business: Real Life Start-Up Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1574101129/ref=nosim/powerhomebizguid \n- If You're Clueless About Starting Your Own Business and Want to Know More  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1574100939/ref=nosim/powerhomebizguid \n- Start Your Own Business : The Only Start-Up Book You'll Ever Need  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1891984217/ref=nosim/powerhomebizguid \n- Steps to Small Business Start-Up : Everything You Need to Know to Turn Your Idea into a Successful Business http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1574101323/ref=nosim/powerhomebizguid\n\nFor the licenses you need to your store, go to your Secretary of State website and look for information on how to start a business. That will contain the info you need and contact information\n\nIt is hard to find grants to start a business. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for a for-profit business. And yes, grants mean PAPERWORK - lots and lots of it, that is why a cottage industry of grant writers was born.\n\nNonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.\n\nEven if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants -- all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently. But still the info is the same - hardly any grants for starting a for profit business.\n\nEven SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html... \n\n"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."
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