Are you opening a new business in North Carolina?

If you are opening a new business in North Carolina, you are probably wondering what licenses or permits you need. In this breakdown, I’ll be focusing on resources available for starting a business in North Carolina and the exact steps that I would take if I were opening a new business. If you live in another state, you can use this as a general guide, but may have to do a little digging to find similar resources.

Because it can be confusing, let’s talk about the difference between licenses and permits first.

What is a business license?

A business license is a legal document that gives permission for your business to operate within a specific jurisdiction at a local, state, or sometimes federal level. Business license requirements are based on both where you live and your industry. Common examples of business licenses are for childcare centers, nail salons, and doctor’s offices.

What is a professional license?

A professional or occupational license is given to an individual to show they have received the necessary training and demonstrated their competency to perform a service in their industry. You likely already know if you are in a field that requires a professional license. Common examples include estheticians, electricians, barbers, EMTs, teachers, CPAs, doctors, and lawyers.

What is a business permit?

A business permit is given when the business passes an inspection that shows it is following federal and state laws. Permits can cover everything from occupancy to what is sold. Some common permits include: occupancy permits, food service permits, and alcohol permits. 

Licenses and permits serve a similar purpose—to create standards that help protect the general public, employees, and the business itself. It is common for a business to need a business license, for its operators to hold a professional license, and for the business to have additional permits.

Here's an example: 

What comes first? 

First, register your business.

You’ll need a business entity before you apply for any licenses or permits, so you should first register your business with the Secretary of State of North Carolina. 

Second, get your EIN Number.

Then you can request an EIN number from IRS.gov—this is a free and very simple process that typically takes around 15 minutes. If you are worried about the legal side, check out The Three Legal Mistakes Your Startup is Making and How They Can Impact Your Business, or talk to a local small business lawyer. 

Now that you have a registered business entity and an EIN number, you can start the process of getting licenses and permits. I recommend working with an expert who understands what requirements are in place for the type of business you are opening. There are often small business liaisons to answer questions or guide the process within the permitting agencies. This is especially important for highly regulated industries. I’ve worked with business owners who have signed leases without knowing that they were required to make expensive changes to secure a permit. 0/10 I would not recommend!

When I started my business, I spent quite a bit of time consulting with several experts in the industry before I spent any money to create and print my product because I didn’t want any unexpected or expensive surprises. While it can feel like a tedious process, doing your research first should help create a smoother and faster process than trying to figure it out as you go. 

Make a List 

Imagine thinking that you can have a grand opening date that gets pushed back by two months because you didn’t know that you had to have a separate sink for handwashing. Before you sign a lease or set an opening date, make a list of all of the licenses and permits you need by following the steps below. Want to simplify the process? I made a free tracker that you can download below. 

In North Carolina, there are over 700 licenses and permits for businesses. Because different organizations oversee different functions, you will likely have to work with multiple agencies to be fully legal to open. Here are the exact steps that I recommend you take to understand what licenses and permits you need to open your business in North Carolina. 

1. Call EDPNC and ask them for help getting a full list of the licenses and permits you may need. There is no cost to consult their team of experts and EDPNC (Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina) does a fantastic job of helping business owners start to understand the license and permit requirements for opening a business in North Carolina.
   
   
2. This website lists all of the business and occupational licenses available in North Carolina along with the links to more information about those permits. Since each license or permit is listed individually, you’ll need to know all of the categories in which you should look for a permit or license, so don't depend on this website as a standalone.
   
   
3. Call your local town office of economic development and tell them you are looking for help understanding what licenses and permits you may need. I’d also ask them specifically if they can recommend a business owner who already operates a similar business and who might be able to help you navigate the process.
   
   
4. If you are going to lease a physical space, hire a realtor who has expertise in your industry. For example, if you are opening a restaurant, look for a realtor with extensive experience in the restaurant industry. Ideally, a commercial agent can alert you to potential challenges, like a code violation, or expensive updates to meet current requirements, before you sign a lease. Bonus: while they represent you, the owner of the property pays their fee, not you. 
   
   
5. If you are in a regulated industry, call or visit the website of the state organization that oversees the licenses in your industry. In North Carolina, some of the most common are: salons, medical offices, childcare, or your county health department.
   
   
6. Meet with your local Small Business Center and tell them you are trying to understand any regulatory requirements for licenses and permits for your business. Every community college in North Carolina has a Small Business Center and they are a free resource with many community connections. 

The permitting and licensing process can feel a bit cumbersome at the outset, but the good thing is that there are a lot of resources and you don't have to do it alone. I like to frame tasks like this as a doable checklist instead of a dreaded inconvenience. Since I have to do it anyway, it feels more manageable when I treat it like a checklist.

Of course, I love a list! Here's a quick recap of each step of the process and I've linked a free tracker below that I made to help you stay organized throughout the process. 

1. Register your business with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
2. Get your EIN number at IRS.gov.
3. Call EDPNC and be ready to give them a list of products or services you plan to sell.
4. Visit this website for a list of all business and occupational licenses in NC.
5. Call your local economic development office to see if they can share any local regulatory requirements with you.
   
6. Meet with your local Small Business Center and tell them you are trying to cover any regulatory requirements for your business.
7. Hire a commercial realtor with expertise in your industry to help secure any needed physical space.
8. Call or visit the website of your state or federal regulatory agency. They will often have a pre-application checklist that you can use to understand all of the requirements. 

Want to track everything? I made you a free business permit and license tracker to record every permit or license you’ll need to open your business in North Carolina. Download it by entering your email here. 👇

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About Flourish In Growth 

We help business owners navigate the ups and downs of building the business they want. Our rules are: Clear, simple, no-fluff, and actionable! Stop doubting yourself. Meet your small business map—The Guided Small Business Planner™. This is a workbook guide with step-by-step instructions for building a strong business foundation. It's not a calendar. It's a guided journal.

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Overwhelmed by the Side Hustle Hype? Let’s Get Real

There’s a lot of talk in online spaces (Instagram, I’m looking at you) about how to earn a six-figure income in just a few hours a week. It’s easy to get lured in by big promises from people who say you can work four hours a day if you just buy into their mastermind program. 

Usually, these pitches come from someone claiming to have “figured it out” and now wants to sell you their secret. They’ll offer a free guide, then upsell you into a course that outlines their “proven” process. I’ve found myself rewatching more than one reel before realizing I was getting pulled into the hype. If it were that easy, we’d all be doing it! I find this type of messaging especially frustrating because it creates unrealistic expectations about what it actually takes to start and grow a business.

I’ve worked with thousands of business owners and have seen my share of scams. In this post, I’ll share ways to identify side hustles that are worth your time and evaluate whether they will actually work for you. But first, let’s talk about why you want a side hustle in the first place.

Why Do I Want a Side Hustle?

Before you pick a side hustle, ask yourself: Why am I doing this?

While entrepreneurship is a powerful and exciting path, sometimes we think we need a side hustle when we really just need to change jobs. The average salary increase when switching roles is 14%. That’s not true for every industry, but it’s worth considering before investing time and money into a side gig.

Here’s a quick comparison showing the difference between staying at the same job for 10 years versus switching jobs every two years with a 14% increase:

As you can see, switching roles regularly can result in a much higher income over time versus the somewhat standard cost-of-living increase of approximately 3% you may get from staying put.

Whether or not you start a side hustle, I encourage you to explore salary increases in your current field. A side hustle can be a great way to test out business ownership, but it’s not the only way to grow financially.

When I am starting something new, I find it helpful to name the outcome that I hope to achieve. For starting a side hustle it could be that you hope to open your own business that replaces your current income. But it could be more than that, it could be that you’ve always wanted to open a small coffee shop in your local downtown or that you want to continue a family business. Whatever your reason, find some quiet time to document why it’s driving you and the significance behind it.

Your Why, On A Personal Level

To help figure out your why, take a moment to reflect on what’s most important to you.

People often start side hustles to explore a new field, lean into something they love, or let go of the parts of their current job they don’t enjoy. To figure out what’s driving you, try answering the following questions:

1. What is my long-term goal with a side hustle?
2. How will I make money?
3. Who else is doing this well, and can I spend a few hours learning from them?
4. What would be the worst outcome of this?
5. What would be an acceptable outcome?
6. What would be the best outcome?
7. Why do I want to do this?
   

In the Owner section of The Guided Small Business Planner™, I walk through a step-by-step process to answer these questions. It’s designed to help you stay grounded and clear-headed—even when things get bumpy. You can see for yourself! Click here to get the first six pages of the Owner section for free. It will help you start to answer some of these questions!

How to Evaluate If a Side Hustle Is Right for You

There will always be trendy side hustles that seem like a great idea…until you dig in. I like to use a second set of practical questions to evaluate potential side hustles after I have named my why. This helps me ensure that the side hustle matches the intended outcome!

1. Will I need a lot of money to start this?
If so, who really benefits? (Think: programs, certifications, expensive inventory.)

2. What kind of hours will I need to work to make money?
Is it seasonal, late-night, or conflicting with my current responsibilities?

3. Does this align with my long-term goals or values?
Will it help me build skills, confidence, or a network that supports where I want to go?

4. Can I realistically sustain this with my current lifestyle?
Will it interfere with family time, your full-time job, or your mental health?

5. What’s the learning curve, and am I okay with that?
Will I spend more time learning than earning in the beginning?

6. Who is already successful in this space, and do I relate to their journey?
Are they in a similar life stage, or do they have resources I don’t?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. Instead, use them as your measuring stick against what you are willing to do and your expectations around it. 

Side Hustle or Surf Lesson?

If your goal is to explore entrepreneurship, think of your side hustle as a surf lesson. The first time out, you’ll catch a few small waves, have some fun, and get worn out. Over time, you’ll build skill and confidence. But it usually takes years of practice to get really good.

A lot of us—myself included—expect to start a business and become expert surfers overnight. I often have to remind myself that I’m going to fall off the board, get tossed around, have some great days, have some rough days, but most importantly, I’ll keep going.

If your goal is more short-term income, that’s okay too. You might look for higher-paying seasonal work, consulting gigs, or project-based roles. The key is to be honest about what you need and what you’re willing to give.

Not Sure How to Start Exploring? Here are 7 Side Hustles No One Talks About—But That Could Actually Work for You

These side hustle ideas are mostly intended as a way to help you think creatively about what could work for a potential side hustle. Like most things in life, there isn’t one perfect path for entrepreneurship, and you get to choose your next step!

Here are a few ideas that come to mind!

1. Digital Photo Organizer for Busy Professionals: I personally think you should start this one and help me! I have thousands of digital photos of my kids that I need to sort through!
2. Front Porch Decorator: Make my porch beautiful, every quarter, and I’m a happy gal! You could also explore doing this commercially for storefront owners who want a refresh.
3. Garden Coach (But Not a Gardener): If you love your hobby but don’t want to do it professionally, you can teach others how to get started instead. This doesn’t mean you won’t get your hands dirty at all, but generally, coaching is more about teaching others how to do it than doing it all yourself. You can offer this type of coaching for a lot of industries, but a business like this may have a longer lead time.
4. Mini Content Assistant for Local Businesses: Snap photos, write captions, and hand them off—small businesses are begging for help with this one. This one could be especially helpful for businesses that need beautiful imagery. I’m thinking of a local boutique, a bakery, or a restaurant with weekly specials.
5. Dinner Party Coordinator: Design themed evenings with menu suggestions, RSVPs, and decor ideas. Offer packages to hosts who want to impress without the stress.
6. Website/App Help: Are you tech-savvy? Support business owners with integrating tools like scheduling apps, payment platforms, or newsletter systems.
7. Professional Services: If you have a certification or license in certain fields, moonlighting or doing projects on the side for organizations that don’t compete with your current employer is often a great way to dip your toe in the water. Think engineering, law, bookkeeping, or other similar industries. 

These are just a few ideas to get you thinking differently about what’s possible. A side hustle doesn’t have to follow someone else’s script. It just has to fit your goals, your life, and your values.

Choose What Fits Your Life

Whether you're freelancing, picking up gig work, or building a small business, it helps to know what lane you're in. 

To recap:

Freelance – Skill-based work (writing, design, etc.), taxed like a business. Great for monetizing what you already know. It’s not uncommon that people start freelancing with a job here and there and slowly turn it into a business over time.

Gig – Quick, low-barrier income (rideshare, delivery, etc.). Easy to start, but limited scalability.

Small Business – Requires more setup and time, but offers higher long-term rewards and impact.

The key is choosing what fits your season and your goals.

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• How to Use a Small Business Planner to Set and Achieve Your Business Goals
• How Can You Start A Business Without Money? Tips for Beginners
• How to Start a Business from Scratch

About Flourish In Growth 

We help business owners navigate the ups and downs of building the business they want. Our rules are: Clear, simple, no-fluff, and actionable! Stop doubting yourself. Meet your small business map—The Guided Small Business Planner™. This is a workbook guide with step-by-step instructions for building a strong business foundation. It's not a calendar. It's a guided workbook. 

What is planning? When I think of planning, I think of hoped-for outcomes and taking a moment to decide what I want to happen and how I’m going to make it happen. It’s about being intentional.

Merriam-Webster defines “to plan” as “a method for achieving an end,” and that feels spot on. Planning is less about perfection and more about having a sense of direction. It’s about choosing your next steps with purpose.

Why Planning Is Essential for Small Business Owners

One of the biggest benefits of planning is that it helps you act based on your overall vision. Which in turn allows you to prioritize each month, week, and day. I love making decisions that line up with my values and the future I’m working toward!

I find that planning also takes a lot of the pressure off and almost automates some parts of my day. Because I’m mapping things out in advance, there’s also a lower mental load for my daily work, a huge win! Sure, it won’t take away every mistake or unknown, but it makes the process of building and running a business a whole lot easier. 

When most people think of planners, they think of a calendar and a goal or project tracker—something that may include a to-do list, appointments, and a daily or weekly plan. Those tools are great for projects and daily planning, but I have found that the challenge often lies in not knowing what tasks to write down and why they matter for your long-term business goals. When I talk about planning in this post, I’m talking about setting a big picture for what you hope to accomplish long-term and breaking it down into smaller steps that can then be put into a simple list. 

Think about it like this, The Guided Small Business Planner provides specific guidance for creating that big-picture plan for your business, while a calendar or generic project planner is about the exact activities you will do that day or week Since I love a good metaphor, let’s say you were building a house, you’d start with a list of features that you want to incorporate, then you’d work with an architect to create a blueprint of the space. The blueprint is then given to a builder to build the house. Of course, you’ll make changes along the way, but you wouldn’t go buy lumber and start building a house without a blueprint! The Guided Small Business Planner helps create your business blueprint so that you can build your business based on your vision. I’ll dive more into what makes a business planner a strong tool, but first, let’s talk about the benefits of using a paper product rather than a digital one.

Why Use a Physical Planner Instead of a Digital One?

I use a lot of digital tools in my work, and I love a good spreadsheet, but there’s something different about physically writing things down. Studies have shown that the physical act of writing leads to better understanding, comprehension, and memory. It helps your brain connect the dots in a different way. I’ve seen this firsthand from taking notes during a meeting versus typing them. I’ve also found that when I draw out a concept that is new or challenging, I remember it much more than typing a few bullet points. 

I’ve linked a few sources about this at the bottom of the post if you want to dive into the science behind writing versus typing! 

How a Physical Small Business Planner Supports Focus

Technology is distracting! Using a physical planner slows you down in a good way. It makes space for reflection. It helps retain focus, and it activates a larger portion of the brain as we process information! I find that I’m able to problem-solve more creatively and think outside of the box when I’m focused. 

What Type of Small Business Planner Is Right for You?

Not all planners are created equal, and not every type works for every business owner. Here are a few common ones to think about:

Daily or Calendar Planners

Great for managing appointments, to-dos, and daily structure. These help with time blocking and task tracking. I use a digital calendar for appointments and a time-blocking daily planner for my to-dos. 

Goal and Project Planners

Designed to help you break big goals into small steps, these are great when you have a specific outcome in mind, like launching a new product or hitting a revenue target. I love the Cultivate What Matters products for this!

Business Planners

There are two types of business planners. A generic one is structured like a day planner or calendar with space for you to name what you are going to do that week or day. I like these for being intentional about how my day or week is structured! A guided business planner is different because it’s intended to help you name and clarify your long-term and big-picture business goals. If you find yourself asking how to define your big picture and long-term goals, a guided, step-by-step planner can help you get the point of naming your daily task list.

How to Start Using a Small Business Planner

There’s no one “right way” to use a planner. But there is a right way for you. Start by asking: What kind of support do I need?

Start With the Big Picture

If you’re looking for big-picture clarity and intentional growth, something like The Guided Small Business Planner might be your best fit. It gives you space to define your business strategy, name your customers, and build a marketing plan, calculate revenue streams, and thoughtfully plan your brand presence. Then it provides real-life examples and templates for you to decide how it will come to life for your business. 

Get Specific With Daily Tasks

Once you have named your big picture, you may want to add a daily or project planner. They can be helpful if you’re juggling tasks, appointments, and responsibilities. A daily or calendar-style planner will help you manage your time and stay on track.

I use both! The Guided Small Business Planner has my marketing plan, ideal customer persona, my sales goals, my income goals, my operations, and my vision and mission. My calendar includes time blocking and my daily, weekly, and monthly to-dos. 

Comparing Popular Small Business Planner Options

Here’s a quick breakdown of how different types of planners stack up.

Start Planning With Purpose

As you build your business, remember that it’s okay to pause and change your mind! 

I designed The Guided Small Business Planner to be your quiet space to reflect, plan, build, reset, and decide what matters most, and then take real steps to make it happen.

We'd love to hear: Do you have a favorite tool for planning?

Are you inspired to pick one up? Please share in the comments!

You May Also Enjoy

• How Can You Start A Business Without Money? Tips for Beginners
• How to Start a Business from Scratch
• How to Become a Woman-Owned Certified Business

About Flourish In Growth 

We help business owners navigate the ups and downs of building the business they want. Our rules are: Clear, simple, no-fluff, and actionable! Stop doubting yourself. Meet your small business map—The Guided Small Business Planner™. This is a workbook guide with step-by-step instructions for building a strong business foundation. It's not a calendar. It's a guided workbook. 

Sources: 

• Why writing by hand is better for memory and learning – Scientific American
• NPR: The science behind why handwriting still matters
• Gaze and Hand Position Effects on Finger-Movement-Related Human Brain Activation