Starting a Business: How to Start a Business in 12 Steps

For millions of people, starting their own business is a key component of the American dream. But it’s one thing to have a stellar business idea; it’s another to turn that idea into a fully-fledged, profitable enterprise. Starting a new business might be your dream, and there’s no doubt that it can be difficult!

It doesn’t have to be. In fact, you can start a business entity with 12 steps, even if you don’t have any business experience and are still looking for an idea.

This article will guide you through the process of becoming a small business owner, covering everything from financial planning to choosing a professional service or good to provide.

1. Evaluate yourself.

Let’s start with the most basic question: Why do you want to start a business? Use this question to guide what kind of business you want to start. If you want extra money, maybe you should start aside hustle. If you want more freedom, maybe it’s time to leave your 9-to-5 job and start something new.

Once you have the reason, start asking yourself even more questions to help you figure out the type of business you should start, and if you have what it takes.

What skills do you have?
Where does your passion lie?
Where is your area of expertise?
How much can you afford to spend, knowing that most businesses fail?
How much capital do you need? What are the startup costs and what small business loans will you need to take out?
What sort of lifestyle do you want to live?
Are you even ready to be an entrepreneur?

Be brutally honest with your answers. This will create a foundation for everything you do moving forward, so it’s better to know the truth now than later.

2. Think of a business idea.

Do you already have a killerbusiness idea? If so, congratulations! You can proceed to the next section. If not, there are a ton of ways to start brainstorming for a good idea. An article on Entrepreneur, “8 Ways to Come Up With a Business Idea,” helps people break down potentialbusiness ideas. Here are a few pointers from the article:

Ask yourself what’s next. What technology or advancement is coming soon, and how will that change the business landscape as we know it? Can you get ahead of the curve?
Fix something that bugs you. People would rather have less of a bad thing than more of a good thing. If your business can fix a problem for your customers, they’ll thank you for it.
Apply your skills to an entirely new field. Many businesses and industries do things one way because that’s the way they’ve always been done. In those cases, a fresh set of eyes from a new perspective can make all the difference.
Use the better, cheaper, faster approach. Do you have a business idea that isn’t completely new? If so, think about the current offerings and focus on how you can create something better, cheaper or faster.

Also, go out and meet people and ask them questions, seek advice from other entrepreneurs, research ideas online or use whatever method makes the most sense to you.

And, if you’ve exhausted all your options and you’re still stuck, here are 55 great business options you can start. Some other options include running an eCommerce business or SEO marketing firm, both competitive but rewarding industries.

Related: 63 Businesses to Start for Under $10,000

3. Do market research.

Is anyone else already doing what you want to start doing? If not, is there a good reason why?

Start researching your potential rivals or partners within the market by usingthis guide. It breaks down the objectives you need to complete with your research and the methods you can use to do just that. For example, you can conduct interviews by telephone or face to face. You can also offer surveys or questionnaires that ask questions like “What factors do you consider when purchasing this product or service?” and “What areas would you suggest for improvement?”

Just as importantly, it explains three of the most common mistakes people make when starting their market research, which are:

Using only secondary research.
Using only online resources.
Surveying only the people you know.

4. Get feedback.

Let people interact with your product or service and see what their take is on it. A fresh set of eyes can help point out a problem you might have missed. Plus, these people will become your first brand advocates, especially if you listen to their input and they like the product.

One of the easiest ways to utilize feedback is to focus on “The Lean Startup” approach (readmore about it here), but it involves three basic pillars: prototyping, experimenting and pivoting. By pushing out a product, getting feedback and then adapting before you push out the next product, you can constantly improve and make sure you stay relevant.

Just realize that some of that advice, solicited or not, will be good. Some of it won’t be. That’s why you should have a plan on how to receive feedback.

Here are six steps for handling feedback:

Stop! Your brain will probably be in an excited state when receiving feedback, and it might start racing to bad conclusions. Slow down and take the time to consider carefully what you’ve just heard.
Start by saying “thank you.’ People who give you negative feedback won’t expect you to thank them for it, but doing so will probably make them respect you and encourage them to continue be honest in the future.
Look for the grain of truth. If someone doesn’t like one idea, it doesn’t mean they hate everything you’ve just said. Remember that these people are trying to help, and they might just be pointing out a smaller problem or solution that you should look into further.
Seek out the patterns. If you keep hearing the same comments, then it’s time to start sitting up and taking notice.
Listen with curiosity. Be willing to enter a conversation where the customer is in control.
Ask questions. Figure out whysomeone liked or didn’t like something. How could you make it better? What would be a better solution?

Also, one way to help you get through negative feedback is to create a “wall of love,” where you can post all of the positive messages you’ve received. Not only will this wall of love inspire you, but you can use these messages later when you begin selling your product or service. Positive reviews online and word-of-mouth testimonials can help make a big difference.

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5. Make it official.

Get all of the legal aspects out of the way early. That way, you don’t have to worry about someone taking your big idea, screwing you over in a partnership or suing you for something you never saw coming. You’ll not only have to deal with the federal government and IRS but your state and local governments as well. A quick checklist of things to shore up might include:

Business structure (LLC, corporation or a partnership, to name a few.)
Business name
Register your business
Federal tax ID
State tax ID
Permits (more on permits here)
License
Necessary bank account
Trademarks, copyrights or patents

Making it official also means considering self-employment tax or business insurance, depending on the legal structure you choose.

While some things you can do on your own, it’s best to consult with a lawyer when starting out, so you can make sure you’ve covered everything that you need.

Choose your business type

One of the most important elements of making your business official is choosing the right business type or business model. There are a few different types of businesses you can start, including:

Sole proprietorship, which is a business type that includes one employee (yourself). Doing business as a proprietorship could be cost-effective since you may not even need a business license
A business partnership, which includes two employees (such as yourself and one other person)
LLC or limited liability companies, which are preferred business types for many entrepreneurs, as they limit personal liability in the event of a lawsuit. They also provide certain tax breaks. LLCs are ideal for small to medium-sized businesses
S or C corporations. These business types are for larger enterprises with dozens or hundreds of employees. They benefit from specific tax breaks, but they also have to pay specific business taxes

If you’re starting your first business, you’re generally better off filing your business as a sole proprietorship or LLC. If you file your business as an LLC, you’ll be able to hire employees once you get an EIN or employer identification number.

However, hiring employees also means getting liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance. Be sure to consider these costs when going to a lender for a loan or tallying up your costs in accounting software.

6. Write your business plan.

A business plan is a written description of how your business will evolve from when it starts to the finish product.

As angel investor and tech-company founder Tim Berry wrote on Entrepreneur, “You can probably cover everything you need to convey in 20 to 30 pages of text plus another 10 pages of appendices for monthly projections, management resumes and other details. If you’ve got a plan that’s more than 40 pages long, you’re probably not summarizing very well.”

Here’s what we suggest should be in your business plan:

Title page. Start with name the name of your business, which is harder than it sounds.This article can help you avoid common mistakes when picking.
Executive summary. This is a high-level summary of what the plan includes, often touching on the company description, the problem the business is solving, the solution and why now. (Here’s what you should include in the summary and how you can make it appeal to investors.)
Business description. What kind of business do you want to start? What does your industry look like? What will it look like in the future?
Market strategies. What is your target market, and how can you best sell to that market? What potential customers will your online store try to reach? This is a key part of market analysis.
Competitive analysis. What are the strengths and weakness of your competitors? How will you beat them?
Design and development plan. What is your product or service and how will it develop? Then, create a budget for that product or service.
Operations and management plan. How does the business function on a daily basis?
Finance factors. Where is the money coming from? When? How? What sort of projections should you create and what should you take into consideration?

For each question, you can spend between one to three pages. Keep in mind, the business plan is a living, breathing document and as time goes on and your business matures, you will be updating it.

Related: How to Start a Business With (Almost) No Money

7. Finance your business.

There are a ton of different ways to get the resources you need to start your business. Angel investor Martin Zwilling, whose business Startup Professionals provides services and products for startups and small businesses, recommends 10 of the most reliable ways to fund your business. Take a look and consider your own resources, circumstances and life state to figure out which one works best for you.

Fund your startup yourself. Bootstrapping your business might take longer, but the good part is that you control your own destiny (and equity).
Pitch your needs to friends and family. It can be hard to separate business from personal relationships, but if you’re considering asking for a loan, here’s a resource you can use to make it as straightforward as possible.
Request a small-business grant. Start by checking out our guide to small-business grants. Then, head over to Grants.gov, which is a searchable, online directory of more than 1,000 federal grant programs. It might be a long process, but it doesn’t cost you any equity.
Start a crowdfunding campaign online. Sometimes power is in numbers, and a bunch of small investments can add up to something major. If you think your business might be a fit for something like Kickstarter or Indiegogo, you should read up on 10 of the best-crowdfunded businesses ever or check out the most popular crowdfunding websites.
Apply to local angel investor groups. Online platforms such as Gust and AngelListand local networking can help you find potential investors who relate to your industry and passion.
Solicit venture capital investors. VCs typically look for big opportunities from proven teams that need a million dollars or more, so you should have some traction before approaching them.
Join a startup incubator or accelerator. These companies are designed to help new or startup businesses get to the next level. Most provide free resources, including office facilities and consulting, along with networking opportunities and pitch events. Some, also provide seed funding as well.
Negotiate an advance from a strategic partner or customer. If someone wants your product or service bad enough to pay for it, there’s a chance they’ll want it bad enough to fund it, too. Variations on this theme include early licensing or white-labeling agreements.
Trade equity or services for startup help. For example, you could support a computer system for office tenants in exchange for free office space. You might not get paid for this, but you won’t have to pay for an office, either, and a penny saved is a penny earned.
Seek a bank loan or line of credit. Here are 10 questions you should ask before applying for a bank loan, including whether you will qualify. If you do meet the requirements, a good place to start for loan opportunities is the Small Business Administration.

Get a business bank account

It’s a good idea to get a business bank account at the earliest opportunity. Even if you have a good handle on your finances, it’s best practice not to pay for any business expenses with your personal checking account.

Why? Simply put, having a business bank account will make it easier for you to file taxes and track your business expenditures. That way, you always know which charges out of your account were for your business and which were for your personal life or pleasure.

Furthermore, some business bank accounts come with bonuses or special credit card offers. All of these can help you maximize your business finances, which is critically important in the earliest days of your business’s lifespan.

Which business loans should you pursue?

It’s also worth considering different types of business loans. SBA or US Small Business Administration loans are ideal for new entrepreneurs like yourself. However, you should only ever take out a business loan if:

You are confident you’ll be able to pay it back on time
The loan doesn’t come with an exorbitant or overly high interest rate
You fully need the loan – it’s never a good business practice to take out unnecessary loans, as this can limit your business credit score

8. Develop your product or service.

After all the work you’ve put into starting your business, it’s going to feel awesome to actually see your idea come to life. But keep in mind, it takes a village to create a product. If you want to make an app and you’re not an engineer, you will need to reach out to a technical person. Or if you need to mass-produce an item, you will have to team up with a manufacturer.

Here is aseven-step checklist — including finding a manufacturer and pricing strategies — you can use for your own product development. A major point the article highlights is that when you’re actually crafting the product, you should focus on two things: simplicity and quality. Your best option isn’t necessarily to make the cheapest product, even if it lowers manufacturing cost. Also, you need to make sure the product can grab someone’s attention quickly.

When you are ready to do product development and outsource some of the tasks make sure you:

Retain control of your product and learn constantly. If you leave the development up to someone else or another firm without supervising, you might not get the thing you envisioned.
Implement checks and balances to reduce your risk. If you only hire one freelance engineer, there’s a chance that no one will be able to check their work. If you go the freelance route, use multiple engineers so you don’t have to just take someone at their word.
Hire specialists, not generalists. Get people who are awesome at the exact thing you want, not a jack-of-all-trades type.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Make sure you don’t lose all of your progress if one freelancer leaves or if a contract falls through.
Manage product development to save money. Rates can vary for engineers depending on their specialties, so make sure you’re not paying an overqualified engineer when you could get the same end result for a much lower price.

To help you have peace of mind, start learning as much as you can about the production, so you can improve the process and your hiring decisions as time goes along.

This process will be very different forservice-focused entrepreneurs, but no less important. You have several skills that people are willing to pay you for right now, but those skills can be hard to quantify. How can you establish yourself and your abilities? You might consider creating a portfolio of your work — create a website to show your artwork if you’re an artist, writing if you’re a writer or design if you’re a designer.

Also, make sure you have the necessary certificates or educational requirements, so that when someone inquires about your service, you’re ready to jump at a good opportunity.

9. Start building your team.

To scale your business, you are going to need to hand off responsibilities to other people. You need a team.

Whether you need a partner, employee or freelancer, these three tips can help you find a good fit:

State your goals clearly. Make sure everyone understands the vision and their role within that mission at the very start.
Follow hiring protocols. When starting the hiring process you need to take a lot of things into consideration, from screening people to asking the right questions and having the proper forms. Here is a more in-depth guide to help you.
Establish a strong company culture. What makes a great culture? What are some of the building blocks? You can see our list of 10 examples of companies with great cultures, but keep in mind that you don’t need to have Google’s crazy office space to instill a positive atmosphere. That’s because a great culture is more about respecting and empowering employees through multiple channels, including training and mentorship, than it is about decor or ping-pong tables. In fact, office perks can turn out to be more like traps than real benefits.

How to hire good employees

It’s not enough to just hire qualified individuals. You need to hire the right employees for the job if you want your business to succeed. Fortunately, you can hire great employees by focusing on a few key aspects.

Hire employees based on the impression you get from them in the interview. Go-getter employees might not have the best credentials, but they’ll have a can-do attitude you can rely on when the going gets tough.
Don’t forget to consider diversity. It’s a good idea to avoid hiring all of your employees from the same demographic, as any minority employees you do have could feel isolated or discriminated against. Try to diversify your hiring panel to avoid this outcome.
Hire employees that want to work at your company and progress up the ladder. That’s the best way not only to furnish your business with good employees for your immediate needs but to set up future managers and supervisors to help you evolve and scale your business later down the road.

As for attracting these rockstar employees, offer insurance plans and other employee benefits aside from competitive pay. This will be easier as you achieve profitability and expand your business.

In the end, your employees will make or break your business and its operations. If your first batch of employees is a mix of great hires and duds, don’t hesitate to fire the employees that bring everyone else down. Bad employees can negatively impact workplace culture, degrade your reputation, and even provide bad experiences for your customers. That can cause an early death spell for your company in the first days of its operation.

Related: 10 Online Careers You Can Start Today With Basically No Money

10. Find a location.

This could mean an office or a store. Your priorities will differ depending on need, but here are10 basic things to consider:

Style of operation. Make sure your location is consistent with your particular style and image.
Demographics. Start by considering who your customers are. How important is their proximity to your location? If you’re a retail store that relies on the local community, this is vital. For other business models, it might not be.
Foot traffic. If you need people to come into your store, make sure that store is easy to find. Remember: even the best retail areas have dead spots.
Accessibility and parking. Is your building accessible? Don’t give customers a reason to go somewhere else because they don’t know where to park.
Competition. Sometimes having competitors nearby is a good thing. Other times, it’s not. You’ve done the market research, so you know which is best for your business.
Proximity to other businesses and services. This is more than just about foot traffic. Look at how nearby businesses can enrich the quality of your business as a workplace, too.
Image and history of the site. What does this address state about your business? Have other businesses failed there? Does the location reflect the image you want to project?
Ordinances. Depending on your business, these could help or hinder you. For example, if you’re starting a daycare center, ordinances that state no one can build a liquor store nearby might add a level of safety for you. Just make sure you’re not the one trying to build the liquor store.
The building’s infrastructure. Especially if you’re looking at an older building or if you’re starting an online business, make sure the space can support your high-tech needs. If you’re getting serious about a building, you might want to hire an engineer to check out the state of the place to get an objective evaluation.
Rent, utilities and other costs. Rent is the biggest facilities expense, but check out the utilities, as well, and whether they’re included in the lease or not. You don’t want to start out with one price and find out it’s going to be more later.

Once you know what to look for and it’s time to start searching for a place that fits all of your qualifications, these four tips can help.

Think on your own timeframe. Landlords are starting to offer shorter-term office rentals. Don’t get stuck in a long-term lease if it doesn’t make sense for your business.
Play the whole field. There are all sorts of places to use — co-working spaces, office business centers, sublets and more. Keep your options open.
Click around town. You might be able to find the perfect place by using online resources.
Do the deal on your terms. Again, you have options. Don’t get roped into something that makes you uncomfortable.

After you have a location, you can focus on the aesthetic. You can check out a few design ideas here.

11. Start getting some sales.

No matter your product or industry, your business’s future is going to depend on revenue and sales. Steve Jobs knew this — it’s why, when he was starting Apple, he spent day after day calling investors from his garage.

There are a ton of different sales strategies and techniques you can employ, but here are four tenets to live by:

Listen. “When you listen to your clients/customers, you find out what they want and need, and how to make that happen,” says investor and entrepreneur John Rampton.
Ask for a commitment, but don’t be pushy about it. You can’t be too shy to ask for a next step or to close a sale, but you also can’t make customers feel as though you’re forcing them into a sale.
Don’t be afraid of hearing “no.” As former door-to-door salesman (and now co-founder of software business Pipedrive) Timo Rein said, “Most people are too polite. They let you make your pitch even if they have no interest in buying. And that’s a problem of its own. Time is your most important resource.”
Make it a priority. As entrepreneurial wizard Gary Vaynerchuk said, “Actually creating revenue, and running a profitable business, is a good strategy for business. Where are we that people think users or visits or time on site is the proxy to a successful business?”

But how do you actually make those sales? Start by identifying targets who want your product or service. Find early adopters of your business, grow your customer base or put out ads to find people who fit your business. Then, figure out the right sales funnel or strategy that can convert these leads into revenue.

Related: 63 Businesses to Start for Under $10,000

12. Grow your business.

There are a million different ways to grow. You could acquire another business, start targeting a new market, expand your offerings and more. But, no growth plan will matter if you don’t have the two key attributes that all growing companies have in common.

First, they have a plan to market themselves. They use social media effectively through organic, influencer or paid campaigns. They have an email list and know how to use it. They understand exactly who they need to target — either online or off — with their marketing campaigns.

Then, once they have a new customer, they understand how to retain them. You’ve probably heard many people state that the easiest customer to sell to is the one you already have. Your existing customers have already signed up for your email list, added their credit card information to your website and tested what you have to offer. In doing so, they’re starting a relationship with you and your brand. Help them feel as good about that relationship as possible.

Start by utilizing these strategies, which include investing in your customer service and getting personal, but realize your work will never be done. You’ll constantly be competing for these customers in the marketplace, and you can never simply rest on your laurels. Keep researching the market, hiring good people and making a superior product and you’ll be on your way to building the empire you always dreamed about.

Check out Entrepreneur’s other guides and resources for more information!

AzmanJaka | Getty Images

对数百万人来说，创业是美国梦的重要组成部分。但拥有一个绝妙的商业创意是一回事，将这个创意转化为一个成熟盈利的企业又是另一回事。创业或许是你的梦想，但毫无疑问，这并非易事！

不一定非得如此。事实上，即使你没有任何商业经验，还在寻找创业点子，你也可以通过12个步骤创办一家公司。

本文将指导您完成成为小企业主的整个过程，涵盖从财务规划到选择要提供的专业服务或商品等方方面面。

相关阅读：创办在线企业时应避免的 10 个错误

1. 自我评估。

让我们从最基本的问题开始：你为什么想创业？用这个问题来指导你想创办什么样的企业。如果你想赚点外快，或许可以考虑做点副业。如果你想要更多自由，或许是时候辞掉朝九晚五的工作，开始新的征程了。

一旦你找到了理由，就要开始问自己更多的问题，以帮助你确定应该创办哪种类型的企业，以及你是否具备所需的条件。

你有哪些技能？
你的热情所在是什么？
你的专长领域是什么？
考虑到大多数企业都会失败，你能承受多少支出？
你需要多少资金？启动成本是多少？你需要申请哪些小企业贷款？
你想要过怎样的生活？
你真的准备好成为一名企业家了吗？

回答问题时务必坦诚相待。这将为你今后的一切行动奠定基础，所以现在知道真相总比以后知道要好。

相关阅读：每位创业者都应该访问的 15 个免费在线学习网站

2. 想一个商业点子。

你已经有了绝妙的商业创意吗？如果有，恭喜你！你可以直接进入下一部分。如果没有，有很多方法可以帮你集思广益，找到好点子。《创业者》杂志上有一篇文章《想出商业创意的8种方法》，可以帮助人们梳理潜在的商业想法。以下是文章中的一些要点：

问问自己接下来会发生什么。哪些技术或进步即将出现，它们将如何改变我们所熟知的商业格局？你能抢占先机吗？
解决让你烦恼的事情。人们宁愿少一些不好的事情，也不愿多一些好事。如果你的企业能为客户解决问题，他们会感谢你的。
将你的技能运用到全新的领域。许多企业和行业墨守成规，因为他们一直以来都是这么做的。在这种情况下，从全新的视角审视问题，往往能带来截然不同的结果。
采用更好、更便宜、更快捷的方法。你的商业想法并非完全新颖吗？如果是，请思考现有产品和服务，并专注于如何创造更好、更便宜或更快捷的产品或服务。

此外，走出去，结识人脉，向他们提问，向其他创业者寻求建议，在网上搜索想法，或者使用任何你认为最合理的方法。

如果你已经尝试了所有方法仍然一筹莫展，这里有55个不错的创业方向供你选择。其他一些选择包括经营电子商务或搜索引擎优化（SEO）营销公司，这两个行业竞争激烈但回报丰厚。

相关阅读： 63种启动资金低于1万美元的创业项目

3. 进行市场调查。

已经有人在做你想做的事情了吗？如果没有，有什么合理的理由吗？

使用本指南，开始研究您在市场中的潜在竞争对手或合作伙伴。它详细列出了您需要完成的研究目标以及实现这些目标的方法。例如，您可以进行电话或面谈访谈。您还可以提供调查问卷，询问诸如“您在购买此产品或服务时会考虑哪些因素？”以及“您建议在哪些方面进行改进？”之类的问题。

同样重要的是，它还解释了人们在开展市场调研时最常犯的三个错误，分别是：

仅使用二手资料。
仅使用网络资源。
只调查你认识的人。

相关内容：如何在线创业

4. 获取反馈。

让人们体验你的产品或服务，看看他们的看法。全新的视角可以帮助你发现可能忽略的问题。此外，这些人会成为你的第一批品牌拥护者，尤其是在你认真听取他们的意见并且他们喜欢你的产品的情况下。

利用反馈最简单的方法之一是专注于“精益创业”方法（点击此处了解更多信息），它包含三大支柱：原型设计、实验和调整。通过推出产品、收集反馈并在推出下一个产品之前进行调整，您可以不断改进并确保保持竞争力。

要知道，无论你是否主动寻求建议，有些建议会很有用，有些则不然。所以，你应该事先计划好如何接收反馈。

以下是处理反馈的六个步骤：

停！你的大脑在接收到反馈时可能处于兴奋状态，并可能迅速得出错误的结论。放慢速度，花点时间仔细思考你刚才听到的内容。
首先要说“谢谢”。给你负面反馈的人不会期望你感谢他们，但这样做可能会让他们尊重你，并鼓励他们以后继续保持诚实。
寻找其中的真理。如果有人不认同你的某个观点，并不代表他们讨厌你说的所有话。记住，这些人是想帮忙，他们可能只是指出了一个较小的问题或解决方案，值得你进一步研究。
找出其中的规律。如果你总是听到同样的评论，那就该认真对待了。
带着好奇心倾听。乐于参与以客户为主导的对话。
多问问题。弄清楚别人喜欢或不喜欢某件事的原因。怎样才能做得更好？更好的解决方案是什么？

此外，帮助你应对负面反馈的一个方法是创建一个“爱心墙”，把所有收到的正面信息都贴在上面。这面“爱心墙”不仅能激励你，还能在你日后销售产品或服务时派上用场。网络上的好评和口碑推荐都能起到至关重要的作用。

准备好开启一项已被证明行之有效的事业了吗？了解一下特许经营，加盟商的成功率高达92%。只需2分钟，即可完成我们的快速评估，找到最适合您的特许经营项目！

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5. 正式宣布。

尽早解决所有法律方面的问题。这样，你就不必担心有人窃取你的创意、在合伙关系中坑害你，或者因为一些你始料未及的事情起诉你。你不仅要应对联邦政府和国税局，还要应对州政府和地方政府。一份需要准备的事项清单可能包括：

企业结构（例如有限责任公司、股份有限公司或合伙企业等）。
企业名称
注册您的企业
联邦税务识别号
州税号
许可证（更多关于许可证的信息请点击这里）
执照
必要的银行账户
商标、版权或专利

正式成立公司还意味着需要考虑自雇税或商业保险，具体取决于你选择的法律结构。

虽然有些事情你可以自己做，但最好在开始时咨询律师，这样可以确保你已经考虑到了所有需要的事情。

相关阅读：聘请小型企业律师前需要问的10个问题

选择您的业务类型

让你的企业正式运营的关键要素之一是选择合适的企业类型或商业模式。你可以创办的企业类型有很多种，包括：

独资企业是一种只有一名员工（即您本人）的商业类型。以独资企业形式开展业务可能更具成本效益，因为您甚至可能不需要营业执照。
合伙企业，包括两名员工（例如您自己和另一人）。
有限责任公司（LLC）是许多企业家的首选企业类型，因为它们可以限制个人在诉讼中的责任。此外，它们还能提供一定的税收优惠。有限责任公司非常适合中小型企业。
S型或C型公司。这些类型的公司适用于拥有数十或数百名员工的大型企业。它们可以享受特定的税收优惠，但也必须缴纳特定的营业税。

如果你是第一次创业，通常来说，最好将公司注册为独资企业或有限责任公司 (LLC)。如果你注册为有限责任公司，一旦获得雇主识别号码 (EIN)，你就可以雇佣员工了。

然而，雇用员工也意味着需要购买责任保险和工伤保险。在向贷款机构申请贷款或在会计软件中计算成本时，务必将这些费用考虑在内。

相关阅读：每个创业公司都必须准备的7份最重要的法律文件

6. 撰写你的商业计划书。

商业计划书是一份书面文件，描述了您的企业从创立到最终产品将如何发展演变。

正如天使投资人兼科技公司创始人蒂姆·贝瑞在《创业者》杂志上所写的那样，“你大概可以用20到30页的正文，再加上10页的附录，来涵盖你需要表达的所有内容，例如月度预测、管理人员简历和其他细节。如果你的计划超过40页，那很可能说明你的总结做得不够好。”

我们建议你的商业计划书中应该包含以下内容：

标题页。首先要确定公司名称，这比听起来要难得多。本文可以帮助您避免在选择名称时常犯的错误。
执行摘要。这是对计划内容的概要概述，通常会涉及公司简介、业务要解决的问题、解决方案以及为何选择此时推出。（以下是摘要中应包含的内容以及如何使其更吸引投资者。）
企业描述。您想创办什么样的企业？您的行业现状如何？未来发展趋势如何？
市场策略。您的目标市场是什么？如何才能更好地向该市场销售产品？您的网店将尝试触达哪些潜在客户？这是市场分析的关键部分。
竞争分析。你的竞争对手有哪些优势和劣势？你将如何战胜他们？
设计与开发计划。您的产品或服务是什么？它将如何开发？然后，为该产品或服务制定预算。
运营和管理计划。企业日常运作如何？
财务因素。资金来源是什么？何时到位？如何到位？您应该制定什么样的预测？需要考虑哪些因素？

每个问题你可以用一到三页的篇幅来回答。记住，商业计划书是一份动态文件，随着时间的推移和业务的成熟，你需要不断更新它。

相关阅读：如何用（几乎）零成本创业

7. 为你的企业融资。

有很多不同的方法可以获得创业所需的资源。天使投资人马丁·茨威林（Martin Zwilling）的公司Startup Professionals为初创企业和小企业提供服务和产品，他推荐了10种最可靠的融资方式。不妨看看这些方法，并结合自身的资源、情况和生活状态，找出最适合你的方案。

自己筹集创业资金。自筹资金创业可能需要更长时间，但好处是你可以掌控自己的命运（和股权）。
向亲朋好友说明你的需求。虽然很难将公私关系分开，但如果你正在考虑贷款，这里有一个资源可以帮助你尽可能简化流程。
申请小企业补助金。首先，请查看我们的小企业补助金指南。然后，访问Grants.gov网站，这是一个可搜索的在线目录，收录了 1000 多个联邦补助金项目。申请过程可能比较漫长，但不会占用您的任何资金。
发起线上众筹活动。有时候，人多力量大，许多小额投资积少成多，也能成就一番大事业。如果你觉得你的企业可能适合 Kickstarter 或Indiegogo之类的平台，不妨了解一下史上十大最成功的众筹企业，或者看看最受欢迎的众筹网站。
向当地的天使投资人团体申请加入。Gust和AngelList等在线平台以及本地人脉网络可以帮助你找到与你的行业和兴趣相投的潜在投资人。
积极寻求风险投资。风投通常会寻找资金规模大、业绩成熟的团队，并且这些团队需要至少一百万美元的资金，因此在联系他们之前，你应该已经积累了一定的成功经验。
加入创业孵化器或加速器。这些机构旨在帮助新兴企业或初创公司发展壮大。大多数机构提供免费资源，包括办公设施和咨询服务，以及人脉拓展机会和项目路演活动。部分机构还提供种子资金。
向战略合作伙伴或客户协商预付款。如果有人非常需要你的产品或服务，愿意为此付费，那么他们也很有可能愿意为你提供资金支持。这种模式的变体包括提前授权或贴牌生产协议。
用股权或服务换取创业帮助。例如，你可以为办公室租户提供计算机系统支持，以换取免费的办公空间。你可能不会因此获得报酬，但你也不必支付办公室租金，省一分钱就是赚一分钱。
寻求银行贷款或信用额度。申请银行贷款前，您应该问自己以下10个问题，包括您是否符合资格。如果您符合条件，可以先从美国小企业管理局(SBA) 开始寻找贷款机会。

开设企业银行账户

尽早开设一个企业银行账户是明智之举。即使你对自己的财务状况掌控得很好，最好也不要用个人支票账户支付任何企业开支。

为什么？简而言之，拥有一个企业银行账户能让您更轻松地报税和追踪业务支出。这样，您就能清楚地知道账户中的哪些支出用于业务，哪些用于个人生活或娱乐。

此外，一些企业银行账户还提供奖励或特惠信用卡。所有这些都能帮助您最大限度地利用企业资金，这在企业发展的初期阶段至关重要。

你应该申请哪些商业贷款？

此外，还值得考虑不同类型的商业贷款。美国小企业管理局 (SBA) 贷款非常适合像您这样的新创业者。但是，您只有在以下情况下才应该申请商业贷款：

您有信心按时还款。
该贷款的利率并不高，也不会过高。
你确实需要这笔贷款——不必要的贷款绝非明智的商业做法，因为它会降低你的企业信用评分。

相关阅读：7种可能为你的创业公司提供种子轮融资的渠道

8. 开发你的产品或服务。

在你为创业付出所有努力之后，看到自己的想法变成现实，那种感觉肯定棒极了。但请记住，打造一款产品需要整个团队的协作。如果你想开发一款应用，但你又不是工程师，那就需要联系技术人员。或者，如果你需要批量生产产品，那就必须与制造商合作。

这里有一个七步清单，涵盖了寻找制造商和定价策略等内容，您可以将其用于自己的产品开发。文章强调的一个重点是，在实际设计产品时，您应该关注两件事：简洁性和质量。即使降低制造成本，最佳选择也未必是生产最便宜的产品。此外，您还需要确保产品能够迅速吸引消费者的注意力。

当您准备进行产品开发并将部分任务外包时，请确保：

保持对产品的掌控，并不断学习。如果你把开发工作交给其他人或另一家公司，而没有进行监督，你可能无法得到你设想的产品。
建立制衡机制以降低风险。如果您只雇佣一名自由工程师，可能就没有人能够核查他们的工作。如果您选择自由职业者模式，最好雇佣多名工程师，这样您就不必仅仅听信他们的一面之词。
要聘用专家，而不是通才。要找那些在你需要的特定领域非常出色的人，而不是什么都懂一点的“万事通”。
不要把所有鸡蛋放在一个篮子里。确保即使某个自由职业者离开或者合同失败，你也不会损失所有成果。
合理管理产品开发流程可以节省成本。工程师的收费标准会因其专业领域而异，因此务必确保您不会因为聘请了能力过剩的工程师而浪费金钱，因为您完全可以用更低的价格获得相同的结果。

为了让您安心，请尽可能多地了解生产流程，以便随着时间的推移改进生产流程和招聘决策。

对于服务型创业者来说，这个过程会截然不同，但同样重要。你拥有一些人们愿意付费的技能，但这些技能很难量化。你该如何展现自己和自己的能力呢？你可以考虑创建一个作品集——如果你是艺术家，可以创建一个网站展示你的画作；如果你是作家，可以展示你的写作作品；如果你是设计师，可以展示你的设计作品。

此外，请确保您拥有必要的证书或学历，这样当有人询问您的服务时，您就能抓住好机会。

相关阅读：今天可以开办的105家服务型企业

9. 开始组建你的团队。

要想扩大业务规模，你需要将一些职责移交给其他人。你需要一个团队。

无论你需要合作伙伴、员工还是自由职业者，以下三点建议都能帮助你找到合适的人选：

明确阐述你的目标。确保每个人从一开始就理解愿景以及他们在使命中的角色。
遵循招聘流程。启动招聘流程时，您需要考虑诸多因素，从筛选候选人到提出正确的问题，再到准备合适的表格。以下是一份更详细的指南，希望能对您有所帮助。
建立强大的企业文化。优秀的企业文化包含哪些要素？有哪些构成要素？您可以参考我们列出的10家拥有优秀企业文化的公司案例，但请记住，您无需拥有像谷歌那样令人惊叹的办公空间才能营造积极的氛围。因为优秀的企业文化更注重通过多种渠道（包括培训和指导）尊重和赋能员工，而非装饰或乒乓球桌。事实上，办公室福利有时更像是陷阱而非真正的福利。

如何招聘优秀员工

仅仅招聘合格的人才还不够。要想企业成功，你需要为岗位招聘合适的员工。幸运的是，你可以通过关注以下几个关键方面来招聘优秀的员工。

根据面试中对员工的印象来招聘。积极进取的员工或许没有最出色的资历，但他们拥有在困难时期可以依靠的积极态度。
别忘了考虑多元化。最好避免全部招聘同一族裔的员工，因为这样一来，少数族裔员工可能会感到被孤立或受到歧视。尽量让你的招聘小组成员多元化，以避免这种情况发生。
招聘那些真心想在贵公司工作并渴望晋升的员工。这不仅能满足公司当前的用工需求，还能培养未来的经理和主管，帮助您在未来发展壮大业务。

至于如何吸引这些优秀员工，除了提供具有竞争力的薪酬外，还要提供保险计划和其他员工福利。随着公司盈利能力的提升和业务的扩张，这将更容易实现。

最终，员工的成败将决定企业的成败。如果你的第一批员工中既有优秀人才也有平庸之辈，那么不要犹豫，果断解雇那些拖后腿的员工。糟糕的员工会对工作场所文化产生负面影响，损害公司声誉，甚至给客户带来糟糕的体验。这可能导致公司在运营初期就走向失败。

相关阅读： 10种几乎零成本即可开启的线上职业

10. 寻找地点。

这可以是办公室，也可以是店铺。您的优先事项会因需求而异，但以下是需要考虑的 10 个基本要素：

经营风格。确保您的店铺位置与您的风格和形象保持一致。
人口统计。首先要考虑你的客户是谁。他们与你店铺的距离有多重要？如果你是一家依赖当地社区的零售店，这一点至关重要。但对于其他商业模式，可能就没那么重要了。
客流量。如果您希望顾客光顾您的店铺，请确保店铺易于找到。记住：即使是最好的零售区域也存在客流低谷。
无障碍设施和停车。您的建筑是否方便通行？不要让顾客因为不知道哪里可以停车而另寻他处。
竞争。有时候，附近有竞争对手是件好事；有时候，则不然。您已经做过市场调研，所以您知道哪种情况最适合您的业务。
靠近其他企业和服务机构。这不仅仅关乎人流量。还要考虑附近的商家如何提升您企业的办公环境质量。
地点的图片和历史。这个地址能体现贵公司的哪些信息？其他公司是否曾在此经营失败？这个位置是否符合您想要展现的形象？
地方法规。根据您的业务性质，这些法规可能对您有利，也可能不利。例如，如果您要开办一家日托中心，那么禁止在附近开设酒类商店的地方法规可能会为您增加一层安全保障。但请确保您自己不会是那个试图开设酒类商店的人。
建筑物的基础设施。尤其如果您正在考虑购买老旧建筑或打算开展线上业务，务必确保空间能够满足您的高科技需求。如果您对某栋建筑认真考虑，不妨聘请工程师对建筑状况进行检查，以获得客观的评估。
租金、水电费和其他费用。租金是最大的设施支出，但也要查看水电费，以及它们是否包含在租赁合同中。你肯定不想一开始就被一个价格蒙蔽，之后却发现实际费用更高。

一旦你了解了要寻找什么，并且准备开始寻找符合你所有条件的地方，以下四个技巧可以提供帮助。

根据自身时间安排考虑。房东们开始提供短期办公租赁服务。如果长期租约对你的业务没有好处，就不要被长期租约束缚。
要全面考虑各种选择。有很多地方可以利用——联合办公空间、商务中心、短租等等。保持选择的开放性。
在城里四处逛逛。或许利用网络资源，你能找到理想的住处。
按照你的条件达成交易。再说一遍，你有很多选择。不要被卷入让你感到不舒服的事情中。

确定好地点后，就可以专注于美学设计了。您可以在这里查看一些设计理念。

相关内容：今年最值得尝试的 5 个在线创业方向（信息图）

11. 开始获得一些销售额。

无论你销售什么产品，身处哪个行业，企业的未来都取决于收入和销售额。史蒂夫·乔布斯深谙此道——正因如此，在他创办苹果公司之初，他每天都待在车库里给投资者打电话。

你可以运用各种各样的销售策略和技巧，但以下四条原则必须牢记：

投资者兼企业家约翰·兰普顿说：“当你倾听客户的意见时，你就能了解他们的需求和愿望，以及如何满足这些需求和愿望。”
请求客户做出承诺，但不要咄咄逼人。你可以大胆地询问下一步计划或促成交易，但也不能让客户觉得你在强迫他们购买。
不要害怕听到“不”。正如前上门推销员（现为软件公司 Pipedrive 的联合创始人）蒂莫·雷恩所说：“大多数人太有礼貌了。即使他们没有购买意向，也会让你把推销说完。而这本身就是一个问题。时间是你最重要的资源。”
务必将其列为优先事项。正如创业奇才 Gary Vaynerchuk 所说：“真正创造收入并经营一家盈利的企业，才是良好的商业策略。我们究竟走到哪一步了，才会认为用户数量、访问量或网站停留时间可以作为衡量企业成功的指标？”

但究竟该如何实现销售呢？首先要确定哪些人需要你的产品或服务。找到你的早期用户，拓展客户群，或者投放广告寻找与你的业务契合的人群。然后，找到合适的销售渠道或策略，将这些潜在客户转化为实际收入。