Launch Deck checklist
Open your doors in a week: everything for the first CIPC click, FNB branch visit and first invoice, no guesswork needed.
| Focus | Company setup |
|---|---|
| Window | Same week |
| Docs | Bank-ready |
| Region | SA national |
| Supplier hub | Observatory |
Email magic@ for a tailored pack.
Also see supplier notes and projects.
Day-one setup steps
Getting your business live shouldn't feel like doing four jobs at once. Follow these Launch Deck steps in order, ticking each off in your own time. Each step is shaped for South African owner-operators, whether you’re opening a shop in Rustenburg or running a side hustle from Orlando East. Pull the right paper out when asked. Pause if you hit a bank queue or public holiday in your week. For more detail, your same-week run sheet is always in Launch Deck cadence.
- Reserve your company name on CIPC and keep the COR9.4 receipt.
- Collect certified ID copies for all directors, signed in blue pen, not black.
- Prepare proof of address (less than 3 months old) for both business and director, needed for FICA at the bank.
- Download and print your COR14.3 (company registration certificate) from CIPC eServices.
- Complete your SARS registration for Income Tax and make a note of your company tax number.
- Prep a simple trading permit or municipal licence application if your work needs one, especially for Rustenburg CBD.
- Request a stamped bank letter from your branch to confirm account details for future clients.
- Draft your very first invoice using your new business name, including VAT if registered, and bank details.
- Save digital and paper copies of all documents in a folder labelled with the business name and today’s date.
- List two supplier references ready for most common onboarding forms (phone number included, not just email).
Where this checklist usually breaks
Most founders get tripped up on the bank’s FICA requirements. One missed address update can add days. Secondly, the director ID copy, bank tellers love a blue pen signature, not black. Lastly, COR documents from CIPC sometimes land in your spam folder or take longer than the 'same week' promise after a load-shedding week. It’s easy to rush and forget your stamped bank letter before invoicing Ntombi’s Panel Shop in Tlhabane. For a side hustle with partners in different towns, expect courier delays. Tackle paperwork at least a day ahead of your planned banking run. For smoother handoffs or when you need to delegate, read handoff tips.
What done looks like on paper
All documents sitting together, ready to pull out by request. You’ve got a folder (real or digital) holding your COR14.3, SARS tax number letter, stamped bank letter, and two signed ID copies. Your first invoice is ready to send. The address on every document matches, or you’ve added a quick proof of address update note if the director lives in Soweto but the business trades in Rustenburg. The checklist is ticked, not half done. You can open your bank account, invoice your first client and, if needed, register for B-BBEE affidavit all this week. For full rituals to keep things rolling, try Launch Week Ritual.
A worked example: Tefo’s Rustenburg Solar Fitment
Tefo started a solar fitment company in Rustenburg North with his cousin as director. Monday, they reserved the company name (COR9.4 saved), then used the same ID copies signed at Spar’s copy counter (blue pen just to be safe). On Wednesday their CIPC documents finally cleared spam (bit annoying) and they printed the COR14.3 for Absa. By Thursday, they both took a water bill dated last month for address proof, so no FICA headaches at the branch. By Friday, Tefo drafted invoice number 001 for R8 500 to his first client, Thandi’s Guesthouse. All docs, done. Next week he’s adding a supplier from our supplier shortlist and setting up a side hustle routine. If your team is in Observatory, our home supplier hub at Observatory HQ has print and scan tips too.
