Getting started, the first real steps

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

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

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

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

Most small businesses shouldn't; know your reason.

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

Separate cards keep expenses clean and start building credit.

Meet the licensing rules for salon services.

Apply free on the IRS site; it takes minutes.

Complete the coursework and exam your market requires.

Choose the umbrella you start under.

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

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

SBDC and SCORE mentoring costs nothing.

Separate business money from personal from day one.

Go where your customer already is; ignore the rest.

In front of people who will interrupt you.

Competition, moat, why now, why you.

Choose a legal structure and register your business name.

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