Iowa Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Monticello, Iowa

Are you starting a business in Monticello, Iowa? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Monticello.

Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?

Before quitting your day job, consider your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Monticello. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
  • 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. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.

Monticello, Iowa Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
4858
5-9 Employees
2394
10-19 Employees
1008
20-49 Employees
882
50-99 Employees
168
100-249 Employees
210
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Monticello Businesses
9520

As a new Monticello entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Monticello 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
1
Beauty Salons
3
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
1
Bowling Centers
1
Business Associations
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Child Day Care Services
2
Credit Unions
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
3
Elementary and Secondary Schools
2
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
4
Finish Carpentry Contractors
1
Floor Covering Stores
1
Framing Contractors
1
Freight Transportation Arrangement
1
Full-Service Restaurants
5
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
1
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
6
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing
1
Hardware Stores
1
Home Health Care Services
4
Household Appliance Stores
1
Industrial Mold Manufacturing
1
Janitorial Services
1
Jewelry Stores
1
Land Subdivision
1
Landscaping Services
3
Limited-Service Restaurants
4
Livestock Merchant Wholesalers
2
Logging
1
Masonry Contractors
1
Men's Clothing Stores
1
New Car Dealers
2
New Housing Operative Builders
2
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
1
Offices of Chiropractors
3
Offices of Dentists
3
Offices of Lawyers
4
Offices of Optometrists
1
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
1
One-Hour Photofinishing
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
2
Recreational Goods Rental
1
Residential Property Managers
1
Residential Remodelers
4
Savings Institutions
1
Securities Brokerage
1
Siding Contractors
1
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Solid Waste Collection
1
Sporting Goods Stores
1
Sports and Recreation Instruction
1
Truck Trailer Manufacturing
1
Used Car Dealers
1
Vending Machine Operators
1
Veterinary Services
1

Should You Franchise?

As you drive around Monticello, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. But is franchising the right option for you?

Most business experts recommend that you investigate buying a franchise. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Evaluating Franchise Opportunities. 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.

Representative franchise opportunities include Superior Wash and Mr. Appliance. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Healthcare Services Franchises and Auto Sales Franchises.

Note on Monticello Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Monticello, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.

Naming the Company

A big decision when starting a company is choosing a company name. Believe it or not, choosing a good company name can be a big contributor to your business success.

Companies like Starbucks, Apple, Target, Microsoft and Intuit all have strong company names that are easy to remember and have become well-loved brands. Wouldn't it be nice if your new company name got on a similar track?

For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.

On a final note, given that you are planning on starting a business in Monticello, it's very important that you make sure no other Iowa company is using the business name you want to use.

Forming a Company in Monticello, Iowa

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.

The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

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 Iowa, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Iowa. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate in the state of your choosing. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.

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 Corporate Formalities. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Monticello, Iowa, our information on Incorporating in Iowa may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Iowa.

Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset

Successful entrepreneurs recognize that they need to continually improve.

As an entrepreneur who lives in Monticello, Iowa, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Iowa universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also wise to see if there are any networking organizations for Monticello entrepreneurs.

Moving Forward

You have a dream -- starting a business in Monticello. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

We are here to help Monticello businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Monticello, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Monticello, Iowa

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

  • Resources for Monticello, Iowa Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Monticello 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!

More Business Startup Guides for Iowa

Starting a Business in Monroe
Starting a Business in Moravia

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Iowa
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary