Ohio Business Startup Guides
Start a Business in Akron, Ohio
Are you starting a business in Akron, Ohio? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Akron.
Which Business to Choose?
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. You might get some good ideas about what kind of business to start by reading Good Business Ideas.
If you still are not sure what type of business to start, peruse the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Opening a Roof Curbs Business guide or our Opening a Wire Cloth Business guide.
Don't forget that your new startup will be located in Akron. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Akron. Only by spending some time analyzing Akron demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.
Akron, Ohio Demographic Information
Akron has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Akron demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Akron.
Businesses
As a new Akron entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Akron for each business category. By looking at this chart, you can get a general sense for how much competition there is in the business niche that you are pursuing.
Businesses
Should You Franchise?
Visit the business district of Akron and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?
Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchise Due Diligence. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Aussie Pet Mobile and Brewster's Coffee. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Tax Preparation Franchises and Donut Shop Franchises.
Note on Akron Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Akron, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.
Selecting a Name For Your Company
Making the right decision when choosing a company name is very important. There are many decisions you'll make now that you can change later, but changing a company name years down the road is not very easy. So, choose a good company name at the outset.
We strongly advocate that you make sure the ".com" domain name is available for your company name. Every business needs a strong Web presence these days, and having a non ".com" domain means somebody else may outrank you in the search results for your own company name.
To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Branding Advice.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are planning on starting a business in Akron, it's critical that you ensure that no other Ohio company is using the business name you want to use.
Getting Money to Start a Business
Getting your Akron business the capital it needs to succeed is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Borrowing Money from Friends and Family.
For Akron entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, you'll want to take a look at our List of Ohio Angel Investors and our List of Ohio Venture Capital Firms.
Selling Tips
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Akron business, you need to focus on sales.
The key to selling is to set sales goals goals and monitor your progress towards those goals. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Effective Sales Presentations offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
What's Next?
As an entrepreneur in Akron, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Akron and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Akron entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Akron, Ohio
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Akron.
- Resources for Akron, Ohio Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Akron entrepreneurs.
- Ohio Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Ohio.
- Ohio Small Business Development Center - Whether you're starting your business, expanding your business, or just looking to stay in business, the Small Business Development Centers of Ohio (SBDCs of Ohio) can help with professional guidance by connecting you with research, financing sources, and training opportunities.
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