Download the Free True Launch Number™ Starter Checklist
Most first-time founders ask, “How much will it cost to start?”
The better question is, “How much capital do I need to reach break-even?”
The True Launch Number™ Starter Checklist helps you think beyond opening day and begin identifying the costs, cash gaps, owner needs, and runway questions every founder should consider before seeking funding, signing a lease, buying equipment, or launching.
Many founders estimate the obvious startup costs: equipment, deposits, inventory, website, permits, insurance, signs, and supplies.
But those costs are only part of the picture.
A stronger funding plan also considers the months after launch, when sales may still be growing, expenses are already due, and the business has not yet reached break-even.
This checklist will help you begin thinking through the real funding question:
What amount of capital gives this business a fair chance to move from idea to launch to break-even?
Before you launch, know what the money must cover
Many founders estimate the obvious startup costs: equipment, deposits, inventory, website, permits, insurance, signs, and supplies.
But those costs are only part of the picture.
A stronger funding plan also considers the months after launch, when sales may still be growing, expenses are already due, and the business has not yet reached break-even.
This checklist will help you begin thinking through the real funding question:
What amount of capital gives this business a fair chance to move from idea to launch to break-even?
What the checklist helps you think through
Use the checklist to begin identifying:
startup costs
monthly operating expenses
early operating losses
owner living needs
marketing costs
after launch
cash reserves
sales ramp assumptions
break-even timing
possible funding gaps
This is not a full financial projection. It is a starting point to help you see the questions that many founders miss.
Get the free checklist
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Created for first-time founders
I created this checklist for people who are serious about starting a business but want to avoid one of the most common funding mistakes: raising enough money to open, but not enough money to reach break-even.
The checklist is based on the same practical capital planning ideas covered in my book, Securing Small Business Startup Funding.
Want the full step-by-step process?
The checklist is a starting point. My book, Securing Small Business Startup Funding, walks first-time founders through a more complete process for calculating the capital needed to move from idea to launch to break-even.