Are you running your own business here in the US since you arrived? I am.

Good for you!

Hi General. I've moved your thread over to the "Moving Here" forum. OT can get a little rough.

I'm not running my own business, but I've considered it. What do you do?

I thought of going into the computer fixing business but there are so many bad technicians out there that I didn't want to be associated with it. Thus I started a photography business. Having said that, there's room for a cheaper Geek Squad type business.

buddy christ, my hero

I started up an LLC to handle the work I was still doing for my UK employer when I moved over here -- even though I had given them 5 months to find my successor they didn't even start the search until 3 weeks before I left! Anyway, although that contract is up, I still use the LLC for my consulting business and am employed part-time by a local university. Soon, however, I'll be moving from employee status to contractor on that too so I will be completely self-employed for the first time ever.

I've found the change to the pace of my life amazing -- I set my hours for the most part, I can do things like go to the shops whenever I feel like it, or grab a book and mooch in the university library on a rainy day. And yet I've only lost the equivalent of about $10k a year for this massive uptick in quality of life. I still might go back to full-time employment someday at an investment manager, but for the time being, this fits the bill.

yeah my hubby is tired of working for somone else LOL for crap wages, we are trying tosave $$ start up automotive repair business..it is not easy but good luck to you all

My main problem is getting clients. I'm hitting public events with a lime-green high-visibility waistcoat with my logo on it, soon.

I had one whacko who emailed me - no first name - just called himself S. Davis using a hotmail account. This should get your eyes rolling!

He asked if I did funeral photography as he couldn't find it on my website so I said yes (it's not on the main page but it's on one of the other pages) and quoted a price. He also said that he had a terminally ill relative that he wanted the funeral coverage for. Wacky but possibly plausible though I didn't rate it highly.

He didn't respond to my question as to his location or to my suggestion that a photograph be taken of the person while still alive.

Then he asked if I would photograph the corpse in the casket. In the same email he asked if I'd photograph his daughter's wedding.

I said certainly and asked the name of the funeral home, his location, where his daughter was getting married etc.

He gave me the name of a funeral home only he didn't get it quite right - it was a good guess at the name though. I rang them and they had never heard of an S Davis.

Then he told me it was his niece not his daughter and then that there weren't many photos on my website and could he see more.

I responded that I would be happy to meet him to show him my physical portfolio.

He replied his niece was in some other state and would not be able to come to see them and that as such they probably would not be doing business.

At that point I wondered exactly what he was getting out of a bizarre email exchange. He certainly didn't get photos of pretty women or corpses. Maybe that was what he was after? It was just utterly bizarre.

Anyway - you can roll your eyes back down now. I told you my truly wacky business tale of the year.

Haha - that sounds mad!!

I want to set up my own business making wedding jewellery and accessories - I have my business plan albeit in my head - I just have to put it into practise... or at least put some feelers out until I get my EAD

Don't know where you're located, General, but I know a photographer who has her name at all the timeshares and hotels in Myrtle Beach. When guests are having special events, or even if they just ask, the office automatically gives them the photographer's contact information. Just a thought for you.

Can you share your website information?

www.sagephotoworld.com

Yep, we have our own business....actually two of them - one corporation and one LLC.....we make terrible employees so decided to be 'The Bosses' thumbs:

I had so many bad employers and so much non-response to job applications that I just started my own. Getting clients is fun though - lol.

We're not so bad though - my wife's in medicine and we also run an antique stall as a hobby.

after a quick glance at your website I would offer one piece of feedback - you need LOADS more sample photos of people, preferably at the type of events you're trying to get business at (I'd assume weddings, christenings...?)

if I was in the market for a photographer and stumbled upon your site, I'd have no evidence you were up to the job and probably wouldn't investigate further

hope that's helpful; please ignore if not, as I'm trying to be constructive and not critical

Oh I know. I'm off to the city centre market tomorrow and the Earth fair on Saturday. Then on the 16th I'm off to the BBQ cook off. The 17th there's Thunder at Fort Jackson and the Celebrate Freedom Festival. That (and the weddings I've done) should get me a few more photos.

I'm hitting these events wearing my orange tee-shirt (which has my logo on it) as my other stuff won't be ready in time. I just ordered more corporate logo kit since it seems to go down well.

i'm writing my business plan now. was gunna set up here originally anyway but then i met future hubby and all things changed now i'm still gunna do it but different location. in fact the uprooting of whole life might be a good excuse to accutally make the final jump instead of thinging about it.
thing is in my research about what i will have to do i found out that i may have to register as a llc. what im not clear about is do i have to wait for my ead ssn and greencard before i can start setting up my business or even register llc?

for those that have done this do you have any advice about what you can do, when ect?

i'll be located in los angeles by the way incase it matters.

A SSN is needed before you can do anything - it's the key to most things government.

For me, there was one website to go for everything - www.scbos.com (South Carolina Business Online Services) and I can do everything there - register, apply for licences, pay taxes etc.

For writing a business plan I found this site handy: http://www.canadabusiness.ca/ibp/eng/index.cfm. Sure - it's in Canada but I filled in the bits I could, ignored the bits I could not and now I know more where I was headed. Since then my goals have changed slightly but it's still a useful document to refer to.

thanks for the speedy reply, in addition to the ssn, which from what i gather on her will be the quickest to get of all do i need ead card or greencard aswell?

thanks
Hannah

You need the permanent residence card before you can get a SSN.

Not if you're a K-1.

Thanks - I was beginning to panic!

StP - I am inclined to agree with you as well Although I am not sure the funeral ones would be appropriate!! And might be insensitive to ask permission to show on public webspace?

And I am going to check out that site now:D

Lastly - what is an LLC?!?!

LLC = Limited liability company. Upside - your liability is limited. Downside - it costs $600 a year. I'm just DBA as it's $50 one-time only. When my clientbase increases I shall go LLC.

As far as corpse photos are concerned, they don't go onto the site. Tasteful funeral photos yes - funerals are after all, a celebration of somebody's life.

Hrmm - I haven't started looking at all the business acronyms yet - after all, I was going to teach But I am sure I will pick it up when I am there and go through it all properly

There's a lot to learn when you're here. You'll spend the first year or so wondering where all your favourite brands are etc and trying to find equivalents.

Then there's this ridiculous driving that goes on... I see some really suicidal lunatics on the roads. My tip - get something old and battered - that way any new damage won't notice. So far I've been rear-ended once - while stationary in a queue of traffic. I've almost been hit several times by dickheads driving and yacking on the mobile phones etc.

The big thing about business here is you have to have an accountant to do your books at the end of the year. The business year runs along the calender year - not April 1st to March 31st as in Britain. The downside is all prices seem to have to be shown without tax. Tax is then added at the point of sale.

Oh I know - I've been out for months at a time and am well aware of the lack of marmite etc

Know about the driving as well... But I have never had a new car so an old shed won't bother me

Why do you have to have an accountant? Can't you do your own taxes? I'm not sure about all prices *having* to be shown without tax either... surely that would depend on the State you are in? Oregon for example includes its tax on the shelf price which is imho the most sensible thing!!

They do it that way here to make the prices look lower. Personally I dislike this.

We do have Marmite. I have a jar of it bought locally, in the US. I can even find Tetley and Twinings. I can't find Darjeeling tea though. The most exotic tea I can find is Earl Grey.

Taxes have to be filed through an accountant and the accountants know all the dodges by which you can pay less tax. For example, my wife's accountant knocked my business personal property tax bill in half by declaring everything under $200 is considered a consumable. Thus, my business personal property tax for where I live should come in at less than $10.

As my wife and I file jointly and she makes a hell of a lot of money and my business has yet to show a profit, the gear I bought comes off joint tax so we're doing quite well. She did try to persuade me to become her assistant but somehow I don't think I'd look good in fishnet stockings Not only that but since we love each other very deeply, I doubt much work would get done - lol