Will you be financing a start-up, buying a business or buying a franchise? Each structure has different monetary requirements in the beginning process and throughout the life of the business.

Starting a business

If you are starting your own business it’s possible, depending on the type of business, to get going on little to no money. But on the other hand, another type of business may require overhead and purchasing of equipment or space. It is important to evaluate your start-up costs – those that will be one time costs (equipment, etc.) and those that will be reoccurring (rent, utilities, etc.).

Funding

Funding
Information about equity financing, debt financing, and pitching your plan to investors.

Buying a business

Purchasing an existing business generally saves time and money; not to mention the fact that the business will probably already have cash flow, inventory and existing customers. The downfall? The initial purchasing costs. Finding a thriving business for a reasonable price can be difficult, but there are several resources available to help in your search.

Small Business Administration
Information on buying a business from start to closing.

Entrepreneur.com
Where and how to look for a business to buy.

Buying a franchise

Franchising is a great way to start a business if you are concerned with the risk involved in starting your own business. As a franchise owner brand/trademark owner, the franchiser will provide you with his business expertise on marketing, management, financing, and training among other things. Though you are purchasing a business with instant name recognition, you still need to bring your entrepreneurial spirit and motivation for success to the table to make the location thrive.

If you are interested in owning a franchise, attend a seminar about that particular franchise, interview other owners, research, get expert advice.

Small Business Administration
Pros and cons of buying a franchise and how to do it.

Federal Trade Commission
Learn about franchise opportunities and how to follow through to the franchise agreement.

Name your business

Once you come up with a good, creative name for your business, you must research state and local requirements to be sure you aren’t infringing on someone else’s name. At this time, you must also decide what the structure of your business is going to be.

Tennessee Department of State
Business Name availability.

Small Business Administration 
Legal requirements for naming your business, search and registration information, help with domain names.

Choosing a business structure

Research and take careful consideration when selecting your business structure. Once it is decided, it will determine your taxes, liability and ownership succession. It’s always a good idea to consult an accountant or attorney when deciding what type of ownership is best for your business. When deciding on a structure, your vision and business plan will be taken into account.

Small Business Association
Choose a structure for your business using information and guidelines provided by the SBA.

IRS.gov
Information on each business structure.

Becoming official

Getting your business license or permits

The type of business license you get is determined by the line of business and business structure you decided upon.

Tennessee License
The state of Tennessee has a useful website that will guide you though the entire business start-up process from naming it to getting your business license.

It’s always best to check with the state licensing authorities to determine the requirements for your business.

EIN Number and Sales Tax License
In the state of Tennessee, each business is required to have an employer identification number (EIN number). This can be acquired from the Dept of Revenue. If your business will be collecting sales tax, then you’ll also be required to have a sales tax license.

Williamson County and City License

For information on starting a business in Williamson County, please contact the County’s business tax office and codes department. If you are locating within one of the cities, you will need to contact both the county and respective city to obtain all the information needed to start a business.



List of contacts
Click here to see a list of local contacts and to obtain downloadable business liscense applications for the county and cities.

How to obtain a business license

Step-by-step flow chart on how to obtain a license in Williamson County
Click the image below to open a printable PDF

Select a location

Perform your own search for sites and buildings in Williamson County. Enter your own parameters for price, square footage and location by visiting our sites and buildings page.