Washington Business Startup Guides
Open a Business in Olympia, Washington
Need help starting a business in Olympia, Washington? We've got the information you need to open a business in Olympia.
Is Becoming a Business Owner Right for You?
Running your own business is demanding, much more arduous than working as an employee. Are you sure you are ready to take on this challenge?
Before you move forward with starting a business, be sure to do these three things:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Olympia. 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.
Olympia, Washington Demographic Information
Olympia has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Olympia demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Olympia.
Businesses
As a new Olympia entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Olympia 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 Franchising a Better Option?
As you drive around Olympia, 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. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Before Buying a Franchise. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Off the Grill Franchising and The Counter. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Food and Drink Franchises and Insurance Franchises.
Note on Olympia Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Olympia.
The Role of the Business Plan
A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Indeed, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read The Art of the Executive Summary. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Washington.
Startup Financing Basics
Raising money to fund your new Olympia business is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.
Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled 504 Loans.
For Olympia entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, we have assembled a List of Washington Angel Investors and our List of Washington Venture Capital Firms.
Bring in Revenues
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Olympia business, you need to focus on sales.
Not knowing how to sell can result in lost customers and minimal market share. Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.
Sales Training is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
Some Interesting Olympia Entrepreneurs
Enjoy these interviews we've had with Olympia entrepreneurs.
Moving Forward
As an entrepreneur in Olympia, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Olympia and throughout the United States . 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 Olympia, Washington
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Olympia.
- Resources for Olympia, Washington Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Olympia entrepreneurs.
- Washington Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Washington.
- Washington Small Business Development Center - Washington Small Business Development Centers promote economic vitality by providing advice, training and research to Washington entrepreneurs and existing Washington businesses.
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