Guide to Starting a Business

Welcome to the WeAreMV new business guide. Here you will find recommended steps you should take as you start your business. These steps will contain links to state forms and local permitting guides for you to navigate.

Get Started

STEP 1

Do Your Research

LEARN MORE

STEP 2

Register Your Business

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STEP 3

Find a Location

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STEP 4

Determine Your Local Permits

LEARN MORE

STEP 5

Navigate Support Programs

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DO YOUR RESEARCH

STEP 1

  1. Reach out to people in the business community, research online, and ask people you trust about the idea. Feedback is a vital part of any successful business.
  2. Pitch your idea to a local entrepreneurship organization like EforAll here
  3. Get help writing a Business Plan, MA Small Business Development Center here

STEP 2

  1. Pick a legal structure. This decision can have significant consequences for your business, especially with respect to liability and taxation, and you may want to talk to a lawyer or financial professional in order to determine what structure works best for you.
  2. Get Your EIN here: You will need to apply for an Employer Identification Number with the IRS
  3. Register With the State: Now it’s time to register your business here with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  4. Register with the Department of Revenue here

REGISTER
YOUR
BUSINESS

FIND A
LOCATION

STEP 3

  1. Consider whether you want to lease or own space. Most new businesses initially lease space, but consider how long you want to commit to a lease and what you might need from a landlord in terms improvements to the space. Next you need to find a location for your business. Maybe you’re looking to rent a downtown retail space, or a warehouse in a business park. Visit the Property Search page to see whats available in the Merrimack Valley.

STEP 4

  1. Each municipality has its own rules and regulations dictating what permits you will need for you businesses. Reach out to the municipality you will be operating out of in order to determine what they are.
  2. Find your city below:

DETERMINE
YOUR LOCAL
PERMITS

NAVIGATE LOCAL
BUSINESS
RESOURCES

STEP 5

  1. Visit the Business Resources page to browse a library of different programs, incentives, organization, and financing options available to businesses in the Merrimack Valley.