Federal Essentials

Apply for Your EIN (Free)
The IRS issues Employer Identification Numbers at no cost. You can get one instantly online.
https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online

State Filings & Registrations

Louisiana Secretary of State Filings
Register an LLC, file a trade name, check annual report deadlines, or search the business database.
https://geauxbiz.sos.la.gov

(If your business is in another state, search “[Your State] Secretary of State Business Filings” to find your official portal.)

Bookkeeping & Money Management

Wave
Free invoicing and bookkeeping for simple business finances.
https://waveapps.com

QuickBooks Online
Strong all-in-one bookkeeping for growing businesses.
https://quickbooks.intuit.com

FreshBooks
User-friendly invoicing and time-tracking, great for service providers.
https://www.freshbooks.com

Email & Communication Platforms

Gmail for Business (Google Workspace)
Professional email with your domain name.
https://workspace.google.com

Outlook for Business (Microsoft 365)
A good fit if you already use Microsoft tools.
https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365

Proton Mail
Privacy-focused email with strong security features.
https://proton.me

File Storage & Organization

Google Drive
Easy storage, sharing, and collaboration.

Dropbox
Clean organization for documents, assets, and team use.

OneDrive
Integrated with Microsoft accounts.

Design & Branding Basics

Canva
Simple design tools for quick graphics, documents, and social posts.
https://www.canva.com

Coolors
Generate color palettes and explore combinations.
https://coolors.co

Printing & Document Production

FedEx Office
Print forms, documents, binders, and posters.
https://www.fedex.com

Staples Print & Marketing
Print guides, workbooks, signs, and business materials.
https://www.staples.com/services/printing

Walgreens Photo
Affordable prints for 4x6 or 5x7 files like templates or event stationery.
https://photo.walgreens.com

Website & Online Presence

Squarespace
Beautiful templates and easy online setup.
https://www.squarespace.com

Wix
Beginner-friendly drag-and-drop site builder.
https://www.wix.com

Namecheap
Domain registration and basic hosting tools.
https://www.namecheap.com

Business Banking

BlueVine
No-fee business checking with online access.

Relay
A modern business banking platform with budgeting tools.

Local Credit Unions
Often provide small business-friendly accounts and support.

Payment Processors

Stripe
Great for online payments and service-based businesses.

Square
Ideal for in-person and mobile payments.

PayPal
Simple setup for sending and receiving payments.

Document Signing & PDF Tools

DocuSign
Secure, widely accepted e-signature platform.

Adobe Acrobat
Reliable PDF editing and form creation.

HelloSign
Simple, straightforward electronic signatures.