Connecticut Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Groton, Connecticut

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

Will You Be a Successful Entrepreneur?

Most new businesses do not succeed, in part because the entrepreneur did not have the entrepreneurial skills and traits needed to succeed. So, before you open a business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.

Because entrepreneurship is not for everyone, we recommend you do the following to help you assess whether you should move forward with starting a business:

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in Groton. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
  • You should read Business Failure. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
  • Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.

Choosing the Right Company to Start

There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? If you are struggling with what type of business to start, 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 How to Start a Lamp Shades Retailer guide or our How to Start an Industrial & Commercial Sandblasting Business guide.

Remember that starting a business in Groton has some implications. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Groton. Don't forget to review Groton demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.

Groton, Connecticut Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
3784
5-9 Employees
1536
10-19 Employees
972
20-49 Employees
792
50-99 Employees
300
100-249 Employees
108
250-499 Employees
36
500-999 Employees
12
1000+ Employees
12
All Groton Businesses
7552

As a new Groton entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Groton 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
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
2
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
3
Automotive Transmission Repair
2
Barber Shops
1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
8
Boat Dealers
3
Book Stores
3
Bowling Centers
1
Building Inspection Services
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Cafeterias
2
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Child and Youth Services
2
Child Day Care Services
11
Civic and Social Organizations
4
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
2
Commercial Bakeries
1
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Computer Systems Design Services
7
Consumer Lending
1
Convenience Stores
3
Credit Unions
8
Custom Computer Programming Services
6
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
1
Discount Department Stores
2
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
1
Electrical Contractors
1
Electronic Shopping
1
Elementary and Secondary Schools
1
Emergency and Other Relief Services
1
Engineering Services
9
Environmental Consulting Services
2
Family Clothing Stores
1
Fine Arts Schools
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
6
Flight Training
1
Floor Covering Stores
3
Florists
2
Food Service Contractors
3
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
1
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
1
Full-Service Restaurants
28
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Furniture Stores
3
General Automotive Repair
7
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
3
Grantmaking Foundations
1
Graphic Design Services
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
1
Hardware Stores
1
Heating Oil Dealers
2
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
2
Household Appliance Stores
2
Industrial Pattern Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
8
Investment Advice
2
Janitorial Services
2
Jewelry Stores
1
Land Subdivision
2
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
2
Libraries and Archives
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
28
Machine Shops
2
Mail-Order Houses
1
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
2
Marinas
5
Mobile Food Services
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
2
Motorcycle Dealers
2
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
Navigational Services to Shipping
2
New Car Dealers
4
Nursing Care Facilities
3
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
2
Offices of Chiropractors
3
Offices of Dentists
16
Offices of Lawyers
13
Offices of Optometrists
3
Optical Goods Stores
2
Packing and Crating
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
1
Parking Lots and Garages
1
Passenger Car Rental
2
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
2
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
2
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
5
Private Mail Centers
1
Quick Printing
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Real Estate Credit
2
Remediation Services
1
Residential Property Managers
3
Residential Remodelers
2
Savings Institutions
5
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
1
Securities Brokerage
4
Security Guards and Patrol Services
1
Ship Building and Repairing
3
Shoe Stores
2
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Software Publishers
1
Sporting Goods Stores
3
Sports and Recreation Instruction
3
Steel Investment Foundries
1
Tax Preparation Services
3
Telemarketing Bureaus
1
Temporary Help Services
5
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Tobacco Stores
1
Travel Agencies
4
Used Car Dealers
3
Used Merchandise Stores
3
Veterinary Services
2
Video Tape and Disc Rental
4
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1
Women's Clothing Stores
2

Is Franchising a Better Option?

Examine a list of Groton businesses and it becomes clear that purchasing a franchise is a common way to get started as an entrepreneur. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?

Most business experts recommend that you consider franchising as an option. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including The Disadvantages of Franchise Ownership. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.

To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include ComputerTots/Computer Explorers and Leadership Management. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Wine Franchises and Framing Store Franchises.

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

Marketing Your New Startup

To grow your Groton business, you need a excellent marketing plan.

You can learn a ton about marketing on our site. Advertising on Buses discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Increase Your Entrepreneurial Knowledge

Successful business owners recognize that they don't know everything.

With your business being located in Groton, Connecticut, you should investigate some of the many programs available at nearby Connecticut universities, colleges and community colleges. You should also check if there are any networking organizations for Groton entrepreneurs.

What's Next?

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

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

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Groton and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Groton, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Groton, Connecticut

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

More Startup Articles for Connecticut Cities

Starting a Business in Greenwich
Starting a Business in Guilford

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

 

 

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary