--- title: Start Up By... Starting description: "At the end of the day, businesses get off the ground through one simple factor: work. We're here to build a playbook and share how to start a startup." image: https://jcand.co/hubfs/woman%20with%20a%20laptop%20working%20from%20home%20smiling.jpeg --- Something Powerful [![img-logo-jc-shopify-1](https://jcand.co/hubfs/img-logo-jc-shopify-1.svg "img-logo-jc-shopify-1")](https://www.jcand.co) - [BUILD](https://jcand.co/shopify-plus-partner) - [LAUNCH](https://jcand.co/fractional-cmo-marketing-team) - [SCALE](https://jcand.co/performance-marketing-fractional-growth-team-google-ads-jcco) - [AI DISCOVERY](https://jcand.co/your-brand-discovery-report) - [OUR BRANDS](https://jcand.co/our-brand-portfolio) - [MEET MQ](https://jcand.co/muneera-qureshi) - [LETS TALK](https://jcand.co/contact) [![img-logo-jc-shopify-1](https://jcand.co/hubfs/img-logo-jc-shopify-1.svg "img-logo-jc-shopify-1")](https://www.jcand.co) - [BUILD](https://jcand.co/shopify-plus-partner) - [LAUNCH](https://jcand.co/fractional-cmo-marketing-team) - [SCALE](https://jcand.co/performance-marketing-fractional-growth-team-google-ads-jcco) - [AI DISCOVERY](https://jcand.co/your-brand-discovery-report) - [OUR BRANDS](https://jcand.co/our-brand-portfolio) - [MEET MQ](https://jcand.co/muneera-qureshi) - [LETS TALK](https://jcand.co/contact) [![img-logo-jc-shopify-1](https://jcand.co/hubfs/img-logo-jc-shopify-1.svg "img-logo-jc-shopify-1")](https://www.jcand.co) - [BUILD](https://jcand.co/shopify-plus-partner) - [LAUNCH](https://jcand.co/fractional-cmo-marketing-team) - [SCALE](https://jcand.co/performance-marketing-fractional-growth-team-google-ads-jcco) - [AI DISCOVERY](https://jcand.co/your-brand-discovery-report) - [OUR BRANDS](https://jcand.co/our-brand-portfolio) - [MEET MQ](https://jcand.co/muneera-qureshi) - [LETS TALK](https://jcand.co/contact) # Start Up By... Starting 23 Jan 2023 ![Picture of Jacquelyn Corbett, MBA](https://jcand.co/hs-fs/hubfs/jacquelyn-corbett.png?width=40&name=jacquelyn-corbett.png) [Jacquelyn Corbett, MBA](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/author/jacquelyn-corbett) ![How to start a consumer product brand](https://jcand.co/hubfs/woman%20with%20a%20laptop%20working%20from%20home%20smiling.jpeg) People ask us all the time: how do you start a startup? Like, really, how do you start a business, step by step? There's an idea that starting a business requires a magical idea, gorgeous brand work, brilliant product development, and a deeply engaged community. Here's the thing: all of that stuff is really, really useful. But at the end of the day, businesses get off the ground through one simple factor: work. Here at the HQ, we have [created, built, launched](https://jcand.co/launch), [scaled, and transformed](https://jcand.co/scale) [over 60 consumer brands](https://jcand.co/our-brand-portfolio) since we launched almost 5 years ago. While every brand we've partnered with - from the fashion innovators to the beauty brainiacs, from the wellness whizzes to the food-and-beverage aficionados - had its own unique vibe, goals, and challenges, every single one of these businesses lived by the ability of its founder(s) to execute, every damn day. So without further ado: I've decided that I'm going to spend 2023, little by little, sharing the playbooks we've built over the last five years. You're gonna experience a litany of lists and tasks and to-dos, but you're also going to start getting some (ahem, IMO) pretty stellar guidance on how to start a consumer product brand. We're starting things off with the pre-launch activities required to start a consumer product brand. I'll link things in as I populate, so that you have this handy playbook to kickstart that momentum. (Oh, and if you see anything glaring that we're missing, shoot us a note or a comment - we'll revise as it makes sense.) #### Sign up for More on Building Your Startup   So... before you get things going with an actual in-market situation, there's some critical admin you're going to need to kick off. And, for me, everything starts with a good old fashioned workback - set some dates, define your dependencies, and let's get rolling. ## The Self Assessment 1. The Not Sexy Stuff About Entrepreneurship 2. Getting Your Head Around Your Why ## Pre-Launch: General for Startups 1. [The World's Most Efficient Business Naming + Name Search Process](https://jcand.co/consumer-brand-startup-playbook/the-most-efficient-business-naming-name-search-process) 2. Registering Your Business 3. Business Design Framework ## Pre-Launch: Product + Ops for Startups 1. Product Development 2. Product Sourcing 3. Financing Your First Run of Inventory 4. FInding a Good 3PL 5. Demand Planning ## Pre-Launch: Sales for Startups 1. Determination of Channels 2. Revenue Strategy x Channel 3. Retail Pitch Decks 4. Lead Generation 5. Finding Distributor Partners 6. DTC Strategy 7. Amazon Strategy ## Pre-Launch: Finance for Startups 1. Revenue Channel Forecast 2. P&L Forecast 3. Investor Pitch Decks 4. Raising a Friends and Family Round 5. Raising a Seed Round 6. Alternative Means of Generating Startup Capital 7. Accounting System Setup ## Pre-Launch: Legal for Startups 1. Incorporating a Business 2. Applying for a Trademark 3. Applying for a Patent 4. Protecting Your Intellectual Property ## Pre-Launch: Brand for Startups 1. [Business Design: Determining Your What // How // Why](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/business-design-what-how-why) 2. Analyzing the Competitive Landscape 3. Defining Your Customer Personas 4. Staging Your Brand Messaging 5. Refining Your Boilerplates 6. Developing Your Identity 7. Selecting Your Colour Palette 8. Creating Your Social Moodboards ## Pre-Launch: Go-to-Market Strategy for Startups 1. Domain Acquisition 2. Set Up Team Emails 3. Google Analytics Setup 4. Klaviyo Setup 5. Landing Page Setup 6. Teaser Content Development 7. Social Channel Setups 8. Content Calendar Development 9. Hashtag Strategy 10. Organic Boosting Strategy 11. Paid Strategy ## Startup Year One: Finance for Startups 1. [Why Contribution Margin is a Critical Metric to Startup Founders](https://jcand.co/consumer-brand-startup-playbook/contribution-margin-critical-to-startup-founders) 2. [Why Budget Variance Tracking Matters to Startup Founders](https://jcand.co/consumer-brand-startup-playbook/why-budget-variance-tracking-matters-for-startup-founders) ## Startup Year One: Marketing for Startups 1. [How Startups Can Measure Brand Awareness](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/how-startups-measure-brand-awareness) 2. [Affiliate Marketing 101 for Startups](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/affiliate-marketing-101-for-startups) So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself an Asana board going and let's build. ### Share: [Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/start-up-by-starting&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) [Share on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/start-up-by-starting&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [Share on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/start-up-by-starting&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/start-up-by-starting&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Start%20Up%20By...%20Starting) [start up](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/tag/start-up), [startup](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/tag/startup), [lean startup](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/tag/lean-startup), [how to start a startup](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/tag/how-to-start-a-startup), [how to start a company](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/tag/how-to-start-a-company), [build a product](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/tag/build-a-product), [starting a business](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/tag/starting-a-business), [startup series](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/tag/startup-series), [start a brand](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/tag/start-a-brand), [setting up a shopify store](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/tag/setting-up-a-shopify-store) ## Jacquelyn Corbett, MBA Brand builder, brady buncher, mathemagician. Fractional CMO, educator, trainer. Feminist AF. 25 years in startup mode. [jc@jcand.co](mailto:jc@jcand.co) [Follow me on my website](https://jcand.co/jacquelyn-corbett) [Follow me on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelyncorbett/?originalSubdomain=ca) ## Comments ## Related posts [The World's Most Efficient Naming a Brand + Name Search Process](https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/the-most-efficient-business-naming-name-search-process) Search ![jcandco-avatar](https://jcand.co/hs-fs/hubfs/jcandco-avatar.png?width=75&name=jcandco-avatar.png "jcandco-avatar") Copyright JC+CO growth accelerants 2018-present. JC+CO is a [Shopify Plus Partner](https://www.shopify.com/ca/plus/partners/jc-co-growth-accelerants) and a [Klaviyo Silver Partner](https://connect.klaviyo.com/jcco-growth-accelerants-inc). ✨  289.269.4690 ✨ - [BUILD ✨](https://jcand.co/shopify-plus-partner) - [LAUNCH 🚀](https://jcand.co/fractional-cmo-marketing-team) - [SCALE 💸](https://jcand.co/performance-marketing-fractional-growth-team-google-ads-jcco) - [OUR BRANDS ❣️](https://jcand.co/our-brand-portfolio) - [MEET MQ 🫡](https://jcand.co/muneera-qureshi) - [CONTACT 👋](https://jcand.co/contact) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/jcand.co/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.linkedin.com/company/jcandco) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Jacquelyn Corbett, MBA", "url" : "https://jcand.co/build-launch-scale-the-playbook/author/jacquelyn-corbett" }, "dateModified" : "2023-02-24T19:29:35.037Z", "datePublished" : "2023-01-23T17:52:13.000Z", "headline" : "Start Up By... 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With 20+ years in digital strategy, product development, and e-commerce, she has worked with 75+ consumer brands across wellness, fashion, consumer goods, and technology.", "jobTitle" : "Founder and Fractional Executive", "name" : "Muneera Qureshi", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/jcandco", "https://www.instagram.com/jcand.co/" ], "url" : "https://jcand.co/muneera-qureshi", "worksFor" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "JC+CO Growth Accelerants", "url" : "https://jcand.co" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "FAQPage", "mainEntity" : [ { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "JC+CO is a fractional executive and implementation team that builds, launches, scales, and migrates consumer brands on Shopify Plus. We act as your outsourced C-suite — strategy and execution together — covering Shopify development, go-to-market, performance marketing, Klaviyo lifecycle programs, and platform migrations to Shopify. We've worked with 75+ brands since 2018." }, "name" : "What does JC+CO do?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Yes. JC+CO is a certified Shopify Plus Partner and one of only 10 women-owned Shopify Plus Partner agencies globally. We are also the only woman-owned Shopify Plus Partner agency in Canada." }, "name" : "Is JC+CO a Shopify Plus Partner?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Yes. JC+CO is a Klaviyo Silver Partner. We build and manage full custom lifecycle programs covering both acquisition and retention — including welcome series, cart and browse abandonment flows, post-purchase sequences, win-back campaigns, loyalty programs, and segmentation strategy." }, "name" : "Does JC+CO do Klaviyo email and SMS marketing?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Yes. 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We're also channel-agnostic: we recommend what works for your brand, not what we're incentivized to sell." }, "name" : "How is JC+CO different from a traditional agency?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "We work with early-stage brands, new corporate innovations, and legacy retailers undergoing transformation. Our sweet spot is consumer brands in wellness, fashion, consumer goods, and technology that are building or scaling on Shopify Plus." }, "name" : "What kind of brands does JC+CO work with?" } ] } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "Service", "alternateName" : "BUILD", "audience" : { "@type" : "Audience", "audienceType" : "Consumer brands, early-stage startups, scaling e-commerce businesses" }, "description" : "Shopify Plus store builds, refreshes, and migrations with brand storytelling built into the development process. Includes brand workshop, UX research, theme development, and conversion optimization.", "name" : "Shopify Plus Development", "provider" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "JC+CO Growth Accelerants", "url" : "https://jcand.co" }, "url" : "https://jcand.co/shopify-plus-partner" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "Service", "alternateName" : "LAUNCH", "audience" : { "@type" : "Audience", "audienceType" : "Early-stage consumer brands, founders launching new products" }, "description" : "Fractional CMO leadership paired with a full marketing implementation team. Covers go-to-market strategy, content, influencer, email, paid social, and Amazon across DTC, retail, and marketplace channels.", "name" : "Fractional CMO and Go-To-Market", "provider" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "JC+CO Growth Accelerants", "url" : "https://jcand.co" }, "url" : "https://jcand.co/fractional-cmo-marketing-team" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "Service", "alternateName" : "SCALE", "audience" : { "@type" : "Audience", "audienceType" : "Scaling consumer brands on Shopify Plus" }, "description" : "Performance marketing and full custom Klaviyo lifecycle programs covering acquisition and retention. 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Includes data migration, theme rebuild, app stack setup, SEO redirect mapping, and post-launch support.", "name" : "Platform Migration to Shopify Plus", "provider" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "JC+CO Growth Accelerants", "url" : "https://jcand.co" }, "url" : "https://jcand.co/migrate" } ```