Why we are offering a free new business consultation
We genuinely enjoy helping a new business move from an idea to something real. Seeing a founder launch, receive the first enquiry, add the first team member and begin building a reputation is one of the most rewarding parts of our work. The technology should make that progress easier, not leave the owner coordinating several unfamiliar providers before the business has even opened.
The problem is that many people are asked to choose products before anyone has explained how the pieces connect. A domain affects professional email. Email affects account recovery and website enquiries. Microsoft 365 affects files and collaboration. The website and Google Business Profile affect discovery. Security and backup protect the accounts and information that everything else relies on.
The consultation gives you a chance to explain the business in plain language. We then help identify the smallest reliable digital foundation that fits the way you expect to work. There is no obligation to proceed, and you do not need to know the technical names of the services you require.
Who the consultation is designed for
The free consultation is designed for people starting a new Australian business, turning a side project into a professional operation or replacing an improvised setup before growth makes it harder to change. You may have only a business name and an idea, or you may already have an ABN, domain, social page or personal email address in use.
It is especially useful when you are unsure which services are essential now and which can wait. A sole trader launching a local service business will not need the same environment as a three-person consultancy, online retailer, trade business, storage facility or creator brand. The purpose is to understand the actual operating model before recommending technology.
- First-time founders who want to avoid expensive setup mistakes
- Sole traders moving from personal accounts to a professional identity
- Small teams needing email, files and collaboration from launch
- Existing businesses formalising a scattered digital setup
- Founders who want one team to coordinate the entire launch
- Australian businesses needing Melbourne-based support with Australia-wide delivery
What we discuss during the free consultation
The conversation starts with the business rather than a product list. We will ask what you are selling, who the customers are, where the business operates, how people should contact you, how many people need access and when you hope to launch. Those answers help us identify the genuine dependencies and priorities.
We can then discuss the domain, professional email, website, Microsoft 365, Google presence, cybersecurity, backup and support requirements that are relevant to you. You will not be expected to make every decision during the call. The aim is to create clarity, identify anything that needs further investigation and agree on the most sensible next step.
| Area | Questions we can help answer | Likely outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | Which name and extension should the business use? | A business-owned domain and clear registration plan |
| Professional email | Which addresses and mailboxes are actually required? | A practical email structure with secure sign-in |
| Microsoft 365 | Which licences, apps and shared locations suit the team? | An appropriately sized tenant and collaboration plan |
| Website | What pages, content and enquiry path are needed for launch? | A focused conversion and content scope |
| Is the business eligible for a profile and how will search be measured? | A visibility, verification and Search Console plan | |
| Security | Which accounts, devices and data need protection? | A baseline covering access, endpoints, filtering and encryption |
| Backup | What information would be difficult or costly to recreate? | Defined backup coverage and recovery expectations |
Start with ownership before choosing products
One of the most important early decisions is who will own and control the accounts. The domain registrar, Microsoft tenant, website, Google profile and other major services should use accurate business-controlled details with suitable administrator and recovery access.
A supplier may need permission to configure those services, but the business should not become dependent on a designer, employee or contractor being the only person who can reach them. Our business domain setup service includes registration, DNS and ownership planning rather than treating the domain as an incidental website add-on.
During the consultation, we can identify what you already own, what still needs to be created and which account should become the source of truth. This is far easier to establish before customer data, website traffic and team access begin accumulating.
Plan professional email and Microsoft 365 together
A branded email address creates a professional identity, but a dependable setup involves more than changing the text after the @ symbol. Mailbox structure, licences, email authentication, multi-factor authentication, administrator access and account recovery should be considered together.
Our professional business email setup can include Microsoft 365 when it is the right fit. A properly configured Microsoft 365 environment for a small business can bring Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint into one business-controlled tenancy.
The consultation helps determine whether each person needs a licensed mailbox, whether shared addresses such as accounts@ or bookings@ are appropriate, and where business files should live. This prevents the common situation where personal accounts, shared passwords and duplicated subscriptions become the foundation of a growing business.
Define what the website must achieve
A website should be scoped around the customer journey, not an arbitrary number of pages. A local trade business may need service areas, proof of work and an obvious quote pathway. A consultant may need to explain expertise and make it easy to arrange a confidential conversation. A location-based business may need directions, hours, availability and a clear booking process.
Our small business website design service connects the website to the domain, professional email, contact forms, Google visibility and measurement tools. During the free consultation, we can identify the questions customers are likely to ask, the pages needed at launch and the content or photographs you will need to supply.
This also helps keep the first website appropriately sized. Some founders need a complete multi-service site; others need a focused launch presence that can grow after the offer has been tested. Starting smaller is sensible when the structure is deliberate and the next stage is understood.
Discuss Google visibility before the website launches
Google visibility should be planned alongside the website rather than added as an afterthought. Accurate business details, clear service information, crawlable pages, logical internal links and an XML sitemap give search engines a better foundation for understanding a new site.
If the business is eligible, a verified Google Business Profile can support discovery in Google Search and Maps. The correct approach depends on whether customers visit a location, the business travels to customers or the work is delivered remotely. We will not recommend inventing an address or misrepresenting how the business operates.
Google Search Console can be configured to monitor indexing, search impressions, clicks and the queries associated with the website. It does not create instant rankings, but it provides evidence for future improvements. No legitimate provider can guarantee a particular Google position, especially for a new domain.
Include cybersecurity and backup from the beginning
New businesses often delay security because the team and systems still feel small. In reality, the cleanest time to enable multi-factor authentication, unique passwords, device protection, encryption and appropriate administrator separation is before accounts and data spread.
Our small business cybersecurity setup can cover the practical controls required for the environment. A separate business cloud backup plan can protect important Microsoft 365 data and define how recovery would work after deletion, device failure or an account incident.
For deeper endpoint protection, email and website filtering, device management, backups and ongoing IT support, setmeup. works with our parent company, BITS Melbourne. Discussing those requirements during planning allows security to support the launch rather than interrupting the business later.
What to prepare before we call
You do not need a formal business plan or technical specification. A few practical details will make the consultation more useful. If something is unknown, say so—the call is intended to help you work through uncertainty rather than test how much you already know.
- The proposed business name and a short explanation of the idea
- Whether the ABN or business registration is already complete
- The services or products you plan to offer
- The customers and locations you expect to serve
- How many people need email, files or system access
- Any domain, email, website or social accounts already created
- Your ideal launch timeframe
- The parts of the setup that feel unclear or concerning
What happens after you submit the form
The form below collects enough information for us to understand the general shape of the business. We review the request and contact you using the details provided to arrange a suitable phone consultation time. Selecting a preferred callback period helps us coordinate the initial contact, but it is not an automatic appointment booking.
During the call, we listen to what you are building, clarify the customer and team requirements, discuss what you already have and explain the practical options. If setmeup. is a suitable fit, we can prepare a tailored scope and quote. If a service is not required yet, we will say so rather than adding it simply to make the project larger.
Submitting the form does not commit you to purchasing anything. The consultation is intended to help you make a more informed start and decide whether you would like us to coordinate the implementation.
| Step | What happens | Your commitment |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Request | Complete the short consultation form | A few minutes |
| 2. Arrange | We contact you to agree on a phone consultation time | Choose a suitable time |
| 3. Discuss | We explore the business, priorities and current setup | No technical preparation required |
| 4. Recommend | We explain the smallest reliable setup and sensible order | Ask questions and consider the options |
| 5. Quote | If appropriate, we provide a tailored scope and pricing | No obligation to proceed |
A free consultation should not be a generic sales call
A useful consultation should leave you with more clarity even if you decide not to proceed immediately. We will not pretend every business needs the largest package, every Microsoft licence or a complicated website. The recommended setup should reflect the number of users, customer journey, launch timing, risk and budget.
Pricing is provided after the conversation because a one-person consultancy, a trade business and a location-based operation have different requirements. Our business startup packages show useful starting points, while the final quote reflects the work and subscriptions genuinely required.
We also keep the scope clear. setmeup. handles the digital and technology side of the launch. We do not provide accounting, taxation, legal, ASIC registration or business-structure advice. Those decisions should be addressed by appropriately qualified advisers.
From an idea and ABN to a working business
Altona Secure Storage approached us with a business name, an ABN and the idea for a container storage operation. The coordinated setup included the domain, professional email, Microsoft 365, Teams and OneDrive, an Entra-joined workstation, endpoint security, filtering, backups, Google Business Profile, Search Console, a lead-generation website and a container-management system.
The project shows the benefit of discussing the entire business journey before implementing isolated tools. The website, enquiries, internal collaboration, device security and ongoing support were designed around the same operation. You can explore the complete Altona Secure Storage business launch case study.
Every business is different, and no case study can guarantee the same lead or ranking outcomes. What can be repeated is the method: understand the business, establish ownership, plan the dependencies, configure the right systems and measure what happens after launch.
When should you request the consultation?
The ideal time is before registering multiple services or committing to a website platform, but you can still request a consultation if work has already started. We can review an existing domain, email account, website or Microsoft setup and identify whether it should be retained, connected or corrected.
You do not have to wait until every business detail is final. If the idea is defined enough to explain who you will help and how the business should operate, the conversation can identify the decisions that need to happen next. Our first 90 days digital roadmap can also help you understand the recommended sequence.
Complete the form below to request your free phone consultation. Tell us what you are starting, select the areas you would like to discuss and choose the launch and callback timing that best reflects your situation.
Free consultation questions
Is the new business setup consultation really free?+
Yes. The initial phone consultation is free and there is no obligation to purchase services. If you want setmeup. to complete the work, we can provide a tailored scope and quote afterward.
How long is the consultation?+
The length depends on the business and the questions involved. The initial conversation is intended to be focused and practical; we will confirm the expected time when arranging the call.
Do I need an ABN before requesting a consultation?+
No. You can speak with us while the idea is still being planned. We do not provide accounting, legal, ASIC or business-structure advice, but we can explain which digital decisions should wait until those matters are confirmed.
Can you help if I already registered a domain or created email?+
Yes. We can review what already exists, confirm ownership and access, and recommend whether it should be retained, connected, migrated or corrected.
Is the consultation available outside Melbourne?+
Yes. setmeup. is Melbourne based and can deliver most consultations and digital setup services remotely to businesses across Australia.
Will you tell me what the setup will cost during the call?+
We can discuss the likely scope and ongoing subscription considerations. A tailored quote is prepared once we understand the required users, services, website scope, existing systems and security needs.
Will you contact me immediately after I submit the form?+
We will review the information and contact you to arrange a suitable phone consultation time. Your preferred callback period helps us coordinate that first contact but is not a confirmed appointment.
Tell us what you are starting and we will contact you to arrange a free, no-obligation phone consultation. We will help you understand the domain, professional email, Microsoft 365, website, Google, security and backup foundations that are genuinely relevant, then provide a tailored scope and quote if you want us to implement them.