doggie daycare!

Hi Julie
 
We actually created this resource to answer questions like this one. Here is what you need to do in NYC
 
Determine what your business structure
 
Visit this link:
 
http://www.guideye.com/companytype
 
People running a retail location are generally concerned with Liability so they opt for a corporation or LLC.
 
(Visit the tabs on the website to find out the steps in NYC to create each structure and relevant information)
 
Disclosure: Always consult with your lawyer or accountant to determine what is best for you.
 
Licenses:

There are 2 places where you can find licensing information, the State at

New York State Permit assistance http://www.nys-opal.com/

And the city NYC Department of consumer affairs www.nyc.gov/consumers

In here you will find information on the different licensing requirements that you need.  I searched under kennel/pet sales/shop on the state website, and it only asked for a certificate of authority (which is the authorization to collect sales tax)

On the city website, it did not outline any particular license, but you may require to work with the department of buildings for your retail space, you can find the information within the NYC’s department of consumer affairs website.

You can find the info and links in our website by going to

http://www.guideye.com/FederalStateCity-license

and for the certificate of authority, you can go to:

http://www.guideye.com/RetailSalesTax

I would suggest going over the licensing requirements, to see if there any other licenses that you may need.

Now that you have the basic info, you need to:

Find the location,
Plan your business
Find financing

Personally, I like www.cityfeet.com they do a good job in comparison shopping for commercial real estate although there are more resources in NYC

http://www.guideye.com/NYCBusinessRealEstate for the full list

Plan your business:

At this point I would suggest working on a business plan, this page should help you with the basic questions and format for your business plan

http://www.guideye.com/BusinessPlan

If you need a sample business plan you can find some at

http://www.bplans.com/sp/

The BP not only should help you think through the many issues that your business will face, but also is a tool to raise capital from the bank

Finding Financing,

I would do a basic cash flow analysis to determine how much money you would need to start your business, We will soon upload tools to help you with this, for now, you can find them on the web.

Generally the bank will ask for a good credit score and investment into the business.  We have written quite a bit on this topic, you can find the information on:

http://www.guideye.com/BusinessLoans

This should be enough to get you started. If you need more information ask us a follow up question!

Lastly,

I am attaching some complementary websites on Industry Associations to help you in your research:

American Boarding Kennels Association
http://www.abka.co

PET INDUSTRY DISTRIBUTORS ASSOCIATION
www.pida.org

AMERICAN PET PRODUCTS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
www.appma.org

World wide Pet Industry association
http://www.wwpia.org

PET SITTERS INTERNATIONAL
www.petsit.com

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL PET SITTERS
www.petsitters.org

Good luck!