Starting a new company is a whirlwind and I worried beforehand that I might’ve forgotten just how one goes about doing so. The excitement of building something from scratch, the thrill of possibility (or perhaps the “art” of the possible), and the sheer number of things to do can feel overwhelming.

I’m an exited founder, embarking on a new venture. My last company was acquired in June 2023, and my co-founder and I exited at the end of January 2025. It’s the beginning of March and we’re entering month two starting our new venture, uRoutine. I thought I was prepared for the first 30 days of launching my new start-up, but no matter how many times you do it, those early days are always intense.

I want to share the critical things I have tackled in my first month – from the more mundane but critical, to the arguably less critical but important, creative foundations. From setting up the company legally to branding, marketing, SEO, and fundraising. These, in my opinion, are the bits that matter, the things that move the needle, and the challenges that caught me off guard.

1. The All-Important Foundations

When, in the introduction, I referred to the more mundane tasks, this is often what can be found in the foundations of a startup. Mundane, critical and key. So here are the things I have been doing in the foundations in the first 30 days.

Registering a Limited Company

The first thing I needed to do was make uRoutine official – although this doesn’t necessarily need to be done first, it is an important step in order to begin fundraising and trading. So, if you’re in the planning phase of your startup, holding off registering the company might be better – as soon as you register your company there’s compliance and filing required. I registered it as a limited company through Companies House. The process is relatively simple, but there are important decisions to make. Choosing a company name, for instance, isn’t just about branding – it needs to be unique and legally available. A quick search on Companies House and the UK Intellectual Property Office helped me avoid potential conflicts.

Beyond the name, I had to decide on the structure. For now, my co-founder and I are the only shareholders, but already thinking about investment and future shareholders is important at this point.

Opening a Business Bank Account

This, previously, has been more time-consuming than expected. Fortunately now, though, there are lots of digital and disruptor banks out there who can get your business bank account up and running in minutes. Monzo, Revolut and Starling, to name but a few. Traditional banks are (rightly) cautious when opening new business accounts, and the anti-money laundering checks take time. You’re likely to need to provide a Certificate of Incorporation, proof of ID, proof of address, and potentially a business plan. One key lesson: start this process as soon as possible. Delays in getting a business account can slow down everything from receiving payments to setting up payroll.

Compliance & Legalities

Compliance isn’t the most exciting part of launching a startup but getting it wrong can cause major headaches later. Think about whether you need to register PAYE with HMRC, in case you need to pay yourself or future employees. You should also decide whether to register for VAT immediately or wait until the turnover threshold was reached. If in doubt, consult an accountant.

Contracts are another priority. I lifted our terms and conditions, privacy policies, and basic employment contracts for when I start hiring, from SeedLegals. Legal work can be expensive, but nowadays the basic legal agreements are easily and readily available online – usually free of charge. If in doubt, once again, consult a professional.

2. Crafting the Brand Identity

This part begins to get more exciting! Your brand will be your business, particularly in the early days whilst products or services are in development. When well-chosen and planned out, these will last forever.

Choosing the Right Name and Securing a Trademark

I chose ‘uRoutine’ because it reflects the company’s mission, it’s a relatively short name and the .com domain was available. Finding a strong, available name is tough and increasingly getting tougher. It needed to be easy to spell, memorable, and not too similar to existing brands. Trademarking the name was another important step. I filed a UK trademark application to protect the brand and prevent others from using it. This process takes months, but I actually thought of the name and concept about three years ago, so I put the trademark in way ahead of doing anything else. It’s worth starting early!

Visual Branding: Logo and Colours

A strong brand isn’t just about a name – it’s about how it looks and feels. I have a somewhat weak but nonetheless manageable grasp on Photoshop and design, so I cobbled together our logo which, on reflection, I am quite pleased with. With AI, there are lots of alternatives now though, to logo design. I chose a green colour palette that conveys trust, energy, and innovation. Consistency is key too, so the website, social media, email signatures, etc. all need to reflect the brand identity.

3. Building an Audience and Generating Awareness

Social Media and Personal Branding

One of my biggest advantages as a founder was my existing network. I know that people buy into stories and people as much as products, so I started sharing my journey on LinkedIn and X. I’ve begun posting regularly, engaging with comments, and sharing behind-the-scenes insights to help build early interest in uRoutine.

Personal branding played a role. I made a conscious effort to put myself at the forefront of the brand, creating video content, writing blog posts, and sharing challenges as well as wins. Authenticity matters and showing the reality of startup life – not just the highlights – seems to resonate with people.

Website and SEO

Having had past successes with organic search and SEO, I focused on SEO from day one, researching keywords and structuring content to rank well on Google. Regularly posting articles with a clear value proposition, and fast loading speeds were all priorities. We’re a month in but already ranking well on some great keywords for uRoutine I also set up Google Search Console and Analytics to track traffic and identify opportunities for improvement. SEO is most definitely a long game, but setting a strong foundation early makes a big difference.

4. Fundraising: Planning for Growth

Bootstrapping vs. Investment

Funding is one of the biggest decisions for a founder to make early on. With a successful exit under my belt, I am fortunate to have a great network of prospective investors. I have started building relationships with potential investors, not necessarily to raise money immediately but to lay the groundwork. We likely will fundraise in the next month or two so keeping them updated on my progress and traction is important.

Financial Planning

Whether we raise investment or not, financial planning is critical for a startup. I have built out cash flow projections and estimated my runway. Having a clear picture of expenses and revenue helped me stay disciplined in spending and make strategic decisions about growth.

The first 30 days have been intense, but laying these foundations has, I believe, set uRoutine up for long-term success. There’s a long road ahead – most importantly to launching our platform and finding clients, users and revenue, but getting the important bits right early makes all the difference. To fellow founders: don’t wait, get started, plan meticulously, and keep pushing forward.