Can some one tell me what do I need to do to open a small business in ga?

Check with your county or city about regulations and business licenses. Regulations vary a lot. Where I live in a smalll rural county you don't need a lot of permits etc. Down the road a ways is a county that regulates everything and has fees for everything. In many counties and cities if you have a business location like a shop you will need a business license, if you are doing a small home based business like something on the internet or a service where you pick up and deliver the work and no customers come to you you may not.

Depending on what you want to do you may need preofessional licensing or permits too. sos.georgia.gov will give you info on that.

You need to decide if this is going to be a sole propriatership (just you or you and your family),apartnership, or a small corporation. That same site will give you info on how to set up the formal structure of your business too. If you want a trade name you may need to register that too and again the Ga secretary of state's office at that web site will help.

Then of course (or maybe even before the step above) you need to know what you want to do or at least have some ideas and about what you want to do and what you know how to do or can easily learn to do. Most state university extention programs and a lot of banks offer small business start up courses free or at a low cost. Call your local chamnber of commerce for info. The chamber can tell you about other programs in your area that help people wanting to start a business.

Check around your area very well and see what other businesses do the same thing and how busy they are. Ask friends and neighbors or even do a random survey by phone or at a local store or shopping center (ask permission first) if they see the need for such a business. Find similar businesses in a county a ways away that is like yours in size, rural/urban character, economy, etc. and look for businesses like the one you want to do and call the owner and see if he/she will let you come by and talk with him/her about the business, what it took to start it, and what suggestions he/ehe might have. Pick a place far enough away so you will not be competition and in 3-5 calls you should find someone friendly and helpful.

Talk to your bank branch manager, if you don't know her/him this is a good time to introduce yourself. Ask about the business climate in your area and what advice they have for someone wanting to start a business.

Be sure you have enough money. More than enough. While a very few businesses like the first one I started and the one we just started can be started up for under $100 and done from home even then you need to live till your business can support you. In most cases you will be supporting it at least partly for 1-5 years. Some homebased businesses may be the exception but even with those you are going to need supplies etc. Often the best way is to start part time and keep your full time job or to do as I did with my second business and get your current employer to be the first and major client of your new business.

I recently found this site of resources for small business start up that may be a help to you. If you do not bsee your exact locality there check with the closest place http://www.buzgate.org/ga/bfh_busdev.htm...

By the way the business we are doing is looking to help others start up a home based business in many parts of the state. If you'd like more info please contact me through Yahoo Answers.

That answer is the best I have seen. I own a small business.