Georgia Business Startup Guides
Opening a Business in Alpharetta, Georgia
Contemplating starting a business in Alpharetta, Georgia? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Alpharetta.
Are You Ready for Entrepreneurship?
Before announcing to the world that you are going to start your own business, consider your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Alpharetta. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
- We recommend reading Why Small Businesses Fail. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.
Alpharetta, Georgia Demographic Information
Alpharetta has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Alpharetta demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Alpharetta.
Businesses
As a new Alpharetta entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Alpharetta 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
Have You Considered Franchising?
As you drive around Alpharetta, you'll conclude that many business owners have opted to buy a franchise, rather than starting a business on their own. But is franchising the right option for you?
Most business experts recommend that you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as How to Find Financing for Franchises. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Secure Eco Shred America and Hamburger Mary's Bar & Grille. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as ATM Franchises and Home Repair Franchises.
Note on Alpharetta Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Alpharetta.
Selecting a Name For Your Startup
A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.
Company names need to be easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember.
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are opening a business in Alpharetta, it's very important that you make sure you will be the only Georgia company using the business name you have chosen.
Company Formation in Alpharetta, Georgia
It's essential that you form your business as a legal structure. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.
The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporating is a very popular way to form a business. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. Just because you are starting a business in Georgia, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Georgia. In fact, you can incorporate wherever you want. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.
There's a lot to know about forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Corporate Formalities. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Alpharetta, Georgia, our information on Incorporating in Georgia may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Georgia.
Do You Need a Business Plan?
A business plan is critical in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Outsourcing. You can also get free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Georgia.
Learning More About Entrepreneurship
Good entrepreneurs know that they need to continually improve.
Given that you are starting a business in Alpharetta, Georgia, you will want to take advantage of the learning programs at local Georgia educational institutions. We also recommend you look into Alpharetta networking organizations.
Never Give Up
You have a dream -- starting a business in Alpharetta. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Alpharetta and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Alpharetta 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 Alpharetta, Georgia
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Alpharetta.
- Resources for Alpharetta, Georgia Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Alpharetta entrepreneurs.
- Georgia Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Georgia.
- Georgia Small Business Development Center - The Georgia SBDC program helps Georgia entrepreneurs with developing business plans, providing financial analysis, identifying sources of capital, and assessing marketing strategies.
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