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The Complete Startup Checklist: 87 Things to Do Before (and After) You Launch

Starting a business involves hundreds of small decisions and tasks, and it's way too easy to forget something important until it bites you later. We put together this checklist so you can work through it systematically and know you haven't missed anything critical.

You don't need to do everything on this list before you launch. Some items are pre-launch essentials, some can wait until you have revenue, and some are "when you're ready" optimizations. We've organized them roughly in the order you'll need them.

Bookmark this page. You'll come back to it.

Phase 1: Validate Your Idea (Before You Spend Any Money)

Before you register anything, build anything, or spend a single dollar, make sure your idea has legs.

  • Write down the specific problem your business solves in one sentence
  • Identify who has this problem, be as specific as possible about your target customer
  • Research 5-10 competitors and document what they do well and where they fall short
  • Talk to at least 10 potential customers about their problem and how they currently solve it
  • Verify that people are willing to pay for your solution (pre-sales, surveys, or letters of intent)
  • Calculate rough startup costs so you know how much money you'll need
  • Determine your revenue model, exactly how money will flow into the business
  • Make sure you can articulate in two sentences what your business does and why it's different

This phase might take a few days or a few weeks, but it's the most important work you'll do. Every business that fails because "there's no market" skipped this step.

Phase 2: Legal and Financial Foundation

These are the unglamorous but essential tasks that protect you and set your business up properly from day one.

Business Structure

  • Decide on your business structure (LLC is the most common choice for new businesses)
  • Register your business with your state's Secretary of State office
  • Get your EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the IRS, it's free and takes 5 minutes online
  • Register for a DBA (Doing Business As) if your operating name differs from your legal name
  • Check if you need any state or local business licenses for your industry
  • Check if you need any industry-specific permits or certifications

Finance

  • Open a dedicated business checking account (never mix personal and business money)
  • Open a separate business savings account for tax reserves
  • Set up bookkeeping software, QuickBooks, Wave (free), or at minimum a detailed spreadsheet
  • Understand your tax obligations: income tax, self-employment tax, sales tax, estimated quarterly payments
  • Set up a system to track all business expenses and keep receipts
  • Start setting aside 25-30% of all revenue for taxes immediately
  • Consider whether you need business insurance (general liability at minimum for most businesses)
  • Set up a payment processor, Stripe for online, Square for in-person, or both

Legal Protection

  • Create a basic terms of service for your website
  • Create a privacy policy (required by law if you collect any customer data)
  • Set up a simple contract template if you're providing services
  • Consider a trademark search for your business name to avoid future conflicts

Don't let the legal and financial setup paralyze you. Most of these tasks take less than an hour each, and you can spread them over a week. The key is to do them before you start making money, not after.

Phase 3: Build Your Brand

Your brand is more than a logo, it's the personality and promise of your business. But you do need the visual elements to present a consistent, professional image.

Brand Identity

  • Choose your final business name (check domain availability before committing)
  • Define your brand positioning: "I help [specific person] achieve [specific outcome] through [your approach]"
  • Choose 2-3 brand colors and save the hex codes for consistent use everywhere
  • Select your fonts, one for headings, one for body text
  • Create a logo, Canva (free), Looka, or hire a designer on Fiverr ($50-200 for a solid logo)
  • Write your brand story: why you started this business, what you believe, what drives you
  • Create a one-paragraph "boilerplate" description of your business you can copy-paste anywhere

Brand Assets

  • Register your domain name (Namecheap, Google Domains, or GoDaddy)
  • Set up a professional email address (you@yourbusiness.com) using Google Workspace ($6/month)
  • Create a simple brand guide document with your colors, fonts, logo usage, and tone of voice
  • Get professional headshots or at least a good photo of yourself for your About page and social media

A strong brand doesn't require a big budget. It requires consistency. Use the same colors, the same logo, the same tone of voice everywhere your business shows up.

Phase 4: Build Your Online Presence

Website Essentials

  • Build your website on a platform appropriate for your business type:

- E-commerce: Shopify ($39/month) is the standard

- Service business: Squarespace ($16/month) or a WordPress site

- Creator or coach: A simple landing page with Stan Store, Carrd, or your own site

  • Write a clear homepage headline that immediately tells visitors what you do
  • Create an About page that tells your story and builds trust
  • Add a Services or Products page with clear descriptions and pricing
  • Include a Contact page with your email, a contact form, or a booking link
  • Add a Privacy Policy and Terms of Service page
  • Make sure your site is mobile-friendly, more than half your traffic will come from phones
  • Set up SSL certificate (most platforms include this, your URL should show https://)
  • Add a favicon (the small icon that shows up in browser tabs)
  • Install Google Analytics or a simple analytics tool so you can track visitor behavior
  • Test your website on multiple devices and browsers before going live
  • Make sure every page has a clear call to action, tell visitors what to do next

SEO Basics (So People Can Find You on Google)

  • Write a unique title tag for every page (60 characters max, include your main keyword)
  • Write meta descriptions for every page (155 characters max, make them compelling)
  • Use heading tags properly (H1 for the page title, H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections)
  • Add alt text to every image describing what's in the picture
  • Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console
  • Create a Google Business Profile if you serve local customers
  • Start a blog and publish your first 3-5 posts on topics your customers are searching for

SEO is a long game. You won't rank on Google overnight, but every blog post you write and every page you optimize is building long-term value. Six months from now, you'll be glad you started.

Phase 5: Set Up Marketing Channels

Social Media

  • Choose 2-3 platforms where your target customers actually spend time
  • Create business accounts with consistent name, logo, and bio across all platforms
  • Write a compelling bio that includes what you do and who you help
  • Plan your content pillars, 3-4 topics you'll consistently post about
  • Create a simple content calendar for your first month (aim for 3-5 posts per week)
  • Set up a scheduling tool, Buffer (free tier), Later, or Hootsuite
  • Follow and engage with accounts in your industry and potential customers
  • Join relevant groups or communities where your target audience participates

Email Marketing

  • Choose an email platform:

- E-commerce: Klaviyo (powerful automation, free up to 250 contacts)

- Creators/coaches: ConvertKit (built for audience building)

- General: Mailchimp (free up to 500 contacts)

  • Create a lead magnet: a free resource people get in exchange for their email address

- Ideas: checklist, template, discount code, mini-guide, quiz, free consultation

  • Add email signup forms to your website, homepage, blog posts, footer, and a dedicated landing page
  • Write a welcome email sequence (3-5 emails that introduce your brand and build trust)
  • Plan your ongoing email schedule, weekly or biweekly newsletters work for most businesses
  • Set up segments so you can send targeted emails based on customer behavior or interests

Paid Advertising (When You're Ready)

  • Don't run paid ads until you have a working website and a clear offer
  • Start small, $10-20/day, and test different audiences and messages
  • Facebook/Instagram Ads: great for B2C, visual products, and local businesses
  • Google Ads: great when people are actively searching for what you offer
  • Set up conversion tracking before spending any money on ads
  • Test at least 3-5 different ad variations before deciding what works

Phase 6: Prepare to Launch

Pre-Launch

  • Set a specific launch date and commit to it publicly
  • Create a launch plan with specific tasks for the 7 days leading up to launch
  • Prepare launch-day social media posts (write and schedule in advance)
  • Write your launch email to your list
  • Create a launch offer, limited-time discount, bonus with purchase, or exclusive bundle
  • Do a soft launch with a small group first (friends, family, early email subscribers)
  • Test your entire purchase or signup flow end to end
  • Fix any issues that come up during soft launch
  • Prepare answers to likely customer questions (create a simple FAQ)

Launch Day and Week One

  • Post your launch announcement on all social media channels
  • Send your launch email
  • Share in relevant online communities (add value, don't just promote)
  • Personally reach out to everyone who expressed interest during your research phase
  • Respond to every comment, message, and inquiry within a few hours
  • Track your metrics: website visits, signups, sales, email opens
  • Send a follow-up email 2-3 days after launch to anyone who hasn't purchased
  • Thank your first customers personally, a quick email or DM goes a long way

Phase 7: Post-Launch Growth

First 30 Days After Launch

  • Ask every customer for feedback, what they loved, what could be better
  • Request Google reviews and testimonials from happy customers
  • Analyze which marketing channels drove the most sales or signups
  • Double down on what's working, cut what isn't
  • Address any customer complaints or issues immediately
  • Publish at least 2-4 more blog posts or content pieces
  • Start building relationships with others in your industry, potential partners, complementary businesses

Ongoing Operations

  • Review your finances monthly, revenue, expenses, profit, cash flow
  • Update your business plan quarterly based on what you've learned
  • Set 30-day, 90-day, and 12-month goals and review progress regularly
  • Build systems and processes so tasks don't depend entirely on you
  • Document everything, your procedures, your login credentials, your vendor contacts
  • Invest in your own learning, books, courses, podcasts, and communities for founders
  • Celebrate your wins, even the small ones

The One Thing That Matters More Than Any Checklist

Action.

You can read every checklist, every guide, and every blog post about starting a business. But none of it matters unless you actually start doing the work. Perfectionism is procrastination in disguise. Pick the first item on this list that you haven't done yet, and go do it today.

You don't need to have everything figured out. You just need to start.

Get Your Personalized Roadmap

This checklist gives you the big picture, but every business is different. What an e-commerce founder needs to do is very different from what a service-based consultant needs to do.

FoundersPieFoundersPiehttps://getfounderspie.com creates a personalized, step-by-step roadmap based on your specific industry, experience level, and business stage. Instead of a generic checklist, you get 20+ tailored tasks with specific tool recommendations, resource links, and guidance designed for your exact situation.

Plus, you get access to an AI-powered business advisor that knows your business and can answer your questions 24/7, and a guided business plan builder that walks you through each section.

Your first 3 tasks are free. Get your personalized startup roadmap hereGet your personalized startup roadmap herehttps://getfounderspie.com.