Illinois Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Brookfield, Illinois

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

Are You Ready for Life as an Owner?

Most new companies don't make it, in part because the founder did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before jumping into the world of entrepreneurship, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.

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 Brookfield. 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.

Brookfield, Illinois Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
2403
5-9 Employees
639
10-19 Employees
261
20-49 Employees
162
50-99 Employees
27
100-249 Employees
27
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
9
1000+ Employees
0
All Brookfield Businesses
3528

As a new Brookfield entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Brookfield 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
Ambulance Services
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
2
Automotive Transmission Repair
1
Barber Shops
1
Beauty Salons
5
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
4
Building Inspection Services
1
Cafeterias
2
Canvas and Related Product Mills
1
Car Washes
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Caterers
1
Child Day Care Services
1
Claims Adjusting
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
2
Computer Facilities Management Services
1
Computer Systems Design Services
3
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Credit Unions
1
Document Preparation Services
1
Drafting Services
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
5
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
2
Electrical Contractors
9
Elementary and Secondary Schools
2
Fine Arts Schools
2
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
1
Flight Training
1
Floor Covering Stores
1
Florists
2
Food Service Contractors
2
Framing Contractors
1
Freight Transportation Arrangement
1
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
3
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
15
General Freight Trucking, Local
8
General Rental Centers
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
2
Glass and Glazing Contractors
1
Hardware Manufacturing
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
1
Hardware Stores
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
1
Household Appliance Stores
1
Industrial Launderers
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
7
Janitorial Services
2
Jewelry Stores
2
Land Subdivision
1
Landscape Architectural Services
2
Landscaping Services
7
Limited-Service Restaurants
6
Locksmiths
1
Masonry Contractors
2
Motion Picture and Video Production
2
Motor Vehicle Towing
1
Motorcycle Dealers
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Office Administrative Services
4
Offices of Chiropractors
1
Offices of Dentists
11
Offices of Lawyers
4
Offices of Optometrists
2
Offices of Podiatrists
1
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
3
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
1
Real Estate Credit
2
Remediation Services
1
Residential Property Managers
1
Residential Remodelers
6
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
2
Sales Financing
1
Savings Institutions
1
Securities Brokerage
1
Security Guards and Patrol Services
1
Shoe Stores
1
Siding Contractors
2
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
1
Tax Preparation Services
1
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
2
Travel Agencies
1
Used Car Dealers
1
Used Merchandise Stores
2
Vending Machine Operators
1
Web Search Portals
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
3
Zoos and Botanical Gardens
1

What About Franchising Opportunities?

Examine a list of Brookfield businesses and you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?

We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Understanding Franchise Contracts. 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.

Representative franchise opportunities include Steam Brothers and FranchiseInc!. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Fast Food Franchises and Pizza Franchises.

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

Forming a Company in Brookfield, Illinois

A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

When forming a company, you will choose from many company types, such as a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

Incorporating is a very common way to legally create a business entity. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. If you are starting a business in Illinois, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Illinois. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate in any state you would like to. 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 ESOP Formation. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Brookfield, Illinois, our web page covering Incorporating in Illinois may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Illinois.

Getting the Word Out About Your New Company

To grow your Brookfield business, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your doing well.

You can learn all about marketing on our site. How to Be an Effective Networker discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

The Art of Selling

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

So what does it take to bring in more prospects and close more business? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Tips on Customer Referrals offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

Learning More About Entrepreneurship

The best entrepreneurs recognize that they need to continually improve.

With your business being located in Brookfield, Illinois, you should get information on some of the many programs available at nearby Illinois universities, colleges and community colleges. Another way to keep up on your learning is to investigate Brookfield networking organizations.

Never Give Up

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

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 Brookfield 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 Brookfield, Illinois

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

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