# Quick Start Guide

## You've got a Collective—awesome! Now what?

Once you have a Collective, you can start submitting expenses, edit your page content, and create events for your community right away. 

In order to receive money or pay out expenses, you need a [Fiscal Host](https://docs.opencollective.com/help/fiscal-hosts/fiscal-hosts) or you need to be set up as an [independent collective](https://docs.opencollective.com/help/independent-collectives). 

Whether you have a Fiscal Host yet or not, here are some steps you can take to get your Collective started.

### 1. Make your Collective your own

Update your images and main color and add about info. [Here's how](https://docs.opencollective.com/help/collectives/collective-settings/customize-collective).

### 2. Add Core Contributors

If you have collaborators on your project who can help you manage your page and approve expenses add them as Core Contributors. [Here's how](https://docs.opencollective.com/help/collectives/collective-settings/core-contributors). 

### 3. Add Financial Contributors to your GitHub and website

Check the many ways you can export your data on [Data Export](https://docs.opencollective.com/help/collectives/collective-settings/data-export) and our diversity of [Buttons & Banners](https://docs.opencollective.com/help/collectives/widgets).

### 4. Start tracking expenses

[Submit expenses](https://docs.opencollective.com/help/expenses-and-getting-paid/submitting-expenses) through your Collective, so others can see where money will be spent (even if you don't have any yet). This builds trust with potential supporters.

### 5. Spread the word

You can connect your Twitter account to your collective and automatically thank your backers. [Here's how](https://docs.opencollective.com/help/collective-settings/integrations#twitter-integration).

### 6.  Launch!

Write a blog post, tell people the vision, and explain why you are raising money. For more detailed ideas about helping your Collective launch well, check out [**Ten Steps to Successful Open Source Crowdfunding**](https://medium.com/open-collective/ten-steps-to-successful-open-source-crowdfunding-fa2b43e82687).

If you need help, join our community on [Discord](https://discord.opencollective.com) or [contact us](https://opencollective.com/contact).

Welcome aboard!