There are a million videos and resources online about how to start a business. However, these videos to do not explain waiting times, specific country requirements, and the many exemptions, special conditions, and exceptions there are along the way. 

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The accounting firm we are working with suggested we register first as a society as Meraki Giving is a student run organisation. This means that the students doing all of the work are also the ones who have a say on who was is on the board, how many votes from the members are needed to pass a policy, what it takes to become a member, how a board member is elected, etc. Writing the constitution took time and guidance from professionals. Thankfully The Harbour School is amazing and connected us with Cheerlink, an excellent accounting and finance firm. They have been able to guide us through these processes. 

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The next hurdle is transitioning from a society to an NGO. We need to file our taxes to show that we are not profiting off of the sales of our coffee. It is exciting how much we are learning through just one aspect of this journey.