When you run more than one business, the front of each one looks different: different customers, different offers, different websites. But behind the scenes, a lot of the work is the same. Email has to get answered. Money has to be tracked. Websites have to stay up. Renewals have to get caught before they lapse.
If every business has its own separate version of all of that, one person drowns fast. A shared back office, one set of systems and routines that serves every brand, is how a solo founder keeps a portfolio running without losing track.
I run six brands under Linkedd LLC: Packd, Linked-do-Books, GrainKit, I Pet Love, Men's Shaver Reviewer and AnswerBack. This is how I think about the shared back office, and how you can set up your own.
This is general operating experience, not legal, tax or financial advice. How you structure entities, accounts and taxes should be decided with a qualified professional.
What "back office" means for a solo portfolio
The back office is everything customers don't see but every business needs:
- Inboxes and phones – where customer messages land.
- Money – payments in, bills out, records for each brand.
- Websites and domains – hosting, DNS, renewals and uptime.
- Tools and subscriptions – the software you pay for.
- Documents – policies, terms, contracts and logins.
- Routines – the weekly and monthly checks that keep it all from slipping.
The goal isn't to merge your businesses into one. Each brand still needs its own identity and, often, its own records. The goal is to run them through one consistent system, so you're not relearning a different setup every time you switch brands.
Step 1: Map every business on one page
Before you change anything, write down what each business actually uses. A simple table works:
| Brand | Website host | Domain registrar | Payment processor | Inbox | Phone | Monthly tools |
|---|
Fill it in honestly. Most founders discover duplicate subscriptions, a domain registered in an old account, or a business still using a personal email. That map becomes the source of truth for everything below.
Step 2: Standardize where you can
Pick one default for each category and move brands onto it over time:
- One hosting and DNS setup where practical, so renewals and changes happen in one place. (Not every brand will fit; it's fine to leave an exception and note it on the map.)
- One payment processor account structure, with each brand clearly labeled so reports separate cleanly.
- One password manager with a folder per brand.
- One calendar with a color per brand.
- One task list with a tag per brand.
Standardizing doesn't mean everything is identical. It means you only have to learn each tool once.
Step 3: Keep the identity details consistent
Every brand's legal name, address and phone should match everywhere they appear: website footers, policies, payment receipts and directory listings. Inconsistent details confuse customers and search engines alike. Keep the exact approved version in one document and copy from it rather than retyping.
For Linkedd LLC, that's: Linkedd LLC, 226 S Cruse Ave, Helena, MT 59601, (406) 389-8067.
Step 4: Keep the money separate, even if the system is shared
A shared system and mixed-up money are not the same thing. Even when every brand runs through the same tools, you want to be able to answer "did this brand make money last month?" in a few minutes. In practice that means:
- Label every transaction by brand.
- Review each brand's numbers on its own at least monthly.
- Keep receipts filed by brand.
How you set up entities and bank accounts is a question for an accountant or attorney. We cover the structural side in holding company vs separate LLCs, and the cost side in the real cost of running a business solo.
Step 5: Build a back-office rhythm
Systems only help if you check them. A light routine I'd suggest as a starting point:
Daily (15 minutes, example):
- Clear customer messages for every brand.
- Check for failed payments or site alerts.
Weekly (about an hour, example):
- Review each brand's sales and open tasks.
- Check that each website loads and checkout works.
- Decide which brand gets focus next week. See deciding which business gets attention today.
Monthly:
- Review every subscription and cancel what you don't use.
- Check domain and tool renewals for the next 60 days.
- Look at each brand's numbers on its own.
Quarterly:
- Revisit the map from Step 1. Ask whether any brand needs more time, less time, or a hard decision.
The times above are examples. Adjust them to your portfolio.
Step 6: Use automation and help carefully
Shared systems make it easier to hand off work, whether to a contractor, a virtual assistant or software agents. The rule I follow: automate the repeatable, keep approval on anything customer-facing or irreversible. Publishing a page, changing a price or sending a message to customers should still get a human yes.
Signs your back office needs work
- You can't say which subscriptions belong to which brand.
- A domain or card renewal has lapsed without warning.
- Customers get different addresses or phone numbers from different pages.
- You avoid one brand because its setup is confusing.
- Monthly numbers take a day to pull instead of an hour.
If several of those sound familiar, start with the map in Step 1. Our posts on warning signs you're running too many businesses and how many businesses one person can run can also help you decide whether the fix is better systems or fewer brands.
Go deeper
- How I Run Six Businesses Solo – my $19 one-time guide on systems, priorities and cross-promotion.
- Build Alongside Me membership – $9/month or $79/year (a $59/year founding annual rate is available for the first 50 members). It renews until you cancel.
- Portfolio City – a free, playable look at portfolio decisions.
- More free writing on the Linkedd LLC blog, including how to run multiple businesses.
Prices were current when this was written. The product pages are the source of truth.
Frequently asked questions
What is a shared back office?
It's one set of systems and routines (inbox, money tracking, websites, tools, documents) that serves every business you run, instead of a separate setup for each one.
Do I need a holding company to share a back office?
No. You can share systems with or without a holding structure. Entity and tax setup is a separate decision to make with a professional.
Should each business have its own bank account?
Many owners keep separate accounts or at least clearly separated records. Ask your accountant what fits your structure.
How much time does back-office work take?
It depends on the portfolio. A consistent daily, weekly and monthly rhythm usually takes less time than catching problems after they break.
What should I standardize first?
Start with whatever causes the most problems today. For many founders that's logins, renewals or scattered inboxes.
How do I contact Linkedd LLC?
Use the contact page or call (406) 389-8067.