Getting started

Once you have your business plan finalised and are ready to set up your business, you may have a seemingly endless list of things to do. To make sure that you're ready for the next step, consider the following:

When you set up your office, you may need new furniture, office equipment and information and communications systems. It's a good idea to assess your business requirements first, shop around, compare prices, ask for advice from other home-based business operators and buy only what you need.

If you decide to rent or lease equipment rather than buy, you may be able to claim the payments as a tax deduction - see the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website about business deductions.

Your phone service provider may have services that cater for the needs of home-based businesses. Make sure your phone service is appropriate for your changing phone use, and consider installing a dedicated phone line for your business to ensure all business calls are answered professionally.

You should also protect your electronic data by regularly backing up business information and storing a copy in an external location.

The way you set up your business in your home may affect your tax deductions. See the ATO information on home-based work and deductions.

It's important to set up and maintain separate bank accounts for your business and personal funds. This will make record keeping easier and provide a more professional image. Find out what business services your bank offers and make sure their services are competitive.

You'll be spending a lot of time there, so make sure your workplace is a pleasant, comfortable and safe environment for you and your clients. Safe Work Australia can provide you with advice about occupational health and safety (OH&S).

You may need to employ staff or outsource work to contractors and you'll have certain obligations to them. See our topic on Employing people for more information about work conditions.