About

Why I created Flipfiled

Learning how to run a reselling business properly should not depend on whether someone in your family already knew how.

Why the guides are free

Few people learn how to start and operate a small business in school. Forming a limited liability company (LLC), obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN), registering for sales tax, and maintaining good standing with the state are rarely taught. People who grow up around a family business often learn these skills at home. Everyone else must figure them out alone or pay for an expensive course that charges for information the government publishes for free.

I believe this knowledge should be accessible to everyone. I therefore wrote these guides in plain language, linked each one to its government sources, and made them free.

A hand up

The economy is uncertain, and steady work is not easy to find. Reselling is one of the more accessible ways to begin earning income, because a person can start with items they already own or can source inexpensively, and startup costs are low compared with most businesses. Profit is never guaranteed, and many new sellers earn little. Even so, learning to operate correctly is within anyone’s reach. I see these guides as a hand up, not a handout.

Room for everyone

I see no reason to gatekeep. I believe there is enough business for everybody. Some markets are saturated, but in most cases competition is healthy: it pushes sellers to improve, and it gives customers more choice. Everyone deserves a chance to try, whether or not the attempt succeeds.

These guides give new sellers a framework for getting started correctly, a place to ask questions, and a clear way to enter the marketplace. They also help existing sellers learn how to operate in compliance, work more efficiently, and begin to grow. The guide search and the question form on the site exist for that purpose.

Wages and profits

Business philosopher Jim Rohn often shared a line he credited to his mentor, Earl Shoaff: “Wages make you a living; profits make you a fortune” (Rohn, 1981; Rohn, 2026). Starting a small business is one way to earn profit rather than wages alone, and it brings responsibilities that a job does not.

Once a business earns a profit, its owner must keep accurate records, register with the appropriate agencies, collect and remit the required taxes, and decide how to pay themselves. Handling these tasks correctly at the beginning is far easier than correcting them later. This site focuses on that work.

What Flipfiled is and is not

• Free guides. Step-by-step guides on forming an Illinois LLC, obtaining an EIN, registering for sales tax, securing Chicago licenses, keeping records, and related topics, each with government sources.
• Paid filing support. For clients who prefer not to handle the paperwork themselves, I complete and submit it using the information the client provides. Government fees are passed through at cost.
• Limits of the service. Flipfiled does not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. I am not a certified public accountant (CPA) or an attorney, I do not prepare tax returns, and I do not handle client funds. For advice about your situation, please consult a licensed professional.

Take the swing

One of my favorite sayings is, “If you want to hit a home run, you have to swing.” Not every swing connects, but a person who never swings cannot score. Learn the rules, take the swing, and adjust as you go.

Two ways to get started

You may use the free guides and complete each step yourself; every guide is written so that you can. Alternatively, you may hire me to complete the filings and save the time. Either option is welcome.

To begin, read the free guides or follow the Chicago setup checklist.

Jacob Kaufman
Merchant + Entrepreneur
Founder, Flipfiled LLC

References

Rohn, J. (1981). Jim Rohn – The major KEY to your better future is you [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/YF75cLE-6hI

Rohn, J. (2026, April 23). Why a big salary won’t make you wealthy: Jim Rohn on wages vs. profits. JimRohn.com. https://www.jimrohn.com/wisdom/articles/philosophy-of-wealth

The 2026 article credits the line to Earl Shoaff and describes itself as written from Rohn’s teachings. Jim Rohn and his estate have no affiliation with Flipfiled.