Plan phase

How to Legally Set Up a Coffee Shop: LLC, Name & Trademark

The First Things First milestone of opening a coffee business. Set up the legal and money basics before the fun begins.

What this involves

The legal and money setup you do now protects everything you build later. It is the least glamorous part of opening a coffee business and the easiest to regret skipping. Get it in place before the coffee crawls and branding begin.

  • Pick a business structure with intention, not by default.
  • Track every startup cost from your first purchase.
  • Lock your name across the web and social before you print anything.

Your First Things First checklist

The steps this milestone covers. Start the personalized version to check them off and save your progress.

  • Choose your business structure
  • Set up expense and receipt tracking
  • Secure your name, domain, and social handles
  • Check for trademark conflicts

Make this step yours

Answer a few questions and ShopLaunch tailors First Things First and the rest of your roadmap to your concept, budget, and pace. Save it, check off steps, and come back any time.

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