Module 1: Business Foundation & Branding

Before anything gets designed, the business itself needs to be built on paper.

The legal/administrative basics

• Business structure — most small businesses starting out form an LLC (Limited Liability Company) to separate personal and business liability. A sole proprietorship is faster/cheaper but offers no legal protection.

• EIN (Employer Identification Number) — free, direct from the IRS at irs.gov. This is your business's SSN — needed to open a business bank account, file taxes, and hire.

• State registration — file the LLC with your Secretary of State's office (varies by state; ~$50–$300 depending on state).

• Business bank account — never mix personal and business funds. Open this as soon as the EIN is issued. Resource Toolkit — Legal & Admin: | Resource | What it's for | Cost | |---|---|---| | IRS.gov | File for an EIN directly — free, takes minutes | Free | | Your state's Secretary of State website | File the LLC itself | ~$50–$300 (varies by state) | | LegalZoom or ZenBusiness | Handles LLC filing + registered agent for clients who don't want to DIY it | Paid | | A local business attorney | Best option for anyone with partners, investors, or a more complex structure | Paid |

Brand identity — the visual foundation

This is where most new business owners either overspend or underspend. The goal is a cohesive identity, not just a logo:

• Name — should be memorable, easy to say out loud, and available (check the state business registry and the USPTO trademark database and domain/handle availability before falling in love with it).

• Color palette — 2–4 core colors that carry across everything (website, packaging, social, signage).

• Logo — needs a primary version, a simplified icon/mark (for profile pictures and favicons), and a horizontal lockup for headers.

• Typography — a heading font and a body font, licensed for commercial use.

• Brand voice — how the business "talks" in captions, emails, and on the website (playful? luxury? no-nonsense?).

Our strong recommendation: no AI-generated logos or brand marks. AI logos are easy to spot, aren't trademark-safe, and rarely hold up once you need custom sizing, embroidery files, or vector formats. If design isn't a strength, outsourcing is the right call — a one-time investment in a real designer is cheaper long-term than re-branding a year in because the logo doesn't scale or look professional.

Resource Toolkit — Branding:

ResourceWhat it's forCost99designs, Dribbble, or UpworkFinding a real designer to commission a logo/brand packagePaidCanva ProBuilding a brand kit around a finished logo (social templates, one-pagers) — not for creating the logo itself~$15–$30/moCreative MarketFonts, templates, and design assets to round out a brand kitFree–PaidAdobe Fonts or Google FontsLicensed typography for commercial useFree–Paid

Action items for the client:

1. Finalize name → check availability (state, trademark, domain, socials) before committing.

2. File the LLC and get the EIN.

3. Open a business bank account.

4. Commission (don't AI-generate) a logo + brand kit: primary logo, icon, color codes, fonts.

Almost every business needs a website — even service businesses that don't sell online directly. It's often the first place a potential customer verifies a business is real.

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Why it matters even if you're not selling online

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• Legitimacy — a real website makes a brand-new business look established, not "just starting out."

• Local search — a huge share of customers search Google for a business or service near them before ever checking social media. A website (paired with a Google Business Profile) is what shows up in that local map pack.

• A home base — social platforms can change algorithms or disappear; a website is owned real estate that isn't subject to a platform's rules.

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Platform recommendation

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We personally build client sites on Squarespace — it's one of the most user-friendly builders for non-technical business owners, has strong built-in SEO tools, and the templates look professional out of the box (not "cheap" — but only if it's set up correctly).

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A word of caution: website builders are affordable, but a DIY site that's rushed will read as amateur just as fast as a $50 logo will. People can tell an AI-generated or template-dumped website almost instantly — mismatched fonts, stock photo overload, no real content. Done right, a budget-friendly builder looks completely custom. Done carelessly, it can actually hurt credibility more than having no website at all.

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Resource Toolkit — Website:

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ResourceWhat it's forCostSquarespaceOur go-to website builder — easy to use, strong templates, built-in SEO tools~$16–$49+/moGoogle Business ProfileFree local listing — required for showing up in Google's local map resultsFreeGoogle WorkspaceA professional email on your own domain (name@yourbusiness.com) instead of @gmail~$6–$18+/moGoogle Search ConsoleTracks how the site is actually performing in Google searchFreeA designer's template shop (e.g. a Squarespace-specialized designer)A more custom, polished look for less than a fully custom buildPaid

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Action items for the client:

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1. Buy the domain (ideally matching the business name/handles).

2. Build or commission the site — homepage, about, services/products, contact, and a clear call to action.

3. Set up and fully complete a Google Business Profile (hours, photos, categories, service area).

4. Make sure the site is mobile-friendly — most local searches happen on a phone.

Once the foundation and website exist, the business needs a system for staying visible — not just occasional posting.

The core channels

• Social media — consistent content across the platforms where the target customer actually spends time. This should follow a real content strategy, not random posting.

• Paid ads — Meta/Google ads to accelerate visibility beyond organic reach, especially useful in the first 90 days.

• Email marketing — builds a direct list the business owns (unlike social followers, which the platform owns).

• Direct/local outreach — for local businesses, this can mean local partnerships, community events, or direct mail — still very effective for neighborhood-level brand awareness.

Build it or outsource it

New owners need to decide honestly: do they have the time and skill to run this consistently, or does it need to be outsourced? Half-run marketing (a few posts, then silence) often does more harm than none at all, because it signals the business isn't active. This is the point where positioning the business correctly — consistent, professional, on-brand — starts to compound.

Resource Toolkit — Ongoing Marketing:

ResourceWhat it's forCostMeta Business SuiteNative scheduling + ads manager for Instagram/FacebookFreeMonday.comContent calendar and marketing project trackingPaidCanva ProDay-to-day content creation and templated graphics~$15–$30/moCapCutVideo editing for reels/shorts contentFree–PaidUnsplash / PexelsFree stock photography when original content isn't availableFreeFlodesk or KlaviyoEmail marketing — Flodesk is flat-rate regardless of list size; Klaviyo has a solid free tier for smaller listsFree–$35+/moCalendlyBooking links for consults, discovery calls, or appointmentsFree–PaidDubsado or HoneyBookCRM for tracking leads, sending contracts/invoices — most useful once volume picks upPaid

If bandwidth is the blocker rather than budget, this whole module is also the clearest candidate for outsourcing to an agency or freelancer.

Action items for the client:

1. Decide which channels fit the business and customer (not all of them, all at once).

2. Build a content calendar / posting cadence before launch, not after.

3. Set up an email capture (even a simple "join our list" on the website).

4. Decide build-it-yourself vs. outsource — and commit to consistency either way.

A set launch date is one of the biggest make-or-break factors for a new business — and it's the step most new owners under-invest in.

Why the launch matters so much

People genuinely want to support new, local businesses — there's a natural wave of goodwill and curiosity in the first weeks that doesn't come back later. The businesses that see the strongest starts are the ones that treat launch week like an event, not a soft opening. The most common mistake: not doing enough in this window — a quiet Instagram post and hoping for the best.

What a strong launch includes

• A real date, announced in advance — build anticipation, don't just "go live" quietly.

• A countdown campaign — teasers across social and email in the weeks leading up.

• A launch-day/launch-week offer — a reason for people to act now (discount, giveaway, limited bonus).

• Local press/community outreach — local news, neighborhood Facebook groups, chamber of commerce, local influencers.

• An in-person or live component if possible — a launch event, open house, or pop-up creates shareable content and word-of-mouth.

• Content stockpiled in advance — launch week is not the time to be scrambling for content ideas.

Resource Toolkit — Launch:

ResourceWhat it's forCostCanva ProCountdown graphics, launch-day templates, event flyers~$15–$30/moCalendly or EventbriteBooking or RSVPs if the launch includes an event/open houseFree–PaidHARO (Help a Reporter Out) or direct outreach to local news outletsGetting picked up by local press before/during launch weekFree–PaidLocal Facebook/community groups, chamber of commerceFree, high-intent local visibility for a new businessFree

Action items for the client:

1. Set the launch date early and build the entire marketing plan backward from it.

2. Plan a countdown sequence (2–4 weeks out) across every channel.

3. Prepare a launch offer and a way to track who took advantage of it.

4. Reach out to local press/community pages before launch week, not during.

5. Overprepare content — go into launch week with more assets than feel necessary.

Launch momentum fades — the businesses that keep growing are the ones with a plan for after the opening buzz dies down.

What to focus on next

• Consistency over intensity — the same steady presence that built the launch needs to continue, just at a sustainable pace.

• Customer retention — it's cheaper to keep a customer than acquire a new one; email lists, loyalty offers, and follow-up matter here.

• Reviews and social proof — actively request Google and social reviews once the first customers come through; this compounds local search visibility.

• Revisit and refine — track what content, offers, and channels actually performed during launch and double down on those; cut what didn't work.

• Plan the next milestone — a business needs a next "event" (a seasonal promotion, a new product/service, an anniversary) to keep generating fresh momentum instead of going flat after month one.

Resource Toolkit — Growth & Ongoing Learning:

ResourceWhat it's forCostQuickBooks (or Wave as a free alternative)Tracking income/expenses and staying ready for tax season as revenue growsFree–$30+/moGoogle Analytics + Search ConsoleTracking website traffic and search performance over timeFreeA review-request workflow (built into your CRM, or a simple follow-up text/email)Consistently generating Google and social reviews after each saleFree–PaidLater's blog, Sprout Social's blog, or Social Media ExaminerFree, reputable sources for staying current on platform changes and trendsFreeA marketing-focused podcast in your downtime (e.g. Marketing Happy Hour)Low-effort way to keep learning without dedicated study timeFree

Action items for the client:

1. Set a recurring content and posting cadence for the next 90 days (not just "keep posting").

2. Build a simple review-request habit into every completed sale/service.

3. Review launch-week data monthly — what worked, what to repeat.

4. Plan the next promotional moment before momentum fully drops off.