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Starting A Business - Registration

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  • 26-04-2012 2:47pm
    #1
    Mr Yink
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭


    I have a business idea that can be started for next to no money. The problem is until I advertise for clients I don't know if it would take off or not.

    I intend to start as a sole trader, aiming to grow into a limited company if successful enough. To get it started I would like to advertise and see the response. If I get no response, no harm, nothing lost (apart from a few local ads).

    The issue is I know that to commence a business you have to register the name and register yourself as self employed. But is it possible to advertise and then if I do get customers then register, or would I be doing something illegal?

    I do not intend to trade in any way without registering first, but the issue I am wondering about is:

    If I register, advertise, get no clients, then I will have to then unregister myself as self employed and all that that entails.

    Its not a business like a shop for example whereby I need a premises immediately, I can basically react to what comes along at least initially.


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    #2
    smeharg
    Registered Users Posts: 300 ✭✭smeharg


    You're supposed to register a business name within a month of commencing trade.

    You can commence trading prior to registering for income tax.

    On a different note: if you expect to get business from placing a few ads in the local paper, you're likely to be disappointed.


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    #3
    Mr Yink
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭Mr Yink


    smeharg wrote: »
    You're supposed to register a business name within a month of commencing trade.

    You can commence trading prior to registering for income tax.

    On a different note: if you expect to get business from placing a few ads in the local paper, you're likely to be disappointed.

    Can imagine that, not focussing on local papers really. I have a good understanding of how to market the business (it literally needs one or two clients to get it started), for minimal cost.

    By commencing trade, does that mean advertising the business or receiving money? And can I advertise as the name I have in mind before registration or must I use my own name?


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    #4
    smeharg
    Registered Users Posts: 300 ✭✭smeharg


    You should register the business name within one month of using it. It's no big deal if you register it and never use it. There's also plenty of businesses out there that have never registered their business name.

    You can trade away, send invoices, receive cash, before registering for income tax.


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    #5
    MOH
    Registered Users Posts: 6,465 ✭✭✭MOH


    If you're trading under your own name (exactly), you don't need to register a business name.

    Otherwise, if you think it might be worth a shot, it's only €20 to register a business name online with the CRO.

    There's no downside if you don't go ahead with it.


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    #6
    Mr Yink
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭Mr Yink


    That's great, thanks. Yes, I think I should register the name. It being only €20 and me having decided on what I want to call it, it might not make sense for me not to do so. Further down the line I could be met with the problem of having made the business a runner to find that someone registers the name and I have to change which I guess would mean a publicity campaign of far more than €20.

    My name is kinda stupid for the business I want to sell, whilst its not a stupid name in itself it would sound corny for the type of business I want to create.


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    #7
    Mr Yink
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭Mr Yink


    One question, how can I be sure that the name I register is acceptable? For example, if I register as Fast Taxi Service (I imagine its already taken and I'm not going into that line but only using it as an example) how can I be sure someone hasn't already registered it? I know I can search on CRO but what confuses me is there could be 100 companies called Fast (any of which could be taxi firms), but there might not be a Fast Taxi Service, would I still be opening myself to a law suit?


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    #8
    MOH
    Registered Users Posts: 6,465 ✭✭✭MOH


    Mr Yink wrote: »
    One question, how can I be sure that the name I register is acceptable? For example, if I register as Fast Taxi Service (I imagine its already taken and I'm not going into that line but only using it as an example) how can I be sure someone hasn't already registered it? I know I can search on CRO but what confuses me is there could be 100 companies called Fast (any of which could be taxi firms), but there might not be a Fast Taxi Service, would I still be opening myself to a law suit?

    There's no protection on business names - nothing stopping the same name being registered multiple times (there is for company names though).

    You could be in trouble if it looked like you were trying to take advantage off an established business, by registering a name close to their own and trying to benefit from the confusion by making their customers think you were affiliated (passing off). But beyond that, you should be fine.


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