Starting a business is one of the most reliable paths to building wealth and independence. The hardest part is often knowing where to start—especially when you’re juggling legal setup, branding, finances, and operations at the same time, whether it’s an online business, a local service, or an ecommerce brand.

The good news: you don’t have to figure it out from scratch. Millions of founders (including me) have launched successful companies—and many streamline the legal and administrative work with platforms like LegalZoom. Instead of reinventing the wheel or spending weeks lost in research on how to start a business, use this step-by-step guide—and the vetted tools below—as your blueprint.

24 Steps to Start a Business

Here are the steps to starting a business. Work through them in order, check off each item, and you’ll move from idea to operational—without missing critical legal, financial, or operational details. Use this as a startup checklist you can adapt for online, local, and hybrid businesses.

  1. Put together a very high-level and basic business plan
  2. Come up with a name
  3. Buy your domain name
  4. Secure social media accounts
  5. Develop a brand identity
  6. Set up a Google Workspace account
  7. Create a basic, foundational website
  8. Get some business cards
  9. Find an accountant and an attorney
  10. Set up an LLC
  11. Get an EIN
  12. Create an operating agreement
  13. File necessary paperwork with your state
  14. Open a business bank account
  15. Set up a payroll service for employees and contractors
  16. Set up QuickBooks
  17. Put a basic accounting system in place
  18. Start using a project management solution from day one
  19. Build an internal wiki system from day one
  20. Set up a Slack account
  21. Set up a conference call number
  22. Set up 1Password
  23. Create a subscription tracker
  24. Create a strategic plan for the next 12 months

First, define your business

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

You wouldn’t take a long road trip without directions. Give your business the same advantage. Start by answering two essential questions that clarify your path and funding needs:

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

Keep it short but concrete: define your target customer, the problem you solve, your first 3–5 acquisition channels, ballpark startup costs, and a simple break-even estimate. A one-page plan is enough to guide your first 6–12 months and keep decisions grounded in numbers.

You can use AI tools to brainstorm customer segments, offers, and pricing scenarios, but sanity-check everything against real-world research and conversations with potential buyers.

If you’re unsure where to begin with legal structure or compliance, LegalZoom offers resources and services for formation, registered agent needs, and ongoing compliance so you can move fast without skipping essentials.

#2 Come up with a name

Naming is equal parts creativity and due diligence. Aim for brandable, memorable, and easy to pronounce. You don’t need a made-up word; you need a name you’re proud to say and confident to sell.

I’ve written a full guide to how to buy the right domain name. Here’s the short list of what matters most when picking a name:

  • Be confident in it. If the name doesn’t feel right, you’ll hesitate to pitch it. You’ll say it constantly—choose one that fits your vision.
  • Pick something unique. Run a Google search and make sure no close competitors are using it—or anything confusingly similar.
  • Keep it simple and brandable. Avoid tricky spellings or inside jokes that don’t scale.
  • Secure the .com if possible. It boosts credibility. Also check availability via LegalZoom’s business name search to confirm it’s legally usable in your state, and cross-check with your Secretary of State’s database.

Here’s a fast, effective naming process:

  1. Brainstorm words and themes tied to your offer, audience, and outcomes.
  2. Turn favorites into name candidates (name generators and AI tools can help spark ideas).
  3. Google each candidate and cut anything overlapping existing brands.
  4. Check domain availability. You can also use LegalZoom for trademark and entity name searches to avoid problems later.

More quick ways to vet your name:

  • Mock it up on a website header, business card, or packaging.
  • Say it out loud: “Hi, I’m Casey from [Business Name] …” It should sound natural.
  • Get honest feedback from people in your target audience.
  • Sleep on it. If you still love it after a few days, you’re close.

#3 Buy your domain name

Your domain isn’t just an address—it’s a brand asset. Treat it like one. Short, clear, and on-brand domains are easier to remember, type, and trust.

Be willing to invest here. A strong domain can make your business look 10× more credible on day one. I’ve reviewed the best domain registrars to help you compare pricing, WHOIS privacy, and renewals.

Even if you’re not ready to launch the full site, lock the domain now. Turn on auto-renew, enable privacy, and consider buying common misspellings or key TLD variations to protect your brand. If the exact .com is taken, look at clean alternatives (like adding “get” or “join”) instead of settling for a confusing name.

#4 Secure social media accounts

After you choose your name and domain, claim matching handles across key platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok). Exact matches are ideal, but clean, consistent variants work too.

Even if you won’t post right away, reserving handles prevents imposters, protects your reputation, and keeps future campaigns simple. Add your logo, a one-line description, and your website link to each profile, and use the same headshot or brand mark everywhere for instant recognition.

#5 Develop a brand identity

Your brand identity—logo, colors, fonts, and voice—helps customers recognize and trust you. Aim for a simple, flexible system you can use on your website, social profiles, proposals, and packaging.

You can crowdsource options via 99designs by Vista or hire a designer. Create a one-page style guide (color codes, fonts, logo usage, voice examples) so everything you publish looks consistent from day one—and so AI tools you use later can follow your brand voice more accurately.

#6 Set up a Google Workspace account

Google Workspace gives you professional email (you@yourdomain.com), shared calendars, Docs/Sheets, and Drive—under your own domain. It’s a low-cost way to look credible and collaborate efficiently.

Business Starter typically runs around $8–$9 per user/month on flexible billing (lower on annual). Check current pricing during signup, as Google adjusts plan rates periodically.

After setup, add SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records with your domain registrar to improve email deliverability and protect your brand from spoofing. Do this early so sales and support emails land in inboxes instead of spam.

#7 Create a basic, foundational website

Your first site can be simple: a one-page overview with your value proposition, services or products, a brief “About,” and clear contact options. Builders like Squarespace make this fast.

Publish early, then iterate. Add essentials like a contact form, basic SEO titles/descriptions, a privacy policy, and Google Analytics/Search Console. As you grow, you can migrate to WordPress using my step-by-step guide and expand into a full site or store with content marketing, blogs, and landing pages.

#8 Get some business cards

Business cards still work at events and meetings. Your branding package should include print-ready files you can send to printers like VistaPrint.

Keep the design clean. Consider adding a QR code to your website or calendar link. I often leave the phone number off the card and write it in when appropriate to keep outreach personal.

#9 Find an accountant and an attorney

Don’t wait on this. Early legal and tax guidance prevents costly mistakes. If you’re unsure where to start, LegalZoom offers affordable legal plan subscriptions that connect you with licensed business attorneys for advice.

For specialized support, platforms like UpCounsel can help you find counsel by expertise. For taxes, look for a CPA who works with small businesses—ideally one who can advise on entity choice, write-offs, sales tax and payroll obligations, and a bookkeeping stack that fits your model.

#10 Set up an LLC

An LLC protects your personal assets and adds credibility. You can hire a lawyer or use a formation service like LegalZoom to file quickly and affordably. They can also handle registered agent services and annual filings so you stay compliant.

This step separates your personal and business finances and liability—critical both for credibility with customers and protection as you scale. If you’re unsure whether an LLC, S corporation election, or another structure is best, talk to your CPA or an attorney before you file.

#11 Get an EIN

Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is like a Social Security number for your business. You’ll need it to open bank accounts, file taxes, hire employees, and run payroll.

You can apply free through the IRS website. If you form your business with a service like LegalZoom, they can obtain your EIN during formation to save time and reduce paperwork.

#12 Create an operating agreement

Even for solo founders, an operating agreement clarifies how the business operates—ownership, decision-making, profit distributions, and what happens if someone leaves or the company winds down.

For single-member LLCs, it’s often straightforward but still worth documenting. LegalZoom offers customizable templates you can adapt without hiring an attorney.

#13 File necessary paperwork with your state

Depending on your location and industry, you may need business licenses, a DBA (“doing business as”), or a seller’s permit. If you use an attorney, they can manage this. If not, LegalZoom’s business license tool walks you through state requirements and can file on your behalf. Note: Many small companies are (or have been) required to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report with FinCEN under the Corporate Transparency Act. Deadlines and enforcement have shifted due to ongoing litigation—check FinCEN’s current guidance before you file to confirm whether and when you must report.

#14 Open a business bank account

Bring your EIN and LLC paperwork. Open a dedicated business checking account (and, ideally, a business credit card) to keep finances separate for taxes and legal protection. Deposit initial capital and set up online banking.

Be cautious with bundled “extras” from banks. I’ve seen upsells that add cost without real value. Keep banking for banking; choose separate tools for payments, payroll, and accounting that fit your workflow. Online-first business banks can be a good fit if you don’t need cash deposits.

#15 Set up a payroll service for employees and contractors

I recommend Gusto for payroll. It’s intuitive, automates tax filings, and handles W-2s/1099s with click-to-run payroll.

You don’t need to activate payroll until you hire, but getting the system ready early prevents onboarding delays. Collect W-9s (contractors) and W-4s (employees) and centralize them with your HR docs.

#16 Set up QuickBooks

QuickBooks is the standard for small-business bookkeeping. Connect your bank feeds, categorize expenses, and set up chart-of-accounts rules so monthly books take minutes—not hours.

Don’t backfill later. Start on day one, snap receipts, reconcile monthly, and you’ll glide through tax season with clean reports.

#17 Put a basic accounting system in place

Whether you partner with a CPA or run QuickBooks yourself, you need a simple, repeatable system: separate accounts, categorized transactions, monthly reconciliations, and quarterly estimated taxes paid on time. Add a recurring calendar reminder so this never slips during busy seasons.

#18 Start using a project management solution from day one

Don’t wait to get organized. Tools like Trello help you capture tasks, due dates, and SOPs—even as a solo founder. Create boards for sales, delivery, marketing, and admin so nothing slips, and use simple labels to track priorities.

#19 Build an internal wiki system from day one

Document processes as you go: onboarding checklists, how-tos, and templates. That way, when you hire, you’re ready to scale without rewriting everything.

I recommend Confluence as your single source of truth. A lightweight alternative like Notion can work as well—what matters is that it’s searchable and consistently used. Draft processes with AI if you like, then edit them based on how you actually work.

#20 Set up a Slack account

Slack centralizes team communication and integrates with most modern tools. Start on the free plan and connect key apps (project management, file storage, calendaring) so updates flow where you already chat.

#21 Set up a conference call number

Professional video and audio conferencing matters from your first client call. Tools like GoTo Meeting make scheduling and screen sharing easy. Alternatives like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams work well too—choose one and standardize on it so clients know what to expect.

#22 Set up 1Password

Security counts on day one. 1Password stores logins securely and lets you share access with teammates without sending passwords. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for critical accounts.

#23 Create a subscription tracker

As your tool stack grows, track subscriptions in a Google Sheet or Airtable: plan level, monthly/annual cost, renewal date, owner, and payment method. Review quarterly to cancel unused tools and avoid surprise renewals. This also helps you quickly see your true software spend when you revisit pricing.

#24 Create a strategic plan for the next 12 months

Now expand your one-page plan into execution. Set one primary 12-month goal (revenue, users, or profit), then break it into quarterly milestones and monthly actions. Assign owners and deadlines, and review progress weekly.

Even as a team of one, this keeps you focused amid the chaos of early growth. Track a small set of metrics (pipeline, conversion rate, average order value, churn, cash runway) and adjust your plan as you learn.