Nebraska Business Startup Guides
Open a Business in Omaha, Nebraska
Need help starting a business in Omaha, Nebraska? We've got the information you need to open a business in Omaha.
Are You Ready for Entrepreneurship?
Before announcing to the world that you are going to start your own business, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Speak with other entrepreneurs in Omaha. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
- You should read Business Failure. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
- Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.
Omaha, Nebraska Demographic Information
Omaha has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Omaha demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Omaha.
Businesses
As a new Omaha entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Omaha 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
Picking a Business Name
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.
Company names should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Company.
On a final note, given that you are opening a business in Omaha, it's very important that you make sure you will be the only Nebraska company using the business name you have chosen.
Forming a Company in Omaha, Nebraska
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.
Incorporation 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 Nebraska, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Nebraska. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate wherever you want. 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. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Company Formation. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Omaha, Nebraska, our information on Incorporating in Nebraska may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Nebraska.
Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan
A business plan is critical 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.
If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Find Sample Business Plans Online. You can also get face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Nebraska.
Raising Money for Your New Venture
Finding the funds to fuel the growth of your Omaha business requires strong organization skills and perseverance. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
Recognizing this challenge, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Find Start-Up Capital.
For Omaha entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, you'll want to take a look at our List of Nebraska Angel Investors and our List of Nebraska Venture Capital Firms.
Never Give Up
You have a dream -- starting a business in Omaha. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Omaha and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Omaha, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Omaha, Nebraska
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Omaha.
- Resources for Omaha, Nebraska Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Omaha entrepreneurs.
- Nebraska Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Nebraska.
- Nebraska Small Business Development Center - Nebraska Small Business Development Centers provided start-up, management and technical assistance to Nebraska entrepreneurs and Nebraska small business owners from offices throughout the state.
Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Nebraska
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