Opening a Business in Belleville, Illinois

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

What Business to Start

An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Free Business Ideas.

To view an extensive list of business types, complete with startup instructions, spend some time in the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Opening a Commercial Wallpaper & Wallcoverings Installation Business guide or our Starting a Check Printing Business guide.

Remember that you are starting a business in Belleville. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Belleville. Don't forget to review Belleville demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.

Belleville, Illinois Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size	# of Businesses
1-4 Employees	24416
5-9 Employees	9597
10-19 Employees	7035
20-49 Employees	4221
50-99 Employees	1428
100-249 Employees	609
250-499 Employees	126
500-999 Employees	42
1000+ Employees	42
All Belleville Businesses	47516

As a new Belleville entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Belleville 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
Advertising Agencies	1
Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting)	1
Ambulance Services	3
Amusement Arcades	1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance	5
Apprenticeship Training	1
Architectural Services	4
Automotive Exhaust System Repair	1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops	7
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores	15
Automotive Transmission Repair	2
Baked Goods Stores	3
Barber Shops	1
Beauty Salons	26
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers	2
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores	1
Boat Dealers	1
Book Stores	2
Bowling Centers	2
Business Associations	5
Cable and Other Program Distribution	1
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores	2
Canvas and Related Product Mills	1
Car Washes	10
Caterers	4
Cemeteries and Crematories	3
Child and Youth Services	4
Child Day Care Services	16
Civic and Social Organizations	20
Claims Adjusting	3
Clothing Accessories Stores	2
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners	7
Collection Agencies	1
Commercial Flexographic Printing	1
Commercial Lithographic Printing	5
Commercial Screen Printing	2
Computer Facilities Management Services	1
Computer Systems Design Services	7
Computer Training	1
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing	1
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers	1
Consumer Lending	11
Convenience Stores	4
Convention and Trade Show Organizers	1
Copper Foundries (except Die-Casting)	2
Couriers	2
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services	2
Credit Card Issuing	1
Credit Unions	4
Custom Computer Programming Services	3
Dental Laboratories	5
Diagnostic Imaging Centers	2
Direct Life Insurance Carriers	4
Direct Title Insurance Carriers	4
Discount Department Stores	3
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)	36
Drive-In Motion Picture Theaters	1
Drywall and Insulation Contractors	5
Educational Support Services	2
Electric Power Distribution	5
Electrical Contractors	16
Electronic Shopping	3
Elementary and Secondary Schools	7
Employment Placement Agencies	1
Engineering Services	14
Exam Preparation and Tutoring	1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services	4
Facilities Support Services	1
Family Clothing Stores	3
Family Planning Centers	1
Farm Management Services	1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	2
Fine Arts Schools	2
Finish Carpentry Contractors	7
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers	8
Floor Covering Stores	5
Flooring Contractors	6
Florists	6
Food (Health) Supplement Stores	2
Food Service Contractors	16
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair	1
Framing Contractors	7
Freight Transportation Arrangement	1
Fruit and Vegetable Markets	1
Full-Service Restaurants	46
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services	5
Furniture Stores	7
General Automotive Repair	31
General Freight Trucking, Local	6
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	2
General Warehousing and Storage	3
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores	15
Golf Courses and Country Clubs	4
Grantmaking Foundations	2
Graphic Design Services	3
Hardware Stores	6
Heating Oil Dealers	2
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores	2
Home Health Care Services	6
Home Health Equipment Rental	2
Homes for the Elderly	2
Household Appliance Stores	9
Ice Manufacturing	1
Industrial Gas Manufacturing	1
Industrial Mold Manufacturing	1
Industrial Pattern Manufacturing	1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	62
Interior Design Services	3
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting	1
Internet Service Providers	3
Investigation Services	4
Investment Advice	2
Iron Foundries	1
Janitorial Services	25
Jewelry Stores	4
Kidney Dialysis Centers	1
Land Subdivision	1
Landscape Architectural Services	3
Landscaping Services	28
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property	6
Limited-Service Restaurants	54
Limousine Service	1
Locksmiths	2
Machine Shops	5
Mail-Order Houses	3
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers	2
Marinas	1
Marketing Consulting Services	1
Masonry Contractors	9
Materials Recovery Facilities	1
Meat Processed from Carcasses	2
Medical Laboratories	8
Metal Stamping	2
Miscellaneous Intermediation	3
Mobile Food Services	1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers	6
Motion Picture and Video Production	2
Motor Vehicle Towing	2
Motorcycle Dealers	3
Museums	1
Musical Groups and Artists	2
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores	1
Nail Salons	2
Natural Gas Liquid Extraction	1
New Car Dealers	6
New Housing Operative Builders	6
News Dealers and Newsstands	2
Newspaper Publishers	4
Nonresidential Property Managers	1
Nursing Care Facilities	11
Office Administrative Services	6
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers	2
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores	2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants	23
Offices of Chiropractors	20
Offices of Dentists	59
Offices of Lawyers	119
Offices of Optometrists	10
Offices of Other Holding Companies	1
Offices of Podiatrists	5
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers	13
One-Hour Photofinishing	1
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers	1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores	2
Packaging Machinery Manufacturing	1
Packing and Crating	1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores	2
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors	12
Parking Lots and Garages	1
Pen and Mechanical Pencil Manufacturing	1
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing	1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores	3
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services	3
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals	3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores	11
Photography Studios, Portrait	6
Plastics Bottle Manufacturing	1
Political Organizations	1
Portfolio Management	2
Prepress Services	1
Professional Organizations	4
Quick Printing	2
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing	3
Real Estate Credit	7
Recreational Vehicle Dealers	1
Remediation Services	1
Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing	2
Residential Property Managers	15
Residential Remodelers	17
Retail Bakeries	1
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair	1
Roofing Contractors	4
Sales Financing	1
Savings Institutions	1
School and Employee Bus Transportation	2
Securities Brokerage	23
Security Guards and Patrol Services	2
Septic Tank and Related Services	2
Shoe Stores	3
Siding Contractors	3
Site Preparation Contractors	7
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars	7
Solid Waste Collection	1
Sound Recording Studios	1
Sporting Goods Stores	10
Sports and Recreation Instruction	3
Sports Teams and Clubs	1
Storage Battery Manufacturing	1
Tax Preparation Services	6
Taxi Service	2
Telecommunications Resellers	4
Telemarketing Bureaus	1
Telephone Answering Services	2
Temporary Help Services	5
Temporary Shelters	2
Testing Laboratories	3
Textile Bag Mills	1
Thread Mills	1
Tire Dealers	6
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices	5
Tobacco Stores	4
Tour Operators	2
Translation and Interpretation Services	1
Travel Agencies	1
Used Car Dealers	9
Used Household and Office Goods Moving	9
Used Merchandise Stores	1
Vending Machine Operators	2
Veterinary Services	6
Video Tape and Disc Rental	5
Vocational Rehabilitation Services	6
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems	4
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers	7
Window Treatment Stores	1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers	3
Women's Clothing Stores	4

Should You Franchise?

Browse the Yellow Pages for Belleville and it becomes clear that purchasing a franchise is a common way to get started as an entrepreneur. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?

Our advice is to look into purchasing a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as How to Find Financing for Franchises. 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.

Sample franchise opportunities include The Steak Escape and Egismoz. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Auto Rental Franchises and Modeling Franchises.

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

The Role of the Business Plan

Writing a business plan is vital to the health of your new business. Simply put, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Starting a business without a business plan will greatly reduce your chances of business success.

Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Contests. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Illinois.

Getting Money to Start a Business

Getting your Belleville business the capital it needs to succeed will be harder than you might expect. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled 504 Loans.

For Belleville entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, you'll want to take a look at our List of Illinois Angel Investors and our List of Illinois Venture Capital Firms.

Selling Tips

Mastering the art of selling is priority one if you want your new Belleville business to do well.

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.

Sales Training 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.

Now It's Up To You

Most new Belleville businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Belleville and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Belleville, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Belleville, Illinois

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

• Resources for Belleville, Illinois Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Belleville entrepreneurs.
• Illinois Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Illinois.
• Illinois Small Business Development Center - Illinois Small Business Development Centers located throughout the state provide assistance to new and existing small businesses.
• Belleville, Illinois Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Belleville, Illinois newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Belleville area.
• Belleville, Illinois Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Belleville, Illinois area radio stations.

More Business Startup Guides for Illinois
Starting a Business in Beecher City
Starting a Business in Belvidere

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Illinois