Business Types and Structures

Your new business must create a new demand in the market and your target market must be large enough for the business to become profitable.  Existing businesses have existing customers and franchises have a proven formula that works.

More info: Starting a business on the Victorian Government – Business Victoria website.

Buying an existing business means you’re buying the owner’s assets, stock and customer loyalty.

Financiers lend more readily to an existing business with a trading record. It can reduce the risk of failure however the departure of the owner may negatively affect the business.  This means that the current takings cannot be guaranteed.

More info: Buying an existing business on the Victorian Government – Business Victoria website.

Paying for the rights to run a business with an established name, marketing and operating procedures offers a new business owner guidance and assistance from the start.

However, it also means you need to follow the franchisor's system of running and marketing the business which may not suit everyone.

More info: Becoming a franchisee on the Victorian Government - Business Victoria website

More info: Franchising on the Business Australian Government website.

Home-based businesses are a large part of the Australian business community, with nearly one million people running a business from home. Working from home can offer flexibility and convenience and often be a great opportunity to start a new career.

If you're thinking of starting a home-based business or are currently running one, you can maximise your chance of success by ensuring that you understand the risks and government requirements that apply to you. 

In Greater Shepparton, you can run a business from your home without a planning permit providing it meets the requirements specified in the Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme.  If the home occupation requirements cannot be met, a planning permit may be granted to vary some of these requirements.  Alternatively, you may need to operate the business from a suitable commercial area.

More info: Starting a home-based business (Victorian Government – Business Victoria)

More info: Home-based businesses (Australian Government)

Anyone can start an online business. It's just like a traditional 'bricks-and-mortar' business, except your office or shop is online, so you have to decide how it will look and appeal to customers.

There are a lot of things to consider before making the decision to start or move an existing business online, particularly if you're not a computer or web guru, or haven't started a business before.

More info: Online business & technology (Victorian Government - Business Victoria)

More info: Online business (Australian Government)