Is there a book out there that describes how to run a limited liability company in various jurisdictions, effectively "open sourcing" the company process for small players? Even better if it's coupled with code that guides you though the process.
Of course, if you choose to incorporate your own LLC (or C-corp or S-corp or whatever) there's always risk in that vs. hiring a professional to do it for you. I'm not really suggesting one approach or the other, but FWIW, I chose to incorporate our NC LLC myself by using one of those books and the stuff from the appropriate NC gov website.
But, also FWIW, if/when the day comes that we start trying to raise outside money or doing any complicated deals involving ownership/equity, we'll reincorporate as a Delaware C-corp, and I expect to hire a seasoned lawyer who specializes in that kind of thing, to take care of that.
I mean I don't try to do my own dentistry. And like others on HN I make fun of people who think they can program after doing a mail merge.
So why would I try to do my own legal and accounting stuff? Given the potential downsides, that's just crazy.
The chances are that once I knew more about it, I'd think it's crazy too, especially for the general case. I'm curious whether it is possible to reduce the difficulty of operating as a single person limited liability company to the same level of difficulty as operating as a sole-trader.
The limit of my complexity is occasionally emailing my accountant to ask whether to book things against me or the company.
The people I work for require me to be incorporated, so that pretty much settles that.
As for curiousity: again, I just ask the professionals. They are likely to give me a correct answer.
I do sometimes look things up myself, but there's always the nagging doubt that I've mistaken a technical term for its common meaning, or that I lack some key conceptual framework or whathaveyou.