You will need a federal and state one. In this case, I would hold off until you form an LLC. I would make that your very first step - form an LLC, then operate everything else under that entity - get your banking, employer identification number, state and federal, insurance coverage, etc., everything under that name.

You'll thank me later.

quote:
What kind of liability insurance would I need, if any at all and how much.

The problem is going to be that you'll be in the place of a manufacturer, which can expose you to some liability. I would contact Zurich first, as they seem to do a lot of that business.

quote:
Anything else I would need to get started that I'm missing?

Doing the LLC from the beginning will simply this process, but you need to keep everything separate for tax purposes. Keep separate accounts, reimburse youself for business expenses you incur out of personal funds, etc., even if you're operating as a sole proprietorship (which I highly discourage), you'll need to keep your business separate for tax time.

I would plan to operate at a loss for 3 years. Get your tax advisor to help make that happen. That will subsidize your operating expenses by reducing your day job tax liability and defer profits until you have to declare them. That likely won't be a problem with a small startup. However, just like everything else in life - EVERYTHING comes with a cost.

However, as long as you don't go overboard, good legal and tax advice up front, will more than repay those expenses, with interest, down the line.

See if there are small business startup resources in your area, like an incubator, or whatnot. Some of them have inexpensive or free business plan help, and staffing assistance while you get going. I strongly recommend writing a business plan yourself, or having someone competent draft one for you. It's shocking to compare the success rates of those startups that follow/don't follow this step.

Good luck. Lots of people on government assistance are depending on your success.