Research guides: FURN: Fine Furniture: Self-employment

Establishing your business

Any business or professional service operating within our region needs a business licence - check each municipality for their guidelines, etc.

Mobile Business Licence Program
Also referred to as an Inter-Community Business Licence or Inter-Municipal Business Licence - this licence allows certain types of mobile businesses to operate across participating jurisdictions. Eligible types of mobile businesses vary between regions, for example some licences are specific to construction and trade only while others are more broad. Check your community’s licencing webpage linked below to see if your mobile business is eligible.
District of Saanich - Business Licences
Business Licences - City of Victoria

Most banks usually offer some level of free advice for small business owners

Marketing Create a successful marketing strategy to grow your business
From the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) - lots of free articles, templates and tips for marketing the small business
RBC Starting your business guide (PDF)

Mastering QuickBooks 2020: The Ultimate Guide to Bookkeeping and QuickBooks Online by Crystalynn Shelton CPA
Call Number: Online book. Click title for access
Publication Date: 2019
Intuit QuickBooks is an accounting software package that helps small business owners to manage all their bookkeeping tasks. Its complete range of accounting capabilities, such as tracking income and expenses, managing payroll, simplifying taxes, and accepting online payments, makes QuickBooks software a must-have for business owners and aspiring bookkeepers.
Sage 50 Accounts 2016 by Bill Mantovani
Call Number: HF 5679 S24 2016
Sage Accounts lets you manage your day-to-day finances, customers, suppliers and keeps your finger on the pulse of your business. Areas covered include: setting up Sage, entering debtors and creditors, producing purchase/sales orders and invoices bank account reconciliation stock management.

Small Business Accelerator Program - from UBC
The Small Business Accelerator offers free online access to reliable business information and tools for secondary market research for BC businesses and entrepreneurs. Lots of great information e.g. business plans, financing information, access to Industry Guides

Bplans.com offers over 500 free real-world business plans. The following are just two examples: