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Startup Checklist, A Comprehensive List

June 21, 2021
Bill Kimball

startup checklist

Find people who you can trust, who fill in the gaps in your skills, and who have a network you can use. Small startups don’t need much processuse good judgmentis usually enough.

startup checklist

Start generating revenue as soon as possible. Get your website up and running as soon as possible. Even if your product is not yet built, you can start with company information. You may need one, if not several, business licenses for your startup, depending on your industry and where you are located. Most licenses are at the state or local level. Here in the United States, the SBA has a helpful business license and permits tool.

Obtain Business Insurance

The general process here is identifying keywords your ideal users use to look for similar products, and advertise on them. For each content piece you publish, look for people who wrote about similar topics, and reach out to them asking for a share.

The branding section of a starting a business checklist is a bit more self-explanatory, so we’ll just give it to you as it comes. Starting a business does not have to be some extra-difficult task. With the right planning and a methodical approach, your startup should be poised to join the 10% that succeed—you are only nine steps away from being a small business owner. Payroll funding for small businesses could be the break you’ve been looking for. Small businesses can use payroll factoring as often as necessary to maintain a solid level of working capital. Articles of Incorporation— decide how you want your business structure to look, legally speaking.

But this all goes around coming up with the perfect environment for your company and its respective culture. Make sure everyone knows their place and role in the company. Pinpoint your co-founder or the experts, hopefully very qualified specialists, in the areas that will be key to your business. It’s crucial to work with people with whom you can keep a long-standing business relationship, but also who bring value to your business table. And keep an eye out for their knowledge in the field into which you’ll make a living.

Use cloud-based software for peace of mind. Software is getting more powerful and intuitive.

Write A Business Plan

You’ll want to ping them and ask for support once you launch on PH . Gather a list of journalists that wrote about your competition. You’re going to email them during launch and ask for a feature.

Also, it’s important to reserve your brand as a profile name. You want a name that will stick in your target audience’s heads.

  • Pick up that read as it might just save you countless hours of a gigantic headache with the same exercise being necessary as much-needed business homework.
  • This starting a business checklist includes the most important tasks to get you started.
  • All of these are questions that you must answer in your market research.
  • Believe it or not, it isn’t luck, genius or predestination—it is hard work and solid organization.
  • Use tools like Hunter.io or Clearbit Connect to find the journalist’s email addresses.

This means have a method to process orders, pay bills, pay employees, pay taxes, maintain your permits, etc. Basically, try to make the operational aspect of the business as automated and efficient as possible so you can concentrate on growing your business.

New Business Startup Checklist

key to customer loyalty and higher sales.If you think it’s just for big business, think again; a brand is critical for businesses of all shapes and sizes. A good business idea isn’t just one that turns a profit. It’s one that’s a good fit for you personally, for your target market, and for your location. You’re going to be in business for the long haul, so you really should pick something you can live and breathe. I’ve broken the tasks down into manageable categories and included links that will help you complete each stage of getting started.

At this stage, outlining ownership stakes and pulling together a founding team is critical. We offer various incorporation packages to get your business up and running. Starting from $99 and includes 6 months FREE Registered Agent services. A company website allows you to establish your brand and will be the first opportunity to make an impression with customers. Discuss your particular industry and business needs with your insurance agent to obtain the appropriate type and amount of insurance. Set up your business accounting/bookkeeping. Be prepared to account for all disbursements, payments received, invoices, accounts receivable/payable, etc.

Typically a PowerPoint, Keynote, Prezi, or some other presentation software is used to prepare a group of slides that tell the story of your business. An executive summary is a more robust sales pitch for your business, distilling each key area of your business down into a paragraph or two to convey your business quickly. Your short, 2-3 sentence description of your idea. You want a rehearsed synopsis of your startup to pitch whenever the opportunity arises. It provides the owner with personal asset protection from the debts and liabilities of the company. Plan, fund, and grow your business Achieve your business funding goals with a proven plan format. Easily write a business plan, secure funding, and gain insights.

It also establishes a favorable credit history. Select an accountant and attorney you can turn to for advice when starting out, as well as throughout the life of the business. Prepare a business plan that outlines your business goals, operating procedures, competitors, as well as the company’s current and desired funding.

startup checklist

Fundable is not a registered broker-dealer and does not offer investment advice or advise on the raising of capital through securities offerings. Fundable does not recommend or otherwise suggest that any investor make an investment in a particular company, or that any company offer securities to a particular investor.

Reach out to all the journalists you listed in the last step and pitch your product. The PoV of the pitch should be “hey, you wrote about . We have a similar product, but here’s how ours stands out…” To learn more about this approach, check out this article. If you did pre-launch marketing, launch an email to anyone that pre-signed for your product.

You’re almost ready to go; just a few more details to work though. Once you’ve found your business location, or set up an office, and set the hiring motions in process, you’ll be ready to begin marketing. If you need a jump start on your plan, you can download our free business plan template or check out our library of business plan examples. Don’t use your personal account, even if you’re just starting out. It’s always wise to keep your business finances separate.

If you’ll need to look for investments, seed funding, credits, or grants, then it’s great to add a breakdown of those areas as part of your tasks. We know each program is a world full of lists and requirements, so it’s best to consider this one a significant phase of your startup creation cycle. It’s part of every list as you work on a starting a business checklist. Just bear in mind that you can keep growing as you go. It’s okay to need a little organizing before we can successfully create the company of our dreams or just the next one on our list. We just don’t want anything to keep you from building your startup, so here are a few ideas to get you going.

Create Social Network Accounts

Fund a startup by raising money from investors in exchange for part ownership of the company. SeeHello, Startup,Hello, Startup Reading List, andHow to Start a Startup. We hope you find this list useful for launching your startup. If you need help with any of the items, or just need feedback and advice, contact us atGruntwork. There are many types of insurance for businesses but they are usually packaged as “General Business Insurance” or a “Business Owner’s Policy”.