The “Business Bootcamp” series kicked off this past week with a session which would have been good for anyone looking to start their own business.

Organized by the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce, with support from the City of Weirton, Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle, and First Microloan of West Virginia, the Bootcamp series was designed with the business community in mind – those who are looking to start their own business, as well as those who have been established for some time.

(Here’s the part where I note my involvement in the Chamber as a matter of transparency)

Thursday’s session was focused on some of the requirements and processes of obtaining business licenses.

In West Virginia, any business that operates within the state must be registered with the state, and, as Steve Roberts from the West Virginia Small Business Development Center noted, West Virginia has made it a little easier to do so through a one-stop, online portal through which the necessary information of a business can be submitted to multiple state departments at one time.

The City of Weirton has its own license requirements, though, and, even if you’re registered with the state, you also have to obtain a municipal business license if you operate within the Weirton city limits.

Mikeal Maguschak, program manager for the City of Weirton’s Business and Rental Registration, discussed the processes to obtain that license.

The next session, scheduled for 8 a.m., Oct. 16, will focus on zoning regulations in Weirton, as well as the pros and cons of owning versus leasing when considering where to locate your business. It will be presented by Tony Viola of the Weirton Area Board of Realtors, Anthony Clements of the BDC, and City of Weirton Planning and Development Director Mark Miller.

Future sessions will focus on areas such as marketing and building a brand, alternative financing options, financial statements, workforce development and human resources.

There is a $10 fee associated with participating in each session, which essentially was included to cover the costs of food for those opting to attend. Organizers asked for interested individuals to pre-register to have a better idea of how many would be there as they arranged for materials and the food planning.

There’s no requirement to attend all of the sessions, so if you see one or two you think you might like, you’re welcome to attend. If you think you will benefit from all of the sessions, that’s great, too. Also, please remember, you don’t have to be located in Weirton to attend. While some information may focus on Weirton, the general topics will be beneficial no matter where your business may be located.

The point is to offer support for the business community, whether you are just tossing around some ideas and want to have a better idea of what you might encounter, are actively looking to start a business, have recently opened your doors, or have been established for many years.

Processes and requirements change over time. You may be used to filling out all of the paper forms to make sure your licensing and registration are up to date, and not aware of the online option to do the same thing.

There may be newer taxation rules, or procedures for human resources which have not come to your attention. There are probably better ways to market your business than what you currently are doing. (Newspaper advertising is still beneficial, by the way)

For those interested in taking part in any of these future sessions, call the Weirton Chamber at (304) 748-7212, or check their Facebook page where additional information will be posted. The City of Weirton also has been assisting in promoting this educational series.

It’s all about supporting our business community to help it grow and thrive.

(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is managing editor of The Weirton Daily Times, and can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter/X @CHowellWDT)