Starting a web-based business

Just wondering...
Does anyone here run a web-based business?
I'm thinking of giving it a crack. Pretty confident on the techie side (using JSP, Servlets, etc), but don't have much idea about all the legalities involved.
Things like registering a web business, copyrights, under what conditions can I accept payment over the web, etc, etc.
Damn I wish I'd paid more attention to my accountancy teacher all those years ago...
Any help much appreciated

I guess you can register with paypal --you can accept payments over the web with paypal. I am not sure of the specifics but i know people who have done it.

Mark,
Yes - I run a web based business. Or rather, I have started a web based business and have yet to find paying customers.
Here is the deal:
Small business owners don't know technology from a hole in the ground. They lack the technical knowledge to diferentiate between quality and a pile of crap(covered up with some pretty pictures).
I have competitors who are proud of their "20 years of experience in floral design" because they think this type of experience is something GOOD to have when creating web sites for small businesses.
That is bizare is that these "20 years of floral design" people have TONS of paying customers because they have tons of free time to chit chat with small business owners at the endless time consuming luncheons & "tea parties" at the golf club, etc.
I blow the competition AWAY with a comparison of technical ability and competency. But the "20 year floral designers" can draw a pretty pictures with FrontPage 2002 and get all the business out there.
Kevin

Hi Kevin,
I think you need to utilize your local Golden Executive network. They will help your company take off at a fraction of all the training and the consultants costs.
Regards,
MCao

Hi Mark,
Enroll into your local college for a fresh course in How to Start up a Business. It may not be a web-based specific, but you will get the idea because internet is just another medium.
Everyone will say this and that, enterpreneur is something you need to develop. If you are not started, then you never know that you have the necessary skill or not. The only thing that one enterpreneur more sucessful than the others is information. Be more socialize, communications also open channels to information sources. You should not worry much about seed money, you should worry about poor business plan. Money are available everywhere now, just people are so poor in idea.
Good Lucks,
MCao

Thanks for the replies
Even with no real business knowledge, I agree that a good business plan is essential to some kind of future success.
What I was more specifically after, however, is how to register your business, does tax on income gained apply in the country you currently reside in (I move around a bit), how to copyright your site, etc...
Any other info out there?

your bank should have a small business manager that can help you with all these details!
also to accept online payments you can use www.2checkout.com as well as paypal

Originally posted by Mark Howard:
Thanks for the replies
Even with no real business knowledge, I agree that a good business plan is essential to some kind of future success.
What I was more specifically after, however, is how to register your business, does tax on income gained apply in the country you currently reside in (I move around a bit), how to copyright your site, etc...
Any other info out there?

Hi Mark,
The first place to start is your local city hall. Check in with the DBA Department, there you want to address your dilema such as you want to start a business on Internet and what is the processes. They will provide you with bunches of information on how and where to look. The last thing you want is your business is ready to receive its income, the city come down and shut its down because you violate certain tort or charter. Since internet maybe too savvy for them, FBI may help them out and you ended up paying for two sides.
Regards,
MCao

One piece of advice I'd give is to get a good book about drawing up business plans. I got
The Definitive Business Plan: The Fast-track to Intelligent Business Planning for Executives and Entrepreneurs (FT)
by Richard Stutely. I'd spent quite a lot of time on my pet web based business idea only to take another look at my business plan with a friend I got in as a fellow director and come to the conclusion that I'd wasted my time
However I look on it as good, if time consuming practice, and have been able to reuse a lot of my code in my next venture, which I have written a proper business plan for. I've spent quite a long time going through the details with friends, and have decided that my current plan is
a) achieveable
b) potentially profitable

Hi Mark,
Never tried it myself, but there are a lot of very valuable resources at the SBA website. Here's a link to their getting started section. Tells you about business plans, legalities, etc...
SBA resources
Good luck to you!
-Simon