# How to start an LLC and open for business

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: Brian. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv21y4i4000cif06xklgkbt8
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 10 steps across 1 layer
- Persona: Founder, State office, Bank, IRS

## Pain points

Where this process hurts, worst first:

- **Keep business and personal money apart** (How to start an LLC and open for business; painful): Mixing them can put your own assets at risk

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## How to start an LLC and open for business

Lanes:
- Founder: person / role (id `founder`)
- State office: person / role (id `state`)
- Bank: person / role (id `bank`)
- IRS: person / role (id `irs`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Pick a business name and check it is free** [start; Founder; id `l1`]
   - then Name is available?
2. **Name is available?** [decision; State office; id `l2`]
   - if "Yes" go to File the articles of organization and pay the fee; if "No" go to Pick a business name and check it is free
3. **File the articles of organization and pay the fee** [task; Founder; id `l3`]
   - then Approves and issues the filing
4. **Approves and issues the filing** [task; State office; id `l4`]
   - then Write an operating agreement
5. **Write an operating agreement** [task; Founder; id `l5`]
   - then Get an employer identification number, free online
6. **Get an employer identification number, free online** [task; IRS; id `l6`]
   - then Open a business bank account
7. **Open a business bank account** [task; Bank; id `l7`]
   - then Get any local licenses and permits
8. **Get any local licenses and permits** [task; Founder; id `l8`]
   - then Keep business and personal money apart
9. **Keep business and personal money apart** [task; Founder; id `l9`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (painful): Mixing them can put your own assets at risk
   - then Take the first customer
10. **Take the first customer** [subprocess; Founder; id `l10`], links to the published process "Idea to customer: from a problem to a thriving product" (https://forks.world/p/cmv0ieh4v005ojw06nqht8zpy; full text at https://forks.world/api/public/cmv0ieh4v005ojw06nqht8zpy/export)
   - (no next step recorded)

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_founder["Founder"]
    n_l1(["Pick a business name and check it is free"])
    n_l3["File the articles of organization and pay the fee"]
    n_l5["Write an operating agreement"]
    n_l8["Get any local licenses and permits"]
    n_l9["Keep business and personal money apart"]
    n_l10[["Take the first customer"]]
  end
  subgraph l_state["State office"]
    n_l2{"Name is available?"}
    n_l4["Approves and issues the filing"]
  end
  subgraph l_bank["Bank"]
    n_l7["Open a business bank account"]
  end
  subgraph l_irs["IRS"]
    n_l6["Get an employer identification number, free online"]
  end
  n_l1 --> n_l2
  n_l2 -->|"Yes"| n_l3
  n_l2 -->|"No"| n_l1
  n_l3 --> n_l4
  n_l4 --> n_l5
  n_l5 --> n_l6
  n_l6 --> n_l7
  n_l7 --> n_l8
  n_l8 --> n_l9
  n_l9 --> n_l10
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "How to start an LLC and open for business",
  "maps": {
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "founder",
          "name": "Founder",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "state",
          "name": "State office",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "bank",
          "name": "Bank",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "irs",
          "name": "IRS",
          "type": "person"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "l1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "founder",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "l2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Pick a business name and check it is free"
        },
        {
          "id": "l2",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "state",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "l3",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "l1",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Name is available?"
        },
        {
          "id": "l3",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "founder",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "l4"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "File the articles of organization and pay the fee"
        },
        {
          "id": "l4",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "state",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "l5"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Approves and issues the filing"
        },
        {
          "id": "l5",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "founder",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "l6"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Write an operating agreement"
        },
        {
          "id": "l6",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "irs",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "l7"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Get an employer identification number, free online"
        },
        {
          "id": "l7",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "bank",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "l8"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Open a business bank account"
        },
        {
          "id": "l8",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "founder",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "l9"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Get any local licenses and permits"
        },
        {
          "id": "l9",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "founder",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "l10"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "Mixing them can put your own assets at risk",
            "level": 2
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Keep business and personal money apart"
        },
        {
          "id": "l10",
          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "founder",
          "link": {
            "id": "cmv0ieh4v005ojw06nqht8zpy",
            "scope": "public",
            "title": "Idea to customer: from a problem to a thriving product"
          },
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Take the first customer"
        }
      ],
      "title": "How to start an LLC and open for business",
      "parent": null
    }
  }
}
```