Washington Business Startup Guides
Opening a Business in Ferndale, Washington
Contemplating starting a business in Ferndale, Washington? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Ferndale.
Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?
Being an entrepreneur is hard work, much more arduous than working as an employee. Are you sure you want to start a business?
To determine whether you have what it takes to run a business, we recommend these three steps to help you decide:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Ferndale. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
- We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Have a candid conversation with friends and family. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.
Ferndale, Washington Demographic Information
Ferndale has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Ferndale demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Ferndale.
Businesses
As a new Ferndale entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Ferndale 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
Should You Franchise?
As you drive around Ferndale, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?
We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to look into purchasing a franchise. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Growth Trends in Franchising. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
A comprehensive list of franchisors is available via our List of Franchise Opportunities.
Sample franchise opportunities include California Quivers and Kidzone Party and Play Place. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Children's Fitness Franchises and Insurance Franchises.
Note on Ferndale Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Ferndale.
Selecting a Name For Your 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.
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?
Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Naming a Business.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are planning on starting a business in Ferndale, it's critical that you ensure that no Washington company has already registered the company name you have selected.
Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan
A business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Simply put, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Free Business Plan Templates. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Washington.
Getting Money to Start a Business
Obtaining startup financing for your Ferndale business is a difficult chore. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as 504 Loans.
For Ferndale entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, check out our List of Washington Angel Investors and our List of Washington Venture Capital Firms.
Moving Forward
As an entrepreneur in Ferndale, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Ferndale and elsewhere to achieve real success. 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 Ferndale, Washington
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Ferndale.
- Resources for Ferndale, Washington Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Ferndale entrepreneurs.
- Washington Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Washington.
- Washington Small Business Development Center - Washington Small Business Development Centers promote economic vitality by providing advice, training and research to Washington entrepreneurs and existing Washington businesses.
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