Ohio Business Startup Guides
Opening a Business in Sidney, Ohio
Contemplating starting a business in Sidney, Ohio? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Sidney.
What Business 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 Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
If you still are not sure what type of business to start, peruse the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our How to Start a Custom Jewelry Retail Business guide or our Starting a Sash Balances & Weights Business guide.
Don't forget that starting a business in Sidney has some implications. Some businesses will do better in Sidney than others. A critical consideration is whether Sidney demographics mesh well with your startup concept.
Sidney, Ohio Demographic Information
Sidney has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Sidney demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Sidney.
Businesses
As a new Sidney entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Sidney 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 a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
As you drive around Sidney, you'll see that franchises make up a large percentage of local businesses. But is franchising the right option for you?
Most business experts recommend that you investigate buying a franchise. On our site, you can read many articles about franchising, such as Evaluating Franchise Opportunities. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
A comprehensive list of franchisors is available via our List of Franchise Opportunities.
Sample franchise opportunities include Between Rounds and Montana Mike's Steakhouse. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Retail Franchises and Frozen Yogurt Franchises.
Note on Sidney Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Sidney.
Forming a Company in Sidney, Ohio
It's very important that you are forming a legal entity that operates independently from you. 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.
Incorporating 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 Ohio, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Ohio. 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. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as How to Incorporate. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Sidney, Ohio, our information on Incorporating in Ohio may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Ohio.
The Role of the Business Plan
A business plan is vital to the health of your new business. 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.
If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Ohio.
Where to Get Money to Start a Company
Getting your Sidney business the capital it needs to succeed is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Investor Turnoffs.
For Sidney entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, we have assembled a List of Ohio Angel Investors and our List of Ohio Venture Capital Firms.
Letting the World Know You Exist
Whether your goal is to attract Sidney customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your beating the competition.
There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Business Logo Design is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Now It's Up To You
As an entrepreneur in Sidney, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
We are here to help Sidney businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Sidney, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Sidney, Ohio
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Sidney.
- Resources for Sidney, Ohio Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Sidney entrepreneurs.
- Ohio Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Ohio.
- Ohio Small Business Development Center - Whether you're starting your business, expanding your business, or just looking to stay in business, the Small Business Development Centers of Ohio (SBDCs of Ohio) can help with professional guidance by connecting you with research, financing sources, and training opportunities.
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