Creating a small business can be tough. Maintaining one (through the good times and bad), even tougher.

CBC’s Dragon’s Den is all about what it takes to create a successful small business. Two of the Dragons, Kevin O’Leary, a self-confessed badass, and his partner in crime Jim Treliving offer their advice on what it takes to make it in the cut-throat world of startups and how to secure investment.

Before starting up your own small business make sure to check out our checklist below courtesy of the Canada Business Network (a government agency dedicated to assisting small businesses and entrepreneurs):

1. Corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship: Find out which type of business structure is right for your business.

2. Naming your business: Choose the right name for your business. Your business name should be unique and easy to remember, and should describe the products and services you provide.

3. Regulated industries: Find out how certain industry sectors are regulated and what some of the key business obligations are in those sectors.

4. Choosing and setting up a location: Trying to decide where to locate your business and how to arrange it once you get there? Review the following resources and consider your options.

5: Market research and statistics: Learn more about market research, how to conduct it and where to find free information and statistics to support your market research project.

6. Marketing and sales: How well you market your business and interact with your customers can vastly influence your success