I run a small consulting business and have a fairly visible online presence, podcast appearances, a YouTube channel, LinkedIn. Lately I've had a couple of weird interactions (someone sent a package to my old office address, and a client made a comment about my neighborhood that felt too specific). I don't have an LLC yet, and my home address is on my business license because I'm a sole prop. I'm starting to freak out a bit. What are the actual steps to stop my home address from being public? I know an LLC is often mentioned, but does that really hide everything? I'm not trying to do anything sketchy, just don't want randos showing up at my door.
First off, if youre a sole prop, your business license is probably tied to your name and address at the county level. Switching to an LLC with a registered agent is step one, but you'll also want to get a virtual address or PMB (private mailbox) that looks like a suite, not a PO box. UPS Store works in some states. And yeah, data brokers are the real stalker tool—spokeo, etc. Opt out of those
Thanks. I hadn't thought about the data broker angle. I just googled myself and found my old apartment from 8 years ago on one of those sites. Gross. Any specific registered agent services people trust? I see Northwest and Registered Agents Inc. advertised everywhere.
A trust? I've heard of that for real estate but always assumed it was for rich people. Is it actually feasible for a normal small business owner? I rent, so property records aren't an issue for now, but eventually I'd like to buy.
Yeah, the package was weird—it was sent to my old office address from a 'fan' with no return address. I didn't open it. I'll look into the PO box and maybe a virtual address for the LLC. Thanks for the tips, everyone. I feel a bit less overwhelmed.