Starting A Company Checklist

A practical checklist for new founders and anyone starting a company

Looking for a real-world starting a company checklist that skips the fluff and shows you what actually matters?

This guide is built from my experience starting 10 businesses and mentoring hundreds of founders. Most checklists online are just legal forms and licenses — this one helps you figure out if your idea is worth building, and if so, how to do it right.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all guide — it’s a practical roadmap that covers everything from idea to growth, including how to test your concept and make a real GO or NO-GO decision. Let’s break down the steps.

1. Develop Your Business Idea

Everything starts with the idea — but not just any idea. A good business idea solves a real problem for a specific group of people.

• What problem are you solving? Be specific, not broad.
• Who has this problem? If you can’t name your audience, you’re not ready yet.
• What customer transformation can you provide? Customers want something from your product. What is it exactly and how can you convince them that yours is better?
• Why now? Timing matters more than most people think.

Need help refining your idea? Here’s how to choose a business idea that fits you.

2. Proper Planning and Researching Your Idea

This step is where you slow down and look around. Who else is doing this? What do customers already pay for? What gaps still exist?

• Do market research. Look at competitors, talk to potential customers, and scan relevant forums.
• Search for pricing patterns. What are people already paying for similar solutions?
• Start building your audience. Collect emails early, even before you launch.
• Make sure the financial potential is there to meet your needs. Do a Basic Financial Projection to make sure you don’t waste time on a business that won’t make you the money you need.

Many new founders miss this step. Skipping research is why a lot of ideas never take off – or ultimately fail.

3. Developing a Business Plan

A business plan doesn’t need to be 40 pages. It just needs to show how your business will make money and operate.

• Clarify your product or service and who it serves.
• Outline your revenue model: How will you make money?
• List basic startup costs and expected expenses.
• Set clear goals: 30-day, 90-day, and 6-month checkpoints.
• A business plan is really a checkpoint for the founder. You’re forcing yourself to put down in writing all the things swimming around in your head to see if they really look good on paper.

Want a shortcut? You can download our one-page business plan template soon — coming in the downloadable checklist version.

4. Test Your Business Idea to See If the World Likes It as Much as You Do

This is the most skipped — and most important — step in any starting a company checklist. It’s not about what you think of your idea. It’s about what your potential customers think.

• Talk to at least 15 people in your target market. Ask real questions. the more the better. Shoot for 100 if you can!
• Create a simple landing page and track interest.
• Presell if possible — even a few paid preorders can validate your offer.

Here’s how to test a business idea before wasting time and money.

5. Decide Whether to Go Forward or Not

This is your moment of truth. Look at the feedback, data, and results from testing — not just your gut. If no one cares, you don’t have a business yet.

• Did people show genuine interest or just give polite feedback?
• Did anyone commit — with money, time, or signups?
• If not, revise or start over. It’s better than building something no one wants.

6. Financing Your Business: How To and How Much Will You Need

Now that you’re moving forward, figure out your costs. Keep it lean early on. Don’t raise money just because you think you need to.

• List one-time and recurring startup expenses.
• Decide if you’ll bootstrap, use savings, or need outside funding.
• Check out local grants or small business programs for early support.
• Don’t borrow unless you absolutely have to. Nothingi sadder than a business that failed and founder who owes a lot of money still!  Find ways to get to market, find customers and start selling – using savings, available funds, investment or crowdfunding.

Need more help? Here’s where to get small business startup help.

7. Incorporating and Legal Stuff

This part of the starting a company checklist gets official. It doesn’t have to be complicated — just get the essentials done.

• Choose a structure: LLC, sole proprietorship, S-Corp, etc.
• Register your business name and get an EIN.
• Open a business bank account (keep money separate from personal).
• Check for local licenses, insurance, and tax requirements. Check City Hall for a business permit usually.

Want help breaking it down? Here’s a guide for legal setup (works even if you’re not in CA).

8. Building the Actual Business

Now it’s time to actually create the thing. Focus on minimum features, fast feedback, and getting something live.

• For products: Get a basic version out there — not the full version.
• For services: Offer a beta round at a discount to early customers.
• Set up your online presence: website, social media, email list.

Here’s how to build and launch without going broke.

9. How to Market Your Business

Marketing is what will make or break your business.

Don’t wait for people to find you — go find them. Early marketing is about being consistent and direct.

• Start with your network — friends, groups, past coworkers.
• Choose 1–2 channels: social media, email, content, ads.
• Track what works. Then do more of that.
• Marketing is about testing and trying new methods. Every busienss is unique and you need to try a lot of things to see what works for you.

Want to grow smart? Here’s how to use social media effectively.

10. Daily Operations

Operations are where you keep things running. The boring stuff matters — without it, things fall apart.

• Use simple tools: Calendly, Google Workspace, Wave, Notion, etc.
• Create simple repeatable systems for tasks (invoicing, communication, delivery).
• Document all your processes with training manuals, so that new hires can do the work without you there to show them all of it.
• Set weekly review habits — what worked, what didn’t, what’s next?

Keep it lean. Add complexity only when it’s absolutely needed.

11. Growing Your Business

Once you have proof of concept, customers, and operations — now it’s time to grow. But scale what’s already working — don’t chase every new opportunity.

• Double down on winning marketing channels.
• Automate repeat tasks to save time.
• Look for cost efficiencies as you scale. There are often ways to get a better deal with volume, find ways to increase task efficiencies, and much more. All of this leads to savings, profit and growth. 
• Build out a referral program or partner with others.

Here are 10 growth tips most new founders miss.

Grab the Full Starting a Company Checklist PDF

Want to print this checklist and keep it on your desk? We’ve created a downloadable version with checkboxes and space to write notes. Use it as your business-building guide.

[Get the Starting A Company Checklist here]