Zak's Photography Business Blog

First Sale

2009-04-14T17:22:00.001-04:00

About a week ago I had my first sale... $1.79 in income. The issue was, however, that I spent ~$20 in advertizing for that $1.79 sale... Ugh. I need to rethink this...

Licensed!

2009-03-05T20:23:00.001-05:00

I'm now a licensed business in Arlington County, and with the Federal government. Now, all I need to do is start selling. :-) I'm currently waiting on my business checking account & credit card, before I start seriously selling...

YouTube closed captioning

2009-02-16T21:55:00.005-05:00

I decided to check to see how hard it would be to add closed captioning to a youtube(tm) file. Turns out, it's not too hard. You just need to have the correct tool for the job. On the mac, it's an application called Jubler. Create then save the items you wish to have closed captioned, save the captions as a .sub file, then upload to YouTube. Easy and it works. (Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChMOVlC6zy0 which is my first attempt to create a closed captioned movie.)

So

2009-02-09T20:24:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago I attended a small business course which was partially put on by the small business association. (If interested, google the Arlington County Library and look for small business details.)

With the additional requirements of having an LLC, including quarterly financial reports, etc. I decided it would be easier to operate as a sole proprietorship.

Therefore, I filed a "trade name" application, and an updated occupancy permit for my house.

After I get that approved, I'll get my EIN id, which I need for the IRS, and then I'll get another license by the state, and then a license by the county.

At that point, I can start designing the website that I need, and the business bank account which I need to set up as well.

Zak

Got my occupancy permit

2009-01-27T07:54:00.001-05:00

I just received my occupancy permit for operating my business from my house. Yay. One step closer...

Starting the process...

2009-01-20T11:17:00.002-05:00

I'm starting the process to run the business! :) I'm contacting the Arlington County board of Zoning to be able to run my small business from my house. Additionally, I'm reserving for 120 days the trade name Photography by Zachary A Zebrowski LLC to the State Corporation Commission of VA. Later today, I will be starting to write the business plan for the business... :-)

Cheers,

Zak

First Donation

2009-01-18T20:47:00.000-05:00

I've already decided that what I will do for March, is participate in Arlington's Red Cross fund raiser drive... If I get the business started in time to participate... :)

Welcome

2009-01-11T19:38:00.000-05:00

Hello,

This will be a place where I will post information about my photography business. Right now, I am in a pre-startup phase. Specifically, I have gotten permission from my day time employer (yay!), but I have yet to actually create the business, apply for licenses for the business, create a checking account for the business, etc. As I do these, I'll update this blog with additional information. After I start the business, I'll post updates here as well.

Cheers!

Zak