Every WordPress pro has a list of their favorite plugins or plugins they install on just about every website. These plugins give me a good base to build from.
The Best All Purpose Plugin
Jetpack (My favorite features about half of what Jetpack can do)
- Simple, concise stats with no additional load on your server. Previously provided by WordPress.com Stats.
- Email subscriptions for your blog’s posts and your post’s comments.
- Social networking enabled comment system.
- Simple, Akismet-backed contact forms.
- Easily embedded media from popular sites like YouTube, Digg, and Vimeo.
- The ability to post to your blog from any email client.
- Integration with and automatic posting to your favorite social networks including Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Path, and LinkedIn.
- A widget for displaying recent tweets. Previously provided by Wickett Twitter Widget
- Your readers can easily share your posts via email or their favorite social networks. Previously provided by the Sharedaddy WordPress plugin.
- With Carousel active, any standard WordPress galleries you have embedded in posts or pages will launch a gorgeous full-screen photo browsing experience with comments and EXIF metadata.
- Creative formats for your image galleries: mosaic, circles, squares, and a slideshow view.
- Search once, get results from everything! A single search box that lets you search posts, pages, comments, and plugins
- and many more to come!
Start with Security:
1. Wordfence Security
Your business website needs to be safe and secure online. This plugin addresses many security issues.
2. BulletProof Security
This is a great compliment to Wordfence and addresses other security issues.
3. Spam Free WordPress (or Antispam Bee)
Comments on your articles are great, but not when they’re full of bad links and spammy content. 
4. BackWPup Before you make any changes to your website or security upgrades, you want to make sure you have a good backup.
Social Media Help
5. Social Media Widget
A great way to feature your social media channels.
SEO- Search Engine Optimization
6. WordPress SEO
Every business wants more traffic from search engines. This plugin sets your website up for success.
7. WP Super Cache
The speed of your website is good for your visitors and Google really loves fast websites.
8. Yet Another Related Posts Plugin
People reading your articles need a way to find more great content from you.
9. Google Analytics for WordPress Tracking your site’s visitors in relation to your goals is essential to your business success.
What are your favorites?
Leave a comment and let me know what your favorites are.