Free Startup Guide

Starting a business?
Start it right.

Sole trader or limited company — know which one fits you in a couple of minutes, free.

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Start Sharp
Business Startup Toolkit
STARTING A BUSINESS · 2026/27
THE FIRST DECISION
Sole trader
Simplest to set up
Keep all profits after tax
You & the business are one
Less admin, nothing public
Limited co
More admin, more protection
Personal assets protected
Salary & dividends
Often better at higher profit
YOUR STARTING POINT
The usual place to begin
Sole trader
simplest while profits are modest — you can incorporate later as you grow
THEN, TO SET UP PROPERLY
Your step-by-step checklist
In toolkit
Every registration & deadline
In toolkit
Startup costs & cashflow
In toolkit
Free guidance to help you plan, not advice. © Start Sharp 2026

The first big
decision, made.

Sole trader
For most people just starting out, it's the simplest way to begin — and you can always move to a limited company as profits grow. That part's easy.
The part that trips people up

Choosing is easy.
Setting it up is the job.

12–14 steps
to register and set up properly, in the right order
Deadlines
that start the day you begin trading
Cashflow
worked out before you spend a penny

Get one thing out of order — a missed registration, the wrong deadline — and you're paying penalties before your first sale.

So — two ways to get started

Set up once.
Set up right.

Do it yourself

The Business Startup Toolkit

Everything you need to set up properly — and start trading with confidence.

  • Sole trader vs limited company, weighed up for your situation
  • A step-by-step setup checklist for your structure, in the right order
  • Every registration and deadline — Government Gateway, your UTR, and so on
  • A startup-cost and month-one cashflow planner
  • The essentials most people forget — insurance, bank account, ICO
Get the Toolkit
Instant download · yours to keep
Or let Mel do it

Have Mel set it up for you

Skip the admin entirely. Have a chartered accountant form the company and register everything — done right the first time.

  • Company formed and registered at Companies House
  • HMRC, Corporation Tax and PAYE all set up for you
  • Bank account and bookkeeping pointed the right way
  • Someone to call the moment you're unsure
Talk to Mel →
A friendly call · no obligation

However you start,
start it right.

Not sure which is you? Talk to Mel and she'll point you the right way.

Free guidance to help you plan — not tax, accounting or legal advice. Based on UK rules for 2026/27; your own position may differ.