Resources for the Native small business community in Portland, Oregon.
Starting a Business in Oregon
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Choose a business structure (consult with your tax preparer and/or lawyer before doing this).
*If you are a Sole Proprietor then you can skip to #4. Not sure if you are or not? Watch the Self Employment 101: Empowerment Through Education video and/or read this.
Go to the Oregon Secretary of State website to set up an account and register your business online. This for the DBA or LLC, specifically.
*Before registering please check business name availability in Oregon. Save records of all registrations!
Go to the IRS website to get a free EIN (optional for Sole Props/DBAs). Save records of EIN registration!
Once you receive the acceptance email from the Secretary of State and your EIN you can take this information to your bank and set up a business bank account.
(If you are a Sole Proprietor then you should be able to use your Legal Name and SSN to set up a separate checking account for your business transactions.)
All businesses (Sole Proprietor, DBA, LLC) should register with the City of Portland too.
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• Spreadsheet to Organize Your Business Income and Expenses
• Tutorials: Wave Accounting Basics
• Track Business Miles with Mile IQ
• Scannable App for scanning documents through your phone
Website Building
In the series below, they discuss what you need to before you can start selling, three different ways to sell online, and look closely at website design using Squarespace!
Getting Your Business Online
The ability to sell your goods and services on-line is an excellent way to find new customers, build your credibility, and increase sales.
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Use Google’s tools to run your business for free!
Google My Business:
Get your business setup on Google Business for potential customers to find you, accumulate customer reviews to heighten your SEO results.
Setup Your Google Business Account
Google Voice:
Use Google Voice to keep your personal and professional life communication methods separate. This allows you to list a phone number publicly and compartmentalize.
Helpful Tools
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Compare Business Types
Learn the pros and cons of the 5 different business types to find the one that's right for you.
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Secretary of State
Register your business with Oregon state.
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City of Portland
Register your business with the City of Portland.
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EIN Application
Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online for Small Businesses and Self Employed.
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COBID Certification
Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity
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Wave App
A free bookkeeping app to keep your business transactions and purchases in order.
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Bookkeeping Profit and Loss
Use this profit and loss bookkeeping excel sheet created by Mercy Corps to keep track of your business transactions and purchases.
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How To 1099
A quick cut and dry tutorial on 1099s from Shift Accounting LLC.
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HubSpot
Use Hubspot’s free account to keep track of prospective and current client’s contact information, send marketing emails, collect prospective and current client data using forms.
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Canva
Canva is a free online design tool perfect for designing logos, marketing materials, social media, business presentations and more.
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Google Business
Get your business setup on Google Business for potential customers to find you, accumulate customer reviews to heighten your SEO results.
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Google Voice
Use Google Voice to keep your personal and professional life communication methods separate. This allows you to list a phone number publicly and compartmentalize.
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Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the All-In-One integrated marketing platform for small businesses, to grow your business on your terms.
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You Work For Them
A website housing a plethora of ready-to-download fonts, photos, videos and graphics made by fellow artists and small businesses. Download and upload to your websites for a small fee based on type of use.