id8Labs
Back to Essays
Essay··19 min read

From Zero to Secured: Forming an LLC in 48 Hours

How we went from idea to incorporated entity with six-figure assets and active bank application in two days

TL;DR: We formed ID8Labs LLC, discovered and secured $150k-250k in intellectual property across 22 projects, executed a comprehensive IP assignment agreement, and submitted a business bank application—all in 48 hours. This is the technical playbook for rapid, systematic LLC formation using browser automation, git-based documentation, and structured checklists.

The Challenge

On January 20, 2026, ID8Labs didn't exist. By January 21, 2026, we had:

  • -A fully-formed Florida LLC with EIN
  • -22 projects cataloged and assigned to the entity
  • -$150k-250k in IP formally transferred
  • -A business bank application under review
  • -Complete operational documentation

This wasn't luck—it was system design. Here's how we built the machine.

Day 1: Formation (January 20, 2026)

The Stack

Core Tools:

  • -Florida Sunbiz portal (LLC registration)
  • -IRS.gov (EIN application)
  • -Markdown + Git (documentation)
  • -1Password (credential management)

Why Florida?

  • -No state income tax
  • -$125 formation fee (not $800+ like Delaware/California)
  • -Same-day online filing
  • -Business-friendly charging order protection

The Process

Morning: Entity Formation (2 hours)

# 1. Choose entity structure
Decision: Single-member LLC (disregarded entity for tax)
Reasoning: Liability protection + tax simplicity

# 2. Register with Florida Division of Corporations
Portal: sunbiz.org
Forms: Articles of Organization
Cost: $125
Processing: Instant approval
Result: Document Number L26000018088

Key Decision Points:

  1. -Name availability: Checked Sunbiz database, verified domain availability
  2. -Registered agent: Used member's address (no third-party service needed)
  3. -Management structure: Member-managed (standard for single-member)
  4. -Purpose clause: Broad language to allow any lawful business activity

Afternoon: Federal Tax ID (30 minutes)

# 3. Apply for EIN
Portal: irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online
Process: Online application (Form SS-4)
Time: 10 minutes to complete, instant approval
Result: EIN 41-3744565
Document: CP-575 confirmation letter (downloaded as PDF)

Critical Detail: The EIN confirmation letter (CP-575) is required for banking. Download and save immediately—IRS doesn't easily reissue these.

Evening: Operating Agreement (1 hour)

Created comprehensive operating agreement covering:

  • -Member rights and responsibilities
  • -Capital contributions
  • -Profit/loss allocation
  • -Management authority
  • -Dissolution procedures
  • -Intellectual property provisions

Stored in vault/formation/operating-agreement.md (yes, Markdown—easier to version control).

Day 1 Status: Legal entity exists. Can now own assets and enter contracts.

Day 2: Asset Discovery (January 21, 2026)

This is where it got interesting.

The Assumption vs. Reality

What I thought I had: A website and some code.

What actually existed: A complete product company.

Discovery Process

Method: Systematic filesystem audit

# Scanned development directory structure
/Users/eddiebelaval/Development/id8/
├── products/        # Shipped applications
├── tools/          # Development infrastructure
├── services/       # Supporting systems
└── content/        # Documentation and IP

Tools:

  • -ls -R with manual review
  • -Git history analysis for project maturity
  • -README and package.json parsing for tech stack
  • -Deployment status checks (Vercel, domains)

What We Found

Tier 1: Production Products (5 projects)

Shipped and deployed, ready for monetization:

  1. -

    DeepStack - AI-powered trading analysis platform

    • -Tech: Next.js 15, Python FastAPI, Claude API, Alpaca Markets
    • -Status: Live at deepstack.trade, Stripe configured
    • -Value: Production-ready with revenue infrastructure
  2. -

    ID8Composer - TV production script management

    • -Tech: Next.js 15, TipTap editor, Supabase, multi-LLM
    • -Status: Live at id8composer.app, Stripe configured
    • -Value: Complete SaaS platform
  3. -

    Pause - NVC communication tool

    • -Tech: Next.js 16, Supabase, Claude API, Deepgram STT
    • -Status: Pre-launch testing
    • -IP: Proprietary NVC framework implementation
  4. -

    MILO - Mission Intelligence Life Operator

    • -Tech: Electron, React, Better-SQLite3
    • -Status: Beta desktop application
  5. -

    X-Place - Collaborative canvas

    • -Tech: Turborepo, Next.js, WebSocket, Upstash Redis
    • -Status: Development

Key Insight: These weren't hobby projects. Two had active Stripe integrations. They were businesses waiting to be operated.

Tier 2: Development Tools (10 projects)

Infrastructure that enables rapid product development:

  • -Skills Registry: 340+ Claude Code skill definitions (40+ hours of curation)
  • -Skill Builder: Automated skill generation system
  • -ID8 CLI: Project lifecycle management
  • -Claude Settings: 42 agents, 36 commands, 36 hooks
  • -MCP Servers: Screen automation tools
  • -Creative Pipeline: Multi-platform image generation automation

Value Proposition: These tools create competitive moat. They're force multipliers for solo development.

Tier 3: Supporting Systems (7 projects)

  • -Corporate website (id8labs.tech)
  • -Knowledge graph platform (Lexicon)
  • -Marketing/sales repositories
  • -Cultural archive (X305 Rock Ensemble)

Asset Valuation

Conservative Estimate:

  • -Time investment: 2,000-3,000 hours of development
  • -Labor value: $150,000 - $250,000 (at $75-125/hour)
  • -Lines of code: 100,000+
  • -Unique IP: 6 proprietary frameworks/systems

Current Status: Pre-revenue (MRR = $0), but significant value built.

Documentation Output

Created three comprehensive documents:

  1. -

    COMPLETE-ASSET-INVENTORY.md (875 lines)

    • -Every project with tech stack, status, location, value range
    • -Service account mapping
    • -Dependency analysis
  2. -

    ASSET-SUMMARY-QUICK-REF.md (137 lines)

    • -Executive summary for quick reference
    • -Priority transfer matrix
    • -Action items by urgency
  3. -

    IP-ASSIGNMENT-2026-01-21.md (373 lines)

    • -Formal legal agreement
    • -Complete exhibit with all 22 projects
    • -Signatures and effective date

All stored in vault/corporate-records/ with git versioning.

The IP Assignment

Why This Matters

The Problem: Assets created before LLC formation technically belong to me personally, not the company. This creates:

  • -Tax complications (selling assets to the LLC triggers taxable event)
  • -Legal ambiguity (who owns what?)
  • -Investor concerns (IP ownership unclear)
  • -Lending barriers (banks can't collateralize unclear assets)

The Solution: Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement with retroactive effective date.

Structure

PARTIES:
- Assignor: Eduardo Belaval (individual)
- Assignee: ID8Labs LLC (company)

ASSIGNMENT:
- All 22 projects (listed in Exhibit A)
- All source code (~100,000 lines)
- All domain names (6 domains)
- All brand assets
- All proprietary frameworks
- All service accounts

CONSIDERATION:
- Member owns 100% of LLC
- All value flows to member through ownership
- No separate payment needed (assignment to wholly-owned entity)

WARRANTIES:
- Assignor is sole owner
- No third-party rights
- No liens or encumbrances
- Does not infringe any IP

EFFECTIVE DATE:
- Retroactive to January 20, 2026 (formation date)

Digital Signature

For single-member LLCs, digital signature (/s/ Eduardo Belaval) is legally valid. Signed in dual capacity:

  1. -As Eduardo Belaval (Assignor - individual)
  2. -On behalf of ID8Labs LLC (Assignee - company member)

Filing

# Stored in corporate records
vault/corporate-records/ip-assignments/IP-ASSIGNMENT-2026-01-21.md

# Git commit message
"Execute IP Assignment: All 22 projects formally assigned to ID8Labs LLC"

# Status
✅ Signed: January 21, 2026
✅ Filed: vault/corporate-records/
✅ Version controlled: Git commit 5330d7d

The Banking Application

Decision: Capital One vs. Mercury

Mercury (the obvious choice for tech startups):

  • -✅ Free, no minimum balance
  • -✅ API access, integrations
  • -✅ Startup-friendly
  • -❌ No physical branches
  • -❌ No cash handling

Capital One (the choice we made):

  • -✅ Physical branches (Miami locations)
  • -✅ Traditional banking relationship
  • -✅ Business credit card potential
  • -⚠️ $15/month fee (waived with $2k balance)

Reasoning: For a business planning to scale, having branch access and traditional banking relationships matters. $15/month is negligible compared to the optionality.

Application Process

Traditional Approach:

  1. -Gather documents manually
  2. -Visit branch or fill forms online
  3. -Upload scanned documents
  4. -Wait for review
  5. -Answer follow-up questions
  6. -Get approved (hopefully)

Time estimate: 2-4 hours of active work over 3-5 days.

Our Approach: Browser Automation

Tools:

  • -Playwright MCP server (browser automation protocol)
  • -Claude Code (coordination layer)
  • -Capital One business application portal

Process:

// 1. Navigate to application
browser_navigate("https://businessapply.capitalone.com/")

// 2. Select product (Basic Checking)
browser_click(element: "Basic Checking", ref: "e24")

// 3. Fill personal information
browser_type(element: "First Name", ref: "e156", text: "Eduardo")
browser_type(element: "Last Name", ref: "e157", text: "Belaval")
browser_type(element: "Date of Birth", ref: "e158", text: "04/05/1985")

// 4. Fill business information
browser_type(element: "Legal Business Name", ref: "e245", text: "ID8Labs LLC")
browser_type(element: "EIN", ref: "e246", text: "41-3744565")
browser_select_option(element: "Business Structure", ref: "e247", values: ["Single Member LLC"])

// 5. Industry selection
browser_select_option(
  element: "Industry",
  ref: "e301",
  values: ["Software Publishers"]
)

// 6. Revenue range
browser_select_option(
  element: "Annual Revenue",
  ref: "e312",
  values: ["$20,000 and under"]
)

// 7. Business activities (all "No" for software company)
browser_click(element: "Cash deposits", ref: "e401", value: "No")
browser_click(element: "Wire transfers >$10k", ref: "e402", value: "No")
browser_click(element: "International transactions", ref: "e403", value: "No")
// ... 12 more compliance questions

// 8. Ownership information
browser_type(element: "Title", ref: "e501", text: "Owner")
browser_type(element: "Ownership %", ref: "e502", text: "100")

// 9. Review and submit
browser_click(element: "Submit Application", ref: "e601")

Result:

  • -Application completed: 12 minutes
  • -Status: Submitted for manual review
  • -Expected timeline: 1-3 business days
  • -Next step: Account activation upon approval

Documents Ready

The application required:

  1. -EIN Confirmation Letter - ✅ Had it (CP-575-G.pdf)
  2. -Operating Agreement - ✅ Had it (signed and filed)
  3. -Photo ID - ✅ Driver's license
  4. -Articles of Organization - ⏳ Coming from Sunbiz

Key Insight: Capital One accepts Operating Agreement as primary LLC document, so we didn't need to wait for Articles of Organization from the state.

The Security Issue

The Discovery

During the push to GitHub:

User: "is this git private?"

# Investigation
gh repo view eddiebe147/llc-ops --json visibility,isPrivate

# Output
{
  "isPrivate": false,
  "visibility": "PUBLIC"
}

Oh no.

The Exposure

The public repository contained:

  • -EIN: 41-3744565
  • -Personal address, phone number
  • -Business formation documents
  • -Complete asset inventory
  • -IP assignment details
  • -Banking checklist

Time exposed: Unknown (repository existed for ~24 hours)

Potential viewers: Anyone who stumbled upon it or searched GitHub for LLC-related repos

The Fix

# Make repository private
gh repo edit eddiebe147/llc-ops \
  --visibility private \
  --accept-visibility-change-consequences

# Verify
gh repo view eddiebe147/llc-ops --json visibility,isPrivate

# Output
{
  "isPrivate": true,
  "visibility": "PRIVATE"
}

Lesson: When working with sensitive data, verify repository visibility BEFORE first commit, not after.

The Git Push Challenge

After fixing privacy, attempted to push Session 2 commits:

git push origin main

# Error
! [rejected]        main -> main (non-fast-forward)
error: failed to push some refs to 'github.com:eddiebe147/llc-ops.git'
hint: Updates were rejected because the tip of your current branch is behind

Diagnosis:

git status

# Output
Your branch and 'origin/main' have diverged,
and have 10 and 3 different commits each, respectively.

Cause: Local had 10 commits from Session 2, remote had 3 different commits from initial setup. Branches diverged.

Solution:

# Rebase local commits on top of remote
git pull --rebase origin main

# Output
Successfully rebased and updated refs/heads/main.

# Push successfully
git push origin main

# Output
acff2d5..4d67505  main -> main

Result: All commits preserved, linear history maintained, no conflicts.

The System Design

Documentation Architecture

llc-ops/
├── vault/
│   ├── formation/              # Entity setup
│   │   ├── operating-agreement.md
│   │   ├── CP-575-G.pdf        # EIN letter
│   │   └── sunbiz-confirmation.pdf
│   ├── corporate-records/      # Ongoing operations
│   │   ├── ip-assignments/
│   │   ├── COMPLETE-ASSET-INVENTORY.md
│   │   └── ASSET-SUMMARY-QUICK-REF.md
│   ├── banking/
│   │   └── CAPITAL-ONE-CHECKLIST.md
│   └── compliance/             # Future tax/filing docs
├── references/                 # Knowledge base
│   ├── florida-llc-compliance.md
│   ├── expense-categories.md
│   └── tax-optimization-strategies.md
├── PROGRESS.md                 # Session log
└── MASTER-STARTUP-PLAN.md      # Roadmap

Philosophy: Everything in Markdown, everything in Git. No proprietary formats, no locked-in tools.

Session Tracking

PROGRESS.md structure:

## Session 1: January 20, 2026 - LLC Formation
**Accomplishments:**
- ✅ Formed Florida LLC
- ✅ Obtained EIN
- ✅ Created Operating Agreement

**Key Documents:**
- Formation: vault/formation/
- Status: Legal entity active

## Session 2: January 21, 2026 - Asset Discovery & Banking
**Accomplishments:**
- ✅ Discovered 22 major projects
- ✅ Created COMPLETE-ASSET-INVENTORY.md
- ✅ Executed IP Assignment Agreement
- ✅ Submitted Capital One application

**Key Documents:**
- IP Assignment: vault/corporate-records/ip-assignments/
- Banking: vault/banking/CAPITAL-ONE-CHECKLIST.md
- Status: Banking application under review

Why this works:

  • -Clear chronological record
  • -Easy to resume after breaks
  • -Tracks document locations
  • -Shows progress velocity

Checklist Methodology

Every complex process gets a checklist document:

CAPITAL-ONE-CHECKLIST.md pattern:

## ✅ What You Have Ready
- [x] Personal information
- [x] Business information
- [x] Required documents

## 🎯 You Can Start Application NOW
[Explanation of readiness]

## 📋 Application Process
### Option 1: Online Application
**Steps:**
1. Navigate to URL
2. Select product
3. Enter information
4. Upload documents
5. Submit

## 📄 Documents to Upload
[Exact file paths and preparation commands]

## ⏰ Timeline
**Day 1 (Today):** ...
**Day 2-3:** ...

## ✅ Pre-Application Checklist
- [x] Item 1
- [x] Item 2

Benefits:

  • -Reduces cognitive load (no need to remember)
  • -Shows progress visually
  • -Provides copy-paste commands
  • -Includes expected timelines

The Tools

Claude Code + MCP Servers

What is MCP? Model Context Protocol - allows Claude to interact with external systems through standardized tools.

Our MCP Stack:

  1. -

    Playwright Server - Browser automation

    • -Navigate, click, type, screenshot
    • -Used for Capital One application
    • -Alternative to manual form filling
  2. -

    Supabase Plugin - Database management

    • -SQL execution, migrations
    • -Type generation
    • -Ready for future service transfers
  3. -

    GitHub MCP - Repository management

    • -Create repos, push code
    • -Manage visibility, settings
    • -Used for privacy fix
  4. -

    Firecrawl - Web scraping

    • -Research and information gathering
    • -Documentation extraction
    • -Market analysis

Git as System of Record

Every document version controlled:

# Example commit history
5330d7d Execute IP Assignment: All 22 projects assigned to LLC
acff2d5 Create Capital One banking checklist
9a2f1c3 Complete asset inventory (22 projects, $150-250k value)
7e4b8d1 Correct revenue assumptions (pre-revenue status)
3c9d5a2 Initial commit: Development workspace with unified skill registry

Benefits:

  • -Complete audit trail
  • -Can recover any version
  • -See decision evolution
  • -Timestamp all actions

Markdown Over Proprietary Formats

Why Markdown for legal/business documents?

  1. -Version control - Git diffs work perfectly
  2. -Portability - Plain text, readable anywhere
  3. -Future-proof - No format lock-in
  4. -Automation - Easy to parse and generate
  5. -Search - Grep works across all docs

Conversion when needed:

# Markdown → PDF (for banks, officials)
pandoc operating-agreement.md -o operating-agreement.pdf

# Markdown → HTML (for web presentation)
marked operating-agreement.md > operating-agreement.html

The Metrics

Time Investment

Day 1 (January 20, 2026):

  • -Formation filing: 2 hours
  • -EIN application: 30 minutes
  • -Operating agreement: 1 hour
  • -Total: 3.5 hours

Day 2 (January 21, 2026):

  • -Asset discovery: 4 hours
  • -IP assignment preparation: 2 hours
  • -Banking checklist creation: 1 hour
  • -Capital One application: 15 minutes (automated)
  • -Git management: 30 minutes
  • -Total: 7.75 hours

Overall: 11.25 hours active work over 48 hours

Cost Breakdown

Formation Costs:

  • -Florida LLC filing: $125
  • -EIN application: $0 (free)
  • -Operating agreement: $0 (self-drafted)
  • -Total formation: $125

Ongoing Costs (annual):

  • -Florida annual report: $138.75
  • -Registered agent: $0 (self-service)
  • -Annual maintenance: $138.75/year

Banking Costs:

  • -Capital One Basic Checking: $15/month ($0 with $2k balance)
  • -Banking: $0-180/year

Total First Year: $125 (formation) + $138.75 (annual report) + $0-180 (banking) = $263.75 - $443.75

Value Created

IP Secured:

  • -22 projects formally assigned
  • -$150k-250k development value documented
  • -340+ proprietary skills cataloged
  • -6 domains ready for transfer
  • -Clear ownership for future investors/buyers

Infrastructure Built:

  • -Complete operational documentation
  • -Compliance tracking system
  • -Asset inventory methodology
  • -Banking setup in progress

Risk Reduced:

  • -Personal/business separation established
  • -Liability protection active
  • -Tax structure optimized (disregarded entity)
  • -IP ownership unambiguous

The Lessons

1. Assume Nothing About What You've Built

I thought I had "a website and some code." Reality: 22 projects, multiple revenue-ready products, proprietary tools, and six-figure development investment.

Lesson: Do a complete asset audit BEFORE forming the entity. You might be sitting on more value than you think.

2. Automate the Tedious

Manual form filling is soul-crushing and error-prone. Browser automation turned a 2-hour task into 15 minutes.

Lesson: If you're doing something repetitive with clear steps, automate it. Even if you only do it once, the time saved and error reduction is worth it.

3. Document Everything in Git

Having a complete version-controlled record of every decision, document, and status change is invaluable.

Lesson: Use Git for ALL business documents, not just code. Your future self (and your accountant/lawyer) will thank you.

4. Checklists Are Force Multipliers

The Capital One checklist meant I could start the application immediately without having to think "wait, what do I need again?"

Lesson: Create exhaustive checklists for multi-step processes. Include exact commands, file paths, URLs, and expected outcomes.

5. Security Is Not Optional

Almost publishing sensitive business data to a public GitHub repo was a near-miss that could have had real consequences.

Lesson: Check repository visibility FIRST. When in doubt, default to private. You can always make it public later.

6. Pre-Revenue Doesn't Mean Valueless

Zero MRR ≠ Zero value. The asset inventory revealed significant IP that exists independent of current revenue.

Lesson: Track the value you're creating even before monetization. It matters for lending, investment, insurance, and exit opportunities.

The Playbook

Want to replicate this? Here's the compressed version:

Week 1: Formation

Day 1-2: Legal Entity

  1. -Register LLC with your state ($100-300)
  2. -Get EIN from IRS (free, instant)
  3. -Draft operating agreement (use templates, customize)
  4. -Open business bank account (requirements vary)

Day 3: Asset Audit

# 1. Scan all development directories
find ~/Development -type d -maxdepth 3

# 2. For each project:
- Tech stack (package.json, requirements.txt)
- Status (deployed? in development? abandoned?)
- Value drivers (revenue? tools? IP?)

# 3. Document in structured format
- Location, tech, status, value, dependencies

Day 4-5: IP Assignment

  1. -List all assets in exhibit
  2. -Execute assignment agreement
  3. -Sign (digital signature valid for single-member LLC)
  4. -File in corporate records

Day 6-7: Banking & Setup

  1. -Gather required documents
  2. -Complete bank application (automate if possible)
  3. -Set up accounting/bookkeeping
  4. -Transfer service accounts

Week 2+: Operations

Ongoing:

  • -Expense tracking (separate business/personal)
  • -Quarterly estimated taxes (if profitable)
  • -Annual report filing (state-specific deadline)
  • -Operating agreement updates (as needed)

Automation Opportunities:

  • -Receipt capture (mobile apps)
  • -Expense categorization (AI tools)
  • -Tax estimate calculations (spreadsheet formulas)
  • -Compliance reminders (calendar automation)

What's Next for ID8Labs

Immediate (Week 1)

  • -✅ LLC formed
  • -✅ Assets discovered and assigned
  • -⏳ Banking approval (1-3 days)
  • -⏳ Articles of Organization from Sunbiz (7-10 days)

Short-term (Month 1)

  • -Transfer Stripe accounts (before first revenue)
  • -Transfer domain names to LLC
  • -Set up accounting software
  • -Configure business credit card
  • -Transfer service accounts (Vercel, Supabase, etc.)

Medium-term (Quarter 1)

  • -First revenue through DeepStack or ID8Composer
  • -Quarterly estimated tax setup
  • -Insurance policies (E&O, cyber liability)
  • -Begin systematic expense tracking
  • -Annual report filing prep (due May 1)

Long-term (Year 1)

  • -S-Corp election analysis (if profit >$50k)
  • -Retirement account setup (SEP IRA or Solo 401k)
  • -Multi-year tax planning
  • -Asset protection optimization

The Technical Stack for LLC Ops

For anyone building their own LLC operations system:

Core Tools:

Documentation:
  - Format: Markdown
  - Version Control: Git + GitHub
  - Editor: Any text editor (VS Code, Obsidian, etc.)

Automation:
  - Browser: Playwright (via MCP server)
  - AI Coordination: Claude Code
  - Scripts: Bash, Python, Node.js

Compliance:
  - State Filing: State portal (e.g., sunbiz.org)
  - Federal: IRS.gov
  - Banking: Capital One, Mercury, or equivalent

Accounting:
  - Bookkeeping: QuickBooks, Wave, or Bench (future)
  - Expenses: Separate bank account + credit card
  - Receipts: Mobile scanning app

Security:
  - Passwords: 1Password or Bitwarden
  - MFA: Enabled on all accounts
  - Backups: Git + encrypted external storage

Recommended File Structure:

llc-ops/
├── vault/              # Sensitive documents
│   ├── formation/      # One-time setup
│   ├── corporate-records/  # Ongoing docs
│   ├── banking/
│   ├── compliance/     # Tax filings, reports
│   └── contracts/
├── references/         # Knowledge base
├── templates/          # Reusable templates
├── scripts/            # Automation
└── PROGRESS.md         # Session log

The "Badass" Factor

What makes this approach different:

Traditional LLC Formation:

  • -Hire lawyer ($1,500-3,000)
  • -Wait for documents (1-2 weeks)
  • -Manual asset inventory (if done at all)
  • -Piecemeal documentation
  • -Timeline: 2-4 weeks
  • -Cost: $2,000-5,000

This Approach:

  • -Self-service with systematic checklists
  • -Same-day formation and EIN
  • -Automated asset discovery
  • -Git-versioned everything
  • -Timeline: 48 hours
  • -Cost: $125 (plus time)

The Difference: Treating LLC formation like a software deployment—systematic, documented, automated, version-controlled.

Conclusion

In 48 hours, we went from zero to a fully-formed, asset-secured LLC with banking in progress. The secret wasn't working harder—it was building systems:

  1. -Checklists eliminated decision fatigue
  2. -Automation handled tedious tasks
  3. -Git created a complete audit trail
  4. -Markdown kept everything portable and future-proof
  5. -Systematic asset discovery revealed hidden value

The real insight: Most LLC formation complexity is artificial. The actual legal requirements are straightforward. The confusion comes from lack of structure.

By treating business formation like a software project—with clear steps, documentation, version control, and automation—we compressed weeks of work into days.

Now the entity exists. The assets are secured. The bank account is opening. The operational infrastructure is in place.

Time to build.

Repository: [Private - ID8Labs LLC Operations] Formation Date: January 20, 2026 Asset Value: $150k-250k (22 projects) Time to Formation: 48 hours Status: Operational

This case study documents the actual formation of ID8Labs LLC. All information is accurate as of January 21, 2026. Your state's requirements and processes may vary. This is not legal advice—consult appropriate professionals for your situation.

Back to all essays