Know exactly what to do now — and what to push later.
A NZ-specific startup checklist showing exactly which tasks to tackle first—and which ones can wait until your startup is actually real.
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Startup Actions: Do Now vs. Wait Until Triggered
Task | Do Now | Wait Until... | Tool / Link |
Interview users | Yes | — | |
Build MVP or waitlist | Yes | Carrd, Tally | |
Try to sell manually | Yes | Invoice Generator | |
Open bank account | You're taking in money | Hnry, Xero | |
Register company (NZ Ltd) | You’re co-founding, selling, or public-facing | Companies Office | |
Register for GST | Revenue > $60K/year | IRD GST | |
Cap table & shares | You’re issuing equity | AANZ Cap Table | |
Founders agreement | You’re working with someone else | Kindrik Agreement |
What Can Wait (If You’re Still Validating)
Task | Wait If… |
Company registration | No co-founders, no revenue, no liability |
GST | Under $60K/year |
Bank account | No money coming in |
Branding and domain | Still validating demand |
Trademarks | Not exposed publicly |
Month One Wins, Summarised
Week | Focus | Goal |
1 | Problem validation | Talk to 10 people |
2 | MVP or waitlist | Get first 20 signups |
3 | Monetisation | Try to earn your first $1 |
4 | Evaluate admin | Trigger hit? Register. If not, pause. |
Tools:
Free Startup Templates for NZ Founders
- Companies Office
- IRD GST registration
- AANZ Cap Table template
- Kindrik Founders Agreement
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