Massachusetts Business Startup Guides
Starting a Business in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Thinking about starting a business in Pittsfield, Massachusetts? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Pittsfield.
Do You Have What It Takes?
Running your own business is hard work, much more arduous than working as an employee. Are you sure you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?
Because entrepreneurship is not for everyone, we recommend you do the following to help you assess whether you should move forward with starting a business:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Pittsfield. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
- 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. A support network of family and friends can be a great sounding board for good advice before you decide for sure to go into business.
Pittsfield, Massachusetts Demographic Information
Pittsfield has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Pittsfield demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Pittsfield.
Businesses
As a new Pittsfield entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Pittsfield 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 Franchise?
Examine a list of Pittsfield businesses and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?
Our advice is to investigate buying a franchise. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Franchising Scams. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
You can review hundreds of franchise opportunities by browing our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Coustic-Glo International and Enopi. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Children's Fitness Franchises and Party Supply Franchises.
Note on Pittsfield Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Pittsfield.
What About Buying an Existing Pittsfield Business?
We've created a handy website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Massachusetts. Follow that link and you can review several good businesses for sale in Pittsfield.
If you are headed down the path of buying a business, you may want to read this article: How to Buy a Business.
Company Formation in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Without a legal structure for the business, you can be held personally liable for the actions, debts and obligations of your company.
When forming a company, you will choose from many company types, such as a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporation is a very common way to legally create a business entity. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. Just because you are starting a business in Massachusetts, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Massachusetts. As it turns out, 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's a lot to know about forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Piercing the Corporate Veil. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, our web page covering Incorporating in Massachusetts may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Massachusetts.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
Creating a business plan is essential to the health of your new business. 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
If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Expert Advice on Business Plans. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Massachusetts.
Now It's Up To You
As an entrepreneur in Pittsfield, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Pittsfield and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Pittsfield entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Pittsfield.
- Resources for Pittsfield, Massachusetts Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Pittsfield 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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