How To Start A Small Business
In todays day and age there are so many resources to teach you how to start a small business. They all say "start a business in a week for free" which is not a lie but there is always a catch.
But fear not YOU are in the right place and I say this with my chest lol, so to speak. I will not waste anymore of your time but will get right into.
Resources will be available throughout this post, you will not need to search anywhere else. Now this post is recommended for any niche but its specifically for Beauty, fashion and the likes.
Below is a brief synopsis of what we will cover: To learn how to get you business up and going click the links below and follow the guide available to get your business legal. If you have any questions please contact and I will guide you as best as I can.
- TIN
- How to get an LLC for NYC
- EIN
- Branding
- Social Medias
- Digital Marketing
Everyone wants a quick fix to start making money without putting in actual time and resources. It’s an exhausting journey that has caused many to succumb to defeat. However, I have decided never to falter or spend the rest of my life struggling to pay bills and live the life I dream of.
I have spent years being an entrepreneur and decided to document all that it takes to start a business. You only ever truly fail if you stop trying. The road to success is not a short-term journey but a lifelong experience that will lead to a fulfilled and successful life.
Let’s start a business.
It doesn't matter the niche; what’s important is learning your industry and figuring out how to satisfy your target audience's pain points (needs).
To do this, we will want to ensure that we have done research on our niche and have collected the data needed to “fix” the issues your potential audience is having. Learn how to niche down with my Business Start Checklist.
Let us break down the information below in sections so that you will not miss anything. Take your time, as this is not the Olympics and you are not in the 100m race. Don’t be in too much of a hurry, as this can lead to a lot of setbacks.
1. Choose your niche and then niche down.
2. Choose your business name:
- Choose a name that is memorable but not common.
I tell my girlies this all the time, please don’t put ‘BADDIE’ when naming your business, Boujie is hmm for me and personally I would not use it either. Let’s focus on HIGH-END Brand Names.
Yes you can still sell cost effective products and have your brand looking like a million dollars. Using your name is always good too but for me and this is just me, unless I have a catchy or an unusual name I wouldn’t use it. It also depends on the audience you are trying to reach and their style as well.
Let's brain storm:
Ask yourself these questions?
When naming your brand:
- Decide what’s important to you?
- Something that’s unforgettable
- Another way to add value to your brands name is by spelling it in a different language example: Jewelry in Italy is Gioielleria, French is Bijoux and so on.
- Go with unique as suppose to popular, your brand’s name will stand out!
- Whatever your niche is add that to your Business name example: Jouie’s Jewelry Box or Lilly lashes*. In this case your niche is Jewelry. Brainstorming names can be long or short, sometimes it takes one go.
- Decide your brand’s color. Now yes you might like certain colors but they might not be eye catching.
- Some brands are playful, fun and uses a lot of bright
- colors. example The Crayon Case.
Example of Luxury Brand Colors:
- Black & White
- Baby Pink(very Light)
- Nudes
- Browns
Let's check the requirements needed in order to get your LLC.
- Go to your state's website (e.g., nyc.gov). once you are on nyc.gov scroll down and click on the link "Get started" then follow the instructions given to get a list of requirements in order to get your LLC.
Options given will show, New Business, Existing Business, What kind of business. This means what is your business niche or category. Whether a restaurant or Beauty Online store. You will have the option to search and choose your category.
Click next which will direct you to enter the county in NY state where you will conduct business. Answer the other questions and click next. Decide what your legal structure will be. Then go ahead and choose your employee, for now I'd put no t0 the employee section.
Now that you have your checklist to set up your LLC. Go ahead and search for your business name. Go to https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/ There you will be able to find if your business name is already taken. Additionally you can go on legalzoom.com and do another search.
3. Get your ITIN. Learn with my step by step guide how to get your ITIN. Ensure that you have first followed all of my steps in creating your business. From choosing a business name to getting your ITIN then making your business legal. After which you will apply for your EIN which is totally FREE. No need to pay for it.
4. Register your business name.
5. Get your EIN (It’s FREE; don’t pay anyone to get this). Follow my step by step guide to smoothly get your EIN.
6. Create a domain name (you can use the website you will sign up with, such as Shopify, Bluehost or WordPress, etc.).
7. Sign up for all social media with your legal business name (even if you are not going to use all the platforms).
Now that we have completed all the steps to getting our first registered business in New York State. Let's recap and also review my list below of basic items you might need to get your business up and running.
- A website(shopify has 14 days free trial, I suggest signing up after you've done all your research and found your niche.
- BlueHost- Wordpress.org (my fav if you are starting a blog)
- Label Maker (comes in handy if you cannot afford your vendors printing prices)
- Tote Bags (Amazon, Aliexpress)
- Business Cards (7Figure Branding Queen)
- Tapes ( staples , Target )
- Note Books Pens (staples)
- Printer, Ink (staples)
- Label paper (Amazon )
- Printing paper (Staples)
- Usps, Ups, DHL, Fedex, Signup for these accounts
- Office supplies ( staples, Target)
- Poly Mailers ( Amazon, Aliexpress )
- Thank you cards ( Etsy, Canva) 7Figure Branding Queen
- Alibaba Account (For Vendors)
- Paypal
- Domain name ( for your website)
- Logo (7fiigurebrandingqueen.com) (Fiverr)
- Canva
- Typorama
- Inshots Video Editor
- Video Collage
- Picture Collage
- Social Media Apps FB, TIKTOK, INSTA, TWITTER, PINTEREST
- Whatsapp ( communicate with vendors)
- Bolt
- PicPlayPost
- Repost for Instagram etc
- Gmail
- Cashapp
- Paypal
- Boomerang
- Facetune 1 or 2
- Hootsuite (for scheduling post)
- Kirakira+ (sparkle videos)
- PicPlayPost
I hope that I was able to ease the process of starting a business and provide you with valuable insights and practical steps to help you move forward with confidence. Remember, every great venture begins with a single step, and with persistence, passion, and faith, your business dreams can become a reality. Wishing you success and fulfillment on your entrepreneurial journey!
Additional Resources
How to get an LLC for NYC
Get your Taxpayer Identification Number To Represent Your Business
Business Starter Checklist
-How To Start A Small Business-
*Disclosure: I recommend only products I would personally use, and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, through which I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
