Are you thinking about starting as a sole proprietor?
There is a lot involved in setting up a sole proprietorship.
To prevent you from overlooking things, Kees de Boekhouder has prepared a handy step-by-step plan for you.
#1.
Doe onderzoek
Starting out as a self-employed person is not something you do lightly.
Explore the field in which you want to become self-employed and do research on entrepreneurship itself.
If you want to combine entrepreneurship and paid employment, you need to find out what hooks and eyes are involved.
#2.
Schrijf een ondernemingsplan
It is not compulsory to write a business plan.
But putting your plans on paper will make everything clearer for yourself and help you assess whether becoming self-employed will provide enough to make ends meet.
#3.
Kies je bedrijfsnaam
Your business name should suit you and be consistent with what you do and want to portray with your business.
Remember that a trade name registration at the Chamber of Commerce does not prevent someone else from using your company name.
You only prevent this with a trademark registration.
#4.
Denk na over je huisstijl
The graphic elements that make up your company’s visual identity influence how people see and experience your company/brand and contribute to your recognizability.
Moreover, they allow you to stand out from your competitors.
#5.
Bepaal je tarieven
Many freelancers work with an hourly rate, but certain work lends itself better to a word rate, project fee, fixed price or results-based rates.
For recurring services, subscriptions are an option.
#6.
Schrijf je in bij de Kamer van Koophandel (KvK)
Make an appointment at the Chamber of Commerce to register your sole proprietorship.
For a CoC registration, you pay a one-time registration fee (€80.10 in 2024).
Once the registration is completed, the CoC will notify the Tax Office on your behalf that you have established a sole proprietorship.
You will receive your VAT ID and sales tax number by mail within 14 days.
There is no need to apply for a VAT number yourself.
#7.
Zet je zakelijke administratie op
From the moment you are registered, you are officially an entrepreneur for the Internal Revenue Service.
This comes with a number of obligations, including keeping business records.
#8.
Open een zakelijke rekening
A business account makes it easier to keep your business and personal transactions separate.
#9.
Zorg dat je goed verzekerd bent
Hopefully you’ll never have to use it, but disability insurance for business owners provides you with a safety net if illness or an accident leaves you (temporarily) unable to work.
Depending on your field, liability insurance may also be worth considering.
#10.
Bespaar tijd met een boekhoudprogramma
An accounting program saves you a lot of time – time that you can put back into your business.
With the accounting package from Kees de Boekhouder you will always have an overview of your business income and expenses, send invoices and quotations and submit tax declarations with ease.
Want to know more?
Make an appointment today for a no-obligation introductory meeting so we can tell you all about our approach and online accounting software.
