• How to Start a Business in Montgomery County
• How to Move an Existing Business into Montgomery County
• Assistance with Hiring/Training & Retaining Employees
• Resources for High Tech Industries
• Procurement (Contracting) Resource Center
• Where to Find Help with Business Plan Preparation
• Finding a Location for Your Business
• Developing Your Business Skills - Business Education Opportunities
• FAQ's

• Decide what kind of business to open
• Put together a Business Plan. Make sure your idea is well developed!
• Choose a Legal Entity (Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, etc)
• Choose a Name for Your Business
• Register (or create) Your Business - The paperwork
• Getting started with Taxes
• Determine what Licensing or Permits may be required, if any
• What You need to Know About Home-Based Businesses
• Where to look for Funding
• Marketing Tips

How to Move an Existing Business into Montgomery County

• Visit the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation for the forms and instructions on registering your "foreign" entity. "Foreign" refers to business created in jurisdictions other than Maryland
( http://www.dat.state.md.us/sdatweb/corp_forms.html )
• The name of the business must be unique in the State of Maryland. See the Maryand Department of Assessment and Taxation to search the availability of your business name ( http://sdatcert3.resiusa.org/ucc-charter/CharterSearch_f.asp )
• Review the steps for Starting a Business
• Contact the local chamber of commerce for an introduction to the business community (Click to see list on website)

Assistance with Hiring, Training & Retaining Employees

• Workforce Investment Services

Resources for Advanced Technology Businesses

State of Maryland
http://www.choosemaryland.org

Maryland Industrial Partnerships
http://www.erc.umd.edu/MIPS/

Maryland Technology Development Center - Intellectual Property Law Center, http://www.mdhitech.org/Entrepreneur/

Maryland Technology Development Corporation,
http://www.marylandtedco.org

MDBio
http://www.mdbio.org

Maryland Software Industry Consortium
http://www.mdswic.org

Maryland ISO Consortium Program
info@mdiso.org

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
http://www.uspto.gov/

Tech Council of Maryland
http://www.mdhitech.org

Procurement (Contracting) Resource Center
(Click here to download Acrobet Reader .pdf file)
(Click here to download Microsoft Word .doc file)

• What is Procurement
• What you need to know about Certification
• How to get started in Procurement - Overview
• How to get started in Procurement - Federal
• How to get started in Procurement - State
• How to get started in Procurement - Montgomery County Government
• How to get started in Procurement - Private Sector

Get Help Preparing Your Business Plan

The Rockville Regional Public Library is the County's central location for business research and information.
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov//Content/Libraries/

Contact the trade association for your industry. Don't know what trade associations are available? http://info.asaenet.org/Gateway/OnlineAssocslist.html

Play Detective! Sometimes the only way to collect information on your competition is to become their customer!

Getting Your Business Plan Reviewed

The Maryland Small Business Development Center Network - a statewide network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDC's) sponsored by the State of Maryland and the U.S. Small Business Administration - will review your business plan for FREE. Call 301-403-0501 to make an appointment or click the link below:
http://www.mdsbdc.umd.edu/capital.htm

The EASIEST Sample Business Plan
The following sample business plan includes an outline, an example that correlates to the outline, and sample cash flow projections.
(Click to sample business plan: Adobe Acrobat .pdf file)
(Click to sample business plan: Microsoft Word .doc file)

Need a Location for Your Business?

Contact DED first for all your site location needs, or visit one of the sites below:

http://www.Storetrax.com
http://www.Blacksguide.com

Developing Your Business Skills - Business Training & Education Opportunities

Montgomery College
http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/cedeptrv/index.html
Hispanic Business Institute
http://www.mc.cc.md.us/Departments/cedeptrv/pwd_hispanic_business_english.html
Macklin Center for Entrepreneurship
http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/macentre/Future_Programs.html
Montgomery County Public Schools - Adult Education - Business http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/adulted/business.html
U.S. Small Business Administration,
http://www.sba.gov/training/
The Small Business Development Network,
http://www.mdsbdc.umd.edu/capital.htm
SCORE (Service Corp of Retired Executives),
http://www.score.org

FAQ's

Do I need a license to open my business in Montgomery County?
Not necessarily. Not all businesses need a license. There is no such thing as a ¡°general business license¡± just for the purpose of owning and operating a business in Montgomery County or the State of Maryland. There are however, many types of business activities that require a license. Most licenses are mandated by the State of Maryland and can be researched on the Maryland Business Licenses Information System at
http://www.blis.state.md.us
Also check the Montgomery County Clerk of the Circuit Court for County licenses http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mc/judicial/circuit/services/crtclerk/license/license.html

Where can I get my business plan reviewed?
The Maryland Small Business Development Network
http://www.mdsbdc.umd.edu
The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship
http://www.smith.umd.edu/dingman/

Can I get one-on-one assistance?
Yes, check out the following resources:
The Maryland Small Business Development Network
http://www.mdsbdc.umd.edu
The Service Corp of Retired Executives
http://www.sba.gov/score
OR
http://www.score.org/

How can I find a small-business friendly lawyer or accountant?
Check with your local Chamber of Commerce and ask other business owners for referrals!

How does the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development assist small businesses?
The County's Department of Economic Development works with small business owners by offering an annual small business conference, fostering business growth in specific industries, and ensuring resources are available to assist the growth and development of all small businesses in the County.

What is Procurement?
"Procurement" is a method of generating business revenues by entering into contracts (for goods or services) with a government agency or large organization. A business involved in procurement can either contract directly with a government agency (called a prime contractor) or contract with a large organization, acting as a prime contractor, on a sub-contractor basis.