Massachusetts Business Startup Guides
Opening a Business in Springfield, Massachusetts
Contemplating starting a business in Springfield, Massachusetts? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Springfield.
Will You Be a Good Entrepreneur?
Most startup ventures do not succeed, in part because the business owner did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before you start your business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Springfield. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being 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. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.
Springfield, Massachusetts Demographic Information
Springfield has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Springfield demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Springfield.
Businesses
As a new Springfield entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Springfield 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
What About Franchising Opportunities?
As you drive around Springfield, it becomes clear that purchasing a franchise is a common way to get started as an entrepreneur. But is franchising the right option for you?
We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to consider franchising as an option. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including Buying an Existing 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 Rosevine Winery and Heits Building Services, Inc.. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Car Wash Franchises and Moving Franchises.
Note on Springfield Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Springfield.
Raising Capital for Your Business
Raising money to fund your new Springfield business is not an easy task. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.
On the bright side, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Bank Credit Lines.
For Springfield entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, check out our List of Massachusetts Angel Investors and our List of Massachusetts Venture Capital Firms.
Marketing Your New Business
Whether your goal is to attract Springfield customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Promoting an Online Business discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Bring in Revenues
Mastering the art of selling is priority one if you want your new Springfield business to do well.
Clever sales techniques can transform any business from good to great. The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.
Closing Sales Techniques is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
What's Next?
Most new Springfield 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.
We are here to help Springfield businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Springfield, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Springfield, Massachusetts
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Springfield.
- Resources for Springfield, Massachusetts Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Springfield 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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