Small Business FAQ
- I'm starting a business, what do I need to know?
- Where can I find local demographics and statistics for the Washington-Centerville area and Montgomery County?
- Where do I find business and industry ratios?
- Where can I obtain lists of businesses?
- How do I research investments?
- Where is the closest Library location to my business, and what are the hours?
- What do I need to know about business taxes?
- How do I finance a new business? Are there grants available?
- Where do I obtain a business license?
- What are the regulations for registering and incorporating my business?
- How do I write a business plan?
- Where can I get information about women in the workplace and women as business owners?
- Where can I find information on patents & trademarks?
- How do I find information about doing business overseas?
- How do I find journal or newspaper articles?
- Where do I find salary and compensation information?
I'm starting a business, what do I need to know?
Start by looking at the information for Small Business and Entrepreneurship on the WCPL website.
Also, consider attending one of the SCORE small business seminars the Library hosts throughout the year. Seminars are on topics such as starting a business, business planning, and marketing for small businesses. Check our current Calendar of Events for the latest dates.
The Small Business Development Centers of Ohio (SBDC of Ohio) provide free, professional, in-depth and confidential business consulting and training to new and existing entrepreneurs through its network of 38 centers (including international trade, technology and manufacturing) throughout the state.
Where can I find local demographics and statistics for the Washington-Centerville area and Montgomery County?
The U.S. Census Bureau provides Economic Fact Sheets from the 2002 Economic Census for Centerville, Montgomery County. For general demographic information about specific areas, use the Census Bureau's American FactFinder. Just type a ZIP Code in the search box and click 'Go.'
The Sourcebook of ZIP Code Demographics is a print source containing accurate demographic information for every U.S. ZIP Code. Variables for population, households, families, income, race, age, and consumer spending for a wide variety of products and services are included in this reference book.
Where do I find business and industry ratios?
Compiled annually, Business Week's Investment Outlook Scoreboard is a free online source on 24 industries. Quarterly data is available through the toolbox. Also online, Yahoo! Finance includes about 100 industries with basic, up-to-date ratios, with data provided by Reuters.
The Library has several print sources for business and industry ratios, including Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios, Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios, and RMA Annual Statement Studies.
Where can I obtain lists of businesses?
If you are looking for a list of new businesses in the County, check out the vendor license data compiled by the Montgomery County Auditor's Office.
If you are interested in compiling lists of business competitors or lists for marketing purposes, start with the business directory ReferenceUSA, which contains 14 million U.S. businesses and 120 million U.S. households.
For lists of major employers in the Dayton area, come into the Library and ask at the Reference Desk for the Book of Lists from the Dayton Business Journal, and the Guide to Mimai Vally Businesses from the Better Business Bureau serving Dayton and the Miami Valley.
How do I research investments?
The Library provides a collection of investment advisory databases for research and study as you manage your investments. There are also many money advice books and financial magazines and newsletters available.
Of course, there are many places on the web to gather information, so take a look at some of our recommended investing and personal finance links.
Where is the closest Library location to my business, and what are the hours?
Take a look at this map of the two Washington-Centerville Public Library locations to find the location nearest your business. In addition to walking into our branches, there are several other ways to ask your librarian for the business answers you need, including our online Business Research Request Form.
Centerville Library is open Monday through Thursday 10:00am to 9:00pm, Friday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday 10:00am to 5:00pm, and Sunday 1:00pm to 5:00pm (Sept.-May). Woodbourne Library is open Monday through Friday 10:00am to 9:00pm, Saturday 10:00am to 5:00pm, and Sunday 1:00pm to 5:00pm (Sept.-May).
What do I need to know about business taxes?
The Internal Revenue Service provides detailed federal tax information for businesses, with a one-stop resource for those with small businesses or who are self-employed.
The Ohio Department of Taxation provides links to services and information you need as a taxpayer doing business in the State of Ohio. Also, find out how to save time and postage with Ohio Business Gateway's electronic filing services to submit selected filings, registrations, and payments with the state's Department of Taxation, Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Department of Job and Family Services, and Department of Commerce.
If your business is located in the City of Centerville, it is also necessary to file corporate and employee income tax reports. More tax information can be obtained from the City's Finance Department.
How do I finance a new business? Are there grants available?
The largest source of capital for new businesses typically comes from personal savings, family and friends, and partners. Business credit cards are widely used. To obtain a bank loan, a small business owner should present a clearly thought out loan proposal or business plan to the lender. Get some basic information on financing your business from SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives.
For additional financing alternatives, check out financial assistance from City of Centerville Economic Development. Also, you may want to investigate business incentives from Montgomery County Economic Development and Ohio Department of Development.
Government grants for starting or expanding small businesses are extremely rare. For more on the myth of free money for small businesses, check out Business Week and NoFreeMoney.com.
Although, government grants are extremely rare, government loans for small businesses are more accessible, especially Small Business Administration Guaranteed Loans.
Where do I obtain a business license?
The city of Centerville does not require licensing to operate a business in the city. However, it is necessary to obtain building, sign, and occupancy permits. Permits are issued by the Centerville Public Works Department located at 100 W. Spring Valley Road.
Like the city of Centerville, Washington Township does not require a license to operate a business. However, it is necessary to obtain zoning certificates for signs and buildings. For zoning certificates, contact the Township's Development Services Department.
Retailers with a fixed place of business in Montgomery County must apply for a vendor's license with the County Auditor. All other vendor licenses (service, delivery and transient) are issued by the Ohio Department of Taxation. There is a $25 application fee for these licenses.
Depending on your category of business or profession, you may need to comply with additional state and federal licensing and regulations.
What are the regulations for registering and incorporating my business?
You will find detailed information on selecting and registering your corporate structure at Ohio Department of Development's 1st Stop Business Connection. There you may request your FREE business information kit, which will contain the basics all businesses must know and the state-level regulations and forms specifically for your business. You can also find a complete list of business filing forms at Ohio Secretary of State's site. There you may also search filings to see if the corporate or trade name you would like to register is available.
How do I write a business plan?
There are many excellent "how to write" business plan books in the Library. Online, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers a basic explanation and step-by-step details on writing business plans. There are also templates and free sample business plans available online.
Where can I get information about women in the workplace and women as business owners?
Two excellent online sources for information on these topics are Center for Women's Business Research and the U.S. Dept. of Labor's Women's Bureau. The Library also has many books on the topic of women in business.
Where can I find information on patents & trademarks?
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has a comprehensive site. To register a Trademark or Service mark in Ohio, please see the Secretary of State's website.
How do I find information about doing business overseas?
Export.gov brings together various U.S. Government resources to assist American businesses in planning their international sales strategies and succeeding in today’s global marketplace. This site offers FAQs on exporting, a guide to U.S. exporting programs, helps calculate tariffs and taxes on U.S. exports, has a directory of U.S. and foreign trade offices, and much more. Another good resource is U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library. Here you can find more than 100,000 industry and country-specific market reports, authored by specialists working in overseas posts. The site includes Country Commercial Guides, Industry Overviews, Market Updates, Best Markets, and Industry/Regional Reports. Produced by The World Bank, DoingBusiness.org is a very useful tool for comparing business regulations across the globe. In-depth rankings, data, and reports are provided on business regulations from nearly 180 economies.
In addition to the online resources listed above, be sure to check out the books the Library has on international trade and export marketing.
How do I find journal or newspaper articles?
The Library provides access to several databases containing full-text articles from a variety of magazines, journals, and newspapers.
Where do I find salary and compensation information?
Online, you can find salary information at Salary.com, SalaryExpert.com, JobStar, and Vault Salaries & Compensation. In addition, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics offers compensation information in the Occupational Outlook Handbook and National Compensation Survey. At the Library, be sure to look at American Salaries and Wages Survey in our reference collection.