Setting up as self-employed or a shopkeeper

The job market does not always have the kinds of opportunities you are looking for. No surprise then that more and more people are setting up for themselves.

There are a lot of advantages: you can run your own business, enjoy a better life-work balance and express your innovative spirit. Unfortunately, lots of self-employed people are forced to cease trading within a few years or even months, so you need to be aware of the risks.

To ensure you are fully prepared, the formalities you need to fulfil before you can start working for yourself are listed on the pages that follow. See also the guide for businesspeople page on this website, which covers the essential steps in the life of a business.

You should also check out the subsidies and grants for start-ups (FR/NL), which can help you drive your project forward in the early stages.