If you already have your business plan worked out, and you're just trying to
get your business entity and infrastructure set up, you should check out my
company's website, ChooseWhat.com. It features a startup guide with how to's,
comparison, etc to help you get things going.

Since it sounds like you're opening a physical storefront, I would highly
recommend getting a commercial real estate broker that specializes in retail
tenet representation to help you find a good location and a good price. They
don't cost anything to work with, and they only make money when they find you
a lease. I have also found building a relationship with a medium size
regional bank to be really helpful. They are small enough to be flexible, but
they know the community where they work inside and out and can give you good
advice. We've had a great luck in the Austin, TX market with Plains Capital.
American Bank and Frost Bank are both strong Texas banks.

You will also need to get liability insurance, so I would also hire a broker
to help you navigate those waters. Insurance brokers, like real estate
brokers, make money when you sign with an insurance carrier, so there is no
out-of-pocket cost to work with them.

Hope that helps.

Leo

Hi there, The blog on Starting a Business in the U.S. as Foreign National is a great resource. In case you haven't already, check out some of our resources for starting a business. You'll find a guide to help you determine if you're ready, details about writing a business plan, and preparing business finances.  You can find information on the licenses & permits your company will need here. Best of luck!

Our free credit building program will explain how and where to register for a
business entity. We guide you through the entire process, from forming a
business to funding a business. You can find the URL in the signature section
below or by doing a google search for "Free Corporate Credit".