Contemplating starting a business in Ashtabula, Ohio? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Ashtabula.
What Type of Business Should You Start?
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at Finding Your Niche in Life.
If you still are not sure what type of business to start, peruse the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our How to Start an Executives Employment Agencies Business guide or our How to Start a Propane Gas Service & Maintenance Business guide.
Don't forget that starting a business in Ashtabula has some implications. Some businesses will do better in Ashtabula than others. Don't forget to review Ashtabula demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.
Ashtabula, Ohio Demographic Information
Ashtabula has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Ashtabula demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Ashtabula.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
1296 |
| 5-9 Employees |
579 |
| 10-19 Employees |
399 |
| 20-49 Employees |
228 |
| 50-99 Employees |
99 |
| 100-249 Employees |
51 |
| 250-499 Employees |
12 |
| 500-999 Employees |
3 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Ashtabula Businesses |
2667 |
As a new Ashtabula entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Ashtabula 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 |
| Alkalies and Chlorine Manufacturing |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
2 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
2 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
9 |
| Beauty Salons |
16 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
4 |
| Boat Dealers |
2 |
| Book Stores |
2 |
| Bowling Centers |
3 |
| Business Associations |
2 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
1 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
| Caterers |
2 |
| Child and Youth Services |
3 |
| Child Day Care Services |
8 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
9 |
| Claims Adjusting |
1 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
1 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
4 |
| Credit Unions |
5 |
| Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
1 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
8 |
| Educational Support Services |
4 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
7 |
| Electrical Contractors |
9 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
2 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
2 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
2 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
5 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
4 |
| Florists |
3 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
2 |
| Food Service Contractors |
2 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
2 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
25 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
5 |
| Furniture Stores |
8 |
| General Automotive Repair |
9 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
5 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
8 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
3 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
2 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal |
2 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
2 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
1 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Health Care Services |
4 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
3 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Gas Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
1 |
| Inorganic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
15 |
| Investment Advice |
2 |
| Janitorial Services |
9 |
| Jewelry Stores |
6 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
1 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
4 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
30 |
| Machine Shops |
11 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
1 |
| Marinas |
3 |
| Marine Cargo Handling |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
2 |
| Meat Markets |
2 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
3 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
2 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
1 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| Navigational Services to Shipping |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
2 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
2 |
| Office Administrative Services |
3 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
7 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
5 |
| Offices of Dentists |
7 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
17 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
2 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
4 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
2 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
2 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
1 |
| Passenger Car Leasing |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
7 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
3 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
7 |
| Real Estate Credit |
2 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
2 |
| Residential Remodelers |
6 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
8 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
4 |
| Shoe Stores |
5 |
| Siding Contractors |
2 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
5 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
6 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
2 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
3 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
5 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
5 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
8 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
2 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
3 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
2 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
3 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
2 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
3 |
Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
As you drive around Ashtabula, you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?
Most business experts recommend that you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchising and Veterans. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Young Rembrandts Franchise, Inc. and Jet's Pizza. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as B2B Franchises and Financial Services Franchises.
Note on Ashtabula Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Ashtabula.
Company Formation in Ashtabula, Ohio
A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will protect 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 Ohio, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Ohio. As it turns out, you can 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'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 ESOP Formation. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Ashtabula, Ohio, our information on Incorporating in Ohio may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Ohio.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Indeed, 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 Business Plan Contests. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Ohio.
Where to Get Money to Start a Company
Getting your Ashtabula business the capital it needs to succeed is not an easy task. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
On the bright side, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Attracting Investors.
For Ashtabula entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, check out our List of Ohio Angel Investors and our List of Ohio Venture Capital Firms.
Now It's Up To You
Most new Ashtabula businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Ashtabula businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Ashtabula, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Ashtabula, Ohio
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Ashtabula.
- Resources for Ashtabula, Ohio Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Ashtabula 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.
- Ashtabula, Ohio Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Ashtabula, Ohio newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Ashtabula area.
- Ashtabula, Ohio Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Ashtabula, Ohio area radio stations.
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