"Sergeant Colon had had a broad education. He’d been to the School of My Dad Always Said, the College of It Stands to Reason, and was now a post-graduate student at the University of What Some Bloke In the Pub Told Me."
Terry Pratchett - Jingo

Sadly, many business forums are awash with forthright individuals who have followed a similar educational path, merrily dispensing their perceived wisdom to anyone daft enough to take it. These are the people who will tell you that it is perfectly acceptable to have your Chinese supplier classify your imports as gifts to evade Customs, that you don't have to register as a business if you are only selling on eBay, and so on. These Colonesque types thrive because there are many who are happy to take what they say as Gospel, as it is often more palatable than the truth.

Following such advice can, however, get you into serious trouble. We therefore recommend that you take proper professional advice when setting up in business. Many accountants will offer an initial interview free of charge, or for a nominal fee. There are also other sources of free advice, such as Business Link - check out our Linkblog for details.