LLC Checklist

Quickstart Steps:

At a minimum, you’ll need to follow Steps 2-4.

1. File for your LLC with the Secretary of State (link for folks in NC)

2. Get an EIN (Sole Proprietor)

3. Open Business Bank Account (I recommend Novo)

4. A way for people book your service/ buy your product instantly! (Calendly, Acuity, Square, etc)

5. Create a process for accounting and bookkeeping (Wave is one option). Here’s a short post about how to organize your expenses but it would definitely be worth speaking to a CPA.

6. Register your domain name (Wordpress and SquareSpace both have free domains for a year)

7. Get business email address (Google Workspace is an excellent option and can host your domain if you’re not ready for a website, and don’t forget to authenticate your email!!)

8. Create a landing page (Squarespace is my favorite but this can be FB, Insta, Caard, Wix, HubSpot, and Mailchimp which are all free).

9. Plan to pay your taxes quarterly

Marketing

• Free Marketing and SEO courses: HubSpot, Meta, Google

Networking

• Join all of the associations related to your niche or industry!

• Sponsor a local event

• Set up a booth with local Farmer’s Markets and community events. Even if you’re service-oriented, be ready with swag and samples!

• And also Meet-Ups :)

• Here’s some options to connect with in the Triangle: The Bulls of Durham, The Raleigh Local

• Events local to the Triangle - curated by the Triangle Innovation Hub

You don’t have to do this alone

Resources

• Wake Economic Development

• Carolina Small Business Development Fund

Small business incubators and accelerators (in the Triangle)

• Triangle Innovation Hub and Research Triangle both have great lists of local accelerators

• Council for Entrepreneurial Development, GRO Incubator

• LaunchChapelHill

• LaunchRaleigh

• LaunchWakeCounty

• FYSO

• NC IDEA LABS

• Raleigh Durham Start-up Week

Mentoring & Support

• Free business consultation for NC https://edpnc.com/start-or-grow-a-business/start-a-business/

• SCORE - Small business mentoring (free)

• NC IDEA - Advancing Entrepreneurship

• Local chambers of commerce: Chapel Hill - Carrboro, Durham Chamber, Raleigh Chamber

• Local Community College small business centers: Durham Tech Small Business Center, Wake Tech Small Business Center