Oklahoma Business Startup Guides
Starting a Business in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Thinking about starting a business in Tulsa, Oklahoma? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Tulsa.
Do You Have What It Takes?
Most startup ventures don't make it, in part because the business owner 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.
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 Tulsa. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
- 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. 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.
Tulsa, Oklahoma Demographic Information
Tulsa has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Tulsa demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Tulsa.
Businesses
As a new Tulsa entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Tulsa 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 Tulsa, you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. Is there a franchise opportunity out there that makes sense for you?
Our recommendation is that you investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as How Franchises Work. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.
Representative franchise opportunities include SIGN*A*RAMA and Odyssey Art Centers. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Bookstore Franchises and Deli Restaurant Franchises.
Note on Tulsa Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Tulsa.
Should You Buy an Existing Tulsa Business?
We've created a helpful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Oklahoma. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Tulsa.
If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Buying a Business.
Company Formation in Tulsa, Oklahoma
A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. 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. Just because you are starting a business in Oklahoma, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Oklahoma. As it turns out, you are allowed to 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's a lot to know about forming a company. To learn the basics of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Where to Incorporate. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Tulsa, Oklahoma, our information on Incorporating in Oklahoma may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Oklahoma.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
A business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Reasons to Write a Business Plan. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Oklahoma.
Now It's Up To You
Most new Tulsa businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Tulsa and throughout the United States . 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 Tulsa, Oklahoma
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Tulsa.
- Resources for Tulsa, Oklahoma Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Tulsa entrepreneurs.
- Oklahoma Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Oklahoma.
- Oklahoma Small Business Development Center - Whether you are in business or thinking about it, the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center staff can assist you. Their goal is to help Oklahoma entrepreneurs like you be more successful.
Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Oklahoma
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Starting a Business in Tuttle
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Starting a Business Guides for Other States
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