Starting a business is hard work but very rewarding at the same time. I'm finding that the hardest part is that there is no standard way, with a long check-list of everything I need to do and in what order. Just figuring out what business structure you want is difficult. (You actually have to decide since this is how the government will tax your company.) Starting a business requires a lot of research.

No matter what you do, everybody has to do their research. As creatives, we all have to learn our craft, read about different techniques, understand why different aspects matter, and find a community who shares our love for the craft and ideas. And as a creative, the business-side research is a bit daunting. I've been doing a lot of reading online and picked up a few books.

I was impressed to see that the US Business Administration had a really good list of legal forms a business needs. I had no idea that was out there! I was even able to find a list of free business/start up classes to help me get started. I've also started reading "The Portable MBA in Entrepreneurship". This was a textbook my husband just happened to still have from college. I'm not very far into it, but the table of contents says it'll go over financial aspect, planning, start ups and a number of other topics.

Many people swear by "Publish Your Patterns!" by Nancy Restuccia. It is a short book, specifically about publishing patterns and the costs of doing so. She talks about copy right, how to design and write your pattern, and a printing/packaging your products. This book only took me a day to read and I found it to be a little out-dated, although I had the second edition (2008). I'm not sure if there is a third.  I think the times have changed very quickly from 2008, especially with printing, design, and internet shops, but the concepts in this book were the most important part and exactly what I needed to research. If you are thinking specifically about publishing patterns, read this book.

Research will look different for everyone based on what you wish to accomplish. I recommend picking up a few books verses just reading what is online. Books tend to be more complete and well rounded, while the internet (usually) seems to just scratch the surface. Hope this helps you get where you need to go. Thanks for reading.