Starting a Business in Albany, Oregon

Contemplating starting a business in Albany, Oregon? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Albany.

Albany, Oregon Demographic Information

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

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

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

Is Franchising a Better Option?

As you drive around Albany, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Is there a franchise opportunity out there that makes sense for you?

We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchising My Business. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.

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

Sample franchise opportunities include Lucille Roberts Fitness Express and Cottman Transmissions. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Closet Design and Construction Franchises and Fast Food Franchises.

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

Forming a Company in Albany, Oregon

A critical step is ensuring that you choose the right legal structure for your new entity. The main advantage of forming your new business as a legal entity is that it separates your business liabilities from your personal 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 popular way to form a business. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in Oregon, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Oregon. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate in any state you would like to. 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 Registered Agents. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Albany, Oregon, our web page covering Incorporating in Oregon may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Oregon.

The Role of 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. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Business Plan Software. You can also get free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Oregon.

Startup Financing Basics

Obtaining startup financing for your Albany business is a difficult chore. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.

The good news is this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled SBIR Funding.

For Albany entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, browse our List of Oregon Angel Investors and our List of Oregon Venture Capital Firms.

Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills

Good entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.

With your business being located in Albany, Oregon, you should investigate some of the learning programs at local Oregon educational institutions. Another way to keep up on your learning is to investigate Albany networking organizations.

What's Next?

You have a dream -- starting a business in Albany. 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.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Albany and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Albany, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Albany, Oregon

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

• Resources for Albany, Oregon Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Albany entrepreneurs.
• Oregon Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Oregon.
• Oregon Small Business Development Center - Oregon Small Business Development Centers use a client-centered approach to deliver counseling, training, information and technical assistance in all aspects of small business management. There is no fee for their assistance.
• Albany, Oregon Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Albany, Oregon newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Albany area.
• Albany, Oregon Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Albany, Oregon area radio stations.
• Albany, Oregon Payroll Services - This list includes Albany, Oregon payroll services, national payroll services for Albany, and helpful information on choosing a Albany payroll service.
• Albany, Oregon Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Albany, Oregon, such as business brokers in Albany and other helpful information on how to buy a Albany business.