Pennsylvania Business Startup Guides
Start a Business in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Are you starting a business in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Pittsburgh.
Are You Sure You Want to Do This?
Most new companies do not succeed, in part because the entrepreneur did not have the perseverance and abilities that are necessary to succeed. So, before you open a business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
Before you move forward with starting a business, be sure to do these three things:
- Speak with other entrepreneurs in Pittsburgh. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
- You should read Starting a Company. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
- Talk it over with a close friend or partner. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.
Choosing the Right Company to Start
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Finding Your Niche in Life.
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 a Chemicals Research Business guide or our Starting a Photo Albums & Supplies Business guide.
Always keep in mind that your new startup will be located in Pittsburgh. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Pittsburgh. Only by spending some time analyzing Pittsburgh demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Demographic Information
Pittsburgh has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Pittsburgh demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Pittsburgh.
Businesses
As a new Pittsburgh entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Pittsburgh 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
Should You Buy an Existing Pittsburgh Business?
We've created a useful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Pennsylvania. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Pittsburgh.
If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Buying a Business.
Do You Need a Business Plan?
A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. In effect, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Contests. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Pennsylvania.
Raising Capital for Your Venture
Getting your Pittsburgh business the capital it needs to succeed will be harder than you might expect. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Business Line of Credit.
For Pittsburgh entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, browse our List of Pennsylvania Angel Investors and our List of Pennsylvania Venture Capital Firms.
Pittsburgh Entrepreneur Interviews
Here, we'll keep a running list of interviews we've had with Pittsburgh entrepreneurs.
Next Steps
Most new Pittsburgh businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
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 Pittsburgh and elsewhere to achieve real success. 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 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Pittsburgh.
- Resources for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Pittsburgh entrepreneurs.
- Pennsylvania Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Pennsylvania.
- Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center - Pennsylvania SBDCs help aspiring entrepreneurs turn ideas into businesses, help small firms expand, and provide the information every business person needs to make critical decisions. There is no charge for their assistance and their free help can make the difference between business success and failure.
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