Business Startup Checklist To Avoid Costly Mistakes

Are you ready to start your business? There’s no time like the present to get your feet off the ground and sink your teeth into a juicy career as an entrepreneur. But before you’re up-and-running, you might want to check in with this handy little business startup checklist.

Business Startup Checklist

There are A LOT of things that you’ll want to think about when it comes to running a business, but there are some things that are more important to tackle right away than leave for later. And they might not be the ones that you think are the most important.

Here’s your business startup checklist so you can hopefully avoid some costly mistakes early in your business’s life:

1. Figure out your offering: Be brutally honest, is your business idea a good one or are you dreaming a tiny bit and need to dial it down or find something else. Wanting to start a business just to start a business won’t work.
2. Create a business plan: Do not be the person who works without a plan. Sure, you don’t need a plan but you’re more likely to see, measure and feel like you’ve got some success with an actual plan to track your progress.
3. Figure out your legal structure: What kind of business you run is up to you, but you’ll want to figure out your starting legal structure beforehand. This can always be changed in the future.
4. Create a budget: Not only do you need a business plan, but you need a legitimate budget. That means something that tells you what money you need (so you can figure out where it’s going to come from) and how it’s going to be spent. Then follow it. 
5. Create a marketing plan: While your business plan is your guide to everything about your business and it does contain a marketing section, but that’s not a truly in-depth marketing plan. And, if you want to grow, you’ll need that. 
6. Get financially set: Beyond actually finding the finances to fund your business (which you need to do), you also need to set up your financial system. For some reason people put getting money first and managing it last, but you NEED to know how to handle it beforehand so it’s not mishandled when you have it. 
7. Set up your marketing channels: This includes everything from your website and social media platforms to figuring out how you’re going to email customers and clients.
8. Put your revenue stream into action: Start before you think you’re ready because chances are you’re already read and just holding back because you’re nervous.
9. Tell everyone about your business: The best way to kickstart your business is to tell everyone that it exists. No one can buy all of your awesome things and services if they don’t know they exist.
10. Evaluate and Grow: Once you’re off and running it’s time to start growing and evaluating. You can’t grow without evaluating, and everytime you evaluate your progress you grow. 

Do you have any business startup checklist tips? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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