Lots. You need to go to a book store and get a few books. I`m not trying to be unhelpful here. I`m just saying that what you are asking is more than is going to be given in a message board. There are a lot of really helpful books around setting up an LLC, accounting for small businesses, and other things you should be aware of when entering the business world. Registering as a DBA is only a tiny little fraction of it. You have to do that in order to get a business license to operate. Actually setting up that business that you get the license for is an entirely other story. The missing pieces of your list are things like create a legal entity beyond a DBA, create a business plan, organize your business into a structure that meets your goals, get insurance for your business, hire an attorney to file paperwork for trademarks and to have on hand in case someone decides to sue you, definitely consult an accountant, and continue to research and learn more about your craft. As Charles said, if starting a business were super super cheap and easy, then everybody would do it. You really need to do some research the old fashioned way with books. I got some great help from Barnes & Nobel when I organized my business. They have tons of resources there to point you in the right direction.