Massachusetts Business Startup Guides
Start a Business in Northampton, Massachusetts
Are you starting a business in Northampton, Massachusetts? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Northampton.
Northampton, Massachusetts Demographic Information
Northampton has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Northampton demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Northampton.
Businesses
As a new Northampton entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Northampton 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 Buying an Existing Northampton Business?
We've created a helpful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Massachusetts. Follow that link and you can assess several good businesses for sale in Northampton.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.
Naming the Business
A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.
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.
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.
On a final note, given that you are starting a business in Northampton, it's critical that you ensure that no other Massachusetts company is using the business name you want to use.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
A business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. 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.
Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Massachusetts.
Getting Money to Start a Business
Getting your Northampton business the capital it needs to succeed is a difficult chore. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.
Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Realistic Debt Financing Options.
For Northampton entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, check out our List of Massachusetts Angel Investors and our List of Massachusetts Venture Capital Firms.
The Art of Selling
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Northampton business, you need to focus on sales.
Not knowing how to sell can result in lost customers and minimal market share. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Closing Sales is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
What's Next?
As an entrepreneur in Northampton, 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.
We are here to help Northampton businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Northampton, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Northampton, Massachusetts
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Northampton.
- Resources for Northampton, Massachusetts Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Northampton entrepreneurs.
- Massachusetts Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Massachusetts.
- Massachusetts Small Business Development Center - The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) Network provides one-to-one free comprehensive and confidential services focusing on, business growth and strategies, financing and loan assistance as well as strategic, marketing and operational analysis.
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