Freelance Business Setup Checklist

Choose a business structure

Decide between sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation based on liability and tax considerations.

Register your business name

Check availability and register your business name if not operating under your personal name.

Prepare contract templates

Create or purchase templates for service agreements, NDAs, and scope of work documents.

Obtain necessary licenses

Research and acquire any required business licenses or permits for your location.

Open a business bank account

Separate personal and business finances with a dedicated business account.

Set up an accounting system

Choose accounting software like Wave, QuickBooks, or FreshBooks to track income and expenses.

Establish payment methods

Set up Stripe, PayPal, Wise, or other payment processors to receive client payments.

Plan for taxes

Set aside 25-30% of income for taxes and consider quarterly estimated tax payments.

Develop a pricing strategy

Determine your hourly rate, package pricing, or value-based pricing approach.

Create a portfolio

Showcase your best work with case studies highlighting problems solved and results achieved.

Set up freelance platform profiles

Create optimized profiles on Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal, or other relevant platforms.

Update LinkedIn profile

Optimize your LinkedIn profile to highlight freelance services and expertise.

Prepare proposal templates

Create customizable templates for responding to client inquiries and project opportunities.

Choose project management tools

Select tools like Trello, Asana, or ClickUp to manage client projects and deadlines.

Set up time tracking

Implement Toggl, Harvest, or another time tracking solution for billable hours.

Establish communication channels

Set up professional email, Calendly for scheduling, and accounts on common platforms like Slack and Zoom.

Organize cloud storage

Create a system for storing and sharing client files using Google Drive, Dropbox, or similar services.