What Trade Business Are You Building?
Choose your trade first. Each path connects you to startup planning, licensing, equipment, pricing, customer systems, marketing, operations, and the next business step.
Official applications & filing links — start here
Find the actual government filing or application for each step. Choose the correct legal structure and trade scope before paying a fee. A business registration, tax account, trade license, local business tax receipt and project permit are separate approvals; not every business needs every one.
1 · Form the business and register taxes
Start with the business structure and the taxes relevant to your actual activities.
2 · Check the license, coverage and authorization
A statewide certified license and a locally registered license are not interchangeable; confirm the permitted scope.
3 · Confirm requirements for the actual address
City and county authority can differ. Check zoning, business tax, building/fire review and job-specific permits with the authority having jurisdiction.
Choose Your Trade
Start with the business you actually want to build. These are direct links to the established trade launch pages already used across the Foundation website.
Equipment, routes, recurring work, pricing, staffing, customer acquisition, and operating systems.
Start Landscaping Path → Repair Trade 🔧 Lawn Equipment RepairShop setup, diagnostics, parts, labor pricing, pickup and delivery, workflow, and customer communication.
Start Repair Business Path → Service Trade 🚿 Pressure WashingEquipment, chemicals, pricing, service packages, marketing, safety, and customer systems.
Start Pressure Washing Path → Home Services 🛠️ HandymanService scope, tools, pricing, estimating, customer communication, scheduling, and marketing.
Start Handyman Path → Licensed Trade ❄️ HVACLicensing, startup costs, equipment, service pricing, installation, maintenance agreements, and growth.
Start HVAC Path → Licensed Trade ⚡ ElectricalLicensing, insurance, tools, estimating, installation, service operations, hiring, and marketing.
Start Electrical Path → Licensed Trade 🚰 PlumbingLicensing, tools, service calls, estimating, pricing, dispatch, customers, and operating systems.
Start Plumbing Path → Contracting 🏠 General ContractingBusiness planning, licensing, estimating, project systems, financial control, customers, and growth.
Start General Contractor Path → Florida Contracting 🏗️ Specialty ContractingFlorida startup, licensing, costs, pricing, project controls, customer systems, and financial management.
Start Specialty Contractor Path → Florida Contracting ☀️ Solar ContractingLicensing, startup planning, equipment, estimating, operations, sales, and marketing.
Start Solar Contractor Path → Specialty Trade 🛗 Elevator BusinessFlorida licensing, startup costs, equipment, safety, pricing, operations, and customer systems.
Start Elevator Business Path → Different Business 🚀 I Don’t See My TradeUse the broader Business Launch Guides to continue through startup planning and available business resources.
Open Business Launch Guides →Official resources by trade
Find the agency gateway that matches your specific activity. These links do not imply that one statewide license covers every task or that a local business tax receipt is a construction permit.
Landscaping & lawn care
Routine mowing is not the same as regulated pesticide application or construction.
Lawn equipment repair & pressure washing
Check business, location, wastewater and chemical rules against the actual work.
Handyman & general contracting
Handyman labels do not authorize work within a regulated contracting scope.
HVAC, plumbing, roofing, pool & solar contracting
Different work scopes may require different contractor categories and permits.
Electrical & alarm systems
Use the electrical contractor regulator’s license-classification choices.
Elevator work
Company registration, professional credentials and equipment permits are different requirements.
Specialty and site-specific trades
Septic, irrigation, tree work and other scopes need separate state and local verification.
Already Operating the Business?
Skip the startup sequence and move into the Business Success Dashboard for pricing, marketing, operations, calculators, systems, and improvement resources.
Free Education
Each launch system provides practical business education for people starting or improving a trade business.
Business Systems
Learn how to think through pricing, startup costs, tools, marketing, communication, and operations.
Built for Trades
These guides are written for service businesses, field work, tools, customers, estimates, and real operating decisions.
All Available Trade Launch Systems
Use this complete directory after the trade finder above when you want to browse every available launch system and supporting resource.
Build a landscaping business with startup, equipment, pricing, service, communication, and marketing guidance.
Available 🔧 How to Start a Lawn Equipment Repair BusinessStart or improve a mower and small engine repair business with practical shop and service systems.
Available 🚿 How to Start a Pressure Washing BusinessPlan equipment, chemicals, pricing, customer communication, and marketing for an exterior cleaning business.
Available 🛠️ How to Start a Handyman BusinessDefine services, pricing, tools, communication, and marketing for a professional handyman business.
Available ❄️ How to Start an HVAC BusinessPlan HVAC startup costs, licensing, tools, pricing, installation, maintenance agreements, and marketing.
Available ⚡ How to Start an Electrical BusinessBuild electrical business systems around licensing, tools, pricing, installation, communication, and marketing.
Available 🚰 How to Start a Plumbing BusinessLaunch or improve a plumbing business with guides for tools, pricing, service, communication, and marketing.
Dashboard 📊 Business Success DashboardExplore the business operating framework; some calculators, worksheets, trackers and templates may require supporter access.
Additional Skilled Trades Resources
The Foundation is expanding its trade launch library. Use the main launch center, licensing resources, and business hubs while additional full launch systems are developed.
Explore startup planning, licensing, estimating, safety, insurance, project management, and customer service guidance.
Growing Library 🎨 Painting Business ResourcesPlan services, equipment, estimating, production, scheduling, customer communication, and profitability.
Growing Library 🏊 Pool Service Business ResourcesLearn recurring service, route management, maintenance programs, pricing, retention, and operating systems.
Growing Library 💧 Irrigation Business ResourcesExplore installation, repairs, equipment, licensing considerations, pricing, and long-term business management.
Growing Library 🌳 Tree Service Business ResourcesReview safety, equipment, insurance, estimating, crews, storm response, and customer acquisition.
Growing Library 🧱 Concrete & Masonry ResourcesPlan tools, crews, estimating, scheduling, project controls, quality, and business operations.
Growing Library 🚪 Fencing Business ResourcesExplore estimating, materials, crews, scheduling, installation standards, and customer communication.
Growing Library 🔌 Appliance Repair ResourcesReview diagnostics, parts, service calls, pricing, scheduling, warranties, and repeat customer systems.
The Skilled Trades Business Roadmap
Every trade is different, but the business-building sequence is similar. Use this roadmap to move from technical skill toward a stable operating business.
Validate the Opportunity
Confirm demand, competition, service area, customer needs, pricing potential, and startup requirements.
Meet Requirements
Verify licensing, registration, insurance, permits, taxes, safety, and trade-specific obligations.
Build the Economics
Calculate startup cost, hourly rate, overhead, vehicle cost, equipment cost, job pricing, and cash reserves.
Build the Operating System
Create scheduling, estimating, approvals, quality checks, maintenance, inventory, billing, and follow-up systems.
Trade Business Planning Centers
Use these connected centers to build the financial, operating, marketing, technology, and implementation systems behind a successful trade business.
Pricing, cash flow, break-even, profit, budgeting, financial statements, credit, and financing.
Operations⚙️ Operations CenterScheduling, capacity, inventory, maintenance, SOPs, quality, safety, and workflow.
Marketing📣 Marketing Learning CenterLocal SEO, Google Business Profile, reviews, websites, advertising, and customer retention.
Technology💻 Technology Learning CenterWebsites, software, cloud systems, cybersecurity, AI, CRM, scheduling, and digital operations.
Related Calculators for Trade Businesses
Use your own numbers to evaluate pricing, capacity, vehicles, equipment, employees, inventory, marketing, hiring, and expansion.
Calculate the hourly rate required to cover wages, overhead, assets, and profit.
OperationsVehicle Operating Cost CalculatorCalculate fuel, maintenance, insurance, depreciation, and cost per mile or job.
OperationsEquipment Cost CalculatorEstimate ownership, maintenance, downtime, replacement, and hourly equipment cost.
OperationsCapacity Planning CalculatorEvaluate available hours, utilization, job volume, and scheduling limits.
GrowthEmployee Cost CalculatorEstimate wages, payroll burden, benefits, training, and total employee cost.
MarketingMarketing ROI CalculatorMeasure revenue, gross profit, campaign cost, and marketing return.
GrowthHiring Readiness CalculatorEvaluate whether demand, cash flow, systems, and supervision support hiring.
GrowthExpansion Readiness CalculatorEvaluate whether finances, capacity, leadership, and systems support expansion.
How to Use These Guides
Start With the Dashboard
Each trade has its own main dashboard that links to every guide in that launch system.
Work One Section at a Time
Do not try to solve everything at once. Start with startup costs, then licensing, tools, pricing, and marketing.
Turn Lessons Into Systems
Use the Business Success Dashboard for calculators, worksheets, templates, trackers, and operating tools.
Continue After the Launch Guides
Explore the dashboard for Financial, Operations, Marketing, Growth, HR, Legal and Executive resources; some tools may require supporter access.
Interactive Tools 💰 Financial CenterOpen calculators and worksheets for labor rate, pricing, overhead, cash flow, and job costing.
Toolkit Library 📚 View All Business ToolkitsBrowse the complete toolkit library of calculators, worksheets, templates, trackers, and business resources.