The creative business checklist

Use these eight checks before starting an independent creative project. Keep the checklist beside your brief and record a next action for anything unfinished.

Check the foundations

• Describe the offer: write who the project serves, the outcome it supports and the deliverables you will provide.

• Write the exclusions: name the work, formats and revisions outside the agreed scope so questions surface early.

• Prepare the brief: record the audience, goals, constraints and materials you need before creating concepts.

• Identify the decision maker: confirm who gathers feedback and who approves each stage.

• Set feedback dates: put review points and the next action in the shared project calendar.

• Record payment terms: confirm the agreed amount, invoice details and payment schedule in the project record.

• Test file delivery: send a small test file through the chosen folder or delivery channel and check that the recipient can open it.

• Verify backups: restore one small file from your backup and confirm you can recover the version you need.

Turn a gap into a next step

Mark each check as ready or needing attention. Beside an unfinished item, write one action, its owner and a date. Review the list again when the scope changes instead of treating the first version as final.

This checklist is general project preparation, not a contract or a determination of your obligations. Ask a qualified local professional about legal, tax, accounting or insurance requirements that apply to your work.