Start a Business in Bellevue, Ohio

Thinking about starting a business in Bellevue, Ohio? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Bellevue.

Are You Ready for Life as an Owner?

Before announcing to the world that you are going to start your own business, consider your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.

• Talk to other entrepreneurs in Bellevue. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
• We recommend reading Why Small Businesses Fail. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
• Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.

Bellevue, Ohio Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size	# of Businesses
1-4 Employees	4470
5-9 Employees	2160
10-19 Employees	1260
20-49 Employees	780
50-99 Employees	360
100-249 Employees	210
250-499 Employees	60
500-999 Employees	0
1000+ Employees	0
All Bellevue Businesses	9300

As a new Bellevue entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Bellevue 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
Art Dealers	1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores	2
Beauty Salons	8
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores	1
Building Inspection Services	1
Business Associations	1
Business to Business Electronic Markets	1
Car Washes	1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services	2
Civic and Social Organizations	6
Commercial Lithographic Printing	1
Computer and Software Stores	1
Computer Systems Design Services	1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities	1
Credit Unions	1
Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins	1
Diagnostic Imaging Centers	1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)	2
Drywall and Insulation Contractors	1
Electrical Contractors	1
Engineering Services	3
Exterminating and Pest Control Services	1
Family Clothing Stores	1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	3
Fats and Oils Refining and Blending	1
Finish Carpentry Contractors	1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers	1
Floor Covering Stores	1
Florists	3
Full-Service Restaurants	9
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services	2
General Automotive Repair	2
General Freight Trucking, Local	3
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	1
Hardware Manufacturing	1
Industrial Design Services	1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	8
Internet Service Providers	1
Investment Advice	2
Iron Foundries	1
Janitorial Services	3
Landscaping Services	3
Limited-Service Restaurants	10
Masonry Contractors	1
Meat Markets	1
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing	1
Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping	1
Museums	1
New Car Dealers	4
Newspaper Publishers	3
Nursing Care Facilities	1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants	3
Offices of Chiropractors	1
Offices of Dentists	5
Offices of Lawyers	5
Offices of Optometrists	2
Offices of Podiatrists	1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores	1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores	1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors	1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores	3
Photography Studios, Portrait	1
Plastics Bottle Manufacturing	1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing	1
Residential Remodelers	2
Roofing Contractors	1
Rooming and Boarding Houses	1
Savings Institutions	2
Securities Brokerage	2
Siding Contractors	4
Site Preparation Contractors	5
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars	1
Sporting Goods Stores	1
Temporary Help Services	1
Testing Laboratories	1
Tire Dealers	1
Tobacco Stores	1
Travel Agencies	1
Used Car Dealers	2
Used Merchandise Stores	1
Veterinary Services	3
Video Tape and Disc Rental	3
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers	1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers	1
Zoos and Botanical Gardens	1

Should You Franchise?

As you drive around Bellevue, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. But is franchising the right option for you?

Our advice is to investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Benefits of Owning A Franchise. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.

You can review hundreds of franchise opportunities by browing our Franchise Directory.

Representative franchise opportunities include Compagnia del Mobile and Century 21 Real Estate Corporation. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Employment and Staffing Franchises and Auto Repair Franchises.

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

Forming a Company in Bellevue, Ohio

It's essential that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.

When forming a company, you will decide among many company types, such as 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. If you are starting a business in Ohio, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Ohio. As it turns out, you are allowed to incorporate in the state of your choosing. 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. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Pre-Incorporation Agreements. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Bellevue, Ohio, our web page covering Incorporating in Ohio may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Ohio.

Getting Money to Start a Business

Raising money to fund your new Bellevue business is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.

Take advantage of our many articles on raising capital, such as Investor Turnoffs.

For Bellevue entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of Ohio Angel Investors and our List of Ohio Venture Capital Firms.

Marketing Your New Business

Whether your goal is to attract Bellevue customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you need a solid marketing plan.

We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Advertising in the Yellow Pages is a good read to get your marketing ideas flowing. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.

Never Give Up

You have a dream -- starting a business in Bellevue. 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 Bellevue and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Bellevue, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Bellevue, Ohio

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

• Resources for Bellevue, Ohio Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Bellevue 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.
• Bellevue, Ohio Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Bellevue, Ohio newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Bellevue area.

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