Polish Permanent Residence (want to start a life in Poland)

Good day gurus and Knowledgeable people,

I am a foreigner living in Poland. I am interested in making some clarifications regarding Permanent Residence Card application from those who have passed through the process or who have a clearer Idea of how things works in Poland.

1. When does it start counting my stay in Poland? when I came into Poland or will it be when I got my 1st TRC (Temporal Residence Card)?
For example, let assume I came into Poland in June 20, 2022, but got my first TRC in June15 2024?

2. Is there any salary cap I need to meet before I can apply for the card? I know that, there is one if I am interested in applying for Blue Card. Please do note that I earn above the Polish minimum wage and have been paying my taxes judiciously.

3. Assuming, I am to travel to my home country to visit my parents and siblings, what is the maximum number of months I could stay out of Poland and still be in legal perspective to apply for the Permanent residence when the time reaches? I don't want to overstay which will reset my time of stay in Poland, thereby triggering it to start counting afresh.

4. Is there any lawyer here who offers services in pro bono basis to foreigners or someone with knowledge about Polish law as regards to foreigners and TRC application. I would wish to apply my subsequent Residence Cards myself rather than engaging the services of Lawyers charging exorbitant fees.

5. In a situation I met a Polish woman, in which we are mutually attracted to each other and decided to move the relationship higher, is there a way to keep my TRC based on other reason rather than tying it to my marriage to her? Have heard scary stories of how things went south, and the foreign partner is on the extreme end of immigration issues based on marriage failure and challenges with trauma etc. Don't wish to put my stay and everything at the control of her just because I got married to her.

6. I am currently learning Polish and trying to practice the little I know myself when out there. Is there any advice you can give to know how to combine the verbs with the appropriate subjects? Also, always have issues putting the feminine and masculine words separately when speaking. For example, biznessmanka and biznessman.

7. Lastly,it is my dream to establish a business in the food sector especially restaurant business. Is there any way a foreigner can get little grants or funding from government agency or find interested and willing business partner willing to invest? Of course, the partner will take the higher investment percentage (Angel investor while I take care of the service delivery and frontal business), as well guide in trying to meet the legal holes involved in establishing the business.
My polish is not that great to engage is trying to learn or set it up myself. Once walked in urzad miasto to make such enquires, but walked out from the office more confused than I walked in. I am very optimistic that, this business will excel going by the fact that, it will be exotic and tasty meals. Open to discussion on this should someone want to make further enquiries or interested.

Enquiries from a foreigner interested in breaking free and reaching his full potential as an adult in Poland.

In Poland, you are expected to pay. Not paying requires a lot of research on your own which in the end is not worth it. Lawyers in Poland are relatively inexpensive so my take is to work with them. I'm not sure if there are grants for foreigners (if you are from an EU country you are not a "foreigner" in Poland).

@Ron2
I am not from EU, hence the reason for my question. As for your advice, I think I will stick to using the lawyers and hand over power of attorney to them.
As for setting up a business what is your view on that? can I be able to set it up without any complications or must I enlist the services of consultants that helps to do such?

If you're living in Poland there is no need to give them power of attorney. Just use their services in the normal way.

A lot of the questions you have can be answered just by looking at the official information portals which are available in English.

mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl/en/potrzebuje-informacji/na-temat

Recently when I was in Poland, I went to a bar (mostly gyros-kind food) where owners and attendants hardly spoke Polish (I showed them on the menu what I want to order). The food was good and Poles visited the place every day. So I guess it's possible to make it happen if you are a foreigner in Poland. I'd start small and build your reputation. Perhaps you don't even have to rent a place but take online orders only if you plan to establish in a city and save on renting and other fees.

Thanks for the link. It is my first time of coming across them. I will definitely go through it later.

I didn't know it is possible that way. Moreover, to avoid running into issues for running unregistered business is what I am afraid of.