A landscaping or lawn care business in Wisconsin can provide a great part-time or full-time income. Your landscaping business could include gardening, lawn mowing, leaf and lawn debris removal, excavation, tree work, and more. You may want to start here: How To Start A Landscaping Business. Here are some steps you may have to take (not necessarily in order) to start your landscaper company, along with links to more information.
Getting Started: The state of Wisconsin has resources that will help if you want to start a business in Wisconsin: Wisconsin Business Portal
-Register your landscaping business name.
Contact your county government about registering your business name.
If you need help selecting a name for your landscaping business: How to Choose A Business Name and Landscaping Business Name Ideas
-Select your business structure.
Sole-proprietor, LLC, Partnership, Corporation, etc. Find out more here: https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/choose-business-structure
-Register your landscaping business.
You can get started registering your landscaping business with the state of Wisconsin here: https://openforbusiness.wi.gov/
-Open a Business Checking Account.
You will need to open a separate bank account for your landscaping business with your new business name.
-Find out about taxes, hire an accountant.
You may want to file your own taxes if you are a small company. As you grow, it will be easier to have an accountant do the work. More information about taxes here: https://tap.revenue.wi.gov/services/_/ and http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Starting-a-Business .
-Get Landscaping Software.
Landscaping software will streamline your business before you even start, giving you visibility and control over all your leads, sales, jobs, and tasks from a single program to get your company on the fast track toward growth.
You’ll also be able to create estimates, place material orders, automate the boring (but necessary) stuff, empowering you and your team to finish jobs on time and on budget. Try JobNimbus for Free!
-Get Liability Insurance.
We work with ContractorsLiability.com because they’re the one-stop-shop for General Liability insurance and are able to get online quotes in all 50 states. Learn more >
-Worker’s Compensation.
You will need Worker’s Compensation if you have any employees. Find out more>
-Register as a Contractor.
Check with your local government to see if you need to register as a contractor.
-Get Health Insurance.
Since you will be self-employed, you will need your own health insurance. If you have employees, you will need a plan that will include their health needs also.
-City License.
You may be required to obtain a license to operate your landscaping business in a particular locale, whether you are a resident, or not.
-Permits.
Depending on the locale, you may need to apply for permits before commencing certain types of landscaping jobs.
-Building Code and Inspections.
You must be aware of building codes for your particular job, and may be subject to inspections.
-OSHA.
Depending on how many employees you have, you may need to follow OSHA regulations. http://www.osha.gov