Foundation Checklist
The 5 Things Every Business Needs First
Without these in place, your business isn't protected, can't build credit, and isn't positioned to grow. Check off what you have.
LLC Filed & Active
Not a DBA. A Limited Liability Company, properly registered in your state with your business name.
EIN Obtained from the IRS
Your Employer Identification Number is your business's Social Security number. Required for almost everything that follows.
Business Bank Account Open & In Use
Under your business name, linked to your EIN — not your personal account. All business money in, all business expenses out.
Operating Agreement in Place
This is the document that defines how your business runs. Without it, your LLC may not fully protect you.
Professional Payment System Set Up
Stripe or Square — not Venmo, not Cash App, not your personal PayPal. This builds transaction history and looks legitimate to clients and lenders.
Sound familiar?
This list is simple. Completing it correctly is where most people get stuck.
Between filing errors, missing documents, and not knowing the right order of operations — these 5 steps alone can take weeks to untangle on your own. The Keys in Hand package handles all of it for you in 4 to 6 weeks, done correctly the first time.
Learn about Keys in Hand →
Growth Checklist
The 4 Things Keeping You at the Ceiling
You've built the foundation. Now the work shifts. These are the gaps between where you are and where you're trying to go.
You Know Your Business Credit Score
Not your personal credit score. Your business credit profile — what lenders, vendors, and partners see when they look you up. Most business owners have no idea what's there.
You Have a Written 12-Month Plan
Not in your head. On paper. Specific revenue targets, specific milestones, specific moves. Vague goals produce vague results.
You Know Your Revenue Ceiling — and What Breaks It
At some point, more clients means less capacity, not more money. If you haven't mapped out what one hire, one system, or one funding round changes — you're already hitting the wall.
Your Business Structure Matches Where You're Going
An LLC that made sense at $3k/month may not be the right structure at $15k/month. Tax treatment, liability exposure, and growth positioning all shift as you scale.
Sound familiar?
You already know something is missing. You just don't have time to find it.
The Deep Dive Kickoff is a full audit of your business — structure, credit position, compliance, and a 90-day strategic roadmap built around where you're actually trying to go. You walk away knowing exactly what to do next and in what order.
Learn about the Deep Dive Kickoff →