Here's a detailed breakdown of each section from the "Checklist for Starting a Business" in India, explaining what each task means and why it's important:
✅ Checklist for Starting a Business
This checklist serves as a step-by-step guide for launching a business, especially useful for first-time entrepreneurs, small business owners, and freelancers. It’s divided into clear categories to make your launch smoother and more organized.
📛 1. NAME IDEAS
Think creatively and come up with multiple names for your business. A strong name should:
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Be easy to remember
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Reflect your product/service
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Be unique and not already in use
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Have an available domain name
Tip: Check domain availability and social media handles when brainstorming.
🎯 2. TARGET AUDIENCE
Define who your ideal customer is:
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Age, gender, location
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Interests and buying habits
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Income level and needs
Why it's important: Understanding your audience helps you market more effectively and develop products they'll love.
📝 3. PLANNING
Thorough planning is key to business success. Here’s what to do:
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Create a business plan: Outline your goals, market analysis, operations plan, and financial forecast.
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Choose a name: Finalize your brand name.
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Research supplies: List what you need and find the best vendors.
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Estimate startup cost: Calculate how much you need to get started.
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Estimate manufacturing costs: Know how much it’ll cost to produce your product.
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Research competition: Study what others are doing in your niche.
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Set realistic goals: Set clear, measurable short and long-term goals.
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Research pricing for item: Check market prices to stay competitive.
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Research local markets: Find potential selling areas like fairs, markets, or events.
🧾 4. BUSINESS
Take care of the legal and operational foundation:
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Choose legal structure: Sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, etc.
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Register business name: Required to operate legally.
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Obtain EIN (USA) / BN (CAN): For tax ID and hiring employees.
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Obtain licenses and permits: Depending on your location and industry.
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Set up accounting system: Use software or hire an accountant to track income, expenses, and taxes.
🛠️ 5. PRODUCT & SERVICE
Get your product or service ready to sell:
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Designate a workplace: Home office, co-working space, shop, etc.
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Order supplies: Buy the raw materials/tools you need.
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Create sample products: Test designs or prototypes.
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Create an inventory list: Track what you have in stock.
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Create a pricing list: Set fair prices based on cost + profit.
🎨 6. BRANDING
Build a recognizable and trustworthy image:
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Choose brand colors: Consistent color scheme across all materials.
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Design logo: Hire a designer or use tools like Canva or Looka.
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Create a tagline: A catchy slogan that summarizes your business.
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Order business cards: For networking and professionalism.
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Design product packaging: Make sure it matches your branding and appeals to your audience.
📣 7. MARKETING
Get the word out and build your customer base:
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Buy domain name: Register your website name.
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Create a website: Use builders like Wix, Shopify, or WordPress.
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Create a business email: Looks more professional (e.g., info@yourbrand.com).
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Create social media accounts: Start with Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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Create mailing list: Collect emails to send offers and updates.
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Create email signature: Add branding to every email.
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Order business cards: Again, important for visibility.
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Photograph sample products: Use high-quality images for marketing.
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Apply to local markets/events: Helps with physical presence and word-of-mouth.
💰 8. FINANCES
Set up systems to handle money professionally:
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Open business banking account: Keeps your business finances separate.
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Create PayPal account: For digital payments.
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Create order management system: To track sales and shipments.
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Purchase mobile POS system: For in-person sales (like Square or Paytm POS).
📊 9. ANALYTICS
Measure your progress and performance:
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Sign up for Google Analytics: Tracks website visitors, behavior, etc.
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Sign up for Google Search Console: Helps you monitor and improve your search rankings.
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Sign up for Tailwind: A tool to schedule social media posts, especially for Pinterest and Instagram.
📌 How to Use This Checklist
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Step-by-step: Follow each section in order.
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Customize: Not every point will apply to every business—adapt as needed.
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Track progress: Print or recreate the checklist in Google Docs/Excel and mark completed tasks.
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Prioritize: Begin with Planning and Business setup before jumping into marketing or analytics.
🧠 Pro Tip:
You can use free tools like:
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Canva (for branding & social media)
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Notion or Trello (for project planning)
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Wave Accounting or Zoho Books (for free accounting)
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Google Workspace (for business email and docs)
