Nebraska Business Startup Guides
Start a Business in Ashland, Nebraska
Are you starting a business in Ashland, Nebraska? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Ashland.
Are You Ready for the Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur?
Before you get too far along in the process, take inventory of your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Ashland. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
- We recommend reading Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. 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.
Ashland, Nebraska Demographic Information
Ashland has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Ashland demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Ashland.
Businesses
As a new Ashland entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Ashland 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 Franchising a Better Option?
As you drive around Ashland, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. But is franchising the right option for you?
We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to consider franchising as an option. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as The Franchising Process. 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.
Sample franchise opportunities include New York Subs Fresh Deli and The Fourth R. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Bookstore Franchises and Personal Services Franchises.
Note on Ashland Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Ashland, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.
What About Buying an Existing Ashland Business?
We've created a useful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Nebraska. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Ashland.
For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.
Naming the Business
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.
Companies like Starbucks, Apple, Target, Microsoft and Intuit all have strong company names that are easy to remember and have become well-loved brands. Wouldn't it be nice if your new company name got on a similar track?
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in Ashland, it's very important that you make sure your company name has not already been claimed by another Nebraska business.
Make Sure You Have a Business Plan
A business plan is essential in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read Expert Advice on Business Plans. You can also get face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Nebraska.
Startup Financing Basics
Raising money to fund your new Ashland business will be harder than you might expect. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Business Credit Evaluation.
For Ashland entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, check out our List of Nebraska Angel Investors and our List of Nebraska Venture Capital Firms.
Never Give Up
You have a dream -- starting a business in Ashland. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Ashland businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Ashland, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Ashland, Nebraska
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Ashland.
- Resources for Ashland, Nebraska Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Ashland entrepreneurs.
- Nebraska Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Nebraska.
- Nebraska Small Business Development Center - Nebraska Small Business Development Centers provided start-up, management and technical assistance to Nebraska entrepreneurs and Nebraska small business owners from offices throughout the state.
More Business Startup Guides for Nebraska
Starting a Business in Arthur
Starting a Business in Atkinson
Browse All Business Startup Guides for Nebraska
Starting a Business Guides for Other States
Share this article
Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs