Massachusetts Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Athol, Massachusetts

Need help starting a business in Athol, Massachusetts? We've got the information you need to open a business in Athol.

Athol, Massachusetts Demographic Information

Athol has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.

To give you a better feel for Athol demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Athol.

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
1146
5-9 Employees
378
10-19 Employees
351
20-49 Employees
180
50-99 Employees
18
100-249 Employees
36
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
9
1000+ Employees
0
All Athol Businesses
2118

As a new Athol entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Athol 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.

Business Type
# of
Businesses
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
2
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
4
Beauty Salons
5
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
2
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
4
Bowling Centers
1
Burial Casket Manufacturing
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Child Day Care Services
7
Civic and Social Organizations
5
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Community Food Services
1
Convenience Stores
1
Credit Unions
1
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
5
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
4
Elementary and Secondary Schools
1
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
1
Full-Service Restaurants
8
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
2
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
2
General Freight Trucking, Local
1
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
2
Grantmaking Foundations
1
Graphic Design Services
3
Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
1
Hardware Stores
1
Heating Oil Dealers
1
Homes for the Elderly
2
Industrial Launderers
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
5
Limited-Service Restaurants
7
Masonry Contractors
1
Mixed Mode Transit Systems
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
New Car Dealers
3
Nonresidential Property Managers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
1
Offices of Chiropractors
1
Offices of Dentists
5
Offices of Lawyers
3
Offices of Optometrists
1
Optical Goods Stores
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
3
Professional Employer Organizations
2
Radio Stations
1
Residential Property Managers
1
School and Employee Bus Transportation
1
Securities Brokerage
1
Setup Paperboard Box Manufacturing
1
Site Preparation Contractors
3
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
3
Software Publishers
1
Solid Waste Collection
1
Textile Machinery Manufacturing
1
Tire Dealers
1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
2
Used Merchandise Stores
1
Veterinary Services
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1

Naming the Company

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 should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.

Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Naming a Business.

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are planning on starting a business in Athol, it's imperative that you check now that your company name has not already been claimed by another Massachusetts business.

Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan

A business plan is essential in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Simply put, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Mistakes. A great resource for business planning assistance is the face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Massachusetts.

Raising Money for Your Venture

Raising money to fund your new Athol business is a difficult chore. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.

Take advantage of our many articles on securing funding, such as 504 Loans.

For Athol entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, you'll want to take a look at our List of Massachusetts Angel Investors and our List of Massachusetts Venture Capital Firms.

How to Sell

Mastering the art of selling is essential if you want your new Athol business to do well.

Clever sales techniques can transform any business from good to great. Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Closing Sales Techniques is worth reading, as it may give you some good ideas on how to sell your products or services. We have many more good articles on selling that you may enjoy reading.

How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities

Good entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.

Given that you are starting a business in Athol, Massachusetts, you should investigate some of the many programs available at nearby Massachusetts universities, colleges and community colleges. You should also check if there are any Athol networking organizations.

Moving Forward

Most new Athol businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Athol and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Athol, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Athol, Massachusetts

Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Athol.

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Massachusetts

Starting a Business in Ashburnham
Starting a Business in Attleboro

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