Massachusetts Business Startup Guides
Open a Business in Amherst, Massachusetts
Need help starting a business in Amherst, Massachusetts? We've got the information you need to open a business in Amherst.
Will You Be a Good Entrepreneur?
Being an entrepreneur is hard work, much more challenging than working as an employee. Are you positive you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?
Because entrepreneurship is not for everyone, we recommend you do the following to help you assess whether you should move forward with starting a business:
- Speak with other entrepreneurs in Amherst. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
- You should read Business Failure. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
- Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.
Which Business to Choose?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Finding Your Niche in Life.
For in-depth how-to guides on how to start specific businesses, browse our Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Starting a Dance Club guide or our Starting a Tatoo Parlor guide.
Don't forget that your new startup will be located in Amherst. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Amherst. A critical consideration is whether Amherst demographics mesh well with your startup concept.
Amherst, Massachusetts Demographic Information
Amherst has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Amherst demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Amherst.
Businesses
As a new Amherst entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Amherst 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
Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
Visit the business district of Amherst and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?
We highly recommend you evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. We have many articles on franchises, such as Common Franchisee Mistakes. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can review hundreds of franchise opportunities by browing our Franchise Directory.
Representative franchise opportunities include Subway Franchises and Starbucks Franchises. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Accounting Franchises and Moving Franchises.
Note on Amherst Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Amherst.
Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan
Having a business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Indeed, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Failure to write a business plan makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.
If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read The Art of the Executive Summary. You should also take advantage of face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Massachusetts.
Where to Get Money to Start a Company
Raising money to fund your new Amherst business is a difficult chore. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.
Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled How Much Venture Capital Is There?.
For Amherst entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, check out our List of Massachusetts Angel Investors and our List of Massachusetts Venture Capital Firms.
What's Next?
As an entrepreneur in Amherst, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Amherst and throughout the United States . We have a wealth of experience in business start-ups, financing, marketing, sales and more...and we've made all of our knowledge available to you.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Amherst, Massachusetts
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Amherst.
- Resources for Amherst, Massachusetts Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Amherst entrepreneurs.
- Massachusetts Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Massachusetts.
- Massachusetts Small Business Development Center - The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) Network provides one-to-one free comprehensive and confidential services focusing on, business growth and strategies, financing and loan assistance as well as strategic, marketing and operational analysis.
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