I’m considering starting a business and reselling items on Amazon. The items are generic and are designed to be branded before selling (Example, generic mug with applied image). In order to get a proper profit maragin, many resellers purchase from sites like Alibaba that connect you with overseas manufactures. Holding a security clearance, this raises a problem due to foreign contact. Does anyone have any insight on what’s the best way to conduct business with foreign companies (alibaba would be the middle man) while holding a clearance to prevent clearance revocation? Is it impossible? Maybe get significant other to only have contact? File for an LLC and then initiate contact? Wanted to get insight before I approach my security officer or should I drop the entrepreneur idea…
Buying foreign products should not be an issue. I own a German made car and have used an Israeli mechanic to repair it. Now, having said that, the Chinese are very different than the Germans and the Israelis. You may need to be very careful about whose products you are importing. Many Chinese companies have very, very, close ties with the government or the military. I doubt that you want to fund the Chinese Communist Party.
Incorporating is a great idea in any case. Also, with a clearance, you need to make certain that all of your tax filings are in order. Too many people think that they can do a job like this and overlook reporting their profits properly.
I don’t have a clearance but i was thinking of doing the same thing. And update on whether this causes issues for someone applying for/with a clearance?