Thursday, June 4, 2009

That's That Then

I have a confession. I've been holding onto a bit of a lie for quite sometime and now that it's been rectified, I feel the need to share. I know, I'm building this up a bit too much, really it's not a big deal. When I first started selling on etsy, I was simply ignorant. After a while I just started ignoring the details sticking to my, 'it's a hobby' excuse, but things have been snowballing for a while now and it needed to be taken care of. That's right, I am now legit. Business license is in hand and complete terror over future tax implications has set in.

It all came to the front as I prepared for the Maker Faire. I felt that if I was going to go out in public for the first time and vend, I needed to be above board. I had been reading threads on etsy for gosh...years about other people and their levels of similar denial. It seemed like such an official step meant for "real" business, not little old me and my tatting needles, but a letter from the city finally pushed me over to the planning department. I had meant to wait until we had purchased and moved into a home, but since we are still waiting to hear back from bank number two that didn't happen. Now, don't think I was flying entirely under the radar. I paid taxes on every cent I made, I just claimed it as hobby income. I do have a healthy fear if the IRS after all.

So that was my day, waiting in lines and coming out an official small business owner...weird, uncomfortable and slightly terrified, but official. I really can't believe how long I stalled on taking this step, but I never wanted to own a business, I just wanted to tat my lace and not get a job outside the home. I do have several more pieces to get listed in the store that had been made for the Maker Faire. I'll get some more up today and then save a batch for after I return home. I'll definitely be writing on Monday, but then the blog will go quiet. I may try to write from the road, but I imagine it'll be spotty. My other blog, the Wunderkammer, will go quiet for the entire week unless someone want to keep it going for me during my absence. Though I confess I really have no idea how that would work. Alright, that's it then.

8 comments:

Anightgirl said...

Congrats on being a business owner! Well done!

Sewicked said...

Yay! Small business owner! Congrats. On the bright side, little to no brick & mortar overhead.

SarahKelley said...

Been there, done that, for the same reasons and-- yes-- I paid my taxes too:)
Congrats!
It's really not so different-- except for the danged sales tax every single month! And I never send them more than $6 at a time. You'd think they'd let me do it quarterly;P

. c h o k l i t . said...

Good work! Congratulations! I did the opposite, went out and registered for EVERY license I could before I even sold one item. But I'm neurotic, and I wanted to make sure I did it right.

Have a great time on your trip!

AJ said...

If I had the graphical know-how to do the pretty collages you do, I'd totally run Wunderkammer while you were gone. It would be like 5 days of doing Treasuries :D

I hatehatehate having to do my taxes. Especially since they expect you to do the paperwork even when you've sold nothing. All those zeroes depress me.

Artsnark said...

congrats - now you are awesome & legit :D

Metanoia said...

Congratulations on your next step. All the best!

Fox said...

I am impressed! You go, girl!! Good Luck. Fox : ))