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Complete, One-Stop Shop Startup Business Guidance As The Economy Continues To Tumble 

Washington, D.C., October 24, 2011 – As President Barack Obama travels the country selling his American Jobs Act and the U.S. Congress works to meet a pending deadline on our national debt challenges, the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) today released its new small business Startup Kit – a complete, one-stop shop of tips and guidance that aspiring entrepreneurs need to consider when opening a new small business. The Startup Kit walks a new business owner through the 10 steps to  starting a business and positioning it for success. 

“Prospective entrepreneurs across the country may be putting plans to start a new business on hold because of the current economic climate,” said Kristie Arslan, President & CEO of the National Association for the Self-Employed. “But a down economy is not necessarily a bad time to start a business. Our new Startup Kit pulls together our 30 years of experience and knowledge on launching successful small businesses, including tax and legal advice, marketing guidance,  and options for financing your new venture.” 

NASE’s tax and businesses experts contributed their experience and knowledge into the Startup Kit. Some of the topics covered in include:

• Start thinking of yourself as a business owner – The self-employed know it is important to learn to juggle more-than-one task, like handling the bookkeeping, marketing and keeping an eye on the competition, to name a few.
• Take care of your tax responsibilities – For those who have worked for someone else, the employer handles tax issues for you. As a business owner, you’ll have to stay on top of things like estimated taxes, self-employment taxes, state and local sales taxes, and more.
• Choosing the right business structure – Almost every new business owner asks this question: What’s the best legal structure for my business? Unfortunately, there’s no one right answer and determining the best approach often involves the help of a professional.

The Startup Kit also comes with tons of interactive information, business how-to’s, and frequently asked questions, including:

• How to properly fund your business
• Developing good financial habits
• Understanding the importance of marketing
• Learning how to protect yourself and your business

Visit the NASE on Facebook to get a free preview of chapter 3 of the kit: Know The Legalities of Operating Your Business. NASE’s Startup Kit is also available in digital form on iTunes, nook, and on Kindle.

America’s smallest businesses – the self-employed and micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees – are both vulnerable to the current economic climate and critical to our economic recovery. These businesses have demonstrated the highest, steady growth rate in recent years. Between 2006 and 2007, self-employed businesses demonstrated a 4.5 percent growth rate. 

“Our economy would benefit from a renewed focus on self-employment, such as a new national self-employment initiative that will foster entrepreneurialism and allow new and existing businesses to flourish,” said Arslan.