If you are planning to start your business, one of the first questions you need to ask yourself is what kind of business structure or trading vehicle suits your needs? This will help you define how the business is organized and dictate what rights and obligations the business has. Depending on the stage of the development of your business, different structures may be more or less suitable. For most start-ups and small businesses, the most common structures are sole proprietorship, partnerships, and companies - private & public. Here we shall explore these options.