Starting Out
You need far less to start than the internet tells you, and the things you actually need aren't the exciting ones.
The short answer
License, insurance, price, customer
A local business license, general liability insurance, a price you can defend, and one customer. That's a real business. The logo, the website, and the LLC can all wait — and some of them should.
Start with your trade
The setup question everyone asks first
Short version: an LLC separates business liability from your personal assets. It is not a tax strategy for most solo operators, and it does not replace insurance. Your EIN is free from the IRS. Rules and fees vary by state — confirm yours on your Secretary of State site.
The order that works
- Check your city and county business license requirements. Nearly everyone needs one.
- Get general liability insurance. Customers ask for proof of this far more often than they ask about your entity.
- Set your prices before you take a single job. Raising a price later is much harder than setting it right.
- Open a separate bank account, even as a sole proprietor. Mixed money is the worst tax-time problem there is.
- Get a written estimate and invoice in place before your first customer, not after your first argument.
- Form an LLC when you have assets to protect, employees, or commercial work asking for one.
Then set your price
Underpricing is the most expensive mistake in these trades, and it's the hardest to undo. Start here: house cleaning, lawn care, handyman, and pressure washing.
Once your number is set, put it on paper with the free estimate template and invoice template.
Licensing, registration, insurance, and tax requirements differ by state and city and change over time. Nothing here is legal or tax advice — confirm current requirements on your state and city official sites before you start.