Indiana Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Bedford, Indiana

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

Are You Sure You Want to Do This?

Running your own business is difficult, and can be orders of magnitude more strenuous than working as an employee. Are you certain you want to start a business?

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 Bedford. 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.

Bedford, Indiana Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
9369
5-9 Employees
4779
10-19 Employees
2106
20-49 Employees
1728
50-99 Employees
405
100-249 Employees
216
250-499 Employees
54
500-999 Employees
27
1000+ Employees
27
All Bedford Businesses
18711

As a new Bedford entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Bedford 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
Aluminum Die-Casting Foundries
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
2
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
6
Automotive Transmission Repair
1
Barber Shops
1
Beauty Salons
7
Book Publishers
1
Business Associations
5
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Cafeterias
6
Car Washes
1
Cemeteries and Crematories
2
Child and Youth Services
1
Civic and Social Organizations
8
Claims Adjusting
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
1
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Community Food Services
1
Computer and Software Stores
3
Confectionery and Nut Stores
2
Construction Machinery Manufacturing
1
Consumer Lending
2
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Convenience Stores
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
2
Credit Unions
2
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
1
Dimension Stone Mining and Quarrying
2
Discount Department Stores
2
Drafting Services
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
5
Electric Power Distribution
3
Electrical Contractors
5
Employment Placement Agencies
1
Engineering Services
5
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
2
Family Clothing Stores
4
Family Planning Centers
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
3
Floor Covering Stores
2
Florists
3
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
3
Framing Contractors
1
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
1
Full-Service Restaurants
14
Furniture Stores
5
General Automotive Repair
8
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
2
General Rental Centers
1
General Warehousing and Storage
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
3
Grantmaking Foundations
1
Home Centers
1
Home Health Care Services
2
Homes for the Elderly
1
Household Appliance Stores
1
Ice Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
22
Internet Service Providers
1
Janitorial Services
2
Jewelry Stores
1
Land Subdivision
2
Landscape Architectural Services
1
Landscaping Services
9
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
23
Machine Shops
2
Mail-Order Houses
2
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
1
Marinas
1
Masonry Contractors
1
Metal Stamping
3
Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
1
Motor Vehicle Towing
1
Motorcycle Dealers
1
Museums
1
Natural Gas Distribution
1
New Car Dealers
3
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
3
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
4
Offices of Chiropractors
4
Offices of Dentists
12
Offices of Lawyers
12
Offices of Optometrists
3
Offices of Podiatrists
1
Optical Goods Stores
1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
3
Payroll Services
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
5
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas
1
Portfolio Management
1
Public Relations Agencies
1
Quick Printing
1
Radio Stations
2
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Residential Remodelers
5
Roofing Contractors
1
Sales Financing
1
Savings Institutions
1
Sawmills
1
Securities Brokerage
3
Sewage Treatment Facilities
1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Site Preparation Contractors
10
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
1
Solid Waste Collection
1
Sporting Goods Stores
5
Sports and Recreation Instruction
1
Tax Preparation Services
1
Telecommunications Resellers
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
1
Tire Dealers
2
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Tobacco Stores
3
Travel Agencies
1
Used Car Dealers
2
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
2
Vending Machine Operators
2
Veterinary Services
4
Video Tape and Disc Rental
1
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
1
Window Treatment Stores
1
Wineries
1
Women's Clothing Stores
3
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1

Is Franchising a Better Option?

Browse the Yellow Pages for Bedford and you'll see that franchises make up a large percentage of local businesses. Is there a franchise opportunity out there that makes sense for you?

We highly recommend you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchisees Versus Licensees. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include SHIELD Security Systems and Beat The Bookstore. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Car Wash Franchises and Healthy Alternative Foods Franchises.

Note on Bedford Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Bedford, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.

Forming a Company in Bedford, Indiana

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.

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 Indiana, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Indiana. 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 are many nuances to forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as C Corp Versus S Corp. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Bedford, Indiana, our information on Incorporating in Indiana may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Indiana.

Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan

Writing a business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. In effect, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Failure to write a business plan will greatly reduce your chances of business success.

To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Indiana.

Marketing Your New Startup

To rise above the crowd in Bedford and grow your business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.

We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. National TV Spot Advertising Rates is an article that will generate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.

Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset

Good entrepreneurs recognize that they need to continually improve.

As an entrepreneur who lives in Bedford, Indiana, you will want to take advantage of the learning programs at local Indiana educational institutions. It's also wise to see if there are any networking organizations for Bedford entrepreneurs.

Next Steps

As an entrepreneur in Bedford, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Bedford and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Bedford entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Bedford, Indiana

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

More Business Startup Guides for Indiana

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Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

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Franchise Opportunities

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