Virginia Business Startup Guides
Opening a Business in Staunton, Virginia
Contemplating starting a business in Staunton, Virginia? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Staunton.
Is Becoming a Business Owner Right for You?
Before you get too far along in the process, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
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:
- Speak with other entrepreneurs in Staunton. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
- 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. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.
Staunton, Virginia Demographic Information
Staunton has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Staunton demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Staunton.
Businesses
As a new Staunton entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Staunton 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?
Visit the business district of Staunton and you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?
We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Multi-Unit Franchising. 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 Planet Popolicious Franchises and Cash America Pawn. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Construction Franchises and Handyman Services Franchises.
Note on Staunton Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Staunton, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.
What About Buying an Existing Staunton Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Virginia. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Staunton.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: How to Buy a Business.
Naming the Company
A big decision when starting a company is choosing a company name. Believe it or not, choosing a good company name can be a big contributor to your business success.
Company names need to be easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember.
To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Branding Advice.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are opening a business in Staunton, it's very important that you make sure your company name has not already been claimed by another Virginia business.
Forming a Company in Staunton, Virginia
A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.
When forming a company, you will pick 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. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. If you are starting a business in Virginia, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Virginia. As it turns out, you can incorporate in the state of your choosing. 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 Offshore Company Formation. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Staunton, Virginia, our web page covering Incorporating in Virginia may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Virginia.
Moving Forward
You have a dream -- starting a business in Staunton. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
We are here to help Staunton businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Staunton 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 Staunton, Virginia
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Staunton.
- Resources for Staunton, Virginia Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Staunton entrepreneurs.
- Virginia Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Virginia.
- Virginia Small Business Development Center - Virginia Small Business Development Centers offer professional business counseling, training and information resources to help grow and strengthen Virginia businesses.
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