Wisconsin Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Medford, Wisconsin

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

Which Business to Choose?

There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? We recommend that you read Free Business Ideas.

For step-by-step instructions on starting a variety of business types, visit the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our How to Start an Allergies Equipment & Supplies Business guide or our Starting a Fertility Clinics Business guide.

Don't forget that your new startup will be located in Medford. Some businesses will do better in Medford than others. Study Medford demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.

Medford, Wisconsin Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
3990
5-9 Employees
1568
10-19 Employees
1008
20-49 Employees
588
50-99 Employees
210
100-249 Employees
84
250-499 Employees
105
500-999 Employees
63
1000+ Employees
0
All Medford Businesses
7616

As a new Medford entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Medford 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
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
1
Art Dealers
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
3
Baked Goods Stores
1
Barber Shops
1
Beauty Salons
6
Cheese Manufacturing
2
Child Day Care Services
3
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
1
Civic and Social Organizations
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Computer and Software Stores
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Credit Unions
2
Custom Computer Programming Services
1
Discount Department Stores
1
Display Advertising
1
Drafting Services
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
10
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electronic Shopping
1
Family Planning Centers
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
4
Floor Covering Stores
2
Florists
3
Food Service Contractors
1
Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing
1
Full-Service Restaurants
7
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
7
General Freight Trucking, Local
2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Hardware Stores
1
Home Health Care Services
1
Homes for the Elderly
1
Household Appliance Stores
1
Industrial Launderers
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
14
Jewelry Stores
1
Landscaping Services
5
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
8
Logging
6
Machine Shops
4
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
1
Meat Processed from Carcasses
1
Motorcycle Dealers
1
Museums
1
New Car Dealers
5
New Housing Operative Builders
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
3
Offices of Chiropractors
4
Offices of Dentists
5
Offices of Lawyers
6
Offices of Optometrists
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
2
Pulp Mills
1
Radio Stations
1
Residential Property Managers
1
Residential Remodelers
3
Savings Institutions
1
Sawmills
4
School and Employee Bus Transportation
2
Securities Brokerage
2
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Shoe Stores
1
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Solid Waste Collection
1
Sporting Goods Stores
3
Taxi Service
1
Temporary Shelters
1
Tire Dealers
3
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Travel Agencies
1
Used Car Dealers
4
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
5
Used Merchandise Stores
1
Video Tape and Disc Rental
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
2
Women's Clothing Stores
1
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
5

Is Franchising a Better Option?

As you drive around Medford, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?

Our recommendation is that you consider franchising as an option. On our site, you can read many articles about franchising, such as How to Find Financing for Franchises. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.

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

Sample franchise opportunities include H2O PLUS L.P. and Manhattan Bagel Company, Inc.. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Flooring Franchises and Mexican Restaurant Franchises.

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

Picking a Business Name

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.

We strongly advocate that you make sure the ".com" domain name is available for your company name. Every business needs a strong Web presence these days, and having a non ".com" domain means somebody else may outrank you in the search results for your own company name.

Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Branding Advice.

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are opening a business in Medford, it's critical that you ensure that your company name has not already been claimed by another Wisconsin business.

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. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Mistakes. You should also take advantage of face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Wisconsin.

Bring in Revenues

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Medford business, you need to focus on sales.

Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Sales Forecasting is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.

How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities

Successful entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.

With your business being located in Medford, Wisconsin, you should get information on some of the many programs available at nearby Wisconsin universities, colleges and community colleges. You should also check if there are any networking groups or organizations in which Medford entrepreneurs get together to network and trade their business experiences.

Now It's Up To You

As an entrepreneur in Medford, 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 Medford businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Medford, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Medford, Wisconsin

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

More Business Startup Guides for Wisconsin

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Starting a Business in Mellen

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