Tennessee Business Startup Guides
Starting a Business in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Thinking about starting a business in Chattanooga, Tennessee? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Chattanooga.
Which Business to Choose?
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? We recommend that you read Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
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 Popcorn & Popcorn Supplies Business guide or our Starting a Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church guide.
Don't forget that your new business will be in Chattanooga. If Chattanooga already has plenty of the kind of business you want to start, you might want to change your plans. Make sure you fully understand Chattanooga demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Chattanooga, Tennessee Demographic Information
Chattanooga has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Chattanooga demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Chattanooga.
Businesses
As a new Chattanooga entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Chattanooga 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
Have You Considered Franchising?
Browse the Yellow Pages for Chattanooga and you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?
We highly recommend you evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Franchising My Business. 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.
Sample franchise opportunities include Cafe Fondue Franchise Systems Inc. and Interstate Batteries. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Fitness Franchises and Mail and Shipping Services Franchises.
Note on Chattanooga Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Chattanooga.
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.
We strongly advocate that you make sure the ".com" domain name is available for your company name. Every business needs a strong Web presence these days, and having a non ".com" domain means somebody else may outrank you in the search results for your own company name.
Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Branding Advice.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are planning on starting a business in Chattanooga, it's imperative that you check now that no other Tennessee company is using the business name you want to use.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
Writing a business plan is essential in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, 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 will greatly reduce your chances of business success.
If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Business Plan Contests. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Tennessee.
Building Up Your Sales
Mastering the art of selling is a must if you want your new Chattanooga 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.
Closing Sales Techniques offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
Never Give Up
Most new Chattanooga businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Chattanooga and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Chattanooga 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 Chattanooga, Tennessee
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Chattanooga.
- Resources for Chattanooga, Tennessee Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Chattanooga entrepreneurs.
- Tennessee Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Tennessee.
- Tennessee Small Business Development Center - If you are a small business owner, entrepreneur or you are thinking about starting a new business, the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) is ready to help you every step of the way!
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