Kansas Business Startup Guides
Opening a Business in Kansas City, Kansas
Contemplating starting a business in Kansas City, Kansas? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Kansas City.
Are You Sure You Want to Do This?
Most startup companies don't make it, in part because the business owner did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before you open a 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 Kansas City. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
- We recommend reading Why Small Businesses Fail. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.
Kansas City, Kansas Demographic Information
Kansas City has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Kansas City demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Kansas City.
Businesses
As a new Kansas City entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Kansas City 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
Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
Browse the Yellow Pages for Kansas City and you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?
Most business experts recommend that you investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchise Due Diligence. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Complete Music and Floor Coverings International. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Framing Store Franchises and Juice Bar Franchises / Smoothie Franchises.
Note on Kansas City Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Kansas City.
Should You Buy an Existing Kansas City Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Kansas. Follow that link and you can review several good businesses for sale in Kansas City.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.
Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan
Writing a business plan is critical 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 will greatly reduce your chances of business success.
If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Business Plan Contests. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Kansas.
Marketing Your New Company
Whether your goal is to attract Kansas City customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Newspaper Advertising Costs discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.
How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities
Good entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.
Given that you are starting a business in Kansas City, Kansas, you will want to take advantage of the learning programs at local Kansas educational institutions. It's also wise to see if there are any Kansas City networking organizations.
Some Interesting Kansas City Entrepreneurs
Here, we'll keep a running list of interviews we've had with Kansas City entrepreneurs.
Next Steps
Most new Kansas City businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Kansas City 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 Kansas City, Kansas
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Kansas City.
- Resources for Kansas City, Kansas Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Kansas City entrepreneurs.
- Kansas Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Kansas.
- Kansas Small Business Development Center - The KSBDC Network provides Kansas entrepreneurs and small business owners with knowledge, tools and resources to enhance their success. Contact them and they will help you identify your business needs and guide you toward opportunities and solutions.
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