Starting a business is one of the best things you can do to build wealth. But figuring out where to begin can feel overwhelming, especially with legal paperwork, branding, and logistics on your plate from day one.

The good news is you don’t have to figure it all out yourself. Millions of people, including us, have started successful businesses—and many now use platforms like LegalZoom to simplify the legal and administrative side of launching. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel or spend weeks researching everything. Use our experience—and the tools we recommend below—as your blueprint.

24 Steps to Start a Business

Here are the steps to starting a business:

First, define your business

#1 Put together a very high-level and basic business plan

You wouldn’t take a long road trip without a map. Your business deserves the same kind of planning. Start by answering two key questions:

What do you need to do to reach profitability?
How are you going to pay for those things?

Don’t overthink it—just be realistic. Do your research, know your numbers, and document your trajectory. Even a basic business plan can serve as a compass for your first 6 to 12 months.

If you’re unsure where to start with legal structure or paperwork, LegalZoom offers excellent resources and services to help with forming your business and staying compliant.

#2 Come up with a name

Coming up with a name is one of the most creative (and frustrating) parts of starting a business. It needs to be brandable, memorable, and easy to say. You don’t need something like “Yahoo” or “Spotify”—just something you love and can confidently sell.

We’ve written a full guide to how to buy the right domain name, but here’s a quick version of what matters most when picking a name:

Be confident in it. If you don’t love the name, you’ll have a hard time selling it. You’ll say it hundreds of times a month—make sure it resonates with you.
Pick something unique. Do a Google search and make sure no one in your industry already has it.
It should be brandable and simple. Avoid overly clever names that are hard to spell or remember.
Secure the .com domain. This is critical for credibility. You’ll also want to check if that name is available through a service like LegalZoom’s business name search to make sure it’s legally available in your state.

Here’s a great process for coming up with a business name:

Brainstorm every word or concept related to your business or product.
Turn those ideas into name candidates. Use a free business name generator to spark ideas if you’re stuck.
Search each name on Google. Eliminate anything that overlaps with existing brands.
Check for domain availability. You can also use LegalZoom to do a trademark and entity name search to avoid legal issues down the road.

More tips to vet your name:

Visualize the name on signage or merch.
Say it out loud. “Hi, I’m Casey from [Business Name]…”
Ask friends and family for feedback.
Let it sit. Do you keep coming back to the same name after a few days?

#3 Buy your domain name

Your domain name is more than just an address—it’s your online identity. Treat it like a real asset.

Don’t hesitate to spend real money here. A premium domain can make your business look 10x more legitimate from day one. We’ve reviewed the best domain registrars to help you get started.

Even if you’re not ready to launch the full website, owning the domain early gives you flexibility—and protects your brand down the line.

Once you lock in your name and domain, try to claim matching social media handles across key platforms. They don’t have to be perfect matches, but consistency helps brand recognition.

Even if you don’t plan to use social right away, reserve the names to avoid problems later. Just holding those accounts can prevent competitors or trolls from grabbing them first.

#5 Develop a brand identity

Brand identity includes your logo, colors, fonts, and visual personality. It’s how customers recognize and relate to you.

You can use 99 Designs to crowdsource design options, or hire a local designer. You can always iterate later—just get something decent up front to build from.

#6 Set up a Google Workspace account

Google Workspace gives you professional email (you@yourdomain.com), shared calendars, Google Docs, and cloud storage—all under your brand domain.

It starts at $6 per user per month and is well worth it. Set this up once your domain is secured so you can begin communicating with partners, clients, and vendors professionally.

#7 Create a basic, foundational website

Your website doesn’t need to be fancy. A single-page site with your name, logo, description, and contact info is enough to start. Platforms like Squarespace let you get this done in under an hour.

As your business grows, you can scale up or move to WordPress using our step-by-step guide. But get that first version live early. It’ll help establish credibility and give people a way to find you.

#8 Get some business cards

Business cards still matter—especially when you’re meeting people face-to-face. Your branding package (from 99 Designs or elsewhere) should include card templates you can send to printers like Vista Print.

Keep them simple. We recommend leaving off your phone number and writing it in only when appropriate. That makes every card you hand out feel a little more personal.

#9 Find an accountant and an attorney

This is something a lot of founders delay—but the sooner you do it, the better. Having legal and tax guidance early on can prevent big issues later. If you’re not sure where to start, LegalZoom offers affordable legal plan subscriptions that connect you with licensed business attorneys.

You can also explore platforms like UpCounsel if you want more bespoke legal help. For taxes, look for CPAs who specialize in small business or startups—they’ll help with accounting systems and tax structure.

#10 Set up an LLC

Forming an LLC protects your personal assets and makes your business look more legitimate. You can do this through a lawyer, or use an online legal service like LegalZoom to file everything for you quickly and affordably. They’ll also help with compliance, annual reports, and registered agent services if needed.

Setting up your LLC is one of the most important steps in this guide. It separates you from your business financially and legally—which can be crucial down the road.

#11 Get an EIN

Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is like a Social Security number for your business. It’s required to open a bank account, file taxes, hire employees, and set up payroll.

You can get one for free directly through the IRS website. If you’re forming your business through a service like LegalZoom, they can handle your EIN application during the LLC formation process.

#12 Create an operating agreement

Even if you’re a solo founder, an operating agreement helps define how your business runs. It outlines ownership, decision-making procedures, and what happens if someone leaves or the business closes.

For solo LLCs, this document is often just a formality—but it’s still worth doing. LegalZoom offers customizable operating agreement templates that you can adapt easily, even if you don’t have a lawyer involved.

#13 File necessary paperwork with your state

Depending on your location and business type, you may need to file specific documents like business licenses, fictitious business names, or seller’s permits. If you use an attorney, they can handle this for you. If not, LegalZoom’s business license tool will walk you through state requirements and file everything on your behalf.

#14 Open a business bank account

You’ll need your EIN and LLC paperwork for this step. Most entrepreneurs stick with the same bank they already use for personal accounts, but make sure you’re opening a truly separate business account to avoid legal and tax headaches.

Watch out for upsells. We’ve had issues in the past with bundled services that weren’t worth the hassle. Stick to banking for banking—and find better tools elsewhere for payroll and accounting.

#15 Set up a payroll service for employees and contractors

We recommend Gusto for payroll. It’s intuitive, reliable, and handles tax filings and forms automatically.

You don’t need to activate payroll until you have employees, but it’s smart to have the system ready. That way, when you’re ready to scale, you won’t be scrambling.

#16 Set up QuickBooks

QuickBooks is the go-to accounting platform for small businesses. Set it up from day one to track expenses, generate reports, and simplify tax season.

Don’t wait to backfill data. Get it set up early and keep it current—it’ll save you hours later.

#17 Put a basic accounting system in place

Whether you work with an accountant or go solo with QuickBooks, having a system is essential. Track all income and expenses, and meet your quarterly tax obligations.

LegalZoom even offers bookkeeping services if you’d prefer to outsource this part entirely, freeing you up to focus on growth.

#18 Start using a project management solution from day one

Don’t wait until you hire employees to start managing work. Tools like Trello and Asana let you organize tasks, deadlines, and notes—even if you’re a solo operator.

#19 Build an internal wiki system from day one

Document everything. From onboarding steps to process checklists, a wiki makes it easier to train future hires and scale operations.

We recommend Confluence for this. It becomes the single source of truth for your business.

#20 Set up a Slack account

Slack is great for team communication. Start with the free plan and upgrade later. It integrates with nearly every modern business tool and makes collaboration easier—even with remote freelancers or contractors.

#21 Set up a conference call number

Tools like GoToMeeting make it easy to host video and audio calls with clients, partners, and team members. Many startups overlook this step but having a professional conference solution is useful as soon as you begin having serious conversations.

#22 Set up 1Password

Security matters from day one. 1Password lets you securely store all your business logins and easily share them with teammates without compromising security.

#23 Create a subscription tracker

Once your tools stack starts growing, you’ll need to track subscriptions. A simple Google Sheet or Airtable can help you monitor monthly costs, renewal dates, and what card each service is tied to.

#24 Create a strategic plan for the next 12 months

You already built a basic business plan—now it’s time to get more specific. Set one big 12-month goal, then break that into quarterly and monthly action items. Track metrics, evaluate progress, and adjust as needed.

Even if you’re a team of one, this keeps you focused and purposeful—especially in the chaotic early stages of building a company.

How to Start a Business in 24 Simple Steps