Checklist for Starting a Home-based Business

SUCCESSFUL HOME-BASED BUSINESS entrepreneurs are passionate about their products and services. They are disciplined and able to succeed in an unstructured environment. The Canada Manitoba Business Service Centre (CMBSC) has put together the following checklist that goes over the most important steps in starting your home-based business and may help you stay focused when you get started:

• Prepare a business plan. You can do your preliminary research in the CMBSC Business Library.
• Choose a business structure - sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or cooperative. View full descriptions here.
• Register the business name. (see following article)
• Ask for advice from other business owners as well as professionals such as your banker, accountant, or lawyer.
• Determine zoning requirements as well as any possible licenses or permits by contacting your local municipal government.
• Set up a credit policy for your clients, if appropriate.
• Contact Canada Revenue Agency to register for collecting GST/HST, remitting employee deductions, import/export taxes and for information on expenses that you can claim.
• Open a business account under your company's name.
• Negotiate contracts with suppliers and lease agreements for premises & equipment.
• Set up a bookkeeping system.
• Develop an inventory control system.
• Establish credit terms with key suppliers.
• Register your Trade-mark, Copyright, Industrial Design or a Patent with Canada Intellectual Property Office.
• Arrange for business insurance.
• Plan your workspace which includes lighting, ventilation, privacy, ergonomics and storage decisions.

TIP: Join Home Business Manitoba (HBM). Membership is available to home business owners in Manitoba.
TIP: Download our "Starting & Running a Home-Based Business" Guide.

Call us today at 204.984.2272 or toll-free 1.800.665.2019!

NEW!
Commercialization Support for Business Program

Support at every stage of the business
life-cycle.

DESIGNED FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED Manitoba businesses, this program provides funding for product and process commercialization and business development:
 
Concept Development (Max $25,000): from concept to prototype development;
Product Development (Max $40,000): pre-commercialization activities like feasibility or engineering analyses, trial production and test marketing;
Product Commercialization (Max $200,000): moving from prototype to market-ready product;
Market Development (Max $30,000): materials and activities needed to enter new markets successfully;
Certification Assistance (Max $15,000): obtaining plant or product certification;
Intellectual Property (Max $25,000): securing intellectual property rights for the product or process.

For Program Guidelines, FAQ and applications, contact:
www.gov.mb.ca/ctt/busdev/financial/csb/
index.html
email: csb@gov.mb.ca

Register Your Business Name in Just Two Steps

WHEN YOU WANT TO INCORPORATE or register your business name, you need to have the proposed name compared to existing ones already on record to be sure there is not a conflict. The Companies Office can help you do this in just two steps:

• Search the Companies Office Registry.
  • Pay $40;*
  • Wait 24 hours (on average);
    *TIP: Check first with the CMBSC Library for a FREE preliminary name search, using various databases and checking the Companies Office database. This may identify an obvious potential conflict.
• Register your business name.
  • Pay $45;
  • Receive your registered name, valid for three years;
  • Receive a nine-digit Business Number to always use when dealing with any government office.

For more information, contact Companies Office at 204.945.2500 or 1.888.246.8353.