Opening and operating a business can be a rewarding, but daunting task. From consistently providing customers high-quality service (or products), to bookkeeping, and to advertising, don’t forget managing the never ending social media accounts, there are so many things to juggle. We haven’t even covered staying abreast of safety requirements, laws, and municipal codes.
A business license is little more than the public notification to the City and the broader community that you intend to operate a business within City limits. Since it is the City’s job to serve and protect its community’s stakeholders1, a business license enables a City to help:
- PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS: Being an expert in your business area is tough enough. With a business license in place, the City can offer annual inspections and other information designed to keep business owners abreast of the many laws and safety requirements. Since many safety hazards are not obvious, wouldn’t it be best to allow experienced professionals to point out potential hazards before you, one of your employees, or a customer gets seriously injured or worse?
- KEEP YOU INFORMED: If the City doesn’t know you exist, they can’t keep you abreast of networking opportunities, new or changing laws, or free resources which may help grow your business.
- LETS YOUR CUSTOMERS KNOW YOU MEAN BUSINESS: Each month the City receives dozens of requests from private citizens and businesses inquiring about the status of a company’s business license. Consumers are well informed, and we often find consumers conduct company research before making an important purchasing decision.
- LETS THE IRS KNOW YOU MEAN BUSINESS: I am sure the folks at the IRS are a great group of people. That said, I imagine you’d rather spend your free time catching up with family and friends, or enjoying a hobby as opposed to wading through business records with a detailed-focused auditor. Fail to file a business license, and you could be inviting unnecessary attention, or worse, an audit, from the IRS or California Franchise Tax Board.
- LETS YOUR BANKS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES KNOW YOU MEAN BUSINESS: Want to borrow money to grow your business, or get through challenging financial times? Reputable banks and insurance companies will require a business license.
So, with 250,493 attorneys2 n the State, don’t expose your business, your family, your employees, or your customers to unnecessary risk. Contact City Hall’s Business License Administrator at 760-770-0353 or by going online at: http://www.cathedralcity.gov/services/business-license for more information and an application.
Additionally, thanks to the generosity of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, Natalie Orta at the Small Business Administration, and Scott Simmers at Palm Springs Motors, the City is continuing to host free monthly bilingual workshops on a variety of business and professional development topics. The classes are held at the Palm Springs Motors dealership on the second Thursday of each month. Times, dates, and program topics, in addition to recordings of previous classes, are available on our Cathedral City Economic Development website (http://www.ccedd.org/). Be sure to check CVEP’s (http://cvep.com/), SBA’s (https://www.sba.gov/) website for other valuable and free or low-cost services.
1. City stakeholders: Residents, business owners, employees, visitors, and anyone else affected by decisions and activities within a City.
2. State Bar of California: Number of active and in-active attorneys
