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Resources and Equipment Needed for a
New Home Business
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Resources and equipment you'll need for starting a
gift basket business.
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Essential items you should have in
place prior to opening your business. These are
guidelines and your choices should be made based upon
your own situation.
Business Loans
We specialize in securing business loans
for companies that
need start up funding,
money to expand, or working
capital for that next big
project.
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Phone Services
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One of the most important elements a small business or
home business needs is a good reliable phone system that
allows you to present you company / business as
professional. One of the best options is at
Grasshopper and it's super affordable.
Be sure to read their FAQ area and the Features. You can
get an 800 number, receive incoming calls and faxes (and
more) from anywhere. |
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Mail Services
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If you'll be running your small business from your home,
you should rent a post office box
from a private mailbox rental facility that offers a
street address with a suite number. They are worth the
cost, even if you only utilize the address, which lends
to a more professional image. Many provide an array of
services such as:
- 24 hour mailbox service with street number and suite
number
- Mail receiving/forwarding
- Stamps and metered mail
- Packing, shipping and supplies
- All forms of shipping - overnight, second day air and
ground
- Fax service
- Photocopies
- Money transfer
- Money orders
- Telephone messaging/voice mail
- Business cards and stationary
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Shipping
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There are several companies to choose from in this area
- UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc - and you should meet with or telephone a representative
and determine which company will best suit your needs.
You want to be able to provide out of state shipping to
your customers. Shipping International is rather
involved, and you'll want to determine if you'll be
shipping International or just offering shipping
within the continental USA during your startup phase.
If you contract with one company exclusively, they
should be able to give you a better rate, which will be
determined by you shipping volumes. Use a company that
picks up on a daily basis, and has complete service
options: overnight air, second-day air, Saturday
delivery, ground service, etc. UPS is a good place to
start, they invoice on a monthly basis, have an
automated tracking service and provide a fully automated
phone-in pick up service. Whatever company you decide to
use, they should provide you with a listing of all
shipping charges, usually by weight and they should show
you how to calculate for different zip codes. They will
also provide instructions on packing specifics. You will
want to keep this listing handy, to quote shipping
charges for your customers. |
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Local Delivery
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If you don't plan to make local deliveries yourself,
contract with a courier service or a local delivery
company.
For small orders, a courier service is a good choice.
Pass on the exact rate to your customers as the courier
service is charging you. Inflating this charge to your
customer is not appropriate.
For larger orders, utilize a local delivery company.
This option would be for orders too large for the
courier service to handle.If you do plan on using
your own vehicle to make local deliveries, any charges
incurred while using your own vehicle for deliveries can
be used as a tax deduction. |
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Office Equipment
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If you don't already have the basic
items needed to set up an office, shop around. Almost
everything can be obtained from garage sales, swap
meets, second hand stores or through the classified ads
in your area. There is no need to purchase everything
"new".
- Desk (L shaped if possible to allow space for computer
and printer)
- Chair (one that's good quality and on casters)
- Filing Cabinets (one for customer files and company
information and one for product information)
- Bookcase (office supplies, large catalogs, stationary,
business cards, etc)
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Electronic Equipment
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- Computer - be sure to use a bookkeeping software
program such as Quickbooks to keep track of daily
receipts and expenses
- Printer
- Fax Machine
- Calculator
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Office Supplies
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| By this time, you should have decided on your company
name and have your logo ready. If you can't afford to have a professional firm design
your layout for stationary, business cards, etc, an
option is to have them printed at a local Office Depot
or Office Max. Another option is to barter with a
local business for professional design and printing
services, in exchange for a pre-determined number of your
Gift Baskets. What you should have on hand:
- Business Cards
- Stationary and Envelopes
- Gift Tags
- Company Information Insert Card or Brochure
- High Gloss Adhesive Labels
- Invoice Forms, 2 or 3 part (may customize stock forms
with a rubber stamp or use your high gloss stickers)
- Pens and Pencils
- Markers
- Post-it Notes
- Pads of Paper
- Paper Clips
- Functional Calendar
- Receipt Book or Log
- File Folders
- Large Mailing Envelopes
- Cellophane Tape
- Packing Tape
- Scissors
- Stapler
- Three Hole Punch
- Binders
- Computer and Fax Supplies: paper, ink cartridges,
etc
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Gift Basket Making Supplies
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- Worktable (higher than a normal
table, can place each leg on 12"x12" bricks if
necessary)
- Shelving or containers for supplies and inventory
(should be easily accessible to worktable)
- Sharp scissors
- Cellophane tape and dispenser
- Stapler
- Variety of baskets and containers
- Sizzle (basket stuffing material)
- Ribbon and raffia
- Clear or Printed Cello
- Shrink Wrap System (shrink wrap film, by the roll or
bags and a heat gun/blower)
- Gift Tags
- High Gloss Stickers
- Gift Basket Inventory (products you will place in the
baskets)
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