Iowa Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Independence, Iowa

Thinking about starting a business in Independence, Iowa? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Independence.

Are You Ready for Entrepreneurship?

An entrepreneurial life is hard work, much more challenging than working as an employee. Are you positive you are ready to take on this challenge?

Before you move forward with starting a business, be sure to do these three things:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Independence. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
  • We recommend reading Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.

What Business to Start

Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read How to Evaluate a Business Idea.

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 Fire Retardant Materials & Products Business guide or our Starting a Glass Replacement & Repair Business guide.

Always keep in mind that starting a business in Independence has some implications. If Independence already has plenty of the kind of business you want to start, you might want to change your plans. Make sure you fully understand Independence demographics before you lock in on your business idea.

Independence, Iowa Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
5313
5-9 Employees
2145
10-19 Employees
792
20-49 Employees
429
50-99 Employees
462
100-249 Employees
33
250-499 Employees
66
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Independence Businesses
9240

As a new Independence entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Independence 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
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
6
Automotive Transmission Repair
1
Beauty Salons
2
Bowling Centers
1
Business Associations
2
Car Washes
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Child Day Care Services
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Community Food Services
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
1
Credit Unions
2
Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing
1
Digital Printing
1
Discount Department Stores
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
5
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
3
Elementary and Secondary Schools
2
Engineering Services
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
2
Floor Covering Stores
1
Florists
1
Framing Contractors
3
Full-Service Restaurants
10
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
2
General Automotive Repair
2
General Freight Trucking, Local
1
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
5
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
2
Hardware Stores
3
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
12
Janitorial Services
2
Landscaping Services
4
Limited-Service Restaurants
6
Machine Shops
2
Marketing Consulting Services
1
Masonry Contractors
3
Meat Processed from Carcasses
1
New Car Dealers
3
New Housing Operative Builders
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
2
Offices of Dentists
2
Offices of Lawyers
5
Offices of Optometrists
2
Packaging and Labeling Services
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
2
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
1
Photography Studios, Portrait
2
Quick Printing
1
Radio Stations
1
Residential Property Managers
1
Residential Remodelers
3
Roofing Contractors
1
Savings Institutions
1
Site Preparation Contractors
2
Solid Waste Landfill
1
Sports and Recreation Instruction
1
Tax Preparation Services
2
Tire Dealers
2
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Used Car Dealers
2
Veterinary Services
1
Video Tape and Disc Rental
1
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1
Women's Clothing Stores
1
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1

Naming the Business

Making the right decision when choosing a company name is very important. There are many decisions you'll make now that you can change later, but changing a company name years down the road is not very easy. So, choose a good company name at the outset.

Before you decide on a company name, run it by some prospective customers and see what they think. If they don't like it, it's probably a good idea to go back to the drawing board.

Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Naming a Business.

On a final note, given that you are opening a business in Independence, it's critical that you ensure that no other Iowa company is using the business name you want to use.

Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan

A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. In effect, 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.

Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Iowa.

Letting the World Know You Exist

To grow your Independence business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.

You can learn plenty about marketing on our site. Advertising in Magazines is an article that will generate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Never Give Up

As an entrepreneur in Independence, 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.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Independence and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Independence 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 Independence, Iowa

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

  • Resources for Independence, Iowa Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Independence entrepreneurs.
  • Iowa Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Iowa.
  • Iowa Small Business Development Center - The Iowa SBDC conducts research, counsels, and trains business people in management, financing, and operating small businesses. They provide comprehensive information services and access to experts in a variety of fields. This is a great resource for Iowa entrepreneurs!

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