Home-Based Travel Agent - September 2007 - (Page 12)

Lifeline From legal structure options to setting up merchant accounts, what you need to know to hit the ground running You’ve decided to take the big step. You have the experience, you know the travel business, and you’ve put aside a few dollars to get you started. Now what? Where do you start? “Before you take that first step,” says Anne Rose, Celebrate-Travel Inc., Cameron, CA, “you must give serious consideration to the most important factor of all: Are you temperamentally and psychologically suited to being a business owner? Are you prepared to handle all of the responsibilities and pressures that go along with running your own travel agency?” If you’re satisfied that you’ve passed that test, you’re ready to move forward. In launching a new business, some things are obvious. For a home-based travel agency, your most important physical consideration is the location of your office. In addition to the need for adequate space, you’ll want to make sure that business operations won’t interfere with normal family activities. Clashes between the need for family privacy and the sometimes hectic nature of business operations can be disastrous for both family and business. You know that your computer must have adequate memory and storage capacity to handle growing business demands.Your basic equipment will also include a quality printer, a fax machine 12 YOUR FOR THE AGENT Starting Your Own Agency Visit the proper authorities to find out details about local ordinances that may affect your business plan and a separate telephone line. Chances are that you’ve already planned for these basic needs. Here are a few less obvious considerations that will help you to round out your business plan. Exploring Local Ordinances and Deciding on Legal Structure Most municipalities have local laws affecting the nature of business operations conducted out of home offices.You don’t want to find yourself in violation of a local ordinance that could result in fines, severe restrictions in the operation of your new business or even the need to discontinue operations. Visit or call the zoning office in your municipal headquarters building for details on local ordinances that may affect your business plans. As for legal structure, nearly threeContinued on page 14 Home-BasedTravelAgent SEPTEMBER 2007 PHOTO BY ISTOCK PHOTOS

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home-Based Travel Agent - September 2007

Contents Editor's Note - Last-Minute Travel Publisher's Note - Communication is Key Your Lifeline Agent Spotlight Your Technology Industry News Hot Deals Home-Based Networking Preventing Legal Woes Destinations: Turkey Cover Story: Walking Ireland Destinations: Caribbean Destinations: Boston Cruises: Forecast Hotels Tours New Products

Home-Based Travel Agent - September 2007

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