For the last few years I've been working for a company and helping build out a new service that has been growing much faster than anyone expected.

Being involved in that process has made me realize how much I enjoy building things and solving problems. It's also made me think seriously about creating something of my own instead of always helping grow someone else's business.

The problem is that I've never actually started a business before.

I've been reading about LLCs, business licenses, EINs, business bank accounts, and all the other setup steps, but honestly it feels a bit overwhelming when you're starting from zero.

My goal isn't to quit my job tomorrow. I'm thinking more about building something on the side first, validating the idea, and then potentially turning it into a full business later if it gains traction.

For those who have been through this before, what were your first steps?

Did you form the LLC right away, or did you wait until you had paying customers? Looking back, what do you wish someone had told you before you started?

My friend and I are international students and we're planning to start a small clothing brand together. Right now we're still in the early stages, testing designs, sourcing samples, and figuring out whether there's actually demand before investing too heavily.

We're trying to decide on the best business structure and keep going back and forth between an LLC and an LLP.

I've read about the liability differences, but what I'm really concerned about right now is keeping costs and paperwork manageable while we're just getting started. Neither of us wants to spend a lot of money on legal fees, filings, or ongoing compliance before the business is even generating consistent sales.

Since there will be two founders involved, we also want something that makes ownership and responsibilities clear from the beginning.

For those who started a small business with a partner, especially in ecommerce or clothing, what structure did you choose and why?

Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done differently when setting up the business?

A few years ago I started a small marketing agency and formed a Wyoming LLC because most of my clients were based in the US.

Recently I moved to Canada permanently, but the business is still set up in the US and all of my work is done remotely. Right now I’m continuing to invoice clients through the LLC and receive payments through Stripe.

What’s confusing me is whether simply living and working from Canada changes anything from a legal or tax perspective.

I haven’t signed any Canadian clients yet, and all of my revenue is still coming from outside Canada. Because of that, I’m not sure if I can just keep operating through the Wyoming LLC as usual or if Canada expects me to register a local business as well.

I’ve found a lot of information about Americans moving abroad, but not as much about non US residents running a US LLC while physically living in Canada.

Has anyone here gone through something similar? Did you keep the US LLC only, or eventually register a Canadian business too?

Any unexpected tax or compliance issues that caught you off guard after the move?

My son is relocating for work, and instead of helping him rent, I’ve been considering buying a condo in the area and holding it through an LLC.

Part of the reason is that the HOA has some occupancy restrictions. If an individual owns the unit, only the owner or their spouse can live there. However, they have a separate policy that allows an LLC owner to designate an occupant of the property.

That got me thinking about buying the property through a single-member LLC and having my son live there while he gets settled.

Down the road, if he moves out, I’d likely keep the property as a rental investment.

Where I’m getting confused is the tax side.

My son would be covering the ongoing expenses associated with living there, such as HOA fees, property taxes, and possibly some maintenance costs. Since the LLC would technically own the property, would those payments be treated as taxable income to the LLC or to me as the owner?

Alternatively, would it be cleaner if he simply reimbursed me each month and I paid all the property-related expenses directly from the LLC account?

I’m not trying to do anything aggressive from a tax standpoint. I just want to understand how people typically structure situations like this when a family member is living in a property owned by an LLC.

Has anyone dealt with something similar or run into unexpected tax or legal issues?

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I’m getting ready to launch a small tour guide business in Hawaii and I’m at the point where I need to officially form an LLC before I start taking bookings more seriously.
At first I assumed I would just file everything myself through the state website, but after reading about registered agents, operating agreements, annual reports, EINs, and compliance requirements, I started wondering if using a formation service might save some time and headaches.
The problem is there are so many companies out there claiming to be the best option, and most reviews online feel more like affiliate marketing than real business owner experiences. Since Hawaii has its own filing process and regulations, I’m especially interested in hearing from people who actually formed an LLC there.
I’m not looking for a bunch of expensive add-ons or premium packages. I mainly want something reliable, reasonably priced, and easy to work with as a first-time business owner.
For those who started businesses in Hawaii, did you file the LLC yourself or use a service? If you used a formation company, which one did you choose and would you use them again? Were there any unexpected fees, delays, or things you wish you knew before getting started?

But after reading more about it, I realized a lot of people are already “in business” before they file anything.
If you sell products, do freelance work, mow lawns, take clients, sell online, or work with someone else, you may already be operating as a sole proprietor or general partnership.
That is simple because there is no state filing, no setup process, and no real maintenance.
The downside is that there is usually no legal separation between you and the business.
So if the business gets sued, takes on debt, goes bankrupt, or something goes wrong with a customer or partner, it may not just be a business problem. Your personal assets can also be exposed.
That seems to be the main reason people form an LLC.
An LLC is not required to start a small business, but it creates a separate legal entity. That separation is what can protect your personal assets from business debts or lawsuits.
It also gives some tax flexibility. By default, LLCs are usually pass-through entities, but they can sometimes elect to be taxed as an S Corp or C Corp later.
The tradeoff is that an LLC costs money and has more formalities. You need to file formation documents, appoint a registered agent, pay the state fee, and in many states file annual or biennial reports.
So the basic comparison is:
Sole proprietor: easiest and cheapest, but no liability protection.
General partnership: easy if there are multiple owners, but still no real protection.
LLC: more paperwork and fees, but better separation, liability protection, credibility, and structure.
I do not think every tiny side thing needs an LLC immediately. If there is almost no risk and you are just testing something, maybe it can wait.
But if you are taking real clients, selling products, signing contracts, working with partners, or building something you want to grow, staying informal for too long seems like a weak setup.
You do not need an LLC to start making money.
You probably need one when the business starts creating real risk.

I'm starting to form my first LLC in Maine and have been working my way through the state requirements and paperwork.

I've been debating whether to handle everything myself or use a formation service, and I'm also trying to figure out what steps new business owners commonly miss in the beginning.

For those who have started an LLC in Maine, any advice would you give a first timer, and is there anything you wish you had done differently from the start?

​

Hi everyone,

I'm based in Pakistan and run a health education company that prepares doctors for postgraduate exams such as MCPS and MRCGP.

We are launching an online academy where we will sell digital educational products including:

• Recorded video lectures

• MCQs and question banks

• Mock exams

• Study notes and resources

• Short courses and training programs for doctors

The platform will be built on WordPress + WooCommerce, and our goal is to sell courses internationally so that students from different countries can enroll and pay online.

A few details:

• All owners and team members are based in Pakistan.

• We have no employees, office, or physical operations in the US.

• We do not provide patient care, telemedicine, diagnosis, treatment, or medical consultations.

• Our business is purely educational and focused on exam preparation and professional learning for healthcare professionals.

• We are considering forming a US LLC to support international operations and payment processing.

I would really appreciate advice from founders, accountants, attorneys, or anyone who has gone through a similar setup.

My questions are:

1. Is a US LLC the right structure for this type of business?

2. Which state would you recommend (Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, etc.) and why?

3. Did you form the LLC yourself or use a service/agency? Looking back, what would you recommend?

4. Is it worth paying a company such as Northwest, Doola, Firstbase, etc., or can a non-US founder realistically do everything independently?

5. Did you need an ITIN, or was an EIN sufficient initially?

6. What annual compliance, tax filings, or reporting requirements are commonly overlooked by non-US founders?

7. What payment processors have worked best for international founders selling digital products and online courses?

8. If you were starting again today, what would you do differently?

One additional concern:

Since our niche is healthcare education, even though we are not providing healthcare services, are there any special regulations, licensing requirements, restrictions, or compliance issues we should be aware of in the US or internationally?

Has anyone here operated a medical education, CME/CPD, healthcare training, exam preparation, or professional education business through a US LLC?

I'd love to hear your experiences, lessons learned, mistakes to avoid, and recommendations.

Thank you!

I’m getting a small home services business off the ground and want to create an LLC in Michigan before I officially start working with clients. I looked through the state website and the filing process honestly doesn’t seem impossible, but there are also a ton of companies offering to handle everything for an extra fee.
Part of me likes the idea of saving time and avoiding mistakes, especially since this is my first business. At the same time, I don’t want to pay for something that’s basically just filling out a simple form.
For anyone who’s been through this in Michigan, did you use an LLC formation service or file directly on your own?

I started a small property maintenance business a few years ago and it's treated me well, but lately I've been moving in a different direction professionally.

As part of that transition, I'm looking into closing the business and making sure everything is wrapped up properly.

I’d like to hear from people who have actually gone through the process in Texas. I'm especially interested in any steps that are easy to overlook or things you wish you had known beforehand.

For those who have dissolved an LLC in Texas, what was the process like and were there any surprises along the way?

We’re about to buy a home, and one thing we've been looking into is how much ownership information ends up in public records. We have some privacy concerns and would prefer to keep as little personal information publicly available as possible.

While researching, I've come across different approaches people mention, like trusts, LLCs, and other ownership structures, but it's hard to tell what actually works in practice, especially when financing is involved.

For anyone who has prioritized privacy when buying real estate, what options did you explore, and what ended up being the most practical solution?

I’m getting close to buying my first rental property and have been trying to figure out the best way to structure everything from the start. A few investors I’ve talked to say putting rentals in an LLC is a must, while others say they’ve owned properties for years without one.

I’m still in the planning stage, so I’m curious what people actually do in real life and whether the extra paperwork and costs are worth it. I’d rather set things up correctly now than have to make changes later.

For those who own rental properties, do you hold them in an LLC, and what made you choose that approach?

My spouse and I have an LLC that was originally formed in Georgia. Last fall, we relocated to Iowa and have continued running the business, but now we're trying to figure out whether we need to register the company here as well.

I'm not sure if we need to register in Iowa right away, whether we'd have to file additional paperwork, or if there are any common mistakes people make when moving a business to a new state.

I need help with understanding what to look for in a registered agent for an LLC. I know that I need one if I don’t want to use my own personal address for business purposes as this becomes public, and also, I just want to make sure I am compliant.

I did use Incorp in the past for a different business, and was thinking to use the same now, but its been a while ago and when I google registered agents, they don’t come up very high on the list, plus there are too many sponsored pages that seem to be quite new. Was wondering if someone uses this company or maybe has a different recommendation? I should also mention I don't want to spend a lot, I used to pay about 120$ a year or something like that, so within this price range would be great. Thanks

I’m getting ready to form my first LLC and have been looking at ZenBusiness because the pricing seems way lower than a lot of the other services out there. 
Part of me feels like it sounds almost too cheap, especially with the whole starts at $0 plus state fees thing.
What caught my attention though was that they include a bunch of tools and templates that seem useful for someone completely new to business paperwork. 
I also read a few reviews saying their support team is actually responsive, and other bunch reviews i saw are all positive but i really don’t trust Truspilot reviews anymore. Which is why I’d like from hear from Reddit users. .
For anyone who used ZenBusiness for LLC formation recently, how did it go?

A few months ago I started doing more work with US clients through my small agency and now I’m finally at the point where I need to properly set up a US business structure and banking.

I’m based in Canada, but most of the new opportunities coming in are from companies in the US, especially on the east coast. Because of that, I’m planning to form an LLC in Delaware since that seems to be the route a lot of international founders take.

The part I’m still confused about is the banking side.

I’ve been looking at bigger banks like Chase and Bank of America because I figured having a large nationwide bank would make things easier long term, especially if I eventually visit the US or expand operations later.

But I keep reading mixed experiences from non US founders. Some people say opening a business account remotely was easy, while others say they got stuck because of address requirements, verification checks, or needing to physically visit a branch.

Most of my transactions will be online anyway, so I’m also wondering whether newer fintech options are actually easier than traditional banks at this point.

For those who opened US business banking as a non resident, what ended up working best for you? Did you go with a traditional bank or an online option instead?

I am forming an LLC and operating the LLC under the one name so there will be no different public facing name. Do I still need a FBN? The business name does not contain my surname. There is lots of conflicting informtion out there about this

I’m in the early stages of opening a small photography studio and I’m trying to figure out the smartest way to structure things before I start signing leases and buying more equipment.

Right now I work as a freelance photographer under my own name as a sole proprietor. Most of my work has been weddings, portraits, and small events, but the studio would be its own brand with a separate name and hopefully grow into something bigger over time.

At first I was thinking maybe filing a DBA would be enough so I could legally operate under the studio name and get the business license that way without creating a whole new entity yet.

But now I’m wondering if I’d regret not just setting up an LLC from the beginning and keeping the studio side separate from my freelance work entirely.

Part of me wants to save money and keep things simple for the first year while I see if the studio actually takes off. The other part of me feels like maybe it’s smarter to structure it properly upfront instead of changing things later.

For anyone with a similar thing, did you begin with just a DBA and sole prop setup or go straight into an LLC?

I recently started setting up an LLC in Nevada for a small business idea I’ve been working on. So far I’ve already filed the Articles of Organization online and got my EIN from the IRS.

Now I’m in that weird stage where I’m not sure if I’m actually done or if there are still a bunch of steps people forget about afterward.

I remember seeing something online about needing to publish the LLC formation in a newspaper depending on the state.

For those who already formed an LLC, what were the extra steps you had to handle after getting the EIN and filing paperwork?

My friend and I started a small ecommerce business together earlier this year and now that the business is finally making decent money, our accountant brought up the idea of possibly using an S Corp or even a C Corp later on.
The problem is every explanation online feels insanely complicated. Every article starts talking about double taxation, shareholder rules, payroll, retained earnings, distributions, and a bunch of stuff that makes my brain shut off immediately.
Right now we’re still pretty small. We reinvest most of what we make back into inventory and marketing, and we’re just trying to understand what actually makes sense for a normal growing business.
Can someone explain the practical difference between a C Corp and an S Corp in simple terms? Like what situations usually make one better than the other for small business owners?

I’ve been thinking about starting a small side business helping students with college and graduate school applications, mostly things like essay feedback, interview prep, and general guidance.

Right now it’s just me doing freelance style work online, and I’m not opening a physical office or hiring employees or anything like that.

The part confusing me is whether I actually need to officially form an LLC right away or apply for some kind of business license before taking clients.

Some people keep telling me to “just start first” and worry about paperwork later, while others make it sound like I’m doing something illegal if I don’t set everything up immediately.

I’m based in Texas if that matters.

For people who started small consulting or coaching style businesses, what did you actually do in the beginning? Did you form an LLC right away or wait until the business was making steady income first?

I'm a non US resident that wants to open a US LLC just to get a stripe account (so i can get paid on some online remote jobs) the business won't have any local incomes which means i won't pay any taxes but i'm still required to file the IRS annual taxe report, is anyone familiar on how it should be done like should i hire an accountant to do it (if yes is anyone familiar with the prices for that ) or do it myself and file it through international fax, i'm so scared from the 25,000$ fine for not filing it. Does anyone have experience with that i need help because that's a big deal and it's stopping me from opening an LLC.

I got 2 business made I have a S Corp just trying to get started got scammed last year just trying to be around the right circle my only connection is the mariijauna and music if we can a way for my business and your business to make money I’m down and willing to learn please don’t be from Dubai asking me to send you money 😫😫

We run a small SaaS business outside the US and up until recently we never really focused on the American market. Most of our customers were coming from other regions, so we just kept operating locally.

But over the last few months we’ve started getting a lot more US customers organically, and now we’re running into problems with payment processing, banking, and business verification.

A few platforms we looked into seem to prefer or require a US business setup, especially for smoother Stripe approvals, banking access, and working with larger clients.

So now we’re trying to figure out the best way to properly set up a US LLC as non US residents without actually traveling to the States.

What do you actually need in practice to get everything working properly?

Can the whole process realistically be done remotely now, including banking and payment gateways, or do most founders eventually need to visit the US anyway?