How to Start a Bottled Water Business in Atlanta, Georgia
Starting a company requires intense time, energy and commitment, but it can be a very rewarding endeavor. Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, has the biggest urban population in the state and contains many opportunities--through farmer's markets, local grocers and local restaurants--to launch a bottled-water business. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Decide whether you want to be structured as a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC or Corporation, and file paperwork with the Secretary of State's office. Sole proprietors are taxed and legally viewed as freelancers, and have no protection from lawsuits. However, there is minimal paperwork to file. Partnerships are legally similar to sole proprietorships in terms of taxation and protection, but consist of more than one person. LLCs are registered with the state and enjoy limited protection of the owner's personal assets from lawsuits. Corporations have the option of being taxed at the corporate rate rather than the personal income tax rate.
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Decide a name for your company. File a Trade Name Filing with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county in which your business will be headquartered. A link to this site is provided in the Resources section below. In metropolitan Atlanta, you will have to file with either Fulton County, DeKalb County, Gwinnett County, Cobb County or Clayton County.
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Decide whether you will be a manufacturer or wholesaler. As a manufacturer, you will be responsible for creating the bottle and filling it with water. You will need a lot of heavy equipment and a large storage area. As a wholesaler, you will purchase bottled water from a manufacturer, put a label on it, and distribute it. Your added value will come from your brand name and your distribution network. If you are a manufacturer, you can also wholesale your bottled water as well. Once you make this decision, either acquire the needed equipment and hire the necessary employees, or sign a contract with a manufacturer.
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Obtain funding for your business. Local banks such as Bank of Atlanta and Georgia's Own Credit Union, regional banks such as SunTrust, and regional banks from other parts of the country that are opening their first Atlanta offices, such as Fifth Third Bank, are all good contenders for granting business loans. Most banks will ask the owner to guarantee personally the loan through some collateral, such as home equity or cash investments.
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Contact the State Farmer's Market in Clayton County and local farmer's markets such as DeKalb Farmers Market, Buford Farmers Market and Intown Farmers Market, and ask for a booth at which to sell your bottled water. Most markets will ask for a flat fee.
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Contact local restaurants and grocery stores. Ask if they will stock your bottled water. Most will negotiate a purchase of bottled water from you and will sell it for an upcharge. You must negotiate not only the price, but the return policy of the retailers cannot sell your water, as well as the maximum you will allow the retailer to charge for your water.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit young girl smiling with two bottle of water in hands image by millann from Fotolia.com
