Workshop 16 — Starting a Small Business · Facilitator Lesson Plan

For: CSC office staff, case managers, bilingual volunteers. You don't need to be a business advisor. You need to walk the room through five registration steps, anchor the "separate accounts" rule, and route every nuanced question to SBDC, SCORE, or VITA. The sentence you'll say most today: "分开账户 — 公司的钱和家里的钱要分开。"

1 · At-a-Glance

2 · Learning Objectives

After this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Name the 5-step California registration path: DBA → EIN → Seller's Permit → BTRC → business bank account.
2. Decide between Sole Prop, DBA, and LLC as a first business structure — and know that DBA is usually the starting point.
3. Apply the "separate accounts" rule — business money and personal money in two different bank accounts, starting day one.
4. Identify three free help sources: CSC, LA SBDC (free 1-on-1 + business plan), SCORE (free mentor matching). VITA for self-employment tax filing.

Notice what is NOT here: "decide if you should start a business," "calculate your self-employment tax," "advise on visa status." Those are personal decisions, VITA's job, or an immigration attorney's job — not yours.

3 · Pre-Workshop Checklist (15 min before start)

Tech

• Open https://small-business-workshop.pages.dev/ — test the language toggle (top-right). Default is 中文.
• Slide 5 and Slide 10 use "Reveal Answer" buttons — click each once to confirm, refresh to reset.
• Load Slide 6 — confirm the 5-step flowchart (DBA → EIN → Seller's → BTRC → Bank) renders crisp on the projector.
• Bookmark the URL on your phone — service worker means the deck works offline once loaded.

Materials

• ~20 copies of the resources handout printed.
• This Quick Reference Card (section 12) at the lectern.
• Bilingual sign-in sheet at the door; pens at every seat.

Yourself

• Skim this lesson plan once (15 min).
• Speak the slide 1 opening line aloud once.
• Memorize two numbers cold: CSC · 213-808-1758 and LA SBDC · 213-487-7244. Everything else can be looked up.

4 · Audience Snapshot

Most of the room is from Alhambra, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, or Rosemead. Many have been thinking about a food, retail, or service business for months — a small restaurant, a boba shop, a cleaning route, a nail salon, daigou on WeChat, or in-home childcare. A meaningful number are already operating informally — taking cash from neighbors, running food prep out of the home kitchen, doing alterations on the side — and the question quietly under the room is "do I need to do this 'by the book' or not?" Family-loan funding (我表哥借我钱) is common; nobody is here for SBA-loan paperwork.

5 · Cultural & Bilingual Tips for This Workshop

• Never moralize about informal businesses. Many participants are already running cash through personal accounts — neighborhood food, alterations, in-home daycare, ride-share. Frame "by the book" as the prerequisite to a business bank account and lower stress at tax time, not as a moral grade. Say "在加州,如果您要合法营业,这五步是必经的" — describe the system, don't grade the person.
• Reframe distrust of government registration. "被记录在案" is a real fear for Mandarin-speaking immigrants. The reframe: DBA / EIN / Seller's Permit are not surveillance — they are the paperwork a bank requires to open a business account. Frame registration as banking infrastructure, not government tracking.
• Family money is normal — don't dismiss it. "我表哥借我钱开店" — totally fine. Don't push SBA loans. The follow-up sentence: "就算是家人的钱,也要分开账户,不然报税季节会很痛苦。"
• Bilingual cadence. Open each slide with Chinese, then English. Translate ONE key term per slide. The deck shows both languages — you point and explain, don't re-read.
• You are NOT a tax preparer, lawyer, or immigration advisor. Default sentence: "好问题。这个 VITA / SBDC / 律师同事帮您看更准,免费,中文服务。"

6 · Slide-by-Slide Script

Slide 1 · Title · ⏱ 1 min

SAY: "欢迎大家。今天 30 分钟,讲三件事:怎么注册一个生意 · 怎么管理财务 · 怎么找客户。" — "Welcome. In 30 min: register, money, customers."

POINT TO: Title; CSC name.

ASK: "您今天来,是已经在做生意,还是想开始?" Take 2–3 short answers.

WATCH FOR: Someone hesitates — they may already be running something informally. Don't probe. "完全 OK,今天的内容对两种情况都有用。"

IF SHORT: Skip ASK; advance.

Slide 2 · Agenda — Three Key Topics · ⏱ 1 min

SAY: "三大主题:① 注册 ② 财务 ③ 客户。"

POINT TO: Three numbered cards.

ASK: "这三个里面,哪个对您最重要?" Quick hands. Tells you where to spend time. (Most go up on ② Money — normal. Plan to linger on Slides 6, 8, 9.)

IF SHORT: Skip the hands. Advance.

Slide 3 · Is This Right for You? · ⏱ 2.5 min

SAY: "老实说一下 — 自己当老板有好处,也有真实的代价。" — "Honest talk — being your own boss has upsides AND real costs."

POINT TO: Right column ("真实的代价") — specifically "头一两年常常没工资 — 全靠存款" and "约一半生意撑不过 5 年 — 别拿房子抵押."

ASK: "您准备好头一年没收入吗?" Don't push for hands — just plant it.

WATCH FOR: Faces falling on the right column. Normal and necessary. Don't backpedal. The bottom tip card — "先在原工作上兼职试水 6–12 个月" — is the soft landing.

IF SHORT: Headline + the side-hustle tip card. Skip the four-by-four read.

Slide 4 · Common Businesses in the Chinese Community · ⏱ 2 min

SAY: "这是华人新移民最常做的六种小生意 — 投入从 $3,000 到 $250,000 不等。" — "Six most common small businesses for Chinese immigrants — startup $3K to $250K."

POINT TO: The cost-range line on each card. Restaurant ($80K–250K) vs. cleaning (< $5K) vs. bookkeeping (< $3K). The range matters more than the picture.

ASK: "您想做的是哪一种?" 2–3 quick answers. Just to anchor.

WATCH FOR: "我想开餐馆" — most expensive, highest failure rate. Don't discourage. Note it and route to SBDC: "餐馆生意 SBDC 有专门的辅导,免费。"

IF SHORT: Headline + cost-range scan. Skip the descriptions.

Slide 5 · [ACTIVITY] Which Structure Should You Pick? · ⏱ 3 min

SAY: "三个选项:Sole Prop · DBA · LLC。投票:开家庭清洁生意,先选哪个?" — "Three options. Vote: for a new house-cleaning business, pick which first?"

POINT TO: The three cards. Especially the cost line: $0 起 / $26 起 / $800 一年. The $800/year is the load-bearing fact.

ASK: Hands for each. Wait until at least two cards get hands.

REVEAL: Click "揭晓答案 · Reveal Answer." → DBA (Sole Prop + a business name). Why: low cost, simple taxes (Schedule C), and crucially — 加州 LLC 不管赚不赚钱都要交 $800 一年最低税. For a brand-new business, that's heavy.

WATCH FOR:

• "Friends told me LLC is safer." → "LLC 保护资产是真的,但前提是您把账户分开。账户混了,法官可以追到您本人。" Don't go deeper.
• "什么时候改成 LLC?" → "一般生意稳定、年收入超过 $40K 后再考虑。SBDC 可以帮您算。"

IF SHORT: Skip the hands. Reveal and explain the $800/year tax in one sentence.

STRETCH (advanced): "如果是两个人合伙的家庭生意 — 比如夫妻或兄弟两人一起做装修 — DBA 还够用吗?什么时候应该考虑 LLC 或合伙协议(Partnership Agreement)?" — "If it's a two-person family business — say a husband-and-wife or two-brother contracting team — is DBA enough? When should they consider LLC or a partnership agreement?" Land it with: "两个人以上,建议先写一份简单的合伙协议(谁出多少钱、利润怎么分、退出怎么算)— SBDC 有免费模板。LLC 之后再说,先把协议写下来。"

SCAFFOLD (beginner): Point only to the cost line on each card ($0 起 / $26 起 / $800 一年). Say one sentence in Chinese: "贵的不一定好。新生意,先选便宜的。" — "Expensive ≠ better. New business, start cheap." No vote pressure — just have them point to the cheapest card with their neighbor.

Slide 6 · Registering Your Business in California · ⏱ 3 min

SAY: "从「想做」到「合法营业」,加州要走五步 — DBA、EIN、销售税号(卖商品才需要)、BTRC 市营业税、然后开公司银行账户。" — "Five steps in California: DBA, then EIN, then Seller's Permit if you sell goods, then BTRC for LA County, then business bank account."

POINT TO: The 5-step flowchart at the top. Trace your finger across all five circles, naming each one: "① DBA 起店名 → ② EIN 联邦税号 → ③ 销售税号 → ④ BTRC → ⑤ 公司账户 → ✓ 合法营业." Then drop down to the three detail cards underneath for the first three steps.

ASK: "这五步里,您觉得哪一步最让人头疼?" 2–3 answers. (Usually EIN — they fear IRS forms in English.)

WATCH FOR:

• "我没有 SSN,能注册吗?" → Point to the ⚠️ warn-card: "可以 — 用 ITIN 也能申请 EIN 和 DBA。表 SS-4 上选「未提供 SSN」。" Don't go deeper on immigration.
• "全套要花多少钱?" → "自己做不到 $80。别花 $300 找代办公司 — CSC 免费帮您填表。"
• "为什么要登记?是不是会被记录在案?" → "这些是开银行账户的必备文件。没有 DBA 和 EIN,银行不让您开公司账户。"

IF SHORT: Trace the 5-circle flowchart only. Skip the three info cards. The picture IS the slide.

STRETCH (advanced): "如果有人已经在做了 — 已经收了一两年的现金,从来没有 DBA 也没有 EIN — 这五步还是一样的顺序吗?该不该一次全办?" — "If someone is already operating — has taken cash for a year or two with no DBA, no EIN — is the order still the same? Should they file all five at once?" Land it with: "顺序一样。但建议第一周就先开公司银行账户(DBA + EIN 拿到就能开)— 这样新收入立刻进对的账户。过去几年的税让 VITA 帮您补,免费,不通报移民局。"

SCAFFOLD (beginner): Chorus the five step names. Trace the flowchart and say each name out loud, then have the room repeat after you: "① DBA — DBA · ② EIN — EIN · ③ Seller's Permit — Seller's Permit · ④ BTRC — BTRC · ⑤ Bank Account — Bank Account." Three rounds. The five names ARE the lesson — if they leave knowing the names, they can google the rest.

Slide 7 · LA County Business Licenses & Permits · ⏱ 2 min

SAY: "在加州注册完,还要看城市和行业。每个市自己的营业执照,行业不同有不同牌照。" — "After state registration, check your city + industry permits."

POINT TO: Top-left card: City Business Tax Cert — "在哪个市开店,就向那个市申请。" Then the ⚠️ industry card: 餐馆 / 美甲 / 装修 / 托管 each have separate state licenses.

ASK: "您打算在哪个市开店?" Quick answers — Alhambra, Monterey Park, LA. Each city is different.

WATCH FOR:

• "在家做生意要执照吗?" → "要 — 而且要查您家的分区(zoning)允不允许客户上门。很多住宅区不允许。"
• Restaurant/nails/childcare questions → name the route once ("县卫生局 / CA Board of Barbering / Community Care Licensing"), don't go deeper. Point to calgold.ca.gov — free lookup tool.

IF SHORT: Headline + the calgold.ca.gov tip card. Skip individual industry routes.

Slide 8 · The Most Important Step — Separate Accounts ★ · ⏱ 2.5 min

SAY: "这是今天最重要的一句话 — 公司的钱和家里的钱要分开,放在两个不同的银行账户。" — "Today's single most important sentence: business money and personal money go in two different bank accounts."

POINT TO: The diagram — yellow "个人账户" on the left, teal "公司账户" on the right, the big × between them. Then card 1: "拿 EIN + DBA 文件去银行 — Cathay 国泰、East West 华美都接受 ITIN."

ASK: "如果有人现在用微信收客户的钱,直接进个人账户 — 报税季节会怎么样?" Don't push. Let it hang.

WATCH FOR:

• Faces that show "我就是这样." Don't call out. The next sentence: "不评判 — 但从今天开始,开一个公司账户,慢慢转过来。"
• "Zelle 客户给我个人账户怎么办?" → "改 — 客户给公司账户。新银行账户给客户新号码。"
• "现金客户也要进账户吗?" → "要 — 存进公司账户,记一笔。不然 IRS 审计时您说不清。"

IF SHORT: Diagram + the one sentence. Skip the four cards. This is the slide you do NOT trim further — anchor the closing on this.

STRETCH (advanced): "如果已经混了一两年 — 微信、Zelle、现金、个人账户全部混在一起 — 从今天开始分,过去那一段怎么办?" — "If accounts have already been mixed for a year or two — WeChat, Zelle, cash, all flowing through a personal account — what about the past?" Land it with: "过去的部分让 VITA 帮您整理:把过去几年的银行流水分类(哪些是生意收入、哪些是个人),补报 Schedule C。免费,不通报移民局。从今天开始 — 新账户、新号码、新规矩。"

SCAFFOLD (beginner): Use ONLY the diagram. Point to "个人账户" (yellow, left). Point to "公司账户" (teal, right). Point to the big × in the middle. Say one sentence in Chinese: "两个袋子,钱不混。" — "Two bags, money doesn't mix." Have them point to their own pocket (个人) and then to an imaginary second pocket (公司). No reading, no English — the picture and the gesture carry the meaning.

Slide 9 · Self-Employment Tax — Save It Yourself · ⏱ 2.5 min

SAY: "打工时老板帮您扣税。自雇 — 没人帮您扣,要自己存。每赚 $100 利润,先存一部分准备交税。" — "Employee: boss withholds. Self-employed: you save it yourself. Set aside a chunk of every $100 profit."

POINT TO: The donut chart (~30% set aside). Then the four cards: Schedule C, quarterly dates (4/15 · 6/15 · 9/15 · 1/15), deductibles.

ASK: "有人现在每个月存一部分钱准备交税吗?" Hands. Most won't.

WATCH FOR:

• "我要存多少?" → Slide shows 自雇税 15.3%(社保 12.4% + 联邦医保 2.9%) — that's just self-employment tax. Stop there. For each person's total amount say: "VITA 同事可以帮您算确切金额,免费。" Don't add income-tax brackets, state tax, or quote a "save X%" rule of thumb — those depend on income, family, deductions.
• "什么是 Schedule C?" → "报税表的附件 — 列出生意收入和开销。VITA 帮您填。"
• "季度交税太麻烦,能不能年底一起交?" → "可以,但会有罚款。VITA 帮您算最划算的方式。"
• People realizing self-employment tax stacks on top of income tax → "对 — 自雇税和所得税是两个,加在一起。VITA 帮算总数。"

IF SHORT: Donut + four quarterly dates. Route everything else to VITA. The handout has the checklist.

Slide 10 · [QUIZ] True or False? · ⏱ 3 min

SAY: "两道题。对还是错?举手投票。"

Q1: "在加州,开 LLC 比开 DBA 总是更好 — 因为 LLC 能保护我的房子和存款。" Wait for hands.

REVEAL Q1: FALSE. California LLC owes $800/year minimum tax whether you profit or not. For a brand-new business, DBA is cheaper. Also: LLC asset protection is NOT absolute — if you mix personal and business funds, courts can "pierce the veil." That's why slide 8's separate-accounts rule matters even for LLCs.

Q2: "没有 SSN(只有 ITIN)的人也可以开公司、注册 EIN、申请商业贷款。"

REVEAL Q2: TRUE. ITIN holders can get EIN, DBA, Seller's Permit, and open business bank accounts at Cathay and East West. SBA federal loans usually require SSN, but CDFI community lenders (Accion Opportunity Fund, CDC Small Business Finance) lend to ITIN business owners.

WATCH FOR: Q2 lands hard for ITIN-only participants who thought they were locked out. Stay 5 extra min at the door after class — this is when those questions come.

IF SHORT: Q1 only. Save Q2 — Slide 12 lists CDFI lenders anyway.

Slide 11 · Reaching Chinese Community Customers · ⏱ 2.5 min

SAY: "华人客户在哪里?四个免费/低价的渠道。" — "Where are Chinese customers? Four free/cheap channels."

POINT TO: The four cards — 微信朋友圈, 小红书, Yelp / Google, 口碑 + 推荐. Linger on 微信朋友圈 ("每周发 2–3 条工作照、客户好评") and 口碑推荐 ("华人社区靠熟人介绍 — 给老客户每介绍一个新客户减 $20").

ASK: "您有微信朋友圈吗?发过工作照吗?" Quick hands.

WATCH FOR:

• "小红书我不会用." → "25–45 岁的客户最常用 — 让家里年轻人帮您发。" Don't troubleshoot the app on the projector.
• "我英语不好,需要做 Yelp 吗?" → "需要 — 美国客户和华人都看 Yelp。让会英文的家人或朋友帮回评价。"
• Older participants who don't use social media → "Word of mouth + referral discount 对您最有效 — 不需要手机。"

IF SHORT: Headline + WeChat card + referral card. Skip Yelp and 小红书.

Slide 12 · Free Help in LA · ⏱ 1.5 min

SAY: "洛杉矶有四个免费机构帮新创业者 — 全部双语或有翻译。" — "Four free LA agencies help new founders — all bilingual or interpreted."

POINT TO: Four cards:

1. SCORE — 退休企业家 1 对 1 辅导,免费,LA 分会有中文导师。score.org。
2. LA SBDC — 免费课程 + 商业计划辅导,213-487-7244,多种语言。
3. SBA 7(a) Loans — $5K–5M,需 SSN,信用分 ≥ 650。
4. CDFI Lenders — Accion, CDC Small Business Finance,没 SSN 也能借。

ASK: "哪一个对您最有用?" Plant; they'll choose later.

WATCH FOR: "What does SBDC do?" → "免费一对一帮您写商业计划、算预算、申请贷款。打 213-487-7244 约时间。"

IF SHORT: SBDC + CDFI. Skip SCORE + SBA. The handout has all four.

Slide 13 · 完整资源页面 / Full Resource Page · ⏱ 1.5 min

SAY: "扫码拿完整资源页 — 注册清单、自雇税清单、贷款选项、本地资源电话。" — "Scan for the full resource page — registration checklist, self-employment tax checklist, loan options, local agencies."

POINT TO: QR code; the URL underneath; CSC's phone 213-808-1758.

ASK: "下一步,您想做什么?一件事就好。" 2–3 short answers ("call SBDC," "open a business account," "申请 EIN").

WATCH FOR: People who linger. They have a private question — usually about informal businesses or immigration status. Stay 5 extra min at the door.

7 · Interactive Moments

8 · Common Participant Questions (Q&A Anchor)

Rule: Never give legal, tax, or immigration advice. Always route to a named resource. Default sentence: "好问题 — 这个 SBDC / VITA / 律师同事帮您看更准,免费,中文服务。"

Q1. "我没有绿卡,签证身份能开公司吗?" / "Can I start a business on a visa / without a green card?" → "这个问题需要问移民律师 — 不同签证规定不一样,我不敢乱答。 但报税方面用 ITIN 都可以,VITA 免费帮。CSC 也可以帮您找免费法律咨询。" → 移民律师 + VITA · 213-808-1758.

Q2. "开个生意要多少钱?" / "How much money do I need to start?" → "看您做哪一种 — 家庭清洁 $5,000 以下,小餐馆 $80K–250K。LA SBDC 可以免费帮您算一份商业计划书,看您要存多少钱、能不能贷款。" → LA SBDC · 213-487-7244.

Q3. "我能不能不注册,收现金就好?" / "Do I really need to register? I can just take cash." → "如果不注册 — 您没办法开公司银行账户,不能收信用卡,客户告您时房子也保不住,IRS 审计时罚款很重。在加州合法营业,这五步是必经的。CSC 可以免费帮您填表,不到 $80 全部做完。" → CSC · 213-808-1758 + 资源页. (No moralizing — just describe the system.)

Q4. "用 ITIN 能开公司吗?" / "Can I open a business with an ITIN?" → "可以。 ITIN 能申请 EIN、DBA、Seller's Permit,Cathay 国泰、East West 华美都用 ITIN 开公司账户。CDFI 贷款机构也接受 ITIN — 不用 SSN。"

Q5. "我已经在做了 — 卖菜、做饭、收现金 — 现在补办来得及吗?" / "I'm already operating informally. Can I still register?" → "完全可以现在补办,从今天开始。 先开公司银行账户,以后客户的钱都进公司账户。VITA 帮您把过去几年的税补好,免费,不会通报移民局。" → CSC + VITA · 213-808-1758.

Q6. "我表哥借我钱开店,要写合同吗?" / "Cousin lent me money — do I need a contract?" → "建议写一张简单的借条 — 日期、金额、还款计划 — 双方签字。家人之间也建议有书面记录,以后报税清楚。SBDC 有免费模板。" → LA SBDC.

Q7. "我要交多少自雇税?" / "How much self-employment tax do I owe?" → "VITA 同事可以帮您算确切金额,免费。 取决于您的收入、家庭、扣款 — 我没办法替您算。打 213-808-1758 预约。"

Q8. "什么时候应该把 DBA 改成 LLC?" / "When should I switch from DBA to LLC?" → "一般年利润稳定超过 $40K,而且您开始雇人或风险变高时考虑。但加州 LLC 每年要交至少 $800 — 不论赚不赚钱。SBDC 可以帮您算划不划算。" → LA SBDC.

Q9. "我在 Monterey Park / Alhambra / 圣盖博 开店,要去哪个市政府办营业执照?" / "I'm opening in Monterey Park / Alhambra / San Gabriel — which city handles the business license?" → "每个市自己管自己的市营业税(City Business Tax Cert)— 您在哪个市开店,就去哪个市的 City Hall 或网站申请。Monterey Park · cityofmontereypark.gov,Alhambra · cityofalhambra.org,San Gabriel · sangabrielcity.com。不同市的费用和表格都不一样。先用 calgold.ca.gov 输入您的地址和行业,系统会列出全部要办的执照。 不确定就打 CSC,我们帮您查。" → calgold.ca.gov + CSC · 213-808-1758.

9 · Recovery Plans

• Internet fails: Printed handouts + phone backup. Slides cached offline via service worker. Skip QR demo.
• Only 3 people: Sit in a circle. Skip hand counts; ask directly. Spend extra time on Slide 8 (separate accounts) and the Q&A. Offer 1-on-1 SBDC referrals.
• 25+ people: Clusters of 4. Mic if available. For Slide 5 and Slide 10, "stand if A / sit if B" reads better across a big room than show of hands. Stay 10 extra min at the door.
• Silent group: Wait 7 full seconds. Re-ask with "如果有人…" framing. Share a short story of your own to model length.
• Dominant speaker (often someone who already runs a business): "好的,谢谢分享 — 您很有经验。我们也听听刚开始的人的想法。" Walk toward another part of the room. If they keep going: "留个微信,我们下课后聊。"
• Running long (>5 min over at Slide 6): Skip the four info-cards on Slide 7 (just headline + calgold tip). Slide 9 — donut + quarterly dates only. Slide 11 — WeChat + referral only.
• Live disclosure of informal business / immigration concern: "听到了,谢谢您分享。" Do NOT solve on the projector. "下课后单独谈,我帮您约 SBDC 一对一。" Move on.

If you finish early (5 / 10 / 15 min spare):

Don't default to "any questions?" — silence will eat the time, and in a room with informal-business operators, silence also reads as judgment. Run one of these activities matched to your spare-time budget.

• 5 min spare — Round-the-room one-word check: "用一个词说说,今天对您最有用的一件事是什么?" / "In one word, what was the most useful thing for you today?" Take 8–10 quick answers. Expect: "DBA," "分开账户," "ITIN 可以," "VITA," "calgold." Closes the loop without dragging into a Q&A.
• 10 min spare — Run the "Your one-page business sketch" activity (see §13 Finish-Early Extension). Participants write Name + DBA candidate + 3-line product/customer/price on the back of the handout; you flag 2–3 to share; close with "把这张纸带去 SBDC 一对一,免费。"
• 15 min spare — Use the first sub-block of the 60-Min Variant (see §13). The lavote.gov DBA demo stands on its own — open the site on the projector, walk through the fictitious business name search + filing form, and let participants follow on the printed 5-step checklist.

If a question goes runaway long:

• "好问题。让我先记下来,这个 SBDC / VITA 一对一帮您看更深,免费。" — "Good question. Let me write it down — SBDC / VITA can go deeper with you 1-on-1, free."
• Write it visibly on a whiteboard or paper "parking lot." Move on. Pick the question back up after class for the private conversation.

• Question you can't answer: "好问题。我不是 SBDC 顾问 / VITA / 律师 — 不敢乱答。留个电话,我让同事联系您,免费。" Always route. Never guess.

10 · Closing & Next Steps (last 2 min)

SAY (verbatim): "今天讲了三件事:1) 加州五步注册 — DBA、EIN、Seller's Permit、BTRC、公司账户 2) 最重要的一句话 — 公司的钱和家里的钱分开账户 3) 自雇税自己存,VITA 免费帮报。下一步:1) 拿一张资料 2) 扫二维码 3) 想约 1-on-1 SBDC 或 CSC,跟我留个电话。"

Translation: "Three things today: 1) California's 5-step registration — DBA, EIN, Seller's Permit, BTRC, business bank account 2) The single most important sentence — separate business and personal money into two accounts 3) Save self-employment tax yourself; VITA files for free. Next steps: handout, QR, leave a number if you want a 1-on-1."

Hand out: Resources handout. Point to the QR code; point to the top of the CSC contact line.

Send them to:

• https://small-business-workshop.pages.dev/resources.html — full resource page.
• CSC · 213-808-1758 — free DBA/EIN form help, business plan coaching, bilingual.
• LA SBDC · 213-487-7244 — free 1-on-1 business plan + loan packaging, 多种语言.
• SCORE · score.org — free mentor matching, LA chapter has Chinese-speaking mentors.
• VITA via CSC · 213-808-1758 — Schedule C / 1099 / self-employment tax filing, free, Jan–Apr.

11 · Post-Workshop Tasks (within 24 hours)

• Save the sign-in sheet (scan or photograph).
• Note attendance + mood. Flag any disclosures of informal businesses or ITIN-only founders for staff follow-up — don't let those sit until they get a notice.
• Hand off 1-on-1 referrals to SBDC or CSC's business-help team that same week.
• Send the thank-you WeChat with slides URL + resources URL.
• Note any question you couldn't answer for the next staff sync.
• Note any slide that confused the room — flag for the next audit pass.

12 · Quick Reference Card (print this page)

One sheet. Clipboard. Lectern. Glance during the workshop.

Workshop 16 — Starting a Small Business · 30 min · 13 slides

Agenda strip (28 min core + 2 min buffer):

1. Slides 1–2 — Welcome + agenda — 2 min
2. Slides 3–4 — Reality + industry types — 4.5 min
3. Slide 5 — Structure activity (DBA vs LLC) — 3 min
4. Slides 6–7 — Registration + permits — 5 min
5. Slide 8 — ★ Separate accounts — 2.5 min
6. Slide 9 — Self-employment tax — 2.5 min
7. Slide 10 — Quiz (LLC / ITIN) — 3 min
8. Slides 11–12 — Customers + free help — 4 min
9. Slide 13 — QR + close — 1.5 min

If running long: cut the slides flagged in §9 first (Slide 7 four info-cards → headline + calgold only; Slide 9 → donut + quarterly dates only; Slide 11 → WeChat + referral only). Convert any pair-shares to "think 30 sec + raise hand."

If you finish early:

• 5 min spare → round-the-room one-word check ("今天最有用的一件事?")
• 10 min spare → §13 "Your one-page business sketch" — Name + DBA candidate + 3-line product/customer/price on handout back
• 15+ min spare → §13 Sub-block 1: live lavote.gov DBA demo on the projector

Top 5 questions you'll get:

1. "签证身份能开公司吗?" → 移民律师 (out of scope). Tax via VITA OK.
2. "开个生意要多少钱?" → SBDC 免费算商业计划. 213-487-7244.
3. "能不能不注册,收现金?" → Describe the system, not the morals. Route to CSC for free form help.
4. "ITIN 能开公司吗?" → YES. EIN, DBA, business account at Cathay/East West.
5. "自雇税多少?" → Don't calculate. Route to VITA. 213-808-1758.

Emergency phrases:

• Silence: "如果有人…" (if someone…)
• Redirect dominant speaker: "留个微信,下课后聊。"
• Out of scope: "这个最好问 SBDC / VITA / 律师。我帮您联系。"
• Informal-business disclosure: "听到了。下课后单独谈,我帮您约 SBDC。"
• Question you can't answer: "我不敢乱答 — 留个电话,同事联系您,免费。"

Three numbers/facts to know cold:

• CSC · 213-808-1758 (free DBA/EIN form help, VITA for Schedule C, bilingual).
• LA SBDC · 213-487-7244 (free business plan, loan packaging, 多种语言).
• 5 steps · CA · DBA → EIN → Seller's Permit → BTRC → Business Bank Account. Then ✓ 合法营业.

Bilingual one-liners (verbatim):

• "公司的钱和家里的钱要分开,放在两个不同的银行账户。" (The single most important sentence today.)
• "在加州,如果您要合法营业,这五步是必经的。" (Describe the system — don't moralize.)
• "用 ITIN 也可以申请 EIN 和 DBA。CDFI 贷款机构也接受 ITIN。"
• "VITA 同事可以帮您算确切金额,免费。" (Anytime SE tax % comes up.)

If something breaks:

• WiFi out → printed handouts + phone backup (slides offline via SW).
• Projector dies → walk slides 6, 8, 9 around the room — these three carry most of the content.
• Question you can't answer → "SBDC / VITA / 律师同事帮您看更准,免费,我让他们联系您。" + write down name and phone.

Never say:

• "You should start a business." → Frame as their decision.
• "You should register." → Describe the system: "在加州合法营业,这五步是必经的。"
• "Self-employment tax is X%." → Route to VITA. Never quote.
• "Visa Y can start a business." → Route to immigration attorney. Never advise.
• "Just take cash, it's fine." → Describe the cost: no bank account, no cards, audit risk.

13 · 60-Minute Variant (when you have a full hour)

Use this when: Your slot is 60 minutes instead of 30+10, OR you finish the core 30-min teach with significant time remaining, OR the room asks "OK 怎么开始?现在?" after Slide 13. The variant ADDS 30 min of applied work after the 30-min core — it does NOT re-run the same slides.

Don't lecture longer. The 30-min core is calibrated to LEP-adult attention. Extra time goes to doing the forms together on the projector — not more teaching. The variant turns the workshop from "what are the five steps" into "here is what step ① actually looks like, and here is the phone number you'll call this week."

Finish-Early Extension (10 min — drop in mid-workshop or at close)

"Your one-page business sketch" — pair-share applied activity. Participants write a four-line business sketch on the back of the resources handout, the facilitator flags 2–3 to share, and you close on the SBDC 1-on-1 referral. No new content — just the first concrete artifact the participant can carry into an SBDC meeting.

• Setup (1 min): - "现在请大家把资料翻到背面 — 我们花 5 分钟,写一张「一页生意草图」。不是商业计划书,就四行字。" - Hand out pens if anyone is missing one. If the handout has no back, use the inside cover of the resources page. - On the projector or whiteboard, write the four prompts: 1. 生意名字 / Business name (working name, can change) 2. DBA 候选名 / DBA candidate (the name you'd file at LA County) 3. 产品 + 客户 + 价钱 / Product + Customer + Price — three short lines 4. 第一笔钱从哪里来 / First money from where? (savings / cousin loan / CDFI)

• Activity (7 min): - Participants write silently for 4 min. You circulate. Read over shoulders. Don't correct grammar — read for whether they're naming a real customer. Flag 2–3 strong ones: a sharply named product, a specific customer (not "everyone"), a believable price. - Then pair-share for 3 min: "和旁边的人交换看一下 — 不评判,只问一个问题:「您的客户在哪里?」" — "Trade with your neighbor. Don't judge — just ask one question: 'Where are your customers?'" - Watch for: Blank sheets. Don't pressure. Walk over, ask softly: "想做什么生意?" — write whatever they say in their box. Getting one line on paper is the win.

• Debrief (2 min): - Call on the 2–3 you flagged. Frame each share as a real artifact, not a contest: "陈太太写了:家庭清洁,Alhambra 单家住户,$120 一次。这就是 SBDC 一对一第一句话的内容。" - Close on: "把这张纸带去 SBDC,免费的 1-on-1 — 213-487-7244。 SBDC 顾问看一眼这四行,就知道怎么帮您往下走。" - Hand each participant a sticky note or pen mark: "写上 SBDC 的电话,这周内打。"

60-Minute Variant — Applied Block (30 min, added after Slide 13)

"Five-step registration walk-through" — live form demo on the projector. You open the actual websites — lavote.gov, irs.gov/EIN, cdtfa.ca.gov — and walk through each form field while participants follow on a printed 5-step checklist. This is the single most asked-for thing in this workshop: "我想看看那些网站长什么样。" The variant gives them that.

Time: 30 min (35 if you include the 5-min wrap below)

Materials added:

• ~20 copies of a printed 5-step checklist (one page, the five steps with a checkbox + URL + 1-line "what you need" for each). If you don't have one pre-printed, the resources handout's registration section is close enough.
• Laptop + projector with reliable WiFi (test the three URLs in the pre-workshop checklist).
• One redacted real example — a sample DBA filing or EIN confirmation letter, name/SSN blacked out. Print one copy or have it on the laptop. Cathay or East West's "documents to open a business account" page is a good third reference if the room asks.
• Two phone numbers written on the whiteboard, big: SBDC · 213-487-7244 and CSC · 213-808-1758. Tell them at the start: "今天结束之前,把这两个号码写到您的手机里。"

Sub-block 1 — lavote.gov DBA demo · ⏱ 10 min

• Open lavote.gov → Fictitious Business Name (FBN) Search. On the projector, type a made-up name the room suggests (e.g., "Alhambra Family Cleaning" or whatever someone wrote on their one-page sketch). Show the search result.
• Walk through what each search-result column means: filed date, owner, status. "如果您想用的名字别人已经注册了,要换。"
• Click into the Fictitious Business Name Statement filing form. Walk through each field aloud: - Business name (use the room's made-up name) - Mailing address (use 100 N Main St as a placeholder) - Owner name + address - Type of business (one or two words: "house cleaning") - The signature + publication-in-newspaper requirement (mention but don't dwell — "等填好之后会教您发报纸广告 — 表格里会告诉您怎么做")
• Cost line: "$26 起,加上发报纸广告 ~$40–80。全套不到 $120。"
• Have participants tick step ① on the printed checklist. "知道这一步长什么样,就敢自己做了。"
• Watch for: "网站是英文的." → "对 — Google Chrome 右键有翻译。或者 CSC 同事帮您填,免费。" Don't actually turn on Chrome auto-translate on the projector — it can rearrange the form fields.

Sub-block 2 — irs.gov/EIN form walk-through · ⏱ 10 min

• Open irs.gov → Apply for an EIN Online (the SS-4 online application page). Read the eligibility box aloud, especially: "responsible party must have a valid Taxpayer Identification Number (SSN, ITIN, or EIN)."
• Pause. Say slowly: "ITIN 也算。没有 SSN 也可以申请 EIN。" Have the room repeat the sentence in Chinese once.
• Click "Apply Online Now" and walk through the first 3 screens (don't actually submit — bail out before the final submit). Name each field aloud: - Type of legal structure (Sole Proprietor for DBA founders) - Reason for applying (Started a new business) - Responsible party name + ITIN/SSN — show where to enter ITIN - Mailing address + trade name (the DBA name)
• Cost line: "$0 — IRS 不收费。如果有人收您 $300 帮办 EIN,是骗子或代办公司,不要找。"
• Have participants tick step ② on the printed checklist.
• Watch for: "我的 ITIN 过期了." → "ITIN 5 年要更新一次。VITA 免费帮您 renew — 213-808-1758。" "我没有 ITIN,只有护照." → "先申请 ITIN(W-7 表),VITA 帮您 — 同一个电话。" Route to VITA; do not advise.

Sub-block 3 — cdtfa.ca.gov Seller's Permit + close with phone numbers · ⏱ 10 min

• Open cdtfa.ca.gov → Register for a Seller's Permit. Quickly clarify who needs it: "卖商品的需要(餐馆、零售、daigou);只卖服务的不需要(清洁、装修、看护、教学)。先确认自己要不要办,再花时间。"
• Click into the registration wizard. Walk through the first screen — type of business, location, projected sales. Don't go all the way through — show the shape of the form, then back out.
• Cost line: "$0 — CDTFA 不收费。"
• Have participants tick step ③ on the printed checklist.
• Then close the variant on phone numbers — the most important 3 minutes: - Walk to the whiteboard. Point to the two numbers you wrote at the start. - "现在请大家拿出手机,把这两个号码存进去 — SBDC 213-487-7244,CSC 213-808-1758。" Wait 30 sec. Watch them type. - "这周内打一个。 不知道打哪个,先打 CSC,我们帮您转。" - Have participants write their next-step phone call at the top of the printed checklist: "我要打 ___ — 这周 ___ 之前。" - Hand each person a sticky note. "贴在冰箱上。"

Close (5 min, optional — if you have 65 min total):

• Round-robin one-line share: "用一句话说:这周我会做什么?" Go around once. Expect: "打 SBDC," "存 EIN 申请费(不用,免费的)," "开 Cathay 公司账户," "问 VITA 怎么补过去的税."
• Final sentence (verbatim): "今天就到这里。最重要的两件事:① 公司的钱和家里的钱分开。② 这周打 SBDC 或 CSC。 其他的,我们一对一慢慢看。"

When to use what — quick rules

Differentiation in the variant

• For advanced learners (already operating informally, or already DBA'd): Run the full Applied Block. Sub-block 2 (EIN with ITIN) and Sub-block 3 (Seller's Permit decision) are where they get unstuck. After class, prioritize SBDC 1-on-1 referrals for them — they're closest to ready.
• For mixed-proficiency rooms: Pair an advanced participant (someone who already has a DBA or EIN) with a beginner during Sub-block 1. The advanced one explains in Mandarin what each field means; the beginner gets a peer scaffold and the advanced one gets to teach (deepest form of learning). You float, watch faces, redirect.
• For beginner-heavy rooms: Shrink Sub-blocks 2 and 3 (just show the page, name the cost, move on). Expand Sub-block 1 (lavote.gov DBA) to 18 min — that's the one that demystifies "I have to deal with government websites." Spend the saved time on the printed checklist + phone-number close. A beginner who leaves with two phone numbers in their phone and one checked box on a paper checklist has won today.

Routing & boundary

Same rules as the 30-min core: no legal, tax, immigration, or medical advice. The Applied Block is form-reading and demo only — you walk through what each field means, not what each participant should enter for their own case. Never submit a real filing on the projector with anyone's real information. For "should I file?" / "do I owe back tax?" / "can I do this on my visa?" — route to SBDC (business decisions), VITA (tax), and an immigration attorney (visa). Every sub-block ends by naming a phone number, not a recommendation.

14 · Flashcards & Activities · 随身卡片与活动

There is a 6-card take-home deck for this workshop — vocabulary, a dialogue, a fact sheet, tips, useful info, and a diagram. 这个工作坊有一套 6 张随身卡片:关键词、对话、数据、小贴士、有用信息、图示。

Print 打印: 打开卡片 Open the deck · 直接打印 Print now. Prints 2 cards per landscape sheet (3 sheets per deck). Print one deck per participant, plus 1–2 spare decks for games; cut along the dashed lines. 每人一套,另备 1–2 套做游戏用。

Hand them out at the close (§10) — the deck is the take-home companion to the written action plan. 在结尾(第 10 节)发给大家,和写下的行动计划一起带回家。

Best-fit activities for THIS workshop (full menu of 8 at the flashcards page) · 这个工作坊最适合的两个活动(完整 8 个活动见卡片页):

1. 对话练习 · Dialogue Role-Play (对话卡 dialogue · 3 分钟) — 两人读对话,中英各一遍,换角色,再换成自己的情况。 Pairs read the dialogue in both languages, switch roles, then swap in their own situation.
2. 看图说话 · Explain the Picture (图示卡 visual · 2 分钟) — 一人用自己的话(中文也行)解释那张图,另一人补充一点。 One partner explains the diagram in their own words; the other adds one thing.

Always close with · 收尾必做 — 带走一张 Keep One Card (whole deck 整套 · 2 min): each participant picks the ONE card most useful to them right now and tells a neighbor why. 每人选一张对自己最有用的卡,告诉旁边的人为什么 — 给他们一个具体的、带得走的东西。