[Blake]

Select goods to trade. Start-up Biz Hub recommends trading food to begin with because "there will always be a market for food, so it will be much easier to find companies that sell different kinds of products." Once established in trading food items, you can begin importing and exporting other goods such as clothing, electronics and appliances.Determine licensing requirements. Trade agents do not have to be federally licensed--except for those who import and export the following items: food, livestock, tobacco, alcohol, firearms and copyrighted materials such as CDs or DVDs. Phone the United States Department of Commerce and ask what other import/export goods require federal licensing. In addition, phone your state's commerce department and ask about licensing requirements as well as the county you will operate in to determine if you need a permit to send and receive domestic and foreign goods.