Tag: Business

I have been busy recently trying to get my jigsaw puzzle business going. First, browsing Print On Demand suppliers for dropshipping partners, I realized that I could sell my designs printed also in other items. Then, I realized that I might need a seller’s permit, especially if I also sell physical goods to local stores for resale.

I got a seller’s permit for State of California but in the office I had a brain freeze and had to use a placeholder name for my print-on-demand business. I needed to later change that to PlanktonPunkt Designs. I also learned that I should get a city business license. The permitting office was next open on Monday morning.

On Saturday, I took a long trip (for me) driving over 100 miles to each direction to a comic book garage sale to connect with comic book crowd and to ask advise in on-line sales. On my way back, I stopped into a comics & games shop to ask if they were interested in buying my jigsaw puzzles. In principle, yes, in practice, let’s wait until I get my business going.

On Monday morning, I walked to a copy shop to print my applications for business license and fictional name registration, then to city permitting office, where I was told I would need to register my fictional business name before I could apply, but if I made it back before 2pm, I could submit my application in the same day.

I walked back near my rental place, where I had parked my car and drove to county registrar where I could register my fictional business name. Otherwise good, except the office was next to county court house and registrar of voters and there was a special election going April 15th, so it took some searching to find a parking spot. The registration itself went smoothly, relatively short waits and minimally complex bureaucracy, only cost me 40 dollars.

After finishing my business registration application while drinking Vietnamese coffee, I drove to city permitting offices again and this time, after some wait, I managed to submit my application (80 dollars) but was directed to zoning board. Nonplussed, I meandered upstairs and got to fill a zoning application. I think it was approved, but that took a 250 dollar fee, paid in the spot. After which my business application will travel through a few more desks (I don’t know how much those are going to cost and what more forms or other actions will be required.) Meanwhile, I will need to within next 45 days post four times at minimum 5 day intervals an announcement of PlanktonPunkt Designs (I’ll need to find details, exactly what) in some newspaper circulating in the county…

While I waited to become commercial, I edited some of my older posts, mainly replacing a couple of jigsaw puzzles and other images that are OK in non-commercial blog sites but not in commercial environments with more acceptable content.

About a week later, I went back to City Permitting Offices to ask about my business license. I was told it will still need to be seen by two more desks and it could take up to two weeks. I was horrified. I asked if it could be expedited. They promised nothing, since that is not a service the offices do. However, on Sunday when I unusually opened my email I discovered that my business license has been approved. Plot spoiler, I am still in process of testing my samples, not going to open a Print On Demand store by the Mother’s Day rush, though that was what I had originally aimed for.

Getting licenses and ordering samples was more expensive than I thought, so I had to put some samples on hold until I got some money from my other business. Today, as I finally could afford this, I bought an upgrade from WordPress and a business email contact@planktonpunkt.com from Titan Mail.

Now I’m busy doing designs and ordering samples (the supply chain is still undecided), but at least I have upgraded this blog site for monetization and got a domain name, planktonpunkt.com for development of actual ecommerce. I’ll keep you posted as I continue my business attempts.

Once I get my print-on -demand shop(s) open, I’ll link to those. Other medium to intermediate projects I have planned include making little videos and / or podcasts to Instagram, YouTube and / or TikTok to advertise PlanktonPunkt Designs.