Did I start a business?

I filed the Articles of Incorporation.
Then I opened a PO Box. 
Then I designed a logo. 
Then I published a few social media pages.  
Then I put up a website. 
Then I applied for a pitch competition. 
Then I got pro bono legal work.
Then I found a cool video guy to make a cool video. 

I did these things. Did I start a business? 

No, I didn’t start a business. I went shopping and ran a few errands. I was nothing more than other people’s customers.

A business solves a problem and creates value for a customer. There is no other way to start a business than to add value to a paying customer.