How-To Guide on Home Based Business

This How-To Guide is designed to assist you with secondary research by giving you key information and contacts for starting a home based business in Newfoundland and Labrador.

For general regulations applicable to any business operating in the province, see our Business Start-Up Info-Guide.  It contains information on incorporation, taxation, labour laws, intellectual property, and more.

For details on any organization listed in this guide, contact the organization directly.

If you have any questions about this guide, or, for information on our Network Site nearest you, please contact us directly:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Start your business plan
1.  What is a business plan?
2.  Can I do my business plan online?
3.  Where can I find a sample business plan?
4.  Who can help me write my business plan?

Start your research
5.  What is the economic outlook for Newfoundland and Labrador?
6.  Where can I find ideas for my potential home based business?
7.  Where can I find a profile of the home based sector?
8.  Where can I find business statistics?
9.  Are there industry associations I can join and what membership benefits do they offer?
10.  Where can I find books, magazines, audios, videos and CD-ROMs on home based business?
11.  Are there trade shows I can attend?
12.  Where can I get training?
13.  How can I find suppliers?
14.  Where can I find information about exporting my products?

Know the regulations
15. What government departments or agencies do I need to contact?
16.  What other regulations might apply to home based businesses?

Finance your business
17.  How do I prepare before approaching lenders?
18.  What government financing is available to me?
19.  What other agencies offer financing?

Start Your Business Plan

1.  What is a business plan?
A business plan is simply a written document that describes the future path of a business. A good business plan explains the business concept, summarizes the objectives of the business, identifies the resources (both in terms of money and people) needed by the business, describes how those resources will be obtained, and tells the reader why the business will succeed.

Business plans come in many shapes and sizes. Sections common to most business plans include:

• an executive summary which summarizes key points of the business plan in one or two pages;
• an overview which introduces the reader to the business;  
• a description of the products and services;  
• an overview of the industry in which the business will compete;  
• a marketing strategy which summarizes the product, promotion, pricing, and distribution strategies of the business;  
• a description of the management and staff;  
• an implementation plan; and  
• a financial plan which includes perform balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements.  
  Business plans can vary in length from a few pages to over 100 pages. Although there are no hard and fast rules, many sources recommend that business plans should be between 10 pages and 25 pages in length. Remember that a business plan is a summary; you can always provide more information if asked or you can attach more detailed background documents to your business plan.

A business plan is important because:  

• the process of preparing a business plan will force you to think about your business, research some options, recognize opportunities and risks, and test some of your assumptions;  
• it will help you identify the cash needs of your business;  
• it can be used to raise funding from banks and from investors;  
• it can be used to tell employees, investors and others about your plans and strategies; and  
• it provides a benchmark against which to compare the progress and performance of your business.  
  It is a good idea for all businesses to prepare and regularly update their business plans. However, small businesses are most likely to prepare a business plan when they are just starting up or when a major change in their business is occurring (and often when additional investment or a loan is needed).***

  2.  Can I do my business plan online?

Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre (CNLBSC)
The  Interactive Business Planner is an award-winning business planning tool that enables you to do your business plan online!  With the IBP, you will:

• be guided through each section of your business plan using a question and answer format
• learn definitions and tips, and view sample business plans to help you to write your own plan
• have financial projections prepared for you, based upon the information you provide, and
• use the power of the Internet to assist you in researching your business plan.

Metro Business Opportunities

The Online Business Planner is MBOC's interactive solution to the difficulties of planning for a business.

3.  Where can I find a sample business plan?

Business Plan Handbook Series
The Business Plan Handbook is an 8-volume set of books published by Gale Publishers. Each volume contains sample business plans based on actual North American businesses. TheBusiness Plan Handbook is not available online; however you can visit any of our Network Sites and view the books, or call 1-800-668-1010.

Many of the samples in this series could be operated as home based businesses. They include businesses that fall into the following categories:

• professional services (eg. accounting; management or technology-based consulting; event planning; etc.)
• trade services (eg. automotive repairs/garage; house construction/renovation; plumbing; etc.)
• agricultural businesses (eg. honey apiary; herb growing; landscaping; etc.)
• creative pursuits (eg. music instruction; newsletter writing; photography; etc.)
• personal services (eg. beauty salon; personal shopping; pet sitting; etc.)
• tourism or hospitality related businesses (eg. bed and breakfast; kayaking tours; catering; etc.)
• small-scale manufacturing (eg. toys; jams and jellies; apparel; etc.).

4.  Who can help me write my business plan?

Y Employment and Enterprise Centre
A recognized leader in business plan development, staff of the Centre offer in-depth one-on-one counselling to help clients determine the viability of a business. The client is responsible for writing the plan; however, an experienced business consultant guides clients through each section at a comfortable pace.

Y Employment & Enterprise Services - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Community Business Development Corporations
CBDC's are located throughout the Province. Staff assist in the creation of small businesses and in the expansion and modernization of existing businesses by providing financial and technical services to entrepreneurs. Technical services include business counselling & advice. Fees for services may apply - check with your local CBDC.

CBDC - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Entreprise and Entrepreneurship Gateway - Memorial University
Business coaches offer technology-able, youth entrepreneurs assistance in evaluating their idea, determining the human, material and financial resources required, developing an enterprise plan, and connecting with the most relevant resource. No fee for services.

Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Gateway (MUN)
Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN)
Faculty of Business Administration
Business Building, Room 4014
St. John's, NL  A1B 3X5
Telephone: 709-737-8855
Fax: 709-737-2383
E-mail: gateway@business.mun.ca
Web site: http://www.business.mun.ca/gateway

Metro Business Opportunities Corporation (MBOC)
Through the business plan development component of the Entrepreneurial Opportunities Program (EOP), staff offer clients one-on-one assistance in developing their business plan. There are no fees for services. However, the application process is competitive and limited to a maximum of ten (10) individuals.

Avalon - St. John's Metropolitan Area
Metro Business Opportunities Corporation (MBOC)
35 Blackmarsh Road
Triton Building, Suite 107
St. John's, NL  A1E 1S4
Telephone: (709) 738-1626
E-mail: contact@mboc.ca
Web site: http://www.mboc.ca

Private consultants
See Business Consultants in the yellow pages of your telephone directory if you wish to hire a private consultant to develop your business plan for you. Private consultants usually charge an hourly rate plus expenses (eg. photocopying; long-distance telephone charges; etc.).

Start Your Research

5.  What is the economic outlook for Newfoundland and Labrador?

Department of Finance
Information on the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador can be found on the Department of Finance Web site. Specifically, look for these sections:

• The Economy (an annual publication)
• Economic Overview
• Economic Indicators
• Major Projects
• Forecasts
• Statistics ( includes links to the Newfoundland Statistics Agency; Community Accounts; and Statistics Canada)
• Population Projections

6.  Where can I find ideas for a potential home based business?

(Back to table of contents)

Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre - Library
The CNLBSC has a business library that includes many titles on home based business (see question 10 ). For information on how to borrow material, or to search the online library catalog, click on the link above.

Online Small Business Workshop  (OSBW)
The OSBW is a national product of the Canada Business Service Centres. It is a Web-based workshop designed to provide you with techniques for developing your business idea, starting a new venture and improving your existing small business. It is organized in five sessions. The first session is called Starting with a Good Idea, and includes the following sub-topics:

• Exploring Business Opportunities
• Forty Concepts for a Small Business
• Evaluating your Ideas
• Protecting Your Idea.

Business Start-Up Assistant  (BSA)
The BSA is another national, Web-based product that brings together reliable information from government and non-government sources and arranges it by critical topics. You can research information at the national or at the provincial/territorial level. The section of the BSA on home based business includes general information, guides, magazines, and organizations.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)

From Ideas to Opportunities is a workbook published in 1995 by ACOA and the BDC. This workbook is a tool entrepreneurs can use to investigate and evaluate potential business ideas. It is available full text online.

Regional Economic Development Boards (REDB)
The Province of Newfoundland and Labrador is divided into twenty economic zones each represented by a Regional Economic Development Board (REDB) whose job it is to facilitate the development of business and economic opportunities in its zone.

Each of these Boards has developed a strategic 5-year plan which lists sectors identified as having strong potential for growth. Many boards have their plans posted on their respective Web sites.

7.  Where can I find a profile of the home based sector?

The home based business sector is a difficult sector to isolate as it spans all industries, involves unincorporated, sometimes unregistered companies, and is usually included as part of the micro business sector (1 to 4 employees), or the small (less than 50 employees) and medium (50-499 employees) sized enterprises (SME) sector.

The articles and excerpts in this section illustrate how the following agencies attempt to profile the home based, micro, or SME sector:

• Statistics Canada 
• Industry Canada 
• GDSourcing (research group)
• Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)
• Human Resources and Skills Development Canada  (HRSDC)

Statistics Canada
Work at home stable while working outside the country increases

Note: To view the tables illustrating the data in this article, click on the link above.

The proportion of people working at home remains steady
According to the 2001 Census, more Canadians chose to work at home over the last five years instead of making a daily trek to work. However, the proportion of people working at home remained essentially unchanged.

A total of 1,175,000 people reported working at home during the week preceding the census, compared to just over 1 million five years earlier. These people made up 8% of all workers, the same proportion as in 1996.

About 23% of this group, nearly 269,000 people, lived and worked on farms. A significant proportion of those who worked at home (7%) were early childhood educators and assistants or babysitters, nannies and parent's helpers.

Working at home: a growing urban phenomenon
The 2001 Census showed that, over the last 20 years, working at home has become an increasingly urban phenomenon.
The proportion of people working at home in census metropolitan areas rose, while the proportion of people working at home outside those areas declined.

Of the 907,730 people who worked at home in 2001 (excluding agricultural workers), about 576,600, or 64%, lived in a census metropolitan area. In 2001, people working at home accounted for 6% of all workers in metropolitan areas, double the proportion in 1981.

The three metropolitan areas with the highest proportions of at-home workers were in British Columbia
About 9% of Victoria's 155,110 workers stayed home to work. In Abbotsford and Vancouver, the proportion was 8%.

In the Toronto metropolitan area, some 148,830 people worked at home, but they made up only 6% of the employed labour force.

Statistics Canada
Evolution of the Canadian Workplace : Work from Home

This article appeared in the September 2001 (Vol. 2, no. 9) issue of Perspectives on Labour and Income. The full text of the article is included below.

In the year 2000, approximately 2.8 million (17%) Canadian workers (1.4 million or 10% of employees, and 1.4 million or 50% of the self-employed) did some or all of their work from home, up from 2.1 million (16%) in 1995.

In 2000, work from home was slightly more common among male employees than among their female counterparts (10.6% versus 9.8%), and among part-time employees than full-timers (13.4% versus 12.8%). Higher-than-average incidences were also found among core-age (25-54) employees (12.0%), those with university degrees (22.7%, reflecting in part their occupations), and workers with pre school-age children (14.8%). Very low incidences were recorded among youths (4.6%), and employees with less than high-school education (3.9%).

Because of operational considerations, the practice is more common among social science and educational workers, and least common among processing and manufacturing; construction; accommodation and food service; trades, transport and equipment-operating; and health workers.

A large majority of home-based employees put in only a few hours of work at home each week-about 65% worked between one and 10 hours. Less than 3% put in more than 40 hours.  

Innovations in information technology in the past decade or two appear to have affected home-based workers more strongly. In 2000, use of the computer, e-mail, Internet and telephone for work purposes was much higher among home-based workers than among those who worked completely outside the home.

Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada - The Daily

Previous to their September 2001 report, Statistics Canada reported results on home based business from the 1996 census in The Daily (March 17, 1998 issue). Working Canadians were queried about their place of work. Here are some of the highlights:

• The vast majority (84%) of the working population of about 11.2 million people reported that they usually worked at a location other than their home during the week prior to the census. Just over one million usually worked at home
• Of the over one million who usually worked at home, one-quarter of them worked and lived on a farm
• More than half who usually worked at home were self-employed
• Almost two-thirds (64%) of men who worked at home were self-employed; among women, slightly more than half (52%) who worked at home were self-employed
• Part-time work at home was much more common than it was outside the home
• More women than men usually worked at home; this was in contrast to the employed labour force where men outnumbered women
• Individuals who work at home tend to be older than individuals working outside the home, in the case of both men and women.
• The likelihood of persons in the employed labour force working at home increases with age. For example,  of all working individuals under the age of 55, only 7% of women and 5% of men worked at home. Of the 55 to 64 age bracket in the working population, 12% of women and 10% of men worked at home. Of all working people aged 65 and over, 29% of women and 23% of men worked at home
• Sales and service occupations most common
• About 36% of women (160,000) were in sales and service, and of this group, over one-third (56,000) were working as babysitters or nannies, 22,000 were working in various sales positions, and 17,000 were working in early childhood education. Another 33% of women (146,000) were involved in business, finance or administrative positions, working as clerks (35,000), bookkeepers (34,000) and secretaries (24,000)
• Men who worked at home tended to hold more diversified occupations. About one-fifth (78,000) worked in sales and services. Another 17% (64,000) were in trade and transport occupations, such as truck drivers (8,000). A further 17% (62,000) were in management occupations, for example, retail trade (10,000) and sales, marketing and advertising (8,000). Only 14% (51,000) of men were in business, finance or administrative positions.
• Charts showing the employed labour force usually working at home, as a proportion of the employed labour force:
  • in Canada, of 13,318,740 people in the employed labour force, 1,086,055 or 8.2% worked at home
  • in Newfoundland and Labrador, of 184,330 people in the employed labour force, 12,155 or 6.6% worked at home
  • in St. John's, of 74,930 people in the employed labour force, 3,370 or 4.5% worked at home.

Industry Canada and Statistics Canada
Survey of Micro-enterprises

During the summer of 2000,  Statistics Canada, on behalf of the Small Business Policy Branch of Industry Canada, conducted the Survey of Micro-enterprises. Responses received from the majority owners of about 1,500 businesses, indicated that:

• 54% of the owners of small businesses in operation since at least 1995 depended on their business as the only source of income for their household, a new survey has found
• An additional 26% relied on the business as the most important source of income (though not the only source), and 20% reported that the business was neither the only nor the most important source of income
• 67% of the owners started their business from scratch. About 24% of the businesses were bought from someone else, and 6% were family inheritances, which were especially common in the agriculture sector
• only 30% of the business owners were willing to risk their personal assets for the growth of their company
• 37% of all respondents said their business was established in the market and was expanding at the time of the survey.

Industry Canada
Small Business Quarterly

Industry Canada also produces a newsletter called Small Business Quarterly which regularly reports on the status of the Canadian small business sector.  Each report features articles on:

• performance trends
• job creation
• business bankruptcies
• self-employment
• economic snapshot  
• financing.

The March 2001 issue includes a chart which shows the dramatic rise in the number of self-employed workers in Canada between 1990 and 2000. As of the fourth quarter of 2001, this trend has actually decreased by 2.6 percent from the same quarter in 2000.

GDSourcing
Canadian Micro Business Profile

GDSourcing (Government Data Sourcing) is an Internet based research and retrieval company that specializes in helping researchers access statistics collected by the Canadian Federal government. GDSourcing's online Business Researcher Newsletter (Oct. 3, 2001 Vol. 4, no.8) contains a profile of micro businesses.

In terms of why people start micro businesses, becoming their own boss and the dream of working from home are 2 major factors. Overall 46% of micro businesses are home-based. This represents a significant increase from 1996 when only 30% were operated from home. Specific industry sectors greatly influence the likelihood of working from home. The most likely home-based businesses are Agriculture (81%), Construction (74%) and Business Services (47%) with Retail being the least likely (15%).

Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)
Newfoundland and Labrador Small Business Primer

The CFIB's provincial overview of the small and medium size business sector highlights the following points:

• most businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador are very small. More than three-quarters of this province's businesses employ fewer than 5 people; more than 90% have fewer than 50 employees
• SME's employ more than half of the workers in Newfoundland and Labrador
• self-employment peaked in this Province in 1998 with about 29,10o people working as self-employed; the current level is 25, 400 self-employed
• Canadian self-employed are most likely to be very satisfied with their jobs
• family incomes of employers and self-employed are generally lower than family incomes of paid employers
• small business owners work longer hours - over 81% of small business owners work over 50 hours per week regularly
• 1-in-4 businesses in this Province plan to increase their full-time employment levels in the next 12 months; 7% plan to lower employment; 69% expect to retain the same staffing levels
• throughout 2003, concern over the shortage of labour remained high, with almost 1-in-2 (48.7%) of businesses having difficulty finding qualified labour
• 80% of SME's in this Province provide some form of training to their employees; about half of SME's prefer informal ways of training
• about half of all SMEs start from scratch and about one-fifth start by purchasing an existing business or by taking over a family business respectively
• Workers' compensation and Employment Insurance continues to be the top concern for SME's in Newfoundland and Labrador
• credit lines and loans are the most common sources of credit financing for SME's
• about 25% of micro businesses have their loan application rejected, compared to only 3% of medium sized businesses
• 34% of Newfoundland and Labrador businesses expect to use the Internet more in the upcoming year;  37% report they will continue using it about the same;  29% do not use the Internet for business.

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)
Lessons Learned on Own-account Self-employment in Canada

The HRSDC report called Lessons Learned on Own-account Self-employment in Canada is a study of own-account self-employment in Canada. This study forms part of a larger exercise, the Collective Reflection, which HRSDC has initiated to learn about the changing nature of work. As self-employment becomes the reality for a growing number of Canadians, it is important that both governments and the public learn from the successes and failures of the self-employed.

There are seven main study issues driving the research, as follows:

• Overall trends: What has the overall trend been in own-account self-employment? Is the recent growth in self-employment part of a longer-term trend?
• Incidence and profile: Who are the self-employed and what type of work do they do? Are males or females or older or younger Canadians more likely to be self-employed? How does self-employment incidence vary across occupations and industries?
• Job quality: How does the quality of the jobs the self-employed occupy compare to paid jobs?
• Reasons for growth: What factors explain the rapid growth of self-employment? Are individuals being pushed or pulled into self-employment? If the latter, what are the reasons individuals have for entering self-employment?
• Advantages and disadvantages: What are the advantages of being self-employed? Do the self-employed enjoy being their own boss and doing things when and how they want to do them? Or does this independence and flexibility translate into insecurity and social isolation?
• Determinants of success and failure: What factors contribute to the success and failure of the self-employment experience? Do networks and partnerships play a role in the sustainability of self-employment? To what extent are the self-employed turning to horizontal and vertical links to overcome disadvantages of being self-employed? What about personality? Is the Internet seen as a useful tool for the self-employed?
• Lessons learned: What lessons may be extracted from the experiences of the self-employed for both the potential self-employed and policy-makers? What kind of role does government have in regard to the self-employment phenomenon? Should its role be to encourage individuals into self-employment or merely to provide information on the pitfalls and ways of overcoming them?

8.  Where can I find business statistics?

Statistics for Business Planning
The Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre (CNLBSC) and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) partnered to develop an online guide called Statistics for Business Planning. The guide links you to key sources for business statistics. It also provides a description of each source plus tips and instructions on using each source.Types of statistics included are:

• Industry Classifications - find the statistical industry classification number for your business
• Manufacturing Statistics  - obtain a wide range of statistics on manufacturing industries in Canada
• Small Business Profiles - determine how the average company in your specific industry is performing
• Industry Bench Marking - compare your estimates for sales and expenses to other companies in the industry
• Imports and Exports - track how much of your goods or services are currently imported and exported
• Household Spending - look at the how much Canadians are spending on goods and services
• The Competition - find out who your competitors are and where they are located
• Population Projection - Newfoundland and Labrador - see what changes are anticipated in population for Newfoundland and Labrador
• Population Projections - Canada - see what changes are anticipated in population for Canada
• Community Profiles - obtain demographic, education, income and household statistics by community
• Labour Supply / Costs - obtain the labour rates and estimated availability of labour by occupational group.

There are additional statistics in this guide, under the question: Where can I find a profile of the home based sector?. Other statistics may be available from the Canada/Newfoundland & Labrador Business Service Centre , as we have an extensive business library which includes publications specific to craft production.

9.  Are there industry associations I can join and what membership benefits do they offer?

Home based businesses can span all industries; therefore, you should check to see if there is an association that represents your particular industry. You can check the Associations Directory  on the CNLBSC Web site for links to business associations in Newfoundland and Labrador. Some examples of industry associations in this province are:

• Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industries Association
• nati - Newfoundland Association of Technology Industries
• Newfoundland and Labrador Home Builders' Association
• Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador
• Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador

National associations
There are several national associations attempting to represent the home based business market. They may offer products, services, or support to home based business owners. Some of these are listed below:

SOHO Business Group
SOHO Business Group is a national marketing company focused on developing unique programs to support the growth and success of business. They offer a variety of services which support marketing services to small office/home office (SOHO) or small and medium size (SME) business sectors:

• SOHO membership offering preferred rate programs
• SOHO savings centre & group benefits
• seminars & networking events
• anual SOHO/SME business conference
• tools & resources for SOHO/SME businesses.

Home-Based Working Moms
HBWM is a professional association and online community of parents who work at home and those who would like to. HBWM members receive a monthly (print) newsletter, free advertising options, Hire-A-Mom directory listing, national publicity opportunities, email discussion list, private message boards, support, networking, information, and more. It is an American based association, with a Canadian representative (in Ontario) and web site.

American Home Business Association (AHBA)
The AHBA is a national association offering essential and innovative benefits and services dedicated to supporting the needs of home business, small business and entrepreneurs. Membership includes access to the best in traditional business benefits, Internet support services, resources and timely information that is critical to conduct a successful home, small or Internet business.

Local Business Organizations
Many communities have business organizations which organize information sessions and networking opportunities for members. Some of these are listed below. You can also check the yellow pages of your telephone directory under either Business & Trade Organizations or Associations:

• Boards of Trade or Chambers of Commerce (check your telephone directory)
• NL Employers' Council
• Better Business Bureau of NL
• Canadian Federation of Independent Business

10.  Where can I find books, trade magazines and local sector studies?

Canada/Newfoundland & Labrador Business Service Centre
The following titles are samples of the type of material available at the Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre.  We offer a free Books By Mail Service and an online Library catalog.

Magazines

SOHO Business Report

Enterprise Magazine

Natural Life

Small Business Opportunities

Entrepreneur Magazine

Books, Audios, Videos, CD-ROMs and Kits

Leading edge II : Home-based businesses & miscellaneous businesses & one-of-a-kind businesses
Call Number:  CD-ROM # 8 BMPK

Working for yourself at starting a business : a tep by step Business Education Program
Call Number:  KIT # 27

Your home office & small business program
Call Number:  KIT # 39

Home based business : a winning blueprint.
Call number:        VIDEO # 260

How to succeed in a home business
Call number:  VIDEO # 173

Start and run a profitable home-based business.
Call number:  AUDIO # 114

How to start a home-based catering business
Call Number:  HD 2333 V58 2006

Start & run a creative services business
Call Number:  NX 163 K57 2005 

How to start a home-based event planning business
Call Number:  AS 6 M67 2004

Web marketing for small & home-based businesses : how to advertise and sell your products or services online
Call Number:  HF 5415 .1265 L42 2004

Inexpensive e-commerce solutions for small & home-based businesses : you don't have to spend a fortune to start selling online
Call Number:  HF 5548 .32 L42 2004

The 100 best businesses to start when you don't want to work hard anymore
Call Number:  HD 62 .5 .I2 R63 2004

202 things you can buy and sell for big profits
Call Number:  HF 5482 S73 2004

Best practices in the home-based employment of people with disabilities
Call Number:  HV 1568 C36 2002

101 best home-based businesses for women.
Call number:  HD 62.5 .I2 H831 2002

More 101 best home-based businesses for women.
Call number:  HD 62.5 .I2 H834 2002

The self-employed woman's guide to launching a home-based business.
Call number:  HD 2333 H83 2002

Work from your home office as an independent contractor : a complete guide to getting started.
Call number:  HD 2333 S38 2001

Telecommuting : managing off-site staff for small business
Call number:        HD 2336 .G73 2001

Soul Proprietor : 101 lessons from a lifestyle entrepreneur.
Call number:  HD 62.5 P64 2001

How to start a home-based landscaping business
Call Number:  SB 446 .5 D44 2000

The everything home-based business book : everything you need to know to start and run a successful home-based business.
Call number:  HD 2333 S38 2000

Guerrilla saving : secrets for keeping profits in your home-based business.
Call number:  HD 2333 L48 2000

The shoestring entrepreneur's guide to the best home-based businesses.
Call number:  HD 62 .5 .I2 S64 2000

101 home office success secrets.
Call number:  HD 2333 K36 2000

How to start a home-based landscaping business.
Call number:  SB 446 .5 D44 2000

How to start a home-based photography business.
Call number:  TR 154 O33 2000

Working at home : making it work for you.
Call number:  HD 2333 G68 2000

11.  Are there trade shows I can attend?

CNLBSC - Events Calendar
Our Centre maintains an Events Calendar with an extensive listing of local trade shows and business events. Our Events Calendar is also interactive, allowing you to add your own events!

The following is a list of national trade shows (in chronological order):

SOHO-SME Business Conference & Expo

Canadian Franchise Association Shows

National Franchise & Business Opportunities Shows
(check web site for additional dates and locations)

12.  Where can I get training?

College of the North Atlantic (CONA)

• Business Assistant (1 year)
• Business Administration Diploma (2 years)
• Business Management Diploma (3 years)

Memorial University - Centre for Lifelong Learning

• Professional & personal development courses (some relevant to small business)
• Certificate program - business administration
• Affiliate programs - variety offered (eg. CGA; CMA; CPM; CPSA)
• Faculty of Business Administration

Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre
The Online Small Business Workshop is a national product of the Canada Business Service Centres. It is a Web-based workshop designed to provide you with techniques for developing your business idea, starting a new venture and improving your existing small business. It is self-paced and organized in six sessions:

• Session 1 - Starting with a Good Idea
• Session 2 - Marketing Basics
• Session 3 - Financing Your Business
• Session 4 - Planning Fundamentals
• Session 5 - Basic Regulations for Getting Started
• Session 6 - Setting up an E-business: The Basics.

Newfoundland and Labrador WorkinfoNet (NLWIN)
Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador can call toll free 1-800-563-6600 (729-6600 in St. John's local calling area) to obtain career and work search information. The Web site offers the latest in provincial career and employment information and offers links to national and international resources. There are also Career Information Resource Centres throughout the Province.

13.  How can I find suppliers?

There are a variety of ways to find sources of suppliers. You can network with other business people, either on an individual basis, or by joining an association, or by taking part in online discussion groups featured on business related web sites.

You can visit the nearest Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Network Sites and use the multitude of directories available that list manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers. Some of these directories are in print format, but many are also available online. Some are Buyer's Guides that come as part of a magazine subscription (see list below).

You may find suppliers by attending trade shows. For example, some companies supplying packaging materials and display systems attend the Manufactured Right Here Show. Most trade shows have web sites - check online to see if suppliers will be on hand.

Once you have a list of potential suppliers, you need to contact each to request catalogs and price lists (some may have online catalogs), and get specific information on minimum orders, shipping options and charges, etc. Suppliers are more cooperative and provide more information if they know you are an established business person with a good credit rating, and are offering them a 'significant sale'. In turn, you should ensure that your potential supplier is reputable by obtaining background information on the company and by talking with other apparel manufacturers who have had dealings with the supplier.

The following directories are available online, or through the Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Network.

Local Suppliers

Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) - Newfoundland and Labrador Division
For local suppliers of products manufactured in this province, contact CME's Newfoundland and Labrador Division. CME staff may be able to connect you with one of their members, or you can search their membership directory online.

Telephone Directories

The Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre has the white and yellow pages for the major cities in Canada. Your local public library may carry some as well. You can also search the online telephone directories (e.g. YellowPages.ca ).

General Business Directories

• Reference Canada : Canadian Businesses (available at the Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre)
• Canadian Trade Index
• Frasers Canadian Trade Directory
• Canadian Company Capabilities
• Thomas Register   

Buyer's Guides/Magazine Subscriptions

The Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre subscribes to a number of magazine that include annual buyer's guide issues. These are listed below (NOTE: You may have to subscribe in order to use some of these guides online, and fees may apply in some cases):

• Aquaculture Magazine
• Athletic Business Magazine
• Bakers Journal Magazine
• Bottled Water Reporter
• Canadian Florist
• Canadian Footwear Journal
• Canadian Garden Centre & Nursery 
• Canadian Jeweller
• Canadian Metalworking
• Canadian Mining Journal
• Canadian Music Trade
• Canadian Packaging 
• Canadian Plastics
• Food in Canada
• Foodservice & Hospitality 
• Gifts and Tablewares Magazine
• Greenhouse Canada
• Home Care Magazine
• Nutraceuticals World
• OHS Canada
• Sea Technology Magazine 
• Seafood Business
• Solid Waste & Recycling Magazine
• Stone World
• Style
• Textile Journal

General Web Sites

You can use any of the search engines available on the Internet to try to find companies or products. If your search produces too many or too few hits, use the Help or Advanced Search Tips buttons to learn how to narrow or broaden your search.

14.  Where can I find information about exporting my products?

Canada/Newfoundland & Labrador Business Service Centre and Team Canada Inc
Team Canada Inc (TCI) is a partnership of federal, provincial and territorial governments helping Canadian companies succeed in world markets. Your Team Canada contact in this province is the Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre. The Centre's staff respond to Team Canada information requests and refer clients to appropriate resources and agencies, depending upon the export readiness of the client. For more information on exporting, visit the Centre's Web site.

Trade Team Newfoundland & Labrador
The CNLBSC is also part of Trade Team Newfoundland and Labrador (TTNL), one of 11 regional teams across Canada. TTNL's mission is to provide services to businesses to help them achieve success in global markets. There are four key areas of focus:

• export preparedness
• diversifying export markets
• strengthened performance, and
• investment attraction.

The services offered by the Trade Team Newfoundland and Labrador partners include export readiness assessment, export counselling, export preparation and training, information on trade fairs and missions, introduction to foreign buyers visiting Newfoundland and Labrador, contacts in international markets, worldwide leads on international business opportunities, liaising with Canadian embassies, export financing and insurance and market information and intelligence.

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
Small and medium-sized enterprise information centre
This section of CBSA's web site is tailored to meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) but is useful for all importers and exporters. It contains information on:

• Exporting - A Step-by-Step Guide
• Customs Tariff
• Information seminars
• Border Information Service (BIS).

15.  What government departments or agencies do I need to contact?

(Back to table of contents)

For information on general business regulations, such as incorporation, taxation, labour standards, insurance, and intellectual property, see our  Business Start-Up Info-Guide .

Town or City Council Office
Municipal governments have varying requirements regarding the operation of businesses within their town/city boundaries.  Your local municipality should be consulted on such matters as:

• zoning regulations
• construction or renovation of buildings
• operation of a homebased business
• business taxation.

Government Service Centres
The GSC processes permits, licences, approvals and conducts inspections and investigations on behalf of a number of line departments. Whether you have a home based operation or a separate manufacturing facility, you should contact the Centre nearest you to ask what regulations may apply. Listed below are some of the services offered by the Government Service Centre:

• Approval of Highway Signage
• Building Accessibility Approval/Exemption for Public Buildings
• Commercial and private Septic System Approvals and Authorizations
• Commercial Building Plan Approvals
• Electrical Permits and Inspections
• Elevator Inspections and Approvals
• Food Establishment Licensing
• Fuel Storage and Handling Approvals
• Liquor Licensing
• Meat Inspections
• Propane System Licensing and Inspections
• Waste Management System Approvals
• Water Supply Testing

GSC - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Other Departments
Depending on the type of home based business you are starting, you may have to contact other relevant departments. For example, if you are starting a bed and breakfast operation, you will need a license from the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.  If you are operating a farm (crops or livestock), you should contact the Department of Natural Resources to check on any inspections that may be required. For a list of provincial government departments, visit the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador web site. For a list of federal government departments, visit the Government of Canada web site.

16.  What other regulations might apply to home based businesses?

(Back to table of contents)

Canada/Newfoundland & Labrador Business Service Centre (CNLBSC)

Depending on the product or service you are offering, you may have to conform to industry standards, put specific information on your labels, or obtain a bar code. For more information on these topics, contact the Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre. As well, you can check other How-To Guides developed by the Centre that may be applicable to you.

17.  How do I prepare before approaching lenders?

(Back to table of contents)

Lending - The Basic Criteria
A document that covers the factors lenders consider when providing financing to entrepreneurs. It also contains tips on how to present your business idea to potential lenders.

Dealing With Your Banker & Other Lenders
A document that offers techniques for building good relationships with bankers and other lenders.

18.  What government financing is available to me?

(Back to table of contents)

Please note that this alphabetical list is provided to help home based business owners focus on a few relevant programs rather than have to review an exhaustive list of programs available to entrepreneurs. The Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre has no role in determining who will receive assistance under any of these programs.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
- counselling service
-  Business Development Program

ACOA - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Business Development Bank of Canada
- consulting service
-  Co-Vision - Start-up Financing Solution
-  Growth Capital for Aboriginal Business

BDC - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment (HRLE)
- Graduate Employment Program
- Linkages
- NL Works
- Student Work and Service Program (SWASP)
- Student Employment Program
- Seasonal Employment Program

HRLE - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development (INTRD)
- small business counselling service
- Commercialization Program
- Craft Industry Development Program
- Innovation Enhancement Program
- Small and Medium Enterprise Fund
- Small Business and Market Development Program

INTRD - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

National Research Council
NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)

19.  What other agencies offer financing?

(Back to table of contents)

Please note that this alphabetical list is provided to help home based business owners focus on a few relevant programs rather than have to review an exhaustive list of programs available to entrepreneurs. The Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre has no role in determining who will receive assistance under any of these programs.

Banks and Credit Unions
All major banks and credit unions offer small business loans and have a wealth of business information available on their Web sites. Listed below are links to the major financial institutions operating in Newfoundland and Labrador:

• BMO - Business Banking
• CIBC - Business Banking
• HSBC - Business Banking
• NL Credit Union - Business Banking
• RBC - Business Banking
• Scotiabank - Business Banking
• TD Commercial Banking

Canadian Youth Business Foundation
-  CYBF Loan Program

Community Business Development Corporations
- Financial Assistance Program
- Self Employment Benefits Program
- SEED Capital Program
- business counselling
- other programs (eg. bridge financing; micro loans up to $5,000; training; technical assistance; business plans; financial planning and counselling; export readiness and supplier development)

CBDC - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Industry Association
- check with the industry association that represents your type of business for any incentives that particular association may offer its members.  If you are trying to identify or locate an association, check the CNLBSC Associations Directory .

Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs (NLOWE)
- services to women entrepreneurs at all stages of business development
- Women in Business Initiative (in conjunction with ACOA)

NLOWE - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Ulnooweg Development Group Inc.
- Ulnooweg Loan
- Aboriginal Business Development Loan
- ABC Aboriginal Youth Business Loan.

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this document is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. Users concerned about the reliability of the information should consult directly with the source, or seek legal counsel.

Links Policy
Some of the hypertext links lead to non-federal government sites which are not subject to the Official Languages Act and the material is available in one language only.