How to open a company in America. How to open your business in the USA: a step by step guide

The United States has become famous throughout the world for its highly developed and highly organized economy. This country has never experienced a shortage of business ideas, since great amount emigrants brought them with them. It is very profitable to develop, open your own business on the territory of this country, but not everything is so simple.

Americans are a very strange people - they are ready to pay for the most seemingly ridiculous ideas, and even promote your business all over the world. Take the same Jobs who made the phone without buttons - the iPhone is the most popular phone in the world. It would seem, who needs a phone with a small touch screen without a physical keyboard? However, it was the Americans who sold out the new phone in a couple of weeks.

Also, for example, you can take the business of Larry Hall - he builds anti-nuclear shelters for private individuals. While only one shelter with 70 places is being built, one place costs $2 million. All 70 seats are already sold out. In addition to these projects, dozens of even more original ones were successfully implemented.

Ideas for business in America

However, what if you do not have such ideas or their implementation requires huge capital. Today, small businesses in the United States are becoming increasingly popular. Here are the most popular destinations for today:

1. gambling business in the USA. Residents of the States like to try their luck. In 2018, it is forbidden to open casinos in Russia, with the exception of some territories. However, in the US, a casino can be opened by anyone who has a special license and initial capital, thanks to which, in small provincial towns America has its own casinos. You can make quite a fortune in the gambling business, as casinos in the USA will be popular for a very long time.
2. Many Americans love to travel around their country. Entrepreneurial residents of small towns and huge metropolitan areas earn big money by developing hotel business. If you have a large housing or have money to buy / rent a certain room, then you can open your own hotel. Almost every town has a small motel or hotel. This area is quite competitive today, but if you manage to attract guests, then you will be provided with an income for life.
   
3. Catering business. Open a small cafe or restaurant in a small town. Residents are very fond of sitting in some eatery, and if you are also a good conversationalist, then expect that you will have many regular customers.
4. Tourist. Another way to capitalize on the love of Americans to travel around their country is to open a small travel agency. In this case, you do not have to spend a lot of money. Your travel agency can provide various services, for example, assistance in obtaining a visa to Russia, assistance in choosing tourist routes, etc.
5. Business on your farm. Today, Americans are willing to pay three times as much for farm-sourced organic food. Having bought a small plot for agricultural work, you will have to sow this territory, and then take care of the future harvest throughout the whole season. At first, you will spend a huge amount of capital, but after signing a couple of contracts with supermarkets and restaurants, your expenses will pay off very quickly.
6. Innovative type of business. This segment is just beginning to gain momentum around the world and has a very vague concept. You can repair or assemble computers in your garage, write various programs and sell them, install solar panels for private homes, and much more. The most successful firms in this business segment are Microsoft, Apple, Google, Adobe. Starting your innovative business may require a very large initial capital, however, you have the opportunity to open it without any capital at all.

In 2018, these will be the most popular types of business, and in 2018, the development of small businesses in the United States will be carried out. However, don't forget that The United States is a land of opportunity and even the most ridiculous idea can make you a multimillionaire. Do not forget that in America the taxation system is very difficult for a Russian person to understand, therefore, in order not to go into negative territory, you will have to carefully study this system.

What do you need to start a business in the USA?

Starting a business in the US is not as easy a task as it might seem at first glance. Sometimes it is more difficult to open a business in this country than in Russia.

The complexity of the discovery is explained by the fact that American legislation is more complicated than Russian.

To successfully open a business in the United States, you need to follow a number of steps.




After you complete the registration of your company in the United States, you can start building your business by purchasing various equipment, hiring workers, etc.

What you need to know to run a successful business

It is not enough just to open your business, you still need to be able to run it correctly, otherwise you will either go bankrupt or your business will be closed due to failure to comply with the basic economic laws of the United States.

Failure to comply with certain rules, such as tax evasion, may call into question not only the existence of your company, but also your stay in this country.



Now let's analyze the basic laws and aspects that you need to know in order not to run into trouble.




In addition to observing all these points, you must also take into account that the success of your business largely depends on you, no matter in which country you decide to establish it. For all types of activities that can be done in the United States, there is no single strategy. However, if you follow some tips, you may be able to create a thriving business:




Must buy everything necessary equipment, a certain area or room. Do not skimp on this, as your success in the future will depend on it. According to this scheme, medium and small businesses are developed, and part of the knowledge gained can be applied to promote your business on the Internet.

Opening a company in the US is not as complicated and expensive as it seems from Russia. Most transactions can be done online

Against the backdrop of the economic crisis in Russia, accompanied by the devaluation of the ruble, many entrepreneurs turned their eyes to the US market. First, the US was and remains the largest economy in the world. And secondly, everything related to intellectual work (development, consulting, marketing) in the US is traditionally very expensive, so many local firms are looking for cheaper and better service providers abroad. We also decided to develop our platform for the purchase of media advertising - GetIntent - in the international market, for which we registered a company in the United States. It turned out not to be difficult at all.

Registration

First of all, you need to decide what type of company you are opening - operating or parent. The operating company manages the business - deals with settlements with customers and suppliers, pays salaries, etc. The parent company owns the business and is an “entry point” for investors. An operating company must be opened where the activity will be physically carried out. And the head office, if we are talking about America, is most likely in the state of Delaware. The main thing is not to make a standard mistake and not open operating company in Delaware, the effect will be the same, but the service is much more expensive. We registered an operating company in the state of New York, since both our office and all the largest players in the advertising market are in New York.

You can register a company online without leaving your home by paying for the service bank card. Here, for example, the site MyLLC.com will help, which we used (the cost of the service is about $700). In principle, you can do everything yourself, but it is better to consult a lawyer (for example, in order to choose the right type of corporation during registration - most likely it will be a C-corporation, but there are other options). You can again find a lawyer online, for example, on the Priorilegal.com website, and pay for his services (about $200) with a bank card.

Opening a bank account

A company cannot exist without a bank account. Unfortunately, to open an account, you will most likely have to fly to the United States. As a measure to counter money laundering and other shady transactions, banks are required to adhere to the “know your customer” principle. Just write a letter to the bank e-mail, in reply letter the employee will tell you in detail about the tariffs and the opening procedure. Most startups choose Silicon Valley Bank, but this is probably a fad - and at the moment not the best choice. True, we also chose Silicon Valley Bank.

Postal address and office

A postal address is required to conduct operations. Surprisingly, many even large clients pay for services by sending bank checks by mail. A postal address is included in the package of services for almost any coworking space. Theoretically, you can run a business without an office, but you will most likely need a meeting space, a work desk, etc. The USA has several large networks coworking spaces that provide different services. The most popular network is WeWork. They have a whole range of options available: from the postal address and the right to use meeting rooms with by the hour($100 per hour), to individual offices for dozens of people. We just chose this network. At the beginning of our activity, we paid $450 per month for the rent of one place.

Accounting

Accounting is required to conduct any business in the United States. You can do simple things like invoicing yourself, but you must use the services of a certified public accountant (CPA - Certified Public Accountant) to determine accounting policies and file a declaration. We pay such a specialist $500 per month. But there is a suspicion that we are overpaying, because we do almost everything ourselves, that is, all transactions and invoices go through the online service QuickBooks, which costs us $10 per month. This is an analogue of the Russian 1C, only easier to use and cheaper.

Recruitment

A startup is first and foremost about people. You can search for employees social networks. In the US, LinkedIn is used for this, not Facebook - here this network is exclusively for friendly communication, so do not add business acquaintances as friends if you do not want to look weird. You can go to themed parties, which are easy to find on Meetup.com, but it is more profitable to use the services of a professional recruiter - after all, the time of a business founder is more expensive. Recruiters charge for their services on average a little more than in Russia, but comparable - from 15 to 30% of a candidate's annual income.

The USA is a country of both sellers and Protestant ethics (the cult of labor). Therefore, candidates tend to actively sell themselves, but reputation is important even in such a "fluid" industry as sales. Candidates don't tend to change jobs every six months, it just ruins their resumes. So you can be sure that if you hired a person, just like that, he will not leave you.

There are also several online services for paying salaries (and taxes) to employees. The most popular is TriNet, but it is worth noting the growing popularity of JustWorks. They work like this: you give them access to bank account, and they are already filming the right amount and distribute payments (part goes to the employee, part goes to the tax authorities, part goes to cover the employee's insurance, etc.). We use TriNet ourselves, paying $140 per employee per month (the initial fee for connecting to the system was $2,000).

Instead of output

In the beginning, we spent less than $4,000 on all the formalities — registration, opening a bank account, lawyer and accountant services. The presence of a large number of online services greatly simplifies the work. But to open a business, it is still necessary to go to the USA - and the conquest international market worth it.

I have a website dedicated to the life of Russians in America. So today I would like to post a comment from one of my visitors from Sacramento, California.

He came to the US with his parents 16 years ago when he was 19 from Belarus. At first he worked for hire, and then opened his own building materials store. Listen to his story about starting a business.

***
The opening process itself is simple, but not always as Vladimir describes it this way (“he refers to me” - admin note). On the example of California: my business of building materials and construction work to open with everyone necessary documents It took about 2 months - this is in California.

First, you need to register a name (if it differs from your first and last name), and before that, check if it is already taken by someone. Then you need to register the type of business. I have a corporation, which means you need to register with the State corporation registry and update the information every year (they will remind you and send a letter), register in the city where your business is located and obtain a business license (it is required for any business).

They will also check if your business includes visiting citizens at home, such as assessing construction work, cleaning houses, then they will ask you to go through a police check for a criminal record - this takes time, I don’t remember - a week or two. If there is, then such a business will not be allowed to open.

If your construction works will be valued at more than $ 500, including materials, then you must also obtain a building license (this exam is allowed for people with at least 4 years of experience in the field in which you want to receive a license, and this experience must still be proven, people under 25 years of experience checked without fail, again checking the criminal record, then you still have to pass 2 exams - according to the laws of business, how to properly draw up contracts and resolve disputes, then an exam in your specialization, each exam has more than 100 questions).

Well, and other nuances depending on the type of business. Although in Washington state you don't have to take a building license exam, just pay for it and go to work. But we have a special state;) You also need to get a license to sell, it's done in a day. You also need to get an Individual Taxpayer Number for the company; without it, a business bank account will not be opened.

At first you don’t know anything, but you go and ask, and gradually from one state. office to another you go through the whole chain. Also, of course, smart books helped "How to open a business in California", you should definitely look at the type of business to open, because. it depends on how you will collect taxes and not only.

The process of doing business… I often say that doing business is like being in a war (although I have never been there). So André Maurois said "Business is a combination of war and sport." Of course, the competition is fierce if the product is of the same type and everyone sells it, then everyone lowers the price to a minimum, below which it is simply not profitable to work.

Then the winner is the one who advertises himself better and who has better customer service. We must strive to make the product unique, for example, put your brand name on it and buy it cheaper, since you can’t sell it for more. Quarrels and agreements with competitors, with suppliers, partners, with customers - this is a common thing, and one must be constantly on the alert.

I want, of course, peace of mind, but it’s worth relaxing and competitors are already luring your regular customers, trying to bribe or lure your the best workers, looking for your suppliers to sell the same product since you have it selling well, etc. etc.

But you can’t stop anymore, the money is already spinning, you will let many people down and you don’t want to lose - like a squirrel in a wheel, first you need to spin the wheel, and then it carries you and drives you, otherwise it will smear on the wall. But not everything is so sad. You have to love your work, and every time you solve some insurmountable problem, you get great pleasure and self-satisfaction.

There are about 23 million small businesses in the US today. Photo: site

ForuDaily talks about how Russian-speaking residents of the United States went through the difficult path of starting a business, and also understands the complex procedure for registering a company.

There are about 23 million small businesses in the United States. These are firms where the number of employees does not exceed half a million people. Powerful Bank of America/CFI Group a year ago among private businessmen. Entrepreneurs rated the health of their companies 20% higher than the same time period in 2014.

In general, according to the so-called satisfaction index, small business owners began to evaluate their success more optimistically. Most of them gave 70 points out of 100 on the scale of positive assessment of their business.

ForumDaily found out what problems Russian-speaking residents of the United States faced, what they risked, and what they went through.

Economic miracle in Brighton Beach

Today, in the most famous Russian district of New York - Brighton Beach - there are dozens of shops, pharmacies and restaurants. AT recent times very often Russian businessmen complain that things are not going at all. A resident of Brooklyn, and once a resident of Kiev Herman Misoni proved the opposite. He came here from Israel in 2003. In the USA, he decided to continue his business and first opened a clothing store. But the spread of the Internet and great competition forced Hera to reconsider plans for the future. Shirts and trousers are a thing of the past.

Two years ago, Wise Espresso Bar appeared near Brighton Beach on Coney Island Ave. Within six months, customers were lining up to get into the cafe. In the Brighton Beach area, Herman's thriving business is now hailed as the Russian economic miracle.

“I woke up in the morning and told my wife: let’s go have breakfast.” I live in Brighton and we have nowhere to eat. Then I suggested: “Maybe we will build our own cafe, and we will have our own breakfast,” Gera says about how the idea to open a bar came about.

His wife Diana supported him. Friends and acquaintances dissuaded Hera from the dubious restaurant business. Everyone said: burn out.

“Everyone was laughing or not being serious about what I was going to do. Only my wife and our parents believed in my project,” Herman shares his memories.

The first step was to find a place. Not far from the house, Herman looked after a hairdressing salon, which the owners rented out. The place was small, but it was quite suitable for the start.

“The fact is that there is a bus stop opposite here. The shop window is always visible, car parking is prohibited. Customers can see the sign from several meters away. This is very important,” says the businessman.

Herman will never forget the day he signed the building's 10-year lease. way back was no longer there. Gera himself designed the cafe, turned to the architect, who asked for $5,000 in order to transfer the ideas to paper. Herman took all the papers toNew York Buildings Department (NYC Department of Buildings). After obtaining special permission, the businessman began a large construction site.

“For $300,000, I hired a company that is responsible for the entire project. They made plumbing, electricity and gas,” says Gera.

But then there were, as they say, unforeseen circumstances. Bureaucratic costs, as it turned out, exist in the United States as well. The gas service of the city, for unknown reasons, delayed the license. The reason was banal - it turned out that the officials forgot to put some kind of checkmark in the computer program. Herman continued to pay $6,000 a month in rent, and the opening of the café was kept indefinitely delayed.

“I don’t like this, when money can buy everything. But at that moment everything was on fire. It was easier for me to give a bribe of $2,000 to be allowed to supply gas. But here, in the USA, I have no one to give money to, otherwise it would be according to the Soviet version, and that’s all, ”admits German Missoni.

After three months of inactivity, Gera was finally given gas. The inspectors again staged an inspection and issued a final permit. The businessman himself compiled the menu and thought for a long time how to name his brainchild. As a result, I decided that the cafe would be “wise”, that is, “Wise bar”.

“I just decided for myself that Allegrova’s songs would not sound in our cafe. I went online to see if there was a bar with the same name. Have not found. And then the word wise brought me to the logo of my future institution - an owl, ”says the owner of the restaurant.

The first months of work for Herman turned into hell. He clutched at everything: he himself was a waiter, a bartender and even a dishwasher. But people noticed the European service. Appeared regular customers, and after six months of work there were practically no empty places during lunch time.

“I turned everything around. I did not count how much I earned today or yesterday. Clients saw my attention,” says Hera.

Later, Herman Missoni thought about expanding the territory of the business. It was lucky that another room was rented next to the institution. Again construction, the equipment of a new kitchen, and after the repair - again a full house. Gera, without changing his principles, again invested all the profits in the business.

“I meet everyone and seat myself. I do not sit cross-legged in the office and do not watch on video cameras what is happening in my cafe. I live it,” the businessman reveals the key to success.

Competitors don't know what to do now. Some, Hera says, come to visit to consult. Missoni admitted to ForumDaily that he only invested his family's personal savings in the business. He did not expect to receive support from the state. True, Hera wanted to buy an apartment in New York with this money, but now his house is his cafe.

“The American dream still exists, and therefore it is necessary to dream. Here is mine coming true,” sums up Missoni.

Family contract

Natalya and Asya Kuznetsov from St. Petersburg are going towards the dream. Together with their little daughter Masha, they came to the USA two years ago. When the infamous homosexual propaganda law was passed in Russia, the girls decided to leave the country in order to save their families. In New York, at first they lived on personal savings, and then they created their own business. Natalya Kuznetsova invited her wife to open book store in the Internet. Asya supported the idea.

“We, like many emigrants, are concerned that our child does not forget the Russian language. Children are much easier to integrate in another country, but at the same time, it seems important to us to maintain interest in Russian culture. We started selling children's books in Russian,” says Natasha.

Natalia worked in Russia graphic designer and programmer. This knowledge helped the girl to make an online store website on her own. Today atColibri Bookstore mainly sells classics for children in Russian. Natasha and Asya work directly with publishers, so they try to deliver the order to the client as quickly as possible. Most often they buy already promoted brands -"Turnip", "Kolobok" or "Uncle Styopa". There is also a demand for music books.

“About Cheburashka is very fond of. "Well, wait," of course. Children's books are ordered from different countries. The main ones are the USA, Canada and European countries.We do not fight with competitors, we just provide customers the best choice products and better service,” says Natalya Kuznetsova.

According to Natalia, registering a company in the US is easier than in Russia. You can fill out the necessary paperwork directly on the Internet. Her online store does not have hired employees, and Natasha does her own bookkeeping. All this simplifies the procedure for starting this type of business.

“Our area of ​​business does not require any kind of license. First, we registered an LLC (limited liability company - ed.), then we got a tax number, then we opened a bank account and also received a Certificate of Authority to collect tax in the state of New York, ”the girl shares her experience.

Natalya does not like to talk about the funds invested in her business, she says it is a trade secret. But he advises everyone who recently immigrated to the United States to carefully weigh the pros and cons. After all, for newly minted visitors, starting a business is a big risk.

“I can say one thing for sure. If a person has nothing to buy food or he cannot pay the rent of an apartment or a room in the United States, then you should not start your own business, ”says Natalya Kuznetsova.

Thoughtful steps towards Obama will lead to

But Larry Poltavtsev in the American market already feels like a fish in water. He came to the USA from Rostov-on-Don a quarter of a century ago. Five years later, Larry and partners created a training Learnix Center , which is located in the state of Virginia in the city of Vienna. However, the company is registered in Florida. Larry helps recent immigrants get a new job as an IT specialist. Anyone can sign up for the three-month program.

“Among our most successful students are former ballerinas, opera singers, circus workers, economists, lawyers, philosophers. There are up to 10 students in a group. Highly qualified teachers work with their students,” Larry tells about the activities of the center.

Tuition will cost the student $4,000. Upon successful completion of the course, each graduate receives a certificate.

“As a bonus, we are preparing for the independent international exam ISTQB (istqb.org) for free. So far, all our students have successfully passed this test, ”adds the businessman.

Larry Poltavtsev says that it is quite difficult to open such a center. It is very important to choose the right team of professionals. But there is an advantage - to create such a company does not require a license from the state. The training center is considered an ordinary training, it's like seminars for advanced training in Russia.

“In this case, it is more convenient to register an LLC. That is partnership. Then the profit is divided between the partners, but each bears tax liability only for their part of the profit,” says Larry.

Larry can talk about tax niceties for hours. According to him, the tax legislation in the US is very confusing. One of the best states to register a business is Florida. If, for example, an entrepreneur indicates his address of residence as an office address, at the end of the year he can write off part of the expenses. And there is no income tax in Florida - businessmen are required to pay only federal income tax.

“In Florida, it is beneficial to have your own “main” residence. Because under state law, in cases of civil lawsuits, such a residence will not be taken away for debts or claims from business partners, or in the event of a divorce, ”says Poltavtsev.

Larry Poltavtsev has another IT-related business. The company often invites specialists from post-Soviet countries. Employees of the company take on various projects. For example, they develop financial systems giant companies.

“We are involved in the development of video surveillance systems. For some government clients, an application was made to scan luggage at the airport, ”the programmer clarifies.

Poltavtsev also discussed working issues at a personal reception with US President Barack Obama himself. According to him, then he realized that in America people are met and judged by their deeds, and not by their place of birth or orientation.

“Obama is a very simple and easy-to-communicate person. With him, you can quickly resolve serious issues. You can be born in Rostov-on-Don, study and work a lot. And then meet with the president, get a job in his office. And for this you don’t need to “have connections,” says Larry Poltavtsev.

And to recruits, he gives this advice: “The first thing is to study the market, evaluate your capabilities, choose the right direction. Secondly, consult with experienced businessmen. And the last thing is to take each step thoughtfully and gradually increase momentum, ”the programmer shared his business strategy.

Friendship is friendship, and money is an account

A graduate of the Moscow Pedagogical Institute named after M.V. Lenin. Inna Furmanova came to the USA in 1999. At that time, many immigrants were retrained as programmers, but Inna did not have a soul for IT technologies. She looked around (then the teacher lived in Brooklyn) and realized that working as a teacher in a kindergarten in Brighton Beach was not her dream either. There was only one thing left to do: start your own business. Moreover, by that time Inna was expecting a child and decided to combine the upbringing of the baby with work.

“I was having a baby and I didn't want to stay in Brooklyn. My family and I got into the car and drove to New Jersey. It was there that I wanted to find a house, rent it and at the same time open it in the house Kindergarten”, Inna Furmanova recalls.

Inna quickly studied the area. She realized that her home should be in a Russian-speaking area.

“The kindergarten became very popular because we had almost no competition, and after a year we decided to move to a large building, as we had more and more children,” she says.

And then something happened that Inna would never wish even an enemy. In New Jersey, she made a new friend, also a teacher, who began working with her at the Bell Kindergarten, which at that time took about 30 children, and the business was profitable. At some point, conflicts began between them, says Inna, and one day a friend told her that she no longer needed help and was ready to run the business herself. Furmanova's acquaintances advised her to immediately go to court.

“It turned out that we have nowhere registered partnerships. It was like my first meeting with America. I started suing. And I sued not very big, but still money. It was the first step towards my growing up,” says Inna.

Inna lost her friend forever. Now she knows for sure that if you are going to open a business with relatives or friends, you cannot do without a partnership agreement. Even if it takes a lot of time and several thousand dollars to draw up a contract. It's still better than endless litigation with the closest people.

“While the lawsuits were going on, I wasted no time and opened a home daycare in Staten Island, New York. Of course, I didn’t really like going to work from the second floor to the first, ”Inna shares her memories.

The teacher began to look for a new place. In 2008, Inna learned about the opening of the children's studio "Orange Line", which worked only in the evenings and weekends. The owners of the studio paid a lot of money for renting the building. Inna suggested that they share the payment in half, and the director agreed. After that, Inna Furmanova turned to specialists who gave the go-ahead to move the home garden called "Kangaroo" to the center.

“I arranged everything. We have different companies - there is a kindergarten, and there is a center, but we are in the same building. The inspector came and said that we were allowed to open a kindergarten here by the state health department, and city law forbids it. And one day they closed me, ”says the teacher.

According to Inna, the system of home kindergartens in the United States is controlled by state laws. But children's centers are run by the city. It took Inna Furmanova another year to properly complete the documents. Now the teacher understands all the intricacies of this business area. The main thing, says Inna, is to find out what type of child care institution you want to open and what requirements are needed for this.

“Home kindergartens, children's centers or a camp - all these types have different conditions and business requirements,” Inna specifies.

First of all, you need to contactNew York City Department of Health (NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene). There you will get all the necessary information about the requirements. Department officials pay special attention to security issues.

“One time I was fined because the urns in the center were not covered with lids. If you use a bin for disposable tableware, for example, then it should be with a lid,” says Inna with a smile.

Inna Furmanova's kindergarten today accommodates 30 children. Her company employs 5 teachers. For her services, Inna charges $900 per month from her family. Children are brought to "Kangaroo" in the morning, and are taken away only in the evening.

“I don't make millions here. This is my workplace. This is my favorite job. And without my colleagues, probably, nothing would have happened,” Inna Furmanova thanks the teachers who have been working with her for many years.

Useful tips and information for novice businessmen

How to register a company in the state of New York: step by step instructions

1. Registration takes place at the local clerk office . To do this, you must fill out the Business Certificate form. Usually, each clerk's office has a notary who issues this form and certifies it. For example, in Brooklyn, a certificate certified by a notary public costs $10.

2. Next in the Clerk Office you need pay the fee ($100-120), the employee enters data into a special database and issues a copy of the document. Everything. Your business is registered.

3. Next, you need to register with the federal tax service or the IRS to get an Employment Identification Number. This is a tax number. form can be completed online.

4. Having a business registration certificate and an EIN number in hand, we go to the bank and register a business account with the bank.

If your business involves the sale of goods or services, then you must register with the New York State Revenue Service and obtain certificate the right to collect sales tax (Certificate of Authority to Collect Sales Tax).

Now you can run your business, sell products or services, and even hire employees.

How the US authorities help small businesses

Every state in the US has special programs that support start-up businessmen. For example, in New York, information about holding free seminars can be found on the websiteSmall Business Services Department . Specialists conduct courses in Russian.

In New York, you can also contactSmall Business Development Center . On this site you can find step by step instructions how to open a cafe or grocery store.

For those who start their own business, it will be useful to study the siteUS Small Business Administration . Here you can find instructions to start a business in English language. There is information on how to get state support. The main office of this organization is located in the US capital - Washington.

Paid help

Of course, in the US there are also paid services for creating a business. You can seek help from both a law firm and a lawyer. Alexander Almont has been providing such services for 15 years. An experienced lawyer told ForumDaily that in the United States, from a legal point of view, you only need to have a passport to register a company. He believes that it is best to at least meet with an accountant or a lawyer when starting a business.

“Often there are legal issues in the creation of businesses that also make sense to discuss with a lawyer - starting with the place of business organization, which is often not obvious, and continuing with various subtleties in matters of intellectual property, licensing of a particular business,” advises Almont.

Interestingly, Alexander Almont does not charge money for the first consultation. Price policy Further business meetings will depend on the specific case, says the lawyer.

In general, evaluating the market for such services, the help of a freelance accountant will cost you about $400. Again, it all depends on the specific business, staff and qualifications of the specialist. You can find an accountant who will charge half as much for his services, but it is not a fact that he will do everything professionally. But the help of lawyers is expensive. On average, lawyers charge between $3,000 and $5,000 to open a business in the US. The comprehensive package of services includes company registration, account opening, accountant assistance and payment for online services.

For the owner of the Brooklyn bar Herman Missoni, the young Kuznetsov family, the programmer Larry Poltavtsev and who now knows everything about “ children's business”Inna Furmanova, the initial part of the path has already been passed - recently or quite a long time ago. Each of them, continuing to develop their business, hopes that their experience will help those who are just about to embark on this path, avoid mistakes.

“The USA is a country where it is very easy to adapt and feel comfortable,” Larry Poltavtsev encourages newcomers.

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Choosing a legal entity and step by step guide by its registration

Canadian remote accounting services agency Bench has published reference guide for entrepreneurs about business structures, taxation and accounting in the USA. The editors of the site publish an adapted translation of the chapters on the choice of the legal form of an American company with additions and clarifications.

“In the United States, the creation, registration and operation of companies are taken at the state level, not the federation. At the federal level, “model” laws are adopted, which are implemented to varying degrees in current legislature of each specific state, ”the portal of foreign economic information of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation reports.

Individuals who intend to open a company in the United States must register in the state in which they will work.

In the United States, the following organizational and legal forms of doing business are most often used:

• Sole proprietorship - a sole proprietorship (similar to a Russian IP);
• Limited Liability Company (LLC) - limited liability companies;
• Partnership - partnerships with unlimited and limited liability;
• Corporation - corporations in the form of C or G Corporations and S Corporations.

sole proprietorship

“In California, any name can be used for a sole proprietorship name, as long as it is unoccupied or does not resemble existing registered names. Also, it should not be misleading,” writes Smith.

To check the availability of a name, you can use the following databases:

• California Secretary of State Database
• US Patent and Trademark Office Database

2. Registration of a company name

In order to use not the legal name of the company, but the public one, it must be certified by the county registrar. This can be done on the county website. At the same time, it is not necessary to wait for a copy of the document: by law, an entrepreneur must register a public name within the first 40 days after starting a business, writes Smith. - You also need to pay a state fee - $26. In order to complete the registration of the name, it is necessary to publish an advertisement in the district newspaper no later than four weeks from the date of receipt of the documents.

3. Obtaining licenses and permits

“Information on licenses and permits for each type of activity can be found in CaGold, the search engine of the Department economic development Governor of California,” says Smith. “In addition, the system will provide information about the required state fees, related laws and possible checks.”

8. Not providing professional services

“Under California law, you cannot form an LLC to provide professional services. For example, this is a private medical practice. Full list Occupations requiring licensing are listed on the Consumer Affairs website,” says Fishman.

Registration foreign companies limited company in California

To exercise commercial activity In the state, all non-California LLCs are required to register with the Secretary of State, Fishman writes: “To do this, you must fill out an LLC-5 form and pay a fee of $70. In addition, the company must select a registered representative and provide evidence of proper legal status from the original place of formation of the company.