Starting a Business? Donβt Make These 3 Costly Mistakes
Apr 24, 2025
You’re ready to make your new business official — time to register your business with the state. You’ve got the name picked out, maybe even a logo in the works. But before you hit that “submit” button, pause for a second.
Because here’s the deal: most new business owners overlook three simple things when registering their business — and it ends up costing them in privacy, time, and sanity.
Let’s make sure you’re not one of them.
1. Your Address Is Now Public—Are You Cool With That?
When you register your business, you’re required to provide not one, not two, but three addresses:
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Your business’s physical address
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A mailing address
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The registered agent’s physical address
And guess what? All three are part of the public record.
The rookie mistake?
If you are using your home address for any of them, you are making your personal address searchable online — forever. Anyone can Google your business and find out where you live. Not ideal.
Here's are some options:
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Hire a registered agent that lets you use their business address. We have personally used and recommend both Registered Agents Inc and Northwest Registered Agents. This is the best option for using a business address and registered agent. Do not use this address however as your mailing address.
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Set up a virtual mailbox through services like 1Postal or Anytime Mailbox for a mailing address. Note this can only serve as your mailing address.
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Or, get a PO box or UPS Store mailbox — both give you a professional mailing option without exposing your personal info. Note this can only service as your mailing address.
- Alternatively, consider a coworking space that offers mail services or office space. This can serve and be your business address, mailing address and you can be listed as your own Registered Agent at this address.
Protect your privacy now, thank yourself later.
2. Your Phone Number Will Be Everywhere — Don’t Use Your Cell
Once your business is registered, your contact info gets scraped, shared, and sold. If you use your personal cell phone, get ready for:
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Endless sales calls
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Spam texts
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Zero separation between work and life
Pro tip:
Set up a Google Voice number for your business. It’s free, professional, and super flexible.
You can:
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Forward calls to your cell
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Send unknown callers straight to voicemail
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Get transcripts emailed or texted to you
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Turn it off after hours or on weekends
It keeps your business organized — and your personal number protected.
3. That One Email You Use for Everything? Don’t Use It Here
It’s tempting to simply use your regular Gmail account when registering your business. But here’s why that’s a bad move:
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Your inbox will be buried in junk and sales pitches
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Your personal email will be tied to public records
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It looks less professional to clients and vendors
Instead, do this:
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Create a separate business email address
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Ideally, set it up under your business domain (like [email protected]) when you buy your URL at a domain manager like Namecheap
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If you're just getting started, a clean Gmail like [email protected] works too, you can start here and forward it to your business email domain later
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You can even have it forward to your main email so nothing slips through
- Pro Tip: Setup a new URL and Google Workspace for your company and have all the apps (email, calendar, drive, tasks) all in one place for your business.
Final Thought: Set This Up Before You Register
These three things — your address, phone, and email — will follow your business everywhere. They’ll be on your website, your tax filings, your contracts, your bank accounts.
And once they’re public, there’s no going back.
Taking 30 minutes now to set them up the right way will save you years of spam, privacy headaches, and unprofessional first impressions.
Want help making sure your business starts smart — not just “legal”?
I help new business owners set up with the right structure, tax strategy, and compliance systems from day one. Let’s talk.
