Opening obstacles From the cover
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Michael Koma, owner of Beem Light Sauna in Vintage Park, said opening his rst business has been a lengthy process. Koma said the most tedious process was the site’s construction. “There’s always di erent things that come up that you’re maybe not expecting,” Koma said. “And we had to work through construction in an existing retail area. If you’re going through things like grinding oors, you have to be conscious of what you’re going to do, and when and how you’re going to do it.” Koma said it took seven months to nd a business location that t his needs, but the 2,200-square-foot building is expected to open in early September. He said the last step is the re marshal inspection, which he expects to have completed in two to three weeks. Similarly, Little Wolf Designs owner Elizabeth York highlighted the challenges of renovating a preexisting building. Her business took roughly ve months to open. Formerly a storage room for veterinary equipment, York said it took manpower to renovate and remove the junk left behind in the building. Due to challenges with her budget and dealing with contractors, York said she and her husband John York renovated the building themselves. “It took us a while, but at least we knew the quality of work was going to be meeting our expectations,” York said. Both York and Koma said they advise future business owners to thoroughly research any contractors they plan to hire to avoid delays and con ict.
Prospective business owners in Texas can follow these steps to get started:
Scott Jeansonne, director of the Environmental Public Health Division for the Harris County Public Health Department, said there were some signi cant statewide changes to food safety permitting implemented during this year’s legislative session. As a result, public health o cials are updating local regulations to comply with state statutes for small businesses, de ned by the U.S. Small Business Administration as any for-pro t company with fewer than 50- 250 employees, depending on industry. Per Senate Bill 1008, the HCPHD and other local health departments can no longer charge higher than the state health department for a permit, Jeansonne said. Another update shared for approval with the Harris County Commissioners Court on Aug. 26 includes plans to extend temporary food vendor permits from 14 days to one year. Jeansonne said House Bill 2844 requires all permits and food truck inspections to be performed by the state health department. The bill promotes regulatory consistency across the state to reduce barriers for small mobile food vendors, according to the nonpro t Texas Policy Research. The Harris County Fire Marshal’s O ce also made signi cant updates Jan. 1 to the Harris County Fire Code to require business owners to get a permit from the Harris County Engineer’s O ce before making substantial changes.
1 Write a business plan: Outline the main purpose and value proposition. 2 Choose the location: The business location will depend on the type of business operated. Consider looking at area zoning ordinances. 3 Finance the business: There are several options to fund a business, including an owner’s own savings, bank or micro loans, federal loans and crowdfunding. 4 Register the business: Sole proprietorships and partnerships need to register and le the business name with the local county clerk’s o ce. 5 Analyze tax responsibilities: The potential tax responsibilities include taxes from federal, state and local tax authorities. 6 Research required business licenses and permits: Necessary licenses, permits, certi cations, registrations or authorizations vary depending on the business. 7 Investigate employer requirements: If planning to employ sta , there are federal and state employer requirements.
Some of the most common business permits in Harris County include:
A sales tax permit ( No fees needed ) Fire code & operational permits from Harris County Engineering Department, including a re marshal inspection ( $300 annually ) Local health department permit required for food establishments ( $420 annually ) Water & plumbing inspection ( varies ) Stormwater and drainage quality permits ( $500 annually )
Total small businesses vs. new business applications Total small businesses in Harris County
SOURCE: TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM OFFICE COMMUNITY IMPACT
+7.5%
125,000 100,000 75,000 50,000 25,000
Notable quotes
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“Although [delays] can be frustrating for the customer, we do understand they paid a lot of money to this company and have them put in a system that’s going to protect their investment.” TODD MITCHELL, CHIEF OF THE
“We are an enforcement agency. We do cite violations. We do issue citations, but our No. 1 goal is to educate food establishments and food establishment employees to basically prevent further violations in the
New Harris County business applications
125,000 100,000 75,000 50,000 25,000
+71.6%
foodborne health system.” SCOTT JEANSONNE, DIRECTOR, ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION FOR THE
PREVENTION REGULATORY DIVISION, HARRIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE
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HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
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