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Start a Business, Step by Step

Ten steps from idea to open, in order. Each one says what to file, where to file it and what it costs, with a link to the official source.

Start here and work down the list. Each step tells you what to do, where to do it and what you get back. Mark a step done and this device will remember where you left off.

Pick your state

The steps

  1. Define your business

    Turn the idea into one sentence, a place to operate and a name worth checking.

  2. Pick an entity

    Sole proprietorship, LLC or corporation, and what an S-corp election changes.

  3. Register your business

    LLCs and corporations file with the state. Sole proprietors may only need to register a business name.

    Depends on your state: California

  4. Get your tax IDs

    Your free EIN from the IRS, plus the state registrations that apply to you.

    Depends on your state: California

  5. Licenses and permits

    What your state requires, and how to find the city and county ones.

    Depends on your state: California

  6. Bank account and bookkeeping

    Keep business money separate from day one.

  7. Get online

    A domain, a website, an email address and a phone number people can find.

  8. Fund it

    Your own money, friends and family, SBA-backed loans and state programs.

    Depends on your state: California

  9. Find your first customers

    What should exist before you send anyone your link.

  10. Stay compliant

    The yearly filings, taxes and renewals, with their due dates.

    Depends on your state: California

Guides

  • Do I need to file a BOI report?

    FinCEN no longer requires U.S. companies to file beneficial ownership (BOI) reports. What changed, and what to do with a letter that says otherwise.

  • Forming your business in another state

    You can form an LLC or corporation in a state like Delaware, but you still register and pay where you actually do business. How that works.

  • LLC vs S corp: entity vs tax election

    An LLC is something you form with your state. An S corporation is a federal tax election. How the two decisions fit together, and when to make each one.

  • SBA loans: who actually lends the money

    The SBA doesn't lend to most small businesses. 7(a), 504 and microloans come from lenders, development companies and nonprofits. Who to ask for each.

Need a website for it?

No site yet? Describe your business and Surmado builds it from scratch, with a domain if you need one.

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