Michigan Business Startup Guides
Opening a Business in Jackson, Michigan
Contemplating starting a business in Jackson, Michigan? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Jackson.
Are You Ready for the Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur?
Being an entrepreneur is hard work, much harder than working as an employee. Are you positive you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?
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 Jackson. 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.
Jackson, Michigan Demographic Information
Jackson has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Jackson demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Jackson.
Businesses
As a new Jackson entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Jackson 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
Have You Considered Franchising?
As you drive around Jackson, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?
Our advice is to evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. We have many articles on franchises, such as Buying an Existing Franchise. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
A comprehensive list of franchisors is available via our List of Franchise Opportunities.
Representative franchise opportunities include Andy's Frozen Custard Franchising, L.L.C. and Boneheads Grilled Fish and Piri Piri Chicken. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Health and Diet Franchises and Ice Cream Franchises.
Note on Jackson Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Jackson.
Forming a Company in Jackson, Michigan
A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
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 Michigan, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Michigan. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate in any state you would like to. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.
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 ESOP Formation. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Jackson, Michigan, our web page covering Incorporating in Michigan may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Michigan.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. 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 writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read The Art of the Executive Summary. You should also take advantage of face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Michigan.
Marketing Your New Venture
Whether your goal is to attract Jackson customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you need a great marketing plan.
You can learn quite a bit about marketing on our site. Facebook Advertising is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Bring in Revenues
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Jackson business, you need to focus on sales.
Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.
Tips on Customer Referrals is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
Never Give Up
As an entrepreneur in Jackson, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
We are here to help Jackson businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Jackson 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 Jackson, Michigan
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Jackson.
- Resources for Jackson, Michigan Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Jackson entrepreneurs.
- Michigan Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Michigan.
- Michigan Small Business Development Center - This organization supports 12 regional offices and over 30 satellite offices, each providing counseling and training to Michigan small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout the 83 counties in Michigan. Services to entrepreneurs are offered through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
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