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Frequently Asked Questions
I’m starting a business, what do I need to know?
Where can I find local demographics and statistics for Seminole County?
How can I obtain lists of businesses?
How do I research investments?
Where is the closest library branch to my business and what are the hours?
What do I need to know about business taxes?
How do I finance a business startup? Are there grants available?
Where do I obtain a business license?
What are the regulations for registering and incorporating my business?
How do I write a business plan?
Where do I file my business fictitious name?
I’m starting a business, what do I need to know?
Start by looking at the information for Small Business Startup in this website.
Also, consider attending one of our free small
business seminars to get an overview of startup basics and business planning.
Use our Business Startup Checklist.
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Where can I find
local demographics and statistics for Seminole
County?
We’ve gathered the information in one place so
that you can go directly to the data for
Seminole
County and its seven municipalities:
Altamonte
Springs, Casselberry, Lake Mary, Longwood,
Oviedo, Sanford, and Winter Springs. For
very specific areas, check out the
Seminole
County ZIP Code Comparisons.
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Where can I obtain
lists of businesses?
If you are looking for a list of
new businesses in the County, check out
the business license data compiled by the
offices of the Seminole County Tax Collector.
If you are interested in compiling lists of
business competitors or lists for marketing
purposes, start with the business directory
ReferenceUSA,
which contains 12 million U.S. businesses and
120 million U.S. households.
For lists of major employers
in Central Florida, come into the Library
and ask at the Information Desk for the
Major Employers Directory
from the Orlando
Business Journal. Also, Seminole
County Economic Development provides lists
of local companies, such as the
Top 50 Seminole County Employers.
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How do I research
investments?
The Library provides a rich collection of
investment advisory tools for research and
study as you manage your investments. There
are also many money advice
books and financial
magazines and newsletters available.
To learn tips and tricks or simply how to get
started in investment research, investigate
online education & tutorials.
Of course, there are many places on the web to
gather information, so take a look at some of
our recommended investing and
personal finance
links.
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Where is the closest
Library branch to my business, and what are
the hours?
Take a look at this
map of the five branches
of the Seminole County Public Library System
to find the location nearest your business. In
addition to walking into our branches, there
are several other ways to
ask your librarian
for the business answers you need.
All library branches are open Monday through
Thursday 9:00am to 9:00pm, Friday and Saturday
9:00am to 5:00pm, and Sunday 1:00pm to 5:00pm.
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What do I need to know
about business taxes?
The Internal Revenue Service provides detailed
federal tax information for businesses, with a
one-stop resource for those with
small
businesses or who are
self-employed.
Doing business in Florida?
The Department of Revenue (DOR) provides
complete Florida
business tax information. Also, find
out how to save time and postage with the
Florida’s electronic
services for sales tax and other state
remittances.
All businesses must file a
Tangible Personal Property Tax Return annually
with the Seminole
County Property Appraiser before April
1st.
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How do I finance a
new business? Are there grants available?
The largest source of capital
for new businesses typically comes from
personal savings, family and friends, and
partners. Business credit cards are widely
used. To obtain a bank loan, a small business
owner should present a clearly thought out
loan proposal or business plan to the lender.
Read a basic primer on financing
your business from the U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA).
For additional financing alternatives, check
out
business assistance from Seminole County
Economic Development. Also, investigate these
state and local
business incentives.
Government grants for starting or expanding
small businesses are rare.
Government loans
for small businesses are more accessible.
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Where do I obtain a
business license?
Start with your
local city and Seminole County
to obtain a Business Tax Receipt to do business. Depending
on your category of business or profession,
you may need to comply with additional state
and federal
licensing and regulation.
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What are the
regulations for registering and incorporating
my business?
You will find detailed information
on choosing and registering
your corporate structure in Florida’s
Division of Corporations website. Florida
also provides a convenient online service
for processing forms through SunBiz.
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How do I write a
business plan?
There are many excellent “how to write”
business plan books in the Library. The U.S.
Small Business Administration (SBA) offers a
basic explanation and step-by-step details on
writing business plans. There are also
templates and free
sample business plans
available.
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Where do I file my
business fictitious name?
Florida’s SunBiz allows you
to research
your business name for duplications
and also makes it easy to electronically
file
your fictitious name.
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