Business Start Up Checklist

A practical, system-based guide to building your business the right way — from day one to scale.

Starting (or growing) a business isn’t just about having a great idea — it’s about building the structure that allows it to succeed.

At Kate’s Castle, we believe businesses thrive when the right systems are built early — and refined intentionally over time.

This free Business Start Up Checklist gives you a clear, organized roadmap to ensure nothing critical slips through the cracks — whether you’re launching your first business or scaling an existing one.

What You’ll Learn Inside

This checklist walks you through the real operational, financial, and strategic components required to build a sustainable business — not just a legally formed one.

Inside, you’ll get clarity on:

For Startups (0–2 Years)

  • Proper business setup (LLC, EIN, licenses, DBAs)

  • Business banking and accounting software setup

  • Creating budgets, forecasts, and tax planning systems

  • SOPs, email, cloud storage, and project management tools

  • Branding, website, social presence, and email systems

  • Client intake, contracts, invoicing, and file organization

  • Business insurance and risk management

For Established Businesses (2+ Years)

  • Financial audits, KPIs, and strategic goal-setting

  • Financial optimization and tax planning

  • Automations, SOP refinement, and team systems

  • Marketing performance review and optimization

  • Delegation, org charts, and performance systems

  • Compliance, renewals, contracts, and data protection

This is not a “generic startup list.” It’s a real-world operating framework for businesses that want to last.

Why This Matters

Most businesses don’t struggle because they lack passion — they struggle because their systems were built too late… or never.

A strong foundation means:

  • Fewer legal and tax surprises

  • Cleaner finances

  • More predictable cash flow

  • Better scalability

  • Easier delegation

  • Less founder burnout

  • More freedom and control

This checklist helps you move from reactive business ownership to intentional leadership.

Who This Guide Is For

This checklist is for you if:

  • You’re launching a new business and want to avoid costly mistakes

  • You already have a business but feel things are disorganized

  • You want clarity across legal, financial, and operational areas

  • You plan to grow, delegate, or scale

  • You’re ready to run your business like a real company — not a side hustle

Whether you’re just starting or ready to streamline and scale, this checklist meets you where you are.

About Kate’s Castle

Kate’s Castle helps entrepreneurs and business owners build structured, scalable, and sustainable businesses.

From startup foundations to financial systems, operations, and strategy, we help you move from chaos to clarity — and from vision to execution.

This checklist is one of the first tools we use to help clients identify gaps, prioritize improvements, and build businesses that actually support their lives.

Get the Free Guide

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No fluff. No overwhelm. Just the systems your business needs.

Want Personal Guidance?

Knowing what to do is powerful. Having support while doing it is transformational.

If you’d like help implementing this checklist in your business, I offer a free 15-minute consultation to walk through your current setup and next steps.

Your business deserves structure. Your growth deserves strategy.
Your castle deserves strong systems.