New Jersey Business Startup Guides
Opening a Business in Westfield, New Jersey
Contemplating starting a business in Westfield, New Jersey? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Westfield.
Are You Sure You Want to Do This?
Before you get too far along in the process, consider 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 Westfield. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
- You should read Starting a Company. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
- Talk it over with a close friend or partner. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.
Westfield, New Jersey Demographic Information
Westfield has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Westfield demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Westfield.
Businesses
As a new Westfield entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Westfield 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 Westfield, you'll conclude that many business owners have opted to buy a franchise, rather than starting a business on their own. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?
Our recommendation is that you investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchising Pros and Cons. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can review hundreds of franchise opportunities by browing our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include The Screen Machine and DRY-B-LO Designer Deck Drain System. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Wedding Franchises and Food and Drink Franchises.
Note on Westfield Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Westfield.
Forming a Company in Westfield, New Jersey
It's essential that you form your business as a legal structure. 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 popular way to form a business. 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 New Jersey, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in New Jersey. 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 are many nuances to forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Company Formation. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Westfield, New Jersey, our information on Incorporating in New Jersey may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in New Jersey.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
A business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow 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 can also get free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in New Jersey.
Where to Get Money to Start a Company
Getting your Westfield business the capital it needs to succeed requires strong organization skills and perseverance. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.
Take advantage of our many articles on securing funding, such as Microlending as a Small Business Funding Source.
For Westfield entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, we have assembled a List of New Jersey Angel Investors and our List of New Jersey Venture Capital Firms.
Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset
The best business owners recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
As an entrepreneur who lives in Westfield, New Jersey, you will want to take advantage of the learning programs at local New Jersey educational institutions. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any networking organizations for Westfield entrepreneurs.
Next Steps
You have a dream -- starting a business in Westfield. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Westfield 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 Westfield, New Jersey
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Westfield.
- Resources for Westfield, New Jersey Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Westfield entrepreneurs.
- New Jersey Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in New Jersey.
- New Jersey Small Business Development Center - The New Jersey Small Business Development Centers (NJSBDC) network helps New Jersey small businesses expand operations, manage growth or launch new ventures. With offices in every county of the state, NJSBDC consultants help small business owners finance, market and manage their ventures.
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