If you’re thinking of putting up even a small business in California, think twice! Because it’s not that easy as you may think it is.
For wise business registrants, the first thing that will come to mind is the extra expenses to be entailed when starting a business. Alone, the tedious job of filling up and filing the application and other supporting papers with the respective government offices takes time, money and efforts. And if you’re working, surely you wouldn’t have any choice but to take the bait and sweet-talks of some unsuspecting individuals, whose motive you’ll learn later is not to help you out but to mulct you with a lot more than you’d expected.
To avoid this, the simplest and practical thing to do, especially if you’re new in this business is to seek the help of the Internet. It is public knowledge that everything you need to know can now be accessed in cyberspace for free. You tried to look it up and presto, you’re instructed to visit the Los Angeles County office where most of the fictitious business name applications are filed, after downloading the application form. But you think, you’re off the hook already? Not yet.
Once you’ve reached the premises of that government office, you’ll be surprised to find that the place is no different than those in other developing countries in Asia, where fixers abound. What is even more surprising is that these guys knew in advance your intentions as to why you’re there. Even before you reach the proper office, attractive offers begin to swarm you so that confusions may soon eat your time away. If you tend to be wise enough to thwart their sweet-talking strategies, they will back off a bit but leave you no choice but to think, if their offer is just acceptable or not. But offering you a package deal for a business trade name and permits for US$750 is too much. Don’t you think so? Others would simply give an offer of just $114 for everything. Even then, this is simply exorbitant a price than what the regular filing fee of just 23 dollars for a ficitious business name fee.
And you thought that is the only problem? Nope. It was later learned from one of the guys that filing for corporation, partnership or limited liability company is separate from the fictitious business name?
In a developing country like the Philippines, a business registrant has only two options as to which office to go when filing their business names: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for corporation, partnership and foundation; and The Department of Trade and Industry, for sole proprietorship. That makes too simple. Of course, business licenses and permits can be secured in the city hall or municipal hall where the business will operate. It is hard to understand why in modern corporate world like America, filing for fictitious business name appears like putting a thread in the hole of a needle.
Perhaps, this is the reason why a lot of crooks are taking advantage of other people’s weaknesses, if only to survive in this dog-eat-dog world.