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Name: License123.
Quick Pitch: License 123 connects business owners with applications, forms and other paperwork they need, based on their city and business type.
Genius Idea: Small business owners can find legal forms all in one place.
Starting a business is exciting, but notoriously stressful. In addition to thinking about your bottom line, you also have to complete boatloads of dreaded paperwork to ensure that, legally, all your ducks are in a row.
License 123 is a one-stop shop where small business owners can figure out what paperwork they needed to file based on where they live and what type of business they operate. A personalized report costs $9.95.
"Overall, we believe License 123 is a giant time-saver that will give entrepreneurs and those considering a new business information critical to their success," License 123 Project Manager Eric Feigenbaum said in an email.
Based in Santa Monica, Calif., License 123 was founded by Jason Nazar and Alon Shwartz. Nazar and Shwartz are also co-founders of Docstoc.com, a site that contains a document library available to the public with special emphasis on small business.
License 123 makes use of Docstoc and lets users access, download and print applications, forms and other paperwork. Business owners can also find links to government sites and contact information for each government agency involved in the business licensing process. At this time, License 123 doesn't help with the filing process.
"We're always looking for new ways to better serve the small business community and we received a lot of feedback from customers that business licensing was one of their biggest headaches," Feigenbaum said.
"License 123 was a response to the fact that there is no other resource that provides licensing and permitting information instantly and cheaply," he added. "We believe this will make it easier for entrepreneurs to get critical information, come into regulatory compliance and has the side benefit of helping cities, counties and states increase their revenues."
License 123 launched Feb. 14 and is currently in beta while it adds cities around the country as well as additional features. Feigenbaum said they're aiming to have the 100 most populated cities included on their site by the end of the second quarter. They're also collecting customer feedback and making adjustments, such as adding additional business types.
The site offers a 100% money-back guarantee and features customer support representatives to help guide people having trouble deciding which report is right for them. The approximately $10 fee gives users instant access to the report detailing forms they'll need, plus an email with a link that allows the purchasers to revisit the report anytime.
"The coolest feature of this site is that it gives the user a complete answer of all levels of government," Feigenbaum said. "Someone who buys a License 123 report can rest assured that he or she knows the entire set of operational permits required for a business – which could take days of researching and calling various government agencies to achieve. And that's if a person does it right and succeeds, which can be challenging."
What do you think about License 123? Do you own a small business and would you use it? Tell us in the comments.
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, RichPhotographics
Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark
The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.
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