Connecticut Business Startup Guides
Start a Business in Guilford, Connecticut
Are you starting a business in Guilford, Connecticut? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Guilford.
Will You Be a Successful Entrepreneur?
Running your own business is hard work, much harder than working as an employee. Are you sure you are ready to take on this challenge?
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Guilford. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
- Take a look at The Entrepreneurial Personality. It's a short article but it's a good reality check for those are about to jump into the world of entrepreneurship.
- Reach out to a trusted acquaintance. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.
Guilford, Connecticut Demographic Information
Guilford has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Guilford demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Guilford.
Businesses
As a new Guilford entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Guilford 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 Guilford, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. Is it perhaps smarter to franchise a business instead of doing it from scratch.
Most business experts recommend that you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchising Mistakes. 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 Subway Franchises and Starbucks Franchises. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Accounting Franchises and Moving Franchises.
Note on Guilford Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Guilford.
Make Sure You Have a Business Plan
A business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. In effect, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read Reasons to Write a Business Plan. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Connecticut.
Raising Money for Your Venture
Getting your Guilford business the capital it needs to succeed is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.
Recognizing this challenge, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Business Line of Credit.
For Guilford entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, check out our List of Connecticut Angel Investors and our List of Connecticut Venture Capital Firms.
Increase Your Entrepreneurial Knowledge
The best business owners know that they need to continually improve.
With your business being located in Guilford, Connecticut, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Connecticut universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any Guilford networking organizations.
What's Next?
As an entrepreneur in Guilford, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
We are here to help Guilford businesses to be successful. 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 Guilford, Connecticut
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Guilford.
- Resources for Guilford, Connecticut Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Guilford entrepreneurs.
- Connecticut Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Connecticut.
- Connecticut Small Business Development Center - Central Connecticut State University's Institute of Technology and Business Development (ITBD) supports Connecticut businesses and business-related organizations with training, technology assistance, conferencing services, procurement services and business incubation.
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