Tag Archives: Small

Starting a Small Business in Colorado

The idea of starting their own small business is very exciting to some people, and some of them go forward with it. However, most new businesses fail. Largely for that reason, there are no State or Federal government grants for business start-ups.

However, there are many programs which offer a “guaranteed loan”, meaning that the bank applies to the government for a guarantee on your loan. There is also private financing. Most start-up financing comes from the new business owner, or his friends and family. When your business has a two- or three-year business history, then the government and banks are more likely to consider some type of loan.

Business Plan

The first thing required is a well-written business plan. The State of Colorado offers free counseling on this in its network of Small Business Development Centers. The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) offers an online Business Resource Guide, which offers guidance on writing a business plan and on other aspects of starting a business in Colorado. This is a good place to consult in the early stages of your business planning. Alternatively, you can consult an experienced business start-up law firm, who will know all the steps to take and have copies of all the required paperwork.

Business License

No general business license is required in Colorado, but a specific licence is required for each type of business, and these are issued by the State of Colorado. If you are starting a corporation, Limited Liability Company, Sole Proprietorship or General Partnership, you will need to register your trade name with the Colorado Secretary of State, and file all the required paperwork.

Business Name and Tax ID

The new business name must be registered with the Secretary of State also, although this will not establish your exclusive rights to it. You will first need to verify with the Secretary of State that it is not already in use. The State tax ID will be issued by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment when you apply for it correctly.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

You are required by the Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation to provide this, and more details can be obtained from them. There is no State fund for it. It is available through various private insurance companies in Colorado and from Pinnacol Assurance, a non-profit insurance carrier. You would need to shop around for the best rates and service.

Unemployment Insurance Taxes

The beginning base tax rate for most employers is 0.017, plus a surtax which is computed annually. If your business is construction-related, it may be subject to a different tax base.

Sales Tax

Colorado’s sales tax rate is 2.9%. Counties, cities, and special districts also collect sales taxes. Your business’s exact sales tax rate will depend on its location. Colorado has 43 home rule cities that require separate business licensing and independently collect their portion of the tax on all sales made within their jurisdiction.

Some legal assistance

Requirements for starting your new business in Colorado are extensive and complex, and meeting them all without any assistance is time-consuming. You can obtain prompt and wise legal help from highly experienced attorneys, however, and this will enable you to focus on the more enjoyable aspects of your new business.

Business Loans and Small Business Loans

The word Loan does not need any specific definition nowadays. Yet the meaning of Business Loan at this juncture could well be defined as money borrowed for the specific period of time at the agreed rate of interest by the particular person who operates some business or projects to start some business. The terms of repayments of such loans are also required to be mutually agreed upon in the official format. The definition of Business Loan is very broad and there are different kinds of such loans available to the general business people across the world. The basic factor considered while approving such loans is the viability or the feasibility of the business and actual profitability involved in the business for which the loan is sought. If the applicant borrower is new at his business, or has little experience or skill about his projected business, this may force the lender to think thoroughly before extending any lending or business loans.

It is therefore rather advisable for such new business persons to establish enough business creditability in the market and then approach for any business loans. Business credit may definitely help him getting business loans to great extent. Establishing business credit could easily be done by:

• Initiating or opting for the business credit card account and settle it in full from time to time creating good records

• Procure all the equipments and required supplies mainly from the companies that would report good and favorable standing to the business credit bureaus

• Have really good business plan and poise genuine earning potentials, letter of intent besides any types of customer contracts already laid out successfully

All such attempts could help strengthening the business person’s business credit records and ease the loan application sanctions without many hurdles. Most of time, the lenders or the financing institutions, demand extensive business plans be prepared. One should be prepared to spend a long time fulfilling the necessary certification paper work before applying for the business loan. The business loan is always permitted on the business status as well as based on the personal credit history of the applicant. Hence the business projection must satisfy the lending institution about the profitability and security of the amount to be lent, besides the borrower’s ability of timely repaying the borrowed amount. Different states have different policies for the business loans so it is rather advisable to evaluate the probabilities before applying. Even your local bankers may extend you the desired business loan as they do monitor your company’s growth, turnover and profitability. Try to utilize the most the of loan amount on the projected business to ultimately avoid unnecessary burden on your profitability.

There are different types of business loans available which include the options like secured loans against collateral, non-secured loans based exclusively on the credit worthiness of the applicant, as well as the government loans especially for the small business enterprises, women and minorities. The government loans are usually secured type of loans that are given to the business owner who can prove that the community in general will be benefited by the business project. In most of the government loans, the lending is based on the personal creditability of the applicant.

Some of the commonly and easily available business loans include:

• Loan for acquiring the already existing lucrative and prosperous business expansion

• Loans for Inventory

• Loans for Account Receivable

• The loans as working capital for converting the company’s assets into working capital

• For leasing of equipment

• Loans for the commercial properties

• Loans to finance warehouse facilities

• Loans for running international export – import business

• Loans for franchise
Business Loans