How to Start a Business -
Entrepreneur's 12 Step Program

When you’re starting a business, you’ll need to take care of planning, making financial decisions, and completing essential legal actions. If you’re ready to become an entrepreneur, use these helpful steps to get your start up going.

Step #1 – Validate Your Start Up Idea

Make sure you take time to do the groundwork needed to validate your start up idea. It starts with inspiration, but you need to make sure it can be transformed into a successful, sustainable business.

Step #2 – Form Your Company

Although you’re still in the idea stage, form your company legally. This way you have protections that aren’t available to individuals. Consider whether you want to form an LLC, S-Corp, or a C-Corp.

Step #3 – Put Together Your Team

A quality team will decide whether your business succeeds of fails. Even if you’re the sole founder, you still need to have a great team.

Step #4 – Complete Primary Market Research

It’s time to really get to know your target market. Learn everything you can about your target market by getting face-to-face with them. Ask questions and listen closely.

Step #5 – Develop and Test Your Product Prototype

Now you need to take your market research and develop a product that meets your market’s needs. Make sure you develop a product that that offers value to your target market.

Step #6 – Scrub Business Plan and Projections

You need to have a clear path to making a profit as an entrepreneur. Now is the time to figure out how you can make money.

Step #7 – Secure Your Intellectual Property

It’s important to know what protections you’ll need, and then make sure you secure your new company’s intellectual property. You should also decide whether you want to file trademarks or patents.

Step #8 – Create the Company Name and Branding Strategy

The name and brand of your company will be important to the life and success of your new business. A name is important, but a good branding strategy helps you create a “feeling” with consumers.

Step #9 – Outsource Auxiliary Functions

When you’re developing a product and launching your startup, many auxiliary functions can be outsourced. It’s often more cost-effective to outsource rather than trying to do everything in-house.

Step #10 – Come Up With a Marketing and Sales Plan

You probably don’t have millions to spend on marketing, so you need to use guerilla marketing that will help you generate awareness, affinity, and advocacy for your product.

Step #11 – Capitalize Your Company

Many new entrepreneurs spend a huge amount of time trying to raise money for a start up. Focus on getting the business going in the beginning. You can capitalize your company later when you really have the time to spend raising money.

Step #12 – Operate Your New Start Up

Don’t forget, you have to operate your company. Make sure you have a good system for running your new start up. Many tools are available that can help you keep your company operating smoothly.

About Herb

Herb is the founder of Happy Life Secrets—a practical guide to building the life you actually want.

He doesn't teach theory. He shares what works. His approach cuts through the noise: happiness, health, and financial peace aren't separate goals to chase. They're connected. And when you understand how they work together, everything gets easier.

No gurus. No overnight transformations. Just research-backed strategies that have been tested and proven over time.

Brand Origin Story

Happy Life Secrets wasn't built on a breakthrough moment.

It started with questions.

After years of building a life of intention—navigating relationships, health, and financial stability—Herb kept hearing the same thing from friends, family, even strangers:

"How did you build this kind of life?"
"What's the actual process?"

The truth? There was no secret formula. Just small decisions, repeated consistently. Habits that compounded. Mindset shifts that changed everything without being dramatic.

But most people never learned this. They were stuck chasing the next goal, the next fix, the next version of themselves—always searching, rarely satisfied.

Herb realized: what if the answer isn't out there? What if it's already in your hands—you just need a clearer system?

That's why Happy Life Secrets exists.

Not to sell you a dream. Not to promise a perfect life.
But to show you what's actually possible when you stop overcomplicating it.

This isn't about becoming someone else. It's about building a life you don't need to escape from—one choice at a time.

That's the real secret!

Happy Life Secrets delivers reliable information and authentic inspiration for women who deserve both.

The 3 Types of People in Your Life – Know When to Hold On and When to Let Go

Stop Overanalyzing Friendships – Watch This 3-Minute Video

---