Natural instinct: have a feeling the organic market's got a lot to offer? You're not the only one

Entrepreneur, August, 2003 by Nichole L. Torres

Righini notes the year was so competitive the judges went well over the allotted time to choose a winner. "I think this year is the best competition we've ever had," she says. "I don't think we've had such a rich mix of business ideas. The quality of these business plans is better than it ever has been before."

Chris hopes to launch the company (which has yet to be formally named) in January 2004. When asked about starting a company in difficult economic times, Chris responds with the air of a seasoned entrepreneur: "There are challenges, but if you can get the business sorted now, it's as good a time as any to get things up and running."

Got Some ID?

THE SBA'S NEW ONLINE FORM SAVES ENTREPRENEURS TIME AND MONEY.

GETTING YOUR FEDERAL EMPLOYEE identification Number (EIN) just got easier, thanks to the SBA. Entrepreneurs can now fill out one online form to get state and local taxpayer ID numbers. Set up together with EzGov Inc., an e-government technology provider in Atlanta, the new online program is intended to save entrepreneurs time and money during start-up. The program is being piloted in Georgia and Illinois, and other states are expected to join soon, says Ed Trimble, president and CEO of EzGov. "The hope is that all states will participate," he says.

The program was designed to make regulations easy to find, understand and comply with, says James Van Wert, senior advisor for policy planning and e-government for the SBA. Van Wert estimates that when businesses adopt the new technology en masse, they will save more than 2.4 million hours and almost $100 million annually, compared to the manual process.

The program is designed to link to a state's Web site as well, offering entrepreneurs a one-stop shop for registering their businesses. Until the new program is available in all states, entrepreneurs can still get their EIN online (even if their state isn't yet participating). Visit www.businesslaw.gov to get started.

According to reports, 694 businesses used the new service, which launched in February 2003, in its first week. Says Trimble, "It eases the setup task that all small businesses go through."

WHAT'S YOUR. PROBLEM?

FINDING HEALTH-CARE COVERAGE THAT'S JUST THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU

Q I need an affordable health-care plan that will cover pre-existing illness for self-employed business owners. Where can I find one?

Name withheld

A Some states have laws that require insurance companies to cover people in situations like yours. For example, Colorado requires insurance companies to offer coverage to self-employed people who would normally be declined. Washington makes insurance companies sell individual health policies to anyone. And Florida guarantees individual health insurance coverage to "eligible" individuals.

Find a knowledgeable insurance agent who will work and solve problems with you. However, expect guaranteed coverage to cost 10 to 50 percent more than regularly issued insurance. There may also be a waiting period before pre-existing conditions are covered. Here are some other possibilities: