Florida Business Startup Guides
Open a Business in Fort Myers Beach, Florida
Need help starting a business in Fort Myers Beach, Florida? We've got the information you need to open a business in Fort Myers Beach.
Are You Sure You Want to Do This?
Most startup companies don't make it, in part because the founder did not have the perseverance and abilities that are necessary to succeed. So, before you start your business, 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 Fort Myers Beach. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
- 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. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.
What Type of Business Should You Start?
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 Free Business Ideas.
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 How to Start a Doll Parts & Supplies Business guide or our How to Start a Speed Changers, Drives, & Gears Wholesale & Manufacturers Business guide.
Always keep in mind that your new startup will be located in Fort Myers Beach. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Fort Myers Beach. Only by spending some time analyzing Fort Myers Beach demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.
Fort Myers Beach, Florida Demographic Information
Fort Myers Beach has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Fort Myers Beach demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Fort Myers Beach.
Businesses
As a new Fort Myers Beach entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Fort Myers Beach 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
What About Franchising Opportunities?
As you drive around Fort Myers Beach, it becomes clear that purchasing a franchise is a common way to get started as an entrepreneur. But is franchising the right option for you?
We highly recommend you investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as How to Find Financing for Franchises. 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 The Homesteader and American Business Advantage. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Home Repair Franchises and Miscellaneous Franchises.
Note on Fort Myers Beach Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Fort Myers Beach, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.
Forming a Company in Fort Myers Beach, Florida
It's very important that you form your business as a legal structure. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
When forming a company, you will decide among many company types, such as 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 Florida, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Florida. In fact, you are allowed to 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 Pre-Incorporation Agreements. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, our web page covering Incorporating in Florida may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Florida.
Make Sure You Have a Business Plan
A business plan is critical 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. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Expert Advice on Business Plans. A great resource for business planning assistance is the face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Florida.
Building Up Your Sales
Mastering the art of selling is essential if you want your new Fort Myers Beach business to do well.
Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Sales Training is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
Next Steps
Most new Fort Myers Beach 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.
We are here to help Fort Myers Beach businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Fort Myers Beach, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Fort Myers Beach, Florida
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Fort Myers Beach.
- Resources for Fort Myers Beach, Florida Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Fort Myers Beach entrepreneurs.
- Florida Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Florida.
- Florida Small Business Development Center - The Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) is a statewide economic development partnership between higher education and other stakeholder organizations dedicated to providing entrepreneurs and established businesses with the assistance needed to start, grow and succeed, contributing to the Florida economy.
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