When you relocate to a new city, it's your chance to start again. New friends, new house, new job. In fact, if you wanted to, you could finally realize the dream of being your own boss you've had since you were a kid growing up in Alberta. Franchise locations, independent boutiques, and service firms are all popular small business options that you could make work for you when you arrive in Philadelphia. Here's a quick overview of some other things you'll need to do to get the ball rolling.

Find Your Niche

Before you can become your own boss, you'll need to decide what sort of operation you're going to be in charge of. A lot of it will boil down to your talents and interests. For instance, if you enjoy graphic design, you might get into brochure printing online. However, don't forget to investigate the local business scene to see what businesses already exist in your area to see how much competition you can expect.

Look for Properties

Though you're not at the point where you need to be choosing carpet colors and ordering thermal insulation materials to renovate your place, you do need to have some idea what type of property you'll be looking for and what areas of the city are the best fit for your business. For instance, if you're opening a shop you might get prices on a unit in a mall or a storefront downtown.

Draw up a Business Plan

The business plan helps you to visualize realistic goals for your business and also gives you something to show to potential investors. It includes such things as a budget for your start-up costs, the products or services you intend to offer for sale, your research into the consumer base in your area and how many custom license plate frames (or whatever product you'll be dealing in) you can expect to make and sell in a given month.

Approach Lenders

Once you've got your planning out of the way its time to secure the capital you'll need to establish yourself. The startup money can be yours, belong to a relative or friend who wants to invest in you, or can come from third party commercial mortgage lenders or venture capitalists who have deemed you a solid investment. This is where your business plan will come in handy. Investigate all avenues and be sure to review each potential lender's terms carefully before you sign.