Ohio Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Willard, Ohio

Need help starting a business in Willard, Ohio? We've got the information you need to open a business in Willard.

Are You Sure You Want to Do This?

Before quitting your day job, consider your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

Before you move forward with starting a business, be sure to do these three things:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Willard. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
  • We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Have a candid conversation with friends and family. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.

Willard, Ohio Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
1420
5-9 Employees
750
10-19 Employees
375
20-49 Employees
270
50-99 Employees
150
100-249 Employees
30
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
30
1000+ Employees
15
All Willard Businesses
3040

As a new Willard entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Willard 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
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
2
Beauty Salons
3
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
2
Bowling Centers
1
Child Day Care Services
4
Civic and Social Organizations
3
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
1
Convenience Stores
2
Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing
2
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
5
Electrical Contractors
3
Elementary and Secondary Schools
1
Engineering Services
2
Family Clothing Stores
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
2
Food Service Contractors
1
Freight Transportation Arrangement
1
Full-Service Restaurants
7
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
2
General Automotive Repair
1
General Freight Trucking, Local
1
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Grantmaking Foundations
1
Hardware Stores
1
Household Appliance Stores
1
Industrial Launderers
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
6
Landscaping Services
3
Limited-Service Restaurants
11
Masonry Contractors
1
Motor Vehicle Towing
1
New Car Dealers
3
New Housing Operative Builders
3
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
1
Offices of Chiropractors
1
Offices of Dentists
2
Offices of Lawyers
3
Offices of Optometrists
2
Offices of Podiatrists
1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
2
Residential Property Managers
2
Residential Remodelers
1
Savings Institutions
2
Securities Brokerage
1
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
1
Solid Waste Collection
1
Sporting Goods Stores
1
Temporary Help Services
1
Used Car Dealers
1
Used Merchandise Stores
1
Veterinary Services
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1

Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?

As you drive around Willard, you'll conclude that many business owners have opted to buy a franchise, rather than starting a business on their own. But is franchising the right option for you?

Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as The Disadvantages of Franchise Ownership. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.

To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.

Representative franchise opportunities include Silver Cross and @Wireless. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Soccer Franchises and Bakery Franchises.

Note on Willard Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Willard.

Have You Considered Buying an Existing Willard Business?

We've created a useful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Ohio. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Willard.

For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.

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

For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.

There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are planning on starting a business in Willard, it's very important that you make sure you will be the only Ohio company using the business name you have chosen.

Do You Need a Business Plan?

A business plan is vital to the health of your new business. In effect, 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.

To learn more about business plans, read Find Sample Business Plans Online. You can also get free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Ohio.

Bring in Revenues

Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Willard or are selling to customers throughout Ohio, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Selling Stuff on the Web is worth reading, as it may give you some good ideas on how to sell your products or services. We have many more good articles on selling that you may enjoy reading.

Next Steps

You have a dream -- starting a business in Willard. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.

We are here to help Willard businesses to be successful. 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 Willard, Ohio

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

  • Resources for Willard, Ohio Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Willard entrepreneurs.
  • Ohio Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Ohio.
  • Ohio Small Business Development Center - Whether you're starting your business, expanding your business, or just looking to stay in business, the Small Business Development Centers of Ohio (SBDCs of Ohio) can help with professional guidance by connecting you with research, financing sources, and training opportunities.

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Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

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Franchise Opportunities

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