How to Start a Business with a Criminal Record?

Managing to get a job when you have a criminal record can be incredibly tough. People make mistakes all the time but some of them are big enough to have an impact on your life, especially if you end up with a criminal record as a result of them. When this happens, getting a job can seem like an impossible task, however, with perseverance and some out of the box thinking it is achievable. For example, one option is to start your own business.

Starting up your own business means that you are in control. You won’t have to worry about passing an interview or having a potential employer judge you for having a criminal record. There are a few things that you cannot do though; you cannot have a business that has anything to do with medicine, law, finance or dangerous materials. Luckily, there are plenty of other options to explore.

Starting a Business is Easy

Just because you can’t become a doctor, lawyer, or financial advisor doesn’t mean that you can’t start a successful career with a criminal record. Once you know what you can’t do, you can focus on what you could do. Once you have an idea in mind, starting a business is easy. First you register your business and virtually anyone can create a new business entity. However, the fees for doing this depend on where you live, so that’s something that you should take into consideration.

If you are worried about not having enough money to start your business, you’ll need to plan ahead. Sure, it’d be great if you didn’t have to worry about money, but this is the real world. However, there are a few things that you can do to help yourself save on the upfront costs. For example, you could hire a lawyer to file your business paperwork for you, or you could take care of it yourself which is a far more affordable option. If your business is only small, it’s easy enough to fill out the relevant forms, such as a tax return, yourself. It takes about five minutes and you’ll be all sorted.

How to Get a Loan

When it comes to getting a loan though, this is where things get tough. Getting a loan is harder for someone with a criminal record, as background checks might screen you out of landing your funds. Lenders use background checks to determine whether or not someone is trustworthy, as they will rely on your repayment schedule being met for their own financial health. It is assumed that those with criminal records cannot be trusted, and it can be difficult to find lenders that take a looser approach to this ruling.

However, they are out there if you look hard enough. You might find that they charge higher rates for their loans because they’re in a position of power as one of only a few lenders you can choose from. Depending on how much you can afford to pay back, this is where considering applying for a pardon might be your best option.

There are establishments designed to help you have success in this quest all over the world; you can get pardons from many place, just check out Pardons Canada, or in most American states, and in Europe to name just a few. You could have your criminal record wiped forever if you’re lucky, but if you’re not successful it’s not the end of the world.

For those who do have to try and make a life for themselves against the odds of a criminal record, it is important to remember that you do still have rights as a citizen. You don’t have to accept the judgements of others as fact; with enough motivation you can be successful in life even if it means following paths you might not have considered before. Lots of people make mistakes that could harm their career prospects, you don’t have to let them define you.