Hiring lawyers, accountant, book keeper?

[Davidl]

When opening a business who are the most common people to hire?

Like for instance few that come to mind are

1. lawyer - I always hear this but when do you need to consult with one? Average rate?
2. accountant/book keeper - Average rate of a book keeper and accountant? do you need both or is a book keeper the same as an accountant?
3. broker - What fees do you save when using a broker and at what quantity does it benefit?
4. graphic designer

Are there any you would recommend that aren't on the list?

[WhiskersSoapShop]

I think it depends on what you're doing and at what scale you will be doing it. I have not hired any of these, almost had some graphics work done but ended up spending a bit longer and being happy with the results of my own work. If you're in an industry where there liability or safety is a factor, say if you're are going to have a store front or provide a physical service then i would absolutely have a lawyer go over everything. What kind of broker are you asking about? Our volume makes it easy enough for us to do our own bookkeeping, with the tax season fast approaching I will soon know if that was a mistake or not.

Just my $.02

[Freelancier]

1. You get a lawyer when you have legal questions you can't answer via a quick google search.
2. You get an accountant as soon as money is involved, which usually means right at the beginning. You get a bookkeeper when you no longer have time to do it yourself.
3. You use a broker when that's the best way to handle the purchasing situation; otherwise you do it yourself.
4. You get a graphic designer when you're ready to create your marketing image, which is also usually early in the process.

I'd instead start with the idea, figure out if the idea has the potential for strong profitability, then figure out what you need to do to start doing the idea. From there, you'll figure out who you need as you talk with suppliers, government people, etc.