10 Point Guide to Starting a Business in Oakland County Michigan

2100 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford, MI 48328
248-858-0783
www.AdvantageOakland.com/StartABusiness
Introduction
Congratulations on your decision to embark upon a new business venture! The
Oakland County One Stop Shop Business Center / Michigan Small Business &
Technology Development Center has developed this guide to assist you with the
start-up process. Our Business Center is part of the Oakland County Economic
Development and Community Affairs Division and is housed on the first floor of the
Oakland County Executive Office Building.
This 10 Point Guide to Starting a Business in Oakland County Michigan includes
information essential for establishing a new business and answers the questions
that prospective owners most often ask.
The treatment of any one topic is not intended to be all inclusive, but to give
entrepreneurs a starting point for further investigation of the many aspects involved
in beginning a new business. Our aim is to provide information from concept to
planning through the early months of operation.
The requirements may vary according to the type of business you intend to start.
This guide will provide a quick and comprehensive guide to what you are likely to
encounter.
We highly recommend you research the following steps and review the information
on the “Start A Business” section of our web site.
Disclaimer
The information contained is intended to provide accurate information on the subject matter. It is
provided with the understanding that we are not rendering legal, accounting or other professional
services and we assume no liability whatsoever in connection with its use. Any resources or other
service providers listed are contained as a public service and their inclusion does not constitute
any endorsement or assurance of services provided.
Greg Doyle
Supervisor, Oakland County One Stop Shop Business Center
April 29, 2013

10 Point Guide To Starting A Business In Oakland County Michigan
The Oakland County One Stop Shop Business Center provides education,
counseling, information-based planning and technology commercialization and
referral services to residents and business owners. Our free to low cost workshops
were developed to address the majority of startup business issues. Our confidential,
no charge counseling services include business and marketing plan review, new
business feasibility analysis and finance preparation and packaging.
Step 1: Gather Information
Starting a business is not like a full time job where you receive a steady paycheck. It
involves financial investment, planning, hard work and sacrifice including the
possible forfeiture of a paycheck until the business takes off. Check out your
Entrepreneurial IQ.
Now that you have passed the first hurdle, decide what type of business you want to
go into. Since we do not counsel potential business owners on the types of
businesses to consider, we suggest you make this decision before proceeding to the
next step.
At this stage, before you spend any upfront money, you should determine if the
business you are considering will be viable at the chosen location. Does your
product/service address a specific customer need? How much will they pay? Should
you purchase an existing business, start one from scratch, or consider a franchise?
You will also need to research the trends within the industry to determine the
lifespan of your business. Is your industry flat, growing, or declining? Who and
where is your competition? What will you give your customers that they can’t get
from the competition? We offer a no charge,
3-hour “Business Research: Feasibility to Expansion” workshop that will help answer
these questions and provide research tools to challenge you and advance you to the
next step.
After your initial research, you may be ready for our low-cost, 3-hour “Start A
Business” workshop. You will learn about licenses and permits, zoning regulations,
and registering your business.
Step 2: Create a Business Plan
A business plan is like a roadmap that shows you where you are in relation to where
you want to be. Whether you believe in a business plan or not, starting a business
involves many ideas that need to be documented and actions that need to be taken.
Many businesses fail without a business plan and lending institutions require one
prior to considering businesses for a loan.
Assistance with your business plan can begin with us. We offer a low cost, 3-hour
“Write A Business Plan” workshop that walks you through the process of putting your

10 Point Guide To Starting A Business In Oakland County Michigan
plan together. Additionally, under the “Business Planning Tools” section of our
website you will find resources including business and marketing plan formats,
sample business plans, and cash flow templates.
For a confidential, no-cost review, submit a copy of your business plan and monthly
3-year cash flow projections to smallbusiness@oakgov.com.
Step 3: Determine a Business Name
The name you choose for your business is very important. To insure that no
business registered in Michigan is already operating under the name you would like
to use, search online for name availability and register your business name with the
following entities:
Oakland County Assumed Names - Register your business name (dba, sole
proprietorship, or partnership) at the Oakland County Clerk’s Office.
For additional information on registering your business name with the Oakland
County Clerk’s Office, call 248-858-0569.
When you register your business name at the Oakland County Clerk’s Office, you
receive protection for your business name only within Oakland County.
If you are considering doing business outside Oakland County limits, and want to
register your business name with the State of Michigan, visit the Michigan
Business One Stop Shop. For additional information on registering your business
name with the State of Michigan, call 517-241-6470.
Step 4: Determine the Legal Structure of Your Business
When you start your business, you must decide what legal structure it will have.
There are several choices of business formats in Michigan including sole
proprietorship, general partnership, limited partnership, corporation, limited liability
company, and professional liability company, among others.
You should contact a business attorney and/or CPA for advice and assistance in
determining the best legal structure for you and your business.
We offer a no charge, 3-hour “Legal and Financial Basics” workshop that will explore
your options.

10 Point Guide To Starting A Business In Oakland County Michigan
Step 5: Select a Site and Determine Zoning and Site Permit
Requirements
Determining zoning requirements prior to signing a lease or contract is imperative.
You must acquire a zoning use permit for assurance that the type of business you
plan to operate is legal in the desired location.
Check with your city, village, or township for specific zoning requirements.
All construction projects must have a permit, even if the business is an existing one.
An occupancy permit may also be required.
Check out the following link for additional information on “selecting a location for
your business”.
Step 6: Determine the Business Activity Type and Obtain any
Special Licenses or Permits
State Licensing Lookup
Licensing is done by the State, not the County. Not every business in Michigan is
required to be licensed. Find out if your new venture requires a state license.
www.michigan.gov/statelicensesearch
Permits
Check with your City government to see if any permits are required.
With some exceptions, catering or food service businesses cannot be run from a
home. Please contact the Oakland County Health Division for additional information.
Step 7: Get Tax Information
For state taxes, visit the Michigan Taxes information website. Visit the Michigan
Business One Stop or call 877-766-1779
All forms of legal structure, except sole proprietors with no employees, must obtain a
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN). The EIN is your federal tax ID
number.
Prior to obtaining a new EIN, you must select and register your business name.
Taxpayers can obtain an EIN by calling the Toll-Free Business & Specialty Tax Line
(800) 829-4933 or by applying online to obtain their number.
For more federal tax information contact:
Internal Revenue Service

10 Point Guide To Starting A Business In Oakland County Michigan
(800) 829-1040
www.irs.gov
Step 8: Employer Responsibilities
A new set of responsibilities arise when a business hires employees. Employers
must register as an employer, pay additional taxes, withhold, match and submit
employee withholdings, obtain worker’s compensation insurance and adhere to
employee eligibility regulations. Be sure to have an EIN as described in step 7.
For additional information check out the following link on hiring employees.
The employer is required to pay state and federal unemployment insurance tax on
wages paid to all employees. Employer accounts and liability are established once
the employer has registered with the Unemployment Insurance Operations Tax
Office. For the State of Michigan information contact:
Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA)
The UIA produces an Employer Handbook (474 pages), which contains a wealth of
information and covers everything you need to know about unemployment
insurance, from the employer to the claimant. Visit the UIA web site to download or
view a copy of this handbook.
Worker’s Compensation is required for all employers in Michigan if one or more full
or part-time persons are hired.
Michigan Guide To Worker’s Compensation
Once you are ready to begin hiring staff for your business, Oakland County’s
Workforce Development Department can help you find and prescreen qualified
applicants using the Michigan Talent Bank. This service is free to employers and
employees.
Visit the Oakland County Michigan Works Centers website to find a service center
near you. To be connected to your nearest Service Center call 1-800-285-WORKS
(9675).
Step 9: Obtain Financing for Your Business
Locating startup funding for major items like the acquisition of real property,
renovation, equipment, inventory purchases, working capital requirements, etc. will
be one of the most important challenges you will encounter when starting a business
venture.
Financing can be obtained from private financial institutions such as banks and other
private lenders, owner’s equity, investor capital and economic development

10 Point Guide To Starting A Business In Oakland County Michigan
financing programs. Please see the “Financing/Grants” section of our web site for
additional resources.
Step 10: Marketing Your Business
The One Stop Shop Business Center can assist your company at every phase of
marketing, from analyzing your competition to locating new markets. This includes
preparing sales forecasts and developing pricing, advertising and sales strategies.
As the business owner, you need to ask yourself the following questions:
Is there a demand for my products/services?
Who else is out there providing similar products/services?
What impact will they have on my business?
Can I make money with this business?
How much money can I/do I want to make?
Am I willing to do what it takes to sustain this business? (networking, PR,
pitching my business)
We offer a 3-hour workshop on a quarterly basis entitled “Marketing Your Business”
that will shed some light on your options.
The Oakland County One Stop Shop Business Center, located within the
Oakland County Economic Development and Community Affairs Division, is
available to assist you each step of the way. Please contact our office if we
can be of further assistance.
Best of luck with your new venture!!!
Oakland County One Stop Shop Business Center
2100 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford, MI 48328
Phone 248-858-0783
E-mail: smallbusiness@oakgov.com