Connecticut Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in West Hartford, Connecticut

Are you starting a business in West Hartford, Connecticut? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in West Hartford.

What Business to Start

An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.

For step-by-step instructions on starting a variety of business types, visit the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Opening an Oak Furniture Business guide or our Opening a Gastroenterology Pediatrics Physicians & Surgeons Business guide.

Don't forget that your new business will be in West Hartford. Some businesses will do better in West Hartford than others. Make sure you fully understand West Hartford demographics before you lock in on your business idea.

West Hartford, Connecticut Demographic Information

West Hartford has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.

To give you a better feel for West Hartford demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in West Hartford.

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
2461
5-9 Employees
963
10-19 Employees
645
20-49 Employees
474
50-99 Employees
156
100-249 Employees
81
250-499 Employees
18
500-999 Employees
9
1000+ Employees
3
All West Hartford Businesses
4810

As a new West Hartford entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in West Hartford 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.

Business Type
# of
Businesses
Advertising Agencies
3
Architectural Services
7
Art Dealers
1
Automobile Driving Schools
2
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
3
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
8
Baked Goods Stores
1
Ball and Roller Bearing Manufacturing
1
Barber Shops
3
Beauty Salons
34
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
9
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
7
Building Inspection Services
1
Business and Secretarial Schools
1
Business Associations
5
Cable and Other Program Distribution
2
Cafeterias
1
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
2
Car Washes
3
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Child and Youth Services
2
Child Day Care Services
17
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
3
Civic and Social Organizations
7
Claims Adjusting
5
Clothing Accessories Stores
2
Collection Agencies
2
Commercial Lithographic Printing
1
Community Food Services
1
Computer and Software Stores
2
Computer Systems Design Services
11
Computer Training
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
2
Consumer Lending
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Convenience Stores
4
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
3
Couriers
3
Credit Unions
3
Custom Computer Programming Services
9
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
1
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
8
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
1
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
3
Educational Support Services
1
Electrical Contractors
12
Elementary and Secondary Schools
10
Engineering Services
7
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
2
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
3
Facilities Support Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
6
Family Planning Centers
1
Fine Arts Schools
3
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
9
Floor Covering Stores
4
Flooring Contractors
3
Florists
3
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
1
Food Service Contractors
19
Freight Transportation Arrangement
2
Full-Service Restaurants
49
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
3
Furniture Stores
7
General Automotive Repair
14
General Freight Trucking, Local
3
General Rental Centers
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
2
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
2
Grantmaking Foundations
9
Graphic Design Services
4
Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing
3
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
3
Hardware Stores
3
Heating Oil Dealers
5
Home Centers
1
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
2
Home Health Care Services
7
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Homes for the Elderly
5
Household Appliance Stores
2
Human Rights Organizations
1
Industrial Launderers
2
Industrial Pattern Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
47
Interior Design Services
7
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
2
Internet Service Providers
1
Investment Advice
9
Janitorial Services
14
Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing
1
Jewelry Stores
16
Land Subdivision
1
Landscaping Services
27
Language Schools
2
Limited-Service Restaurants
27
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
3
Locksmiths
1
Machine Shops
2
Marketing Consulting Services
1
Masonry Contractors
2
Media Representatives
1
Men's Clothing Stores
4
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
6
Motion Picture and Video Production
2
Motorcycle Dealers
1
Museums
4
Musical Groups and Artists
2
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
3
Nail Salons
6
New Housing Operative Builders
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
7
Nursing Care Facilities
6
Office Administrative Services
1
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
1
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
3
Offices of Chiropractors
5
Offices of Dentists
51
Offices of Lawyers
69
Offices of Optometrists
3
Offices of Other Holding Companies
4
Offices of Podiatrists
3
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
1
Optical Goods Stores
5
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
1
Packing and Crating
1
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
4
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
10
Parking Lots and Garages
2
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
2
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
13
Photography Studios, Portrait
2
Political Organizations
3
Portfolio Management
7
Prepress Services
1
Professional Employer Organizations
2
Professional Organizations
3
Public Relations Agencies
2
Quick Printing
4
Real Estate Credit
7
Remediation Services
1
Residential Property Managers
6
Retail Bakeries
3
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
1
Roofing Contractors
4
Sales Financing
2
Savings Institutions
13
School and Employee Bus Transportation
2
Securities Brokerage
11
Small Arms Manufacturing
2
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
15
Software Publishers
1
Special Needs Transportation
1
Sporting Goods Stores
4
Sports and Recreation Instruction
2
Tax Preparation Services
4
Television Broadcasting
2
Temporary Help Services
12
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
1
Tire Dealers
2
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Travel Agencies
10
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
1
Used Merchandise Stores
2
Veterinary Services
5
Video Tape and Disc Rental
3
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
1
Voluntary Health Organizations
5
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
1
Window Treatment Stores
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
3
Women's Clothing Stores
16

Have You Considered Buying an Existing West Hartford Business?

If you have some capital to play with, you may want to Buy a Business in Connecticut. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in West Hartford.

If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Buying a Business.

Selecting a Name For Your Venture

A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.

Company names should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.

Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Branding Advice.

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in West Hartford, it's critical that you ensure that you will be the only Connecticut company using the business name you have chosen.

Company Formation in West Hartford, Connecticut

It's essential 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.

The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

Incorporating 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 Connecticut, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Connecticut. In fact, you can 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 Offshore Company Formation. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in West Hartford, Connecticut, our information on Incorporating in Connecticut may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Connecticut.

Don't Skip the Business Plan

Creating a business plan is critical in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Not having a business plan

Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Find Sample Business Plans Online. You should also take advantage of face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Connecticut.

Never Give Up

As an entrepreneur in West Hartford, 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.

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in West Hartford and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in West Hartford, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in West Hartford, Connecticut

Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in West Hartford.

More Business Startup Guides for Connecticut

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Starting a Business in Westfield

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Connecticut
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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