Most entrepreneurs don’t stop at one idea. A Shopify store turns into a YouTube channel… then a service business.
But when it’s time to make things official, a big question pops up:
Do you need a separate LLC for each venture — or can one company cover them all?
The short answer: Yes, you can run multiple businesses under one LLC.
The smarter question is whether you should. Your decision depends on your goals, risk level, and how fast you plan to grow.
In this guide, we’ll break down how it works, the best legal structures to use, the tax implications, and how non-U.S. founders can manage multiple U.S. businesses efficiently with StartFleet.
Yes — you can legally run multiple businesses under a single Limited Liability Company (LLC). The LLC acts as a single legal entity that owns and manages all your business activities, whether that’s an online store, consulting service, or digital brand.
Each venture can operate under the same company name or under separate “Doing Business As” (DBA) names that reflect different brands. All income and expenses flow through the same LLC, which means you’ll file one tax return and maintain one legal structure.
This setup is perfectly legitimate — and often preferred by entrepreneurs who want to manage several projects without forming multiple companies. However, it also means every activity under that LLC shares the same legal and financial responsibility.
Related reading: DBA vs LLC
An “umbrella LLC”, also known as a holding company, is a parent entity that owns and controls multiple subsidiary LLCs beneath it. Instead of running all ventures directly under one company, you separate them into different legal entities—but keep them all under one owner.
This structure matters because it offers stronger liability protection. Each subsidiary operates independently, so if one faces a lawsuit or debt, the others remain legally insulated. It’s a setup used by entrepreneurs who want to expand safely across different industries or brands without exposing all assets to a single point of risk.
You’d typically use an umbrella LLC if:
When managing more than one venture, you have three main ways to structure your operations.
Each approach balances cost, complexity, and liability differently.
This is the simplest setup — one LLC legally registered, operating under multiple DBAs (“Doing Business As” names).
Here, each business operates as its own LLC, owned and controlled by a single parent (holding) company.
A Series LLC is a single “master” entity divided into separate internal units, or series, each functioning like its own mini-LLC.
Running multiple ventures under a single LLC can save time and money — but it also comes with trade-offs in liability and flexibility.
Here’s how the benefits and risks stack up:
While running multiple ventures under one LLC can work early on, there comes a point when separating them makes more sense — both legally and financially.
You should consider forming separate LLCs when:
💡 Pro tip: If one business failing could financially harm the others, it’s time to form separate LLCs. That separation creates a legal firewall between your ventures — protecting your assets and giving each business room to grow safely.
Yes — as long as all your businesses operate under the same LLC, they can share a single Employer Identification Number (EIN).
Each DBA (Doing Business As name) under that LLC can use the same EIN for tax filings, bank applications, and payment processor verification. The EIN identifies the entity itself, not each brand you run.
However, if you form new LLCs for additional ventures, each one will require its own EIN from the IRS. This distinction matters for bookkeeping and compliance — it’s what keeps each company legally and financially separate.
All income and expenses from your various ventures flow through the same tax return:
There are also practical tax advantages:
That said, mixing funds between brands can create major problems. Commingled accounts blur financial lines and can “pierce the corporate veil,” removing your liability protection.
Note: Work with a qualified CPA to properly allocate income and deductions for each business — especially as your ventures scale.
Once you start operating several ventures under one company, staying organized becomes your biggest defense against confusion and risk.
Here’s how to manage multiple brands effectively:
You can run multiple businesses under one LLC—it's completely legal and often practical for early-stage entrepreneurs juggling multiple ideas.
But "can" doesn't always mean "should." Weigh your risks and goals carefully: Start simple with DBAs for low-overhead management, and as your ventures expand or diversify, consider forming separate LLCs or a holding company structure for enhanced liability protection and scalability.
This is not legal or tax advice; consult a qualified attorney or CPA to tailor the best approach for your situation.
StartFleet helps you with your US Company formation. Apart from helping you to register a US company we offer a lot more:
Kathleen Schweitzer is an international taxation expert, providing strategic counsel to businesses with complex compliance, tax and financial issues in an effort to help them grow their business globally. She often gives lecture on U.S. tax developments, transfer pricing, taxes on the sale of goods and services, U.S. tax policy development, taxation of internet commerce and multi-jurisdictional global tax planning. Kathleen enjoys reading, photography, cooking and spending time with her husband and eleven-year-old daughter.
Building an online business is a lonely endeavor.
Join our newsletter to get stories of successful global entrepreneurs on how they build their online business.
