The economy is in flux. Prices keep going up, and sometimes it seems like our wages aren’t keeping pace. That’s why millions of people are looking to start their own business.
In fact, according to some numbers, over four million small businesses were created in 2020 alone. There’s no reason why we can’t all join the entrepreneurial trend, and get to work for ourselves. Unfortunately, not everyone who can own a business knows how to get one off the ground.
So if you’re like the millions of people out there with a skill or trade–or just a big idea–but you don’t know how to get the business started, we’re here to review ZenBusiness. It’s a fast, easy, and affordable way to get your own small business up and running.What ZenBusiness is All About
ZenBusiness was founded in 2018 to help everyday people launch their own company, and to keep it running smoothly. Their idea is that you know all the important stuff about running your particular business: you know your customers and clients, you know your trade, you know your ideas will work.
They also know that not everyone was born with an internal knowledge of the ins and outs of how to file the paperwork to make sure you’re on the up-and-up. Connecting you to your dreams is their business model, by helping you with that knowledge so you can get to work.
ZenBusiness is also a Public Benefit Corporation, or PBC. That means they're a type of nonprofit, and a portion of their revenue goes toward supporting communities. In fact, every year they award grants to underserved businesses, like those owned by women, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ persons.How ZenBusiness Can Help You
If you’re ready to get out from underneath the hourly wage you’re getting, and ready to start working for yourself, ZenBusiness has built the platform to launch you as far as you can fly. We went through the business formation process and worked through all the features of their services.
After going through the process, I came away with three main things ZenBusiness can do for you, that really sets them apart: Getting Started, Keeping Going, and Service.
Getting Started
We’ve all heard the cliches. “A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step,” and all that. But it’s true. If we want to get to our dreams, we have to start with a few simple steps. ZenBusiness makes those first steps easy.
From the first landing on their site, they give you some easy to follow prompts, with basic pricing right up front.
Right away you can see three important things. One, they can help you with a name-checker. This does more than simply look to see if “Jeff’s Boat Repair” is already taken. It’s also a great psychological boost. I have to say, there’s something pretty powerful about typing in the name you’ve been dreaming about, on a website that can help you make the dream real.
This shot of their homepage also tells you two other important things. It tells you that you really can get started for as little as $49, and it shows you their guarantee. That’s a 60 day money-back guarantee they're talking about, and that’s nothing to sneeze at.
After putting your business name in, you’re taken to an automatic tutorial that guides you through the process. At every stage you answer simple yes or no questions (“Do you plan to have employees in the first year?” “Will you be serving food?”). If you’re ever stuck, just click the links that say “What’s this?”
Every step along the way, ZenBusiness will recommend services, offer to explain them if you’re not sure what they are or if you need them–and they’re upfront about their prices!
This sort of transparency, speed, and ease are some of the reasons we loved the process at ZenBusiness. It’s a fast and seamless process, but you can take your time throughout if you get stuck. There’s options to save your progress, and you can get up and stretch at any time. No pressure, no rush.
Keeping Going
Once you’ve got your paperwork filed, to be an LLC or any other small business, you may want some more help to keep on top of accounting, taxes, or other legal compliances. And that’s where ZenBusiness really shines.
For under $200 a year, ZenBusiness can keep you compliant and in good standing with the state you’re doing business in, round the clock, everyday of the year. Running afoul of government paperwork is a headache no one needs, and the Compliance Guarantee that ZenBusiness offers can free you up to focusing on building your dream.
And to make sure your dream pays the bills, the ZenBusiness Money feature helps you keep on top of invoices, taxes, and revenue. Unless you’re an accountant (and if you are, more power to you!), you probably aren’t starting your own company because you love crunching numbers.
It just makes sense to use the free trial of ZenBusiness Money and let the system work for you. Then you can focus on building client relationships, doing good work, and bringing home the bacon.
Service
Of course, having a good product is only part of the reason I recommend ZenBusiness. The other reason is their service. I mentioned earlier that they offer a 60-Day money-back guarantee, but they also have a 100% accuracy guarantee.
In addition to that, they also have a whole suite of articles, for free, to help you plan your business. These articles cover everything from what finances you might need to why you might want or not want certain services.
ZenBusiness also offers Lifetime Business Support. That means you can call or email them for as long as you’re partnered with them to get help with tax questions, revenue ideas, or any issue that might come up.
Not many companies are willing to stick it out with you when you first get going, but at ZenBusiness it’s just how they operate. They really do have a passion for helping small businesses, and it shows in their features, and their Service.
How Much Will it Cost?
As a future small business owner, you know that cost matters. In fact, when you’re first getting started, it might matter more than ever. What’s nice about ZenBusiness is that you can get started for as little as $49.
Another nice aspect of using ZenBusiness is that you can upgrade your features over time. That means that if you’re still in the planning phase, you can use one of the less expensive options. Then, when the hammers start swinging and the sign is going up, you can take on the Money or Compliance features later.
Pros and Cons
A good review wouldn’t be complete without the good and the bad. Here they are:
In the End…
For helping just about anybody get started owning a business, I recommend ZenBusiness for every type of service needed. From initial paperwork to annual compliance, ZenBusiness has the services you need, and the guarantees you really want to see.
FAQs
Once you’re onboard with ZenBusiness, every piece of paperwork will be at your fingertips on your Dashboard. From there, you can save them to your computer, or print them out for your records.
Absolutely. You can upgrade to faster service, which means you’re only going to be limited by how fast your state turns around paperwork.
There are multiple options for starting a business, from nonprofit to LLC and beyond. And ZenBusiness can help you with all of them.