Disclaimer, this is NOT an all encompassing list. But it is a great guideline to make sure you aren't skipping over big things when it comes to running your business. Creatives especially like to skip over most of these or halfway do them, and that's not okay at all!

1) Vision- have a game plan for what you're doing, WHY you're doing it, and where you want to be in 5-10 years.

Andy Stanley's book Visioneering

2) Legal stuff + taxes- be organized, plan ahead and don't be scared of these things. They're coming for your regardless- and it's cheaper if you just face it head on. It's part of running a business- don't forget sales tax! You need to understand the sales tax laws in your state, and states you're selling to.

3) Basics for product, customer service, and delivery - this needs to be a well oiled machine-- not a guessing game every time you get a client. Write out a workflow- decide what your core values are.

4) Payment/Contracts- might be already supplied, depending on your type of business. We used to mail contracts and get checks as payments. I wanted to avoid another monthly cost- but it was a much better decision to move to 17hats where I can do all that online with a lot of control. The credit card processing fees are worth it because it saves me so much time and headache- not just depositing the check, but also the accounting side of things.

The Lawtog is a great resource for photographers!

5) Plan to pay yourself - often overlooked, then a last minute "I need money!" decision. That's NOT how to pay yourself. Know how much you can pay yourself from each product or service sold.

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17hats free trial and 10% off your purchase 17hats has been crucial for growth in our business. It helps us organize clients in an easy way, and handles all our invoicing and contracts. We want to share it with you!