Career Deep-Dive

Starting a Side Business from Home Checklist

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28 items

From idea to first paying customer. This free starting a side business from home checklist gives you a 28-item head start so nothing important slips through the cracks. it's been shaped by real families using it in real moments — the kind you don't get a second chance to prepare for. Use it as-is, or open it in Checkbloom to customise every item, share it with anyone by link (no account required on their end), and tick things off together in real time from any phone. When you're offline, changes queue and sync the moment you're back. Every Checkbloom template is free to preview and free to download as a PDF. Create a list from this template and share it with anyone by link — they can check items off in real time with no account or app download required.

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What's on the list

Write the one-sentence offer in plain language
Identify the specific customer you serve
Talk to ten potential customers before building
Set a small starting budget you can lose
Choose a business name and check availability
Register the business structure if needed
Open a separate business bank account
Set up simple bookkeeping from day one
Understand local tax and VAT thresholds
Buy the domain and a simple website
Set up business email and basic branding
Create one clear way to buy or book
Set pricing that reflects real value
Get terms of service and privacy policy in place
Decide how you will get the first ten customers
Set up a basic social or marketing presence
Track every sale and every expense
Set weekly working hours that protect family time
Carve a workspace at home with boundaries
Plan childcare around focused work blocks
Get business insurance appropriate to your work
Build a simple delivery and follow-up process
Ask first customers for testimonials
Reinvest early profits into the business
Set a quarterly review of what is working
Decide what success looks like at one year
Protect rest days — burnout kills side businesses
Know when to hire your first help

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Free to use. Share with anyone by link — no account needed on their end.

Use this template free →