I have some big news: Darkroom and Dearly is an official business!
It has been growing more difficult lately to keep my business and personal finances separate, so I decided the time had come to open my own business account.
As it turns out, to open a business checking account you first have to have an EIN (employee identification number), rather than using your own social security number. To get an EIN you have to register your business with the IRS, and to register with the IRS you have to be registered in your own state as a sole proprieter.
So after several pages of forms, a $50 application, and two hours spent at the bank with a personal financier, I'm now an official registered business owner in the state of Oregon and the federal government, as well as the proud owner of a business checking account, business savings account, business credit card, and all the paperwork to prove it. Hooray!
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Another reason I wanted to open my own business account is so I can do direct checkout through Etsy, which will hopefully make customer payments much easier. Right now, all payments have to go through Paypal, but with direct checkout anyone can shop straight through the Etsy site with just a credit card number or Etsy gift card. I'll be getting that set up in the next few days, so stay tuned.
Though all these steps are just an official way of putting a name and title to a business I've technically been running for eight months, it's still exciting to think of the possibilities. I feel like a real adult now, running my own little business!
Now, if only tax time didn't feel so daunting....
I'm off to do a little more tweaking in the shop. Did anyone notice the new banner? I wanted something very stark and simple to match the tone of the rest of the shop, and I think this fits pretty well.
Happy weekend, everyone!