Iowa Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Bellevue, Iowa

Are you starting a business in Bellevue, Iowa? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Bellevue.

Which Business to Choose?

There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at How to Evaluate a Business Idea.

For step-by-step instructions on starting a variety of business types, visit the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our How to Start a Horseshoer's Equipment & Supplies Business guide or our Starting a Steps Business guide.

Remember that Bellevue is the place where you are starting a business. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Bellevue. A critical consideration is whether Bellevue demographics mesh well with your startup concept.

Bellevue, Iowa Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
2730
5-9 Employees
990
10-19 Employees
360
20-49 Employees
180
50-99 Employees
30
100-249 Employees
60
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Bellevue Businesses
4350

As a new Bellevue entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Bellevue 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
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
1
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
1
Boat Building
1
Boat Dealers
1
Book Publishers
1
Bowling Centers
1
Business Associations
1
Caterers
1
Child Day Care Services
1
Civic and Social Organizations
2
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Community Food Services
1
Couriers
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
1
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
3
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
1
Electrical Contractors
2
Family Clothing Stores
1
Floor Covering Stores
1
Framing Contractors
2
Full-Service Restaurants
7
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Hardware Stores
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
4
Janitorial Services
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
2
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
2
Logging
5
Masonry Contractors
2
New Car Dealers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
2
Offices of Chiropractors
2
Offices of Dentists
3
Offices of Lawyers
2
Offices of Optometrists
1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
1
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
1
Residential Remodelers
2
Securities Brokerage
1
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Siding Contractors
1
Site Preparation Contractors
4
Support Activities for Forestry
1
Tax Preparation Services
1
Used Car Dealers
1
Used Merchandise Stores
1
Veterinary Services
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
2

Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?

As you drive around Bellevue, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. But is franchising the right option for you?

Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Costs of Franchise Ownership. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.

You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include Michel's Baguette Bakery Café and Embassy Suites Hotels. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Consulting Franchises and Health Franchises.

Note on Bellevue Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Bellevue.

Forming a Company in Bellevue, Iowa

It's very important that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. The main advantage of forming your new business as a legal entity is that it separates your business liabilities from your personal 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. If you are starting a business in Iowa, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Iowa. As it turns out, 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 are many nuances to 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 Bellevue, Iowa, our information on Incorporating in Iowa may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Iowa.

Marketing Your New Company

To grow your Bellevue business, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your business achieving its goals.

We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Working with an Advertising Agency is a good read to get your marketing creativity flowing. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.

The Art of Selling

Being able to sell is fundamental to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Bellevue or are selling to customers throughout Iowa, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.

Selling Stuff on the Web 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.

Now It's Up To You

You have a dream -- starting a business in Bellevue. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

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

We are here to help Bellevue businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Bellevue 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 Bellevue, Iowa

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

  • Resources for Bellevue, Iowa Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Bellevue entrepreneurs.
  • Iowa Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Iowa.
  • Iowa Small Business Development Center - The Iowa SBDC conducts research, counsels, and trains business people in management, financing, and operating small businesses. They provide comprehensive information services and access to experts in a variety of fields. This is a great resource for Iowa entrepreneurs!

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Iowa

Starting a Business in Bedford
Starting a Business in Belmond

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Iowa
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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