As COVID-tmes drag on and on, I have been isolating at home, keeping a low profile. I am staying connected to my network, seeing what the word on the street is. I have been working on my shtick – 50 episodes of Dis!Organize down, another 50 to go! And I have been monitoring the job space, for what it is.

Not much.

So, I must turn my mind to self-employment. I am not an entrepreneur by nature. I prefer to be behind the scenes, making others’ brand and products shine bright. However, needs must.

I have zero idea how to start a company, so I started googling the steps to do so here in B.C.
I flipped around a bunch of governmental sites trying to work out the order I need to go in.

It starts with getting a BCeID. Oh, to get that, you need to check the register that your trading name is available. It takes 2 weeks. OK! Turns out “This Much We Know” is available.

Now, where was I 2 weeks ago in ordering my thoughts? Next, I sign up for the ID that enables me to sign up for WorkSafeBC; and I think is required to sign up for Federal GST through the CRA. Then I discuss with WorkBC about a self-employment program. I get confused when WorkBC call me and I think I am talking to WorkSafeBC.

I am 3-4 steps in and I am already discombobulated and, more importantly, uncertain. Although there are checklists and plenty of online resources, it is all so detailed that I don’t know if I am heading down dead ends or towards a magical future.

Will I get 5 or 6 chits completed only to find 2 of them are incorrect and I need another 4 different certifications or sign-offs?

This is all with English as a first language.

I wish there was a listicle:

THE 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO DO TO DO SOME CONSULTING LEGALLY.

A lot of self-employment surely starts with someone being offered a small project off the side of their desk that they want to claim legally. Where is the process for that kind of worker?!

What is the MVP I require? Someone told me I just need an address on an invoice and ensure the CRA knows about it at year end, until I reach $30k revenue. Is that so?! Then…why I am filling out all these other forms and putting those fees on my credit card?

Oooof.

This Much We Know.