Funny Business

So, I've been hinting at starting my little business, "JillSaidSew," for a while now. I even started doing some projects under that name. I had a friend help me register a "domain" (impressive computer term) and I'm attempting to launch a very basic website (almost there, but it's really a simple one). But I've been putting off all the real stuff....the forms that make it legal. Until today. I looked out at this cold rainy Thursday, and said, "Now or never!"

After attending a workshop at church (oh bless the Relief Society), I found out what forms to download from the Fairfax County Government site. There were several, and it looked like three were pretty important for me to start with. So I filled them out the best I could and was on my way.

First stop was to the Fairfax County Government Center to apply for a business license (Form #1). I found the right building, the right parking lot, and the right suite in the building (which is huge). It is slightly confusing that you enter the Government Center on the second floor, which is why my elevator ride was VERY short. Like, I got in and then out of the elevator on the same floor. Ha, ha. Slightly embarrassing. Sure I can do this. Anyway, apparently no one else was dumb enough to go out on a cold rainy day to get a business license, so there was no wait in the office. Here I received my Temporary Certificate of BPOL (Business, Professional and Occupational License). My real BPOL should come in the mail, with a bill (I forgot to ask how much $). I then asked the cheerful young man where to turn in the next two forms, and he handed me a paper with more addresses...uh, yeah, a different building for form #2, and a third building for form #3. Very logical.

So I went back to my car and drove to another government building, only a few blocks from the first one...Here I parked in a garage and went in and found the appropriate suite. This form was the permission to operate a business in my home. This is a zoning issue. I have to promise not to put up signs, create traffic, etc. Here there was no wait, but the lady behind the counter had fallen asleep sitting up. I wasn't sure if I should wake her, so I took a number (#42...the sign said, "Now serving #41"), and took a seat. A couple of minutes passed. She was just there....sort of looking at her computer terminal, but her eyes were closed. I hoped she wasn't dead. After a couple of minutes she awoke with a start, and asked if I needed help. I waved my #42 and went up to the desk, where I signed a few more things....then had to go to another office and pay a cashier....then I came back to this one and got my Home Occupation Permit. A few glitches, where she wrote the wrong number on something, and had to come over to correct it at the cashier's office, and she wrote my phone number wrong so had to print out my permit a couple of times. But, hey, she was drowsy. Now on to the third stop.

This one was farther away. Actually at the Fairfax County Circuit Court, in Fairfax City. Busy, crazy place. A tricky trip in the rain, another parking garage (one that costs money), a search operation looking for the correct courthouse in all the many judicial buildings in Fairfax (let's see...not the Juvenile Detention Center...), and a trip through a metal detector, which I set off because I was armed with an umbrella. Here I was smart enough to go to an information desk. This is good, because my form said I should go to room 320, but the lady at the information desk said to go to room 116. These are actually two very different rooms on two different floors, and....the lady was right! The form was wrong! Hurray for the lady! This was an exciting part, because I found out I really was supposed to have have gone to get this form first. This form is the "Certificate of Trade Name" and if they find out someone else has my trade name, I'd have to go do all the other stuff all over again, with a new name. I really wanted my name "JillSaidSew" and I was very happy that they couldn't find anyone else with that trade name in Fairfax County. So, I wrote another check and got another permit...and now I'm OFFICIAL!!!!!

Yeah! It actually feels very different to really truly be an official legally recognized business, at least in my county. If I really want to, I can get state certification, but there's no reason to if I'm just operating here. SOoooo. Now I am a bonafide business owner. Gotta go hem those pants and alter that wedding dress now. Bye.