how to avoid unnatural links for new sites?

hey everyone,

i'm totally new to seo and launching my first saas soon. i've been reading some threads here, especially about reconsideration requests getting stuck, and it's making me a bit nervous about manual actions.

my main concern is avoiding getting penalized for unnatural links right from the start. i want to make sure i build my site's authority the right way.

• what are the absolute essential do's and don'ts for a brand new site trying to get backlinks?
• how can i proactively identify and avoid acquiring spammy or bad quality links?
• are there any specific tools or methods you guys use to monitor your link profile early on?
• what are some common 'red flags' i should look out for that might signal an unnatural link pattern?

really appreciate any advice from the pros here! hopefully someone can shed some light. waiting for an expert reply.