A step-by-step checklist for registering your US business entity and building your brand from scratch — legal setup, EIN, banking, trademark, logo, website, and marketplace account.
Note: This checklist is US-centric. Company registration, EIN, and trademark steps assume a US business or US-targeting seller.
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| ✓ | # | Task | Tip | Weeks | Owner | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 — legal & brand foundation | |||||||
| 1 | Have a few candidate names for your brand | Your brand name and company legal name do not have to match — although keeping them aligned is preferred for simplicity. | |||||
| 2 | Search and register your domain name | Check availability across domain registrar, USPTO trademark database, and key social handles before committing. Options: GoDaddy, Namecheap, Porkbun. Use .com if possible. | |||||
| 3 | Get a business phone number and business address | Protect your privacy — do not use your personal phone or home address. Options: Google Voice (phone), Regus or virtual mailbox (address). | |||||
| 4 | Register your company (LLC or Corp) and obtain EIN | Single-member LLC is most common for solo e-commerce sellers. C-Corp if you plan to raise investment. EIN is free at irs.gov — required for banking, payroll, and marketplace accounts. See CK005 — Set up your back office (coming soon) | |||||
| 5 | Open a business bank account | Never mix personal and business finances — critical for liability protection and tax filing. Compare fees: transaction limits, wire fees, monthly minimums. | |||||
| 6 | Set up Google Workspace | Use one account with alias and group emails (e.g. info@, support@ routing to one inbox). Gives you professional email, Drive, and collaboration tools in one. | |||||
| 7 | Design your logo and brand visual system | Define logo, color palette, and typography. Brief a designer or use AI tools for an MVP version. Even a simple one-page brand brief prevents inconsistency later. | |||||
| 8 | Register your trademark with USPTO | File both a word mark (brand name) and logo mark separately — word mark is more important as it protects the name regardless of styling. Takes 8–12 months to approve but filing date establishes priority. Required for Amazon Brand Registry. | |||||
| 9 | 🚩 Go / No-Go gate 1 Company registered, EIN obtained, bank account open, domain secured, logo designed, trademark filed. | ||||||
| Phase 2 — online presence & marketplace setup | |||||||
| 10 | Build your brand website | Minimum viable: landing page with brand story, product info, and email capture. Full e-commerce site can follow post-launch. | |||||
| 11 | Set up your primary marketplace seller account | Amazon Seller Central is the baseline — Professional plan ($39.99/mo) required for Brand Registry and Buy Box. Add other channels (Shopify, eBay, TikTok Shop) based on your strategy. | |||||
| 12 | Reserve social media handles on key platforms | Secure your brand name on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube — even if you don't plan to use them immediately. | |||||
| 13 | Enroll in Amazon Brand Registry or equivalent | Requires a pending or registered trademark. Unlocks A+ Content, brand protection tools, and Sponsored Brands ads. | |||||
| 14 | 🚩 Go / No-Go gate 2 Website live, marketplace account active, social handles secured, Brand Registry enrolled. | ||||||
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