SunBiz Support | Start Up Checklist

Start Up Checklist

Most businesses are declined due to preventable structural, credit, or compliance gaps. We’ve provided you with the same foundational checklist many lending institutions use to evaluate funding eligibility. You’re welcome to work through it independently using the DIY approach.

You can choose to navigate the process on your own. Or you can work with a consultant who evaluates your business through an underwriting lens, identifies hidden risk factors, and ensures your positioning is aligned before funding applications are submitted.

The difference isn’t effort. It’s strategy.

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Hire a Consultant

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1. Business Registration

Intake Form

Build Your Foundation the Right Way

Before a lender reviews your revenue, they review your structure.Your business must be properly registered and in good standing with the state. If your entity is inactive, suspended, or incorrectly filed, funding approvals can be delayed or denied.

You can E-File a Florida business by visiting the Florida Division of Corporations at sunbiz.org and select Start a Business.

Step 1: Search the records to make sure that your business name is available and has not been registered by someone else.

Step 2: Identify Your Type of Business. It is best to form an LLC for business funding purposes.

Step 3: Form Your Business using the online E-File or you can print and mail.

We Help You:

Form an LLC or Corporation properly
Ensure your entity is Active and In Good Standing
Verify filing accuracy with the Secretary of State
Align ownership structure with funding goals
Correct filing errors that may raise lender red flags

Why This Matters

Lenders verify your entity status directly with the state. If your business shows inactive, suspended, or inconsistent information, it creates underwriting risk.

We eliminate those risks before you apply.

Ready to confirm your entity is compliant?

Schedule a Compliance Review.

Hire a Consultant

2. Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Intake Form

Your Business Tax Identity Must Align

Your EIN is your federal business identifier. Lenders cross-check it against your state filings and bank account. Any mismatch creates red flags.

You can apply for an EIN directly from the IRS in minutes using the online tool. You can also request an EINs by phone, fax or mail.

Step 1: Complete the application in one session on the IRS website. You can't save it for later. It expires after 15 minutes of inactivity, and you’ll need to start over.

Step 2: Answer questions and submit the application. If it’s approved, they IRS will issue your EIN immediately online.

Step 3: Print your EIN confirmation letter for your records.

We Help You:

Register EIN accurately
Exact name match between IRS and state records
Proper formation date alignment
Clean documentation for applications
Alignment with business bank account
An EIN is more than a tax number — it is a funding credential.

Let’s verify your EIN alignment today.

Hire a Consultant

3. Physical Business Address

Intake Form

Your Address Signals Legitimacy

Lenders evaluate your physical address for stability and credibility.

Residential addresses, inconsistent listings, or unverifiable locations can reduce approval odds.

We Help You:

Establish a compliant business address
Align your address across all platforms
Ensure consistency with IRS, state, and banking records
Avoid automatic underwriting flags
Consistency builds trust. Trust increases approvals.
Is your address funding-ready?

Let’s confirm.

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4. Website, Email & Phone Number

Intake Form

Your Digital Presence Is Part of Underwriting

A dedicated business website and domain-based email address (e.g., name@yourcompany.com) strengthen your business credibility and support funding readiness. Lenders and financial institutions often verify your digital presence as part of their underwriting review.

Professional email platforms provide enhanced security, spam protection, and scalable storage — helping maintain operational consistency and data integrity.

Many providers bundle domain registration, hosting, phone service and productivity tools into one structured solution, ensuring your business infrastructure aligns with professional and compliance standards.

We Help You:

Domain-based professional email
Credible website presence
Matching contact information across platforms
Proper industry alignment
Your digital identity must match your legal identity.

Let’s strengthen your online credibility.

Hire a Consultant

5. Google Business Profile

Intake Form

Visibility Confirms Legitimacy

A verified Google Business Profile is more than an online listing — it is a public validation of operational presence.

Lenders, underwriters, and even automated risk systems often cross-reference your business through online sources to confirm consistency. When your business appears in Google with a verified address, accurate contact information, and an established presence, it strengthens credibility.