Start with accounts the business owns
A new business needs more than a laptop and a personal email address. Your domain, email, administrator access, and recovery details should belong to the business from day one. Set up in the right order and you get a professional email address, secure access, and a clear way to recover the environment if a phone is lost or the first administrator is unavailable.
Small shortcuts become expensive dependencies
Personal Gmail or Hotmail accounts, one shared password, and DNS records nobody understands can work briefly. They become a problem when someone leaves, a password is lost, email is spoofed, or a scanner and website cannot send reliably.
- The domain sits in a founder's personal account
- Everybody shares one mailbox or administrator login
- MFA and recovery codes were never configured
- Nobody knows which services are allowed to send email
- Printer, scanner, and website messages disappear into spam
What a sound starter setup includes
Keep the first setup simple, but make ownership and security deliberate:
- A .nz or .co.nz domain registered for the business
- Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace with named user accounts
- Cloudflare managing a documented DNS zone
- MFA and a business password manager
- A separate backup administrator and stored recovery details
- SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for the services that send as your domain
- SMTP2GO for a scanner, printer, website, or other application
Nine steps from domain name to working email
The order matters. Establish business ownership first, connect the domain carefully, then create users and tighten email authentication once every legitimate sender is known.
- Buy a .nz or .co.nz domain through an authorised registrar
- Choose Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
- Connect the domain to Cloudflare, then connect your workplace platform
- Set up and enforce multi-factor authentication
- Choose a business password manager
- Store recovery details and create a backup administrator
- Create named email accounts and any shared mailboxes
- Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
- Configure SMTP2GO for scanners, websites, and applications
Microsoft or Google: choose the workplace your team will use
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are both credible business platforms. Microsoft is often the natural choice where desktop Office applications, Outlook, and Teams are central. Google suits teams that prefer browser-first Gmail, Drive, and Meet. Common small-business plans are roughly $20–30 NZD per user each month, although the exact price depends on plan, commitment, tax, and vendor changes. Choose one primary identity and email platform rather than creating overlapping accounts without a clear reason.
Do it yourself, or hand over the moving parts
The detailed guide walks through each step and links to the relevant provider instructions. If you would rather stay focused on the business, Tier1 can take care of the setup, licences, and ongoing support starting from $65 + GST per month. Final scope and GST treatment are confirmed in your quote.
Sources and further reading
- Authorised .nz registrars — InternetNZ
- Set up a primary DNS zone — Cloudflare
- Troubleshooting email DNS records — Cloudflare
- DNS records for a Microsoft 365 domain — Microsoft
- Verify a Google Workspace domain — Google
- Set up Google Workspace MX records — Google
- Deploy 2-Step Verification — Google
- Use a password manager in your business — Own Your Online
- Prevent your email from being spoofed — Own Your Online
- Set up a verified sender domain — SMTP2GO
- SMTP settings — SMTP2GO
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
Choose the platform that best fits how your team works. Microsoft is commonly preferred for desktop Office, Outlook, and Teams; Google is strong for browser-first Gmail, Drive, and Meet. Avoid paying for both without a clear operational need.
Why use a business domain instead of Gmail or Outlook.com?
A business domain gives you addresses the business controls, such as [email protected]. You can add and remove people without changing the business identity, and configure protections against domain spoofing.
Does Cloudflare replace Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
No. Cloudflare manages DNS for the domain; Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace provides identities, mailboxes, and workplace applications. DNS records connect the services.
Do I need SMTP2GO if Microsoft or Google already sends email?
Usually only for devices and applications that cannot use a normal user sign-in reliably, such as scanners, printers, or website forms. Staff should continue sending ordinary email through Microsoft or Google.
What does the $65 + GST starting price include?
It is an entry-level monthly starting point for an email-only team member with managed protections. The right licences, setup work, users, devices, and support scope are confirmed before Tier1 provides a formal quote.