If you want to start your own business, you will be happy to know that with an adequate initial budget, careful planning and management, you can start a successful business or shop with a much simpler process than a few years ago.
So let’s see together what are the requirements, the bureaucratic process and the costs to be incurred when you decide to start your own business.
WHAT YOU NEED TO OPEN A BUSINESS:
The first fundamental thing to do when deciding to open a business is to find a winning business idea , study the sector and plan your business with extreme care.
The first step will be that of the study: of the market, of the competition, of the target audience, and of the specific sector in which you want to operate.
This will help to understand the potential of the business, the feasibility, but also what it takes to differentiate from the competition and respond to the real needs, requests and trends of the market.
Secondly, once you have determined the feasibility of your business idea, it will be necessary to carry out careful planning of the activity. This will be carried out through key tools such as the Business Plan , Economic and Financial Analysis reports , and so on.
These tools will be the key to realistically planning your business and its peculiarities, determining every detail (from the format to the services and products offered, from the pricing strategies to those of communication). They will also allow you to determine the real potential for success of the business, understand the costs that you will have to face, the potential earnings, as well as monitor the progress of the business even after the start, making sure to meet the set objectives.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS:
The requirements required by law are:
• having reached the age of majority
• have no previous bankruptcy declarations
• have not received any criminal convictions or other regulatory / legal restrictions
Additional requirements are required for particular types of activities, and these vary considerably according to the product or service category dealt with.
In these cases, additional licenses are often required (even if today there are very few activities for which a real license is required), certificates , qualification and training courses, as well as specific requirements for the sector in which one operates.
Furthermore, in some cases the regulations, laws and therefore the minimum requirements and standards to open a business change at the regional level . Therefore, it is always good to inquire at the SUAP (Single Office of Productive Activities) counter of your municipality, at the Chamber of Commerce, to know all the minimum requirements to be respected and the updated procedure necessary for your specific activity of interest.
The license , as anticipated, is no longer necessary for almost all the activities except in some specific cases, such as for example the activities that deal with state monopolies or subject to particular limitations / restrictions.
Finally, further requirements are required for the premises and their compliance. These too may vary according to the type of activity they carry out and the type of business. However, the premises must always necessarily have the right destination (generally of a commercial nature) and comply with all urban planning, health, hygiene, safety, accessibility regulations, and so on, as required by law.
Always highly advisable, due to the peculiarities that each type of business presents, also from a regulatory and legal point of view, is to rely on an accountant to ensure that requirements, obligations are met and errors are avoided.
THE BUROCHRATIC PROCESS:
The general bureaucratic process to follow to open your business is as follows:
• the opening of Partita Iva e scelta del Regime Fiscal e Contabile
• registration in the Business Register at the Chamber of Commerce
• regulation of INPS and INAIL positions (social security and insurance)
• communication of Start of Activity at the municipality (at least 30 days before the start)
• request for permits for outdoor sign posting and possible Occupation of the Public Land in case of outdoor sessions
All the main registrations, communications and basic bureaucratic requirements mentioned above, common to all activities, can be carried out in a single solution, through the Single Communication to be sent electronically (with PEC ) to the Chamber of Commerce, attaching via mail all necessary documents.
Even the bureaucratic process can vary considerably according to the peculiarities of the activity and the place in which it is carried out. For example, for large premises (generally over 250sqm, but the standard varies on a local basis), Fire Certification and additional structural, safety, and so on requirements and certifications are required. For catering activities , on the other hand, and which deal with the handling of food and beverages, the SAB certificate (or possession of a qualification or equivalent requirements) and the HACCP certificate will always be mandatory .
Also with regard to the bureaucratic process, therefore, it will be good to rely on an accountant and experienced professionals in the sector in which you will operate.
COSTS:
The budget necessary to open a business or a shop depends on many factors such as the type of activity carried out, the sector of reference, the size of the premises, their positioning, the type of goods and services offered, the format, and many others .
A generic estimate, by way of example only, provides for a minimum investment of at least 20,000 – 30,000 euros. However, this sum is very approximate as each activity must be studied in its own right, and it is also a minimum indicative figure below which it will be difficult to go down when starting a business. In fact, it should be borne in mind that in the business world it is increasingly easier for costs to increase compared to expectations.
The elements that generate the greatest costs are generally:
• Premises (rent, utilities, connection to networks, renovations, adaptations)
• Bureaucratic formalities, consultancy and licenses
• Furniture, equipment, software and hardware, first supplies of products and raw materials
• Employees
• Advertising, visibility and communication
