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Getting started, the first real steps

The foundational moves every founder makes first, from a one page plan to registering the business and opening a bank account.

Getting Started guides
Activate MLS access and start selling

Join the MLS and associations your brokerage and market actually use.

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Build an investor list that funds you

30-50 names who actually fund your stage and sector.

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Buy a domain name that's easy to trust

Short, spellable, and .com if you can get it.

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Pick a website platform that fits you

Builder, WordPress, or hire out — pick by budget and skill.

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Raise startup funding, or not at all?

Most small businesses shouldn't; know your reason.

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Package your service offer to sell

Decide exactly what you sell and what you don't.

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Get business cards that build credit

Separate cards keep expenses clean and start building credit.

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Get your cosmetology license first

Meet the licensing rules for salon services.

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Get your EIN free from the IRS today

Apply free on the IRS site; it takes minutes.

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Get your real estate license faster

Complete the coursework and exam your market requires.

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Join a brokerage or go independent

Choose the umbrella you start under.

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Find real small business support fast

Loans, rare grants, tax credits, and free advice — be realistic.

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Map your startup funding options

Bootstrapping, loans, angels, VC, crowdfunding — different games.

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Meet SCORE and SBDC, free expert advice

SBDC and SCORE mentoring costs nothing.

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Open a business bank account early

Separate business money from personal from day one.

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Pick two marketing channels that work

Go where your customer already is; ignore the rest.

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Practice your pitch out loud ten times

In front of people who will interrupt you.

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Prepare for tough investor questions

Competition, moat, why now, why you.

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Register your business, shield your home

Choose a legal structure and register your business name.

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One page business plan that ships

Summarize what you sell, to whom, and how you make money on a single page.

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Every guide here is a checkbox in the app.

Start free and work through them one clear task at a time. No credit card required.

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Across the site

More on Getting Started across the site

Case studyBarbara CorcoranThe Corcoran GroupCase studyJack MaAlibabaCase studyNina VacaPinnacle GroupCase studySara BlakelySpanxNews$20,000 instant asset write-off made permanent from 1 July 2026Australian founders running a company under $10M turnover can now plan equipment and tooling purchases across years without waiting on the annual budget, immediately expensing each sub-$20,000 asset installed ready for use from 1 July 2026.News2026-27 Budget overhauls R&D Tax Incentive: refundable offset cap lifts to $50MFounders should keep claiming under today's rules through FY2027-28, but model runway assuming a higher $50k minimum spend to claim and a larger $50M turnover ceiling that keeps growing startups on the more valuable refundable offset for longer. Plan R&D budgets now so projects clear the new $50k floor.NewsAmber Grant: three $10,000 awards for women founders, Sept 30 deadlineIf you are a woman-owned business, submit before September 30 for non-dilutive cash; one form covers three shots at $10,000 plus year-end eligibility for $50,000.NewsAndreessen Horowitz raises $1.1B 'Machine Age' fund for hardware and roboticsHardware, robotics and infrastructure founders now have a fresh mega-fund to pitch; align your deck to a16z's stated Machine Age themes before reaching out.NewsAnthropic opens free Claude for Teachers to US K-12 schools and districtsEdtech founders should treat a free, district-managed Claude tier as a distribution shift; build integrations or lesson-workflow add-ons on top of it rather than competing on raw model access.NewsAntler pre-team founder program applications close September 30, 2026This one is aimed at people who want to start a company but don't yet have a co-founder or a locked-in idea, an unusual on-ramp most accelerators don't offer. If you're a strong operator or technical builder still solo, Antler is a structured way to meet vetted potential co-founders and get initial capital. Treat the deadline as a forcing function to decide whether you're ready to commit full-time.NewsAntler residency applications close September 30, 2026 for pre-team foundersIdea-stage or solo founders seeking a co-founder and first funding should apply free before the September 30 deadline rather than waiting to assemble a team first.NewsARENA opens $30M Launchpad grants for early-stage clean energy startupsEarly-stage climate, solar, storage, hydrogen and electrification founders can win non-dilutive grants of up to $1M through a streamlined application, but the startup round closes late October 2026 so act fast.NewsASIC launches free Small Business Director Essentials hub for foundersAny Australian founder who is a company director should work through the free hub early to understand personal director obligations (including insolvent-trading and financial-difficulty duties) before problems arise, rather than paying for advice reactively.NewsAuckland space startup Outlier Space raises NZ$10.5m pre-seedNew Zealand deeptech and hardware founders can point to this round as proof that local and trans-Tasman VCs like GD1 and AirTree will write large pre-seed cheques for capital-intensive, science-heavy startups, and target those funds when pitching.NewsAustralia cuts National Innovation Visa to 3,500 places for 2026-27The NIV is a fast permanent-residency path but invitation-only and tightening, so founders should submit an EOI framed tightly around a Tier One priority sector (critical tech, health or renewables) where nearly all invitations are landing rather than a general innovation pitch.NewsAustralia reintroduces company loss carry-back from 2026-27: refund tax paid in prior 2 yearsA founder whose incorporated startup was profitable (and paid company tax) in FY2024-25 or FY2025-26 but swings to a loss in FY2026-27 can recover that earlier tax as cash rather than only carrying the loss forward. Model the timing of loss-making growth spend so the refund lands when you file the 2026-27 return.NewsAustralia unveils 50% CGT discount for startup founders, employees and early investorsFounders and staff on equity should structure holdings to meet the under-10-year, sub-$50M and 5-year-hold criteria, and can lodge feedback during the consultation to shape the final design before it applies to gains from 1 July 2027.NewsBlackbird raises AUD $1.05 billion for the largest ANZ venture fundEarly-stage Australian founders now face a materially deeper pre-seed/seed capital pool; those raising a first round should target Blackbird and warm up the intro path given the fund's stated before-revenue, before-product mandate.NewsBNDES and Finep launch FIP Conexoes Startups fund targeting up to R$250MFounders should get into the feeder programs now (BNDES Garagem, Centelha, Finep Subvencao, acceleration) because this fund is designed to channel growth-stage capital specifically into startups coming out of those public pipelines. Build an investment-ready track record in a supported program to sit in this fund's priority deal flow once its manager is picked.NewsBNDES and Finep launch FIP Conexões Startups, a R$250M startup fundFounders of scalable startups that have gone through grant, subsidy, or acceleration programs should keep that track record documented and map the venture-capital managers bidding for the mandate, positioning themselves in the fund's deal-origination pipeline as soon as a manager is chosen.NewsBNDES and Finep launch FIP Conexoes Startups: R$250M VC fund for Brazilian startupsFounders who have already gone through accelerators, Centelha, Tecnova, or economic-subsidy programs should position their startup as a graduate ready for equity, and monitor the selected fund manager's investment thesis and application window, especially if based outside the Southeast.NewsBNDES-Finep FIP Conexões Startups draws 19 managers for R$250M early-stage fundFounders who have already gone through Finep/BNDES innovation programs (Centelha, Tecnova, Mais Inovação, BNDES Garagem) should keep their alumni status documented and track the Nov 23 manager pick, since the winning fund will be actively sourcing eligible early-stage deals.NewsBNDES-Finep get 19 bids to run R$250M FIP Conexoes Startups fundFounders who have completed public innovation programs (Centelha, Tecnova, Subvencao Economica, Mulheres Inovadoras, Mais Inovacao or BNDES Garagem) are the fund's priority targets, so completing those programs now positions a startup to be first in line once the FIP begins investing in 2027.NewsBrazil launches 5th Eco Invest auction to fund green-tech innovationClimate, energy, or deeptech founders should read the manual on the National Treasury portal and check eligibility for the innovation-fund and non-reimbursable research tracks before the auction window, then line up a qualifying financial-institution partner to structure participation.