Business Start-Up Checklist

by Janet Attard

The business start-up checklist below is meant to remind you of the tasks you may have to perform when starting your business.

Not every small business will have to complete each step. For instance, you may decide not to register your trademark with state or federal officials. Or, you may not be required to publish a notice of intent to do business.

Since laws vary by state and by type of business, be sure to check with local authorities to determine if there are any additional legal steps you need to take.

• Choose a business based on your skills and interests
• Research the business idea

  - What will you sell
  - Is it legal
  - Who will buy it and how often
  - Are you willing to do what it takes to sell the product
  - What will it cost to produce, advertise, sell & deliver
  - With what laws will you have to comply
  - Can you make a profit
  - How long will it take to make a profit            

• Write a business plan and marketing plan
• Choose a business name
• Verify right to use the name
• See if the business name is available as a domain name (check at Register.com)
• Register the business name and get a business certificate
• Register your domain name even if you aren't ready to use it yet
• Choose a location for the business or make space in the house for it
• Check zoning laws
• File partnership or corporate papers
• Get any required business licenses or permits
• Reserve your corporate name if you will be incorporating
• Register or reserve state or federal trademark
• Register copyrights
• Apply for patent if you will be marketing an invention
• Order any required notices (advertisements you have to place) of your intent to do business in the community
• Have business phone or extra residential phone lines installed
• Check into business insurance needs
• Find out about health insurance if you will not have coverage under a spouse
• Get adequate business insurance or a business rider to a homeowner's policy Send out publicity releases
• Apply for sales tax number if needed
• Get tax information such as record keeping requirements, information on withholding taxes if you will have employees, information on hiring independent contractors, facts about estimating taxes, forms of organization, etc.
• Call Department of Labor to determine labor laws if you have employees.
• Apply for employee identification number if you will have employees
• Find out about workers' compensation if you will have employees
• Open a bank account for the business
• Have business cards and stationery printed (Get FREE business cards for your business )
• Purchase equipment or supplies
• Order inventory
• Order signage
• Order fixtures
• Get an email address
• Find a web hosting company
• Get your web site set up
• Have sales literature prepared
• Call  for information about Yellow Pages advertising.
• Place advertising in newspapers or other media if yours is the type of business that will benefit from paid advertising
• Call everyone you know and let them know you are in business
• Other  _______________________ 

Need more help starting your business? Get the information you need to be successful in Janet Attard's Home Office and Small Business Answer Book.

Copyright 1996-2000, Attard Communications, Inc.

About the author
Janet Attard is the founder of the award-winning  Business Know-How small business web site and information resource. Janet is also the author of The Home Office And Small Business Answer Book and of Business Know-How: An Operational Guide For Home-Based and Micro-Sized Businesses with Limited Budgets. 

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