Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Starting a business

Flip - 1-4-2006 at 00:27

Hello,

I have at my disposal the means to aquire a legitimate business address, office space, answering service, mailbox services, etc, at a minimum of expense. I've been thinking about starting a business, focusing on some form of unspecified research, which will be a profitless venture, and also the sale of laboratory equipment and reagents, to keep the rest of it afloat. Probably e-bay for most of it. Basically i'm looking for a legitimate business presence in the community and an excuse to do pretty much anything that I want in the research field. As an alternative, I was thinking about declaring the company a non-profit venture and funding it myself, directing the business activities at home.

Aside from getting my business license, what other legal requirements might I have to satisfy?

I am a fish - 1-4-2006 at 01:54

What exactly do you want the business for?

From the point of view of buying chemicals and lab equipment without restrictions, merely creating a business isn't enough. Creating a shell company and using it to legitimise suspicious transactions is a common practice used by criminals. Therefore, law enforcement agencies would look upon you in the same way.

If you really want to be above suspicion, you will need to sell a service to other legitimate businesses. You will only have unrestricted access to chemical suppliers if a recognised business has contracted you to do something that needs a general purpose lab.

Flip - 1-4-2006 at 10:08

I'm really not too concenered in this area, my illegal activities are few and far between. What i'm really looking for is genuine business presence to conduct research, so I will be out of the realm of "amatuer experimenter". Trouble is that I don't really have any research anyone will pay me for at present, so it will probably be a not-for-profit or a reporting-no-profit type venture. The business end is for the credit lines more than it is the hesitancy-of-ordering. I've no intention of ordering anything that I wouldn't order directly to my home.

Cloner - 6-4-2006 at 09:10

You can do custom synthesis. That will pretty much guarantee the orders from respected institutions - even if your marketing sucks I am pretty sure some forum members could help you if your pricing is 'competitive'.

The problem may be getting a lab and licenses, depending on your location. I think this is such a nightmare that I would never start doing anything like this, because the unpleasant and suspicious people that come inspect everything and the paperwork...

[Edited on 6-4-2006 by Cloner]