Business Support

Personal Growth

Welcome to Your Skills, Your Business!
Starting a business can be exciting. It can also feel overwhelming.

You may have questions such as:
- How do I know whether my business idea will work?
- Do I need a business license?
- How much money will I need to get started?
- What should I charge?
- How will customers find me?
- What happens if I don't earn enough money?
- How do I handle taxes, insurance, and retirement?
These are normal questions. Even experienced business owners continue learning as their businesses grow.

The good news is that you don't need to become an expert in every part of running a business. You need to understand the basics, know where to find reliable information, and recognize when to ask for help.

How to use this course:
- You can work through the modules at your own pace.

- Each module includes short lessons, examples, and a few questions to help you think about your own business goals. Some modules also include optional resources if you want to learn more.


What to Expect: Getting Started

Welcome! A Course Introduction

Owning a business can give you more control over your work, income, and schedule. But it also brings new responsibilities and risks. Before spending money or applying for a business license, it's worth considering why you want to start a business and if you're ready.

Imagine you could start your own business tomorrow.

What would be the biggest reason you'd want to do it? What would worry you the most?

Keep your answers in mind as you read. 

In this module, we'll explore what business ownership looks like, how it differs from employment, and some of the questions to consider before taking the next step.

By the end of this module, you should be able to:
- Explain the difference between being an employee and being self-employed.
- Identify common benefits and challenges of owning a business.
- Describe different ways to start a small business.
- Recognize personal and financial factors that affect business readiness.
- Consider whether starting a business fits your current goals.

What Does It Mean to Be an Entrepreneur?

Employee, Self-Employed, or Business Owner?

Why Do People Start Businesses?

The Challenges of Owning a Business

Do You Have to Start Big?

Are You Ready to Start a Business?

Your First Business Readiness Check

Summary and Additional Resources

Is Entrepreneurship Right for You?

Having a skill and wanting to start a business is a great beginning. But before you invest money, you need to find out if people are likely to pay for your product or service.

A business can offer excellent work and still struggle if there aren't enough customers, the prices are too low, or there are too many similar businesses competing for the same customers.

In this module, you'll learn how to research your community, understand your customers, and identify opportunities.

By the end of this module, you should be able to:
- Identify potential customers for a business.
- Research other businesses offering similar products or services.
- Recognize possible gaps in the local market.
- Use free tools to learn about a community.
- Explain how location affects different types of businesses.

Imagine two equally skilled barbers open shops in different neighborhoods. One becomes busy immediately, while the other struggles to attract customers.

What factors might explain the difference? 

Start With a Problem You Can Solve

Who Are Your Customers? 

Research Your Competition

Finding Gaps and Opportunities

Does Location Matter?

Free Tools for Researching Your Market

Activity — Explore Your Business Opportunity

Summary and Resources

Find Your Business Opportunity: Is There a Market for Your Business?

Getting Your Business Set Up
Once you have a business idea, you need to understand the legal steps involved in getting started. You may need to register a business name, apply for licenses, obtain permits, purchase insurance, or meet professional requirements.

These steps help protect customers, workers, and business owners.

This module will help you understand the common steps and find reliable information for your situation.

By the end of this module, you should be able to:
- Identify common types of business structures.
- Explain the difference between business registration and professional licensing.
- Recognize additional requirements for home-based and mobile businesses.
- Describe common types of business insurance.
- Find official resources for starting a business in your state.

Think about it: 
A friend tells you, "I registered an LLC, so now I can start taking customers."

Is that always true? What else might the person need to do?

Choosing a Business Structure

Choosing and Registering a Business Name

Business Licenses and Permits

Professional Licensing and Special Requirements

Home-Based and Mobile Businesses

Business Insurance and Managing Risk

Setting Up Your Business Finances

Activity — What Would Your Business Need?

Make Your Business Official

<h1 id="b43f9c2c-1b9c-4d54-963e-9da7d7662f87" data-toc-id="b43f9c2c-1b9c-4d54-963e-9da7d7662f87" style="text-align: left; font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.2;">Your Skills, Your Business</h1><h3 id="f1f139ae-7065-48e3-a184-03b3b7245bce" data-toc-id="f1f139ae-7065-48e3-a184-03b3b7245bce" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">A Practical Guide to Starting and Growing a Small Business</h3>Have you ever thought about working for yourself?Maybe you're an accounting professional who wants to be able to work directly for clients, a barber who wants to open a shop, a carpenter who dreams of selling custom furniture, an HVAC technician interested in starting a service company, a culinary professional or home cook who wants to launch a food business, or any other type of professional who wants to offer services such as consulting in a wide variety of industries.You may already have the skills to provide an excellent product or service. But running a business requires more than being good at your work.In this course, you'll learn the basics of starting and managing a small business. We'll explore how to identify opportunities, understand your customers, estimate costs, set prices, find clients, and plan for the future.You don't need business experience, a business idea, or a college degree to get started.By the end of this course, you'll have a clearer understanding of what it takes to turn your skills into a business and what steps you might take next.<h3 id="7617dffb-15bc-4cb9-9e0e-e515c23c6b2a" data-toc-id="7617dffb-15bc-4cb9-9e0e-e515c23c6b2a" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">Who is this course for?</h3>This course is designed for students, skilled workers, and professionals at any stage of their career who are curious about self-employment or business ownership.Whether you want to start a business soon, work for yourself part-time, or simply explore your options, you'll find useful information here.Estimated completion time: 7–8 hoursCourse format: Self-paced reading, short videos, examples, and practical activities.The course will use:<ul><li>Plain, accessible language appropriate for seasoned professionals, college students, and anyone considering starting their own business.</li><li>Examples from skilled trades, personal services, healthcare-related professions, food businesses, consulting, and more.</li><li>Washington-specific examples where useful, while keeping the lessons applicable throughout the United States.</li><li>Short pages that generally take 3–7 minutes to read.</li><li>A small number of meaningful activities, rather than many assignments.</li><li>References to trusted resources such as the Small Business Administration (SBA), IRS, SCORE, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), and state licensing agencies.</li></ul>A few more notes: This course provides general educational information about starting and operating a small business in the United States. It is not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, insurance, or other professional advice.Business laws, licensing requirements, taxes, employment regulations, and available funding programs vary by state, location, profession, and individual circumstances. These requirements may also change over time.Examples and calculations in this course are provided for learning purposes and may not reflect actual costs, earnings, or legal requirements.Before making business decisions, verify current requirements with the appropriate government agency or consult a qualified professional.This course includes some Washington State examples, but the general business concepts apply throughout the United States.

Turn your skills into a business. This beginner-friendly course helps students and professionals explore entrepreneurship, plan startup costs, attract customers, and build a foundation for long-term success in personal services, the trades, and beyond.

Your Skills, Your Business! A practical guide to starting and growing a small business

Course content

Your Skills, Your Business! A practical guide to starting and growing a small business

Roseann Berg

What you will learn