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Starting a Business Checklist !

This checklist is a good starting point for you as you begin your business. It is intended as a springboard for your business development and is in no way meant to be a substitute for professional advice or counsel. For further information about starting a business, contact your local SBDC.

• Choose a business idea, product or service.
• Research the business industry.
  • What will you sell?
  • Is it legal?
  • Who will buy it? How often?
  • Are you willing and able to do what it takes to sell your product?
  • What will your product cost to produce, market, sell, and deliver?
  • What compliance issues do you need to address?
  • Can you make a profit?
  • How long will it take for your business to make a profit?
• Write a business plan.
• Write a marketing plan.
• Using a domain registry service, see if the business name is available for use as an Internet domain name.
• Register the domain name even if you aren't ready to use it yet.
• Choose a location for the business.
• Check zoning laws.
• File partnership, corporate, or limited liability company papers with the Secretary of State's office.
• File state tax forms with the Franchise Tax Board.
• Contact the Internal Revenue Service for information on filing your federal tax schedules.
• Apply for a seller's permit.
• If you will have employees:
  • Apply for an employee identification number with the Employment Development Department (EDD).
  • Find out about worker's compensation.
  • Investigate business insurance needs.
  • Get tax information on withholding taxes.
  • Get tax information on hiring independent contractors
• Register or reserve your federal trademark/service mark
• Register copyrights.
• Apply for patent if you will be marketing an invention.
• Order any required notices of your intent to do business in the community.
• Have business phone or extra residential phone lines installed.
• Investigate business insurance needs.
• Get adequate business insurance or a business rider to a homeowner's policy.
• Get tax information such as record keeping requirements, facts about estimating taxes, forms of organizations, etc.
• Open a bank account for the business.
• Have business cards and stationery printed.
• Purchase equipment and/or supplies.
• Order inventory, signage, and fixtures.
• Get an e-mail address.
• Find a Web hosting company.
• Have your Web site designed and set up.
• Have sales literature prepared.
• Call for information about Yellow Pages advertising.

This checklist is intended to help you start your business. Due to various policy and legislative changes which frequently occur, some of these steps may be modified or may not apply to your business or industry. Please consider that there may also be additional steps required by your business which are not mentioned below. As always, legal counsel is strongly advised.