Start a Business in Big Rapids, Michigan

Contemplating starting a business in Big Rapids, Michigan? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Big Rapids.

Do You Have Entrepreneurial Drive and Passion?

Before you get too far along in the process, consider your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

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:

• Talk to other entrepreneurs in Big Rapids. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
• We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
• Have a candid conversation with friends and family. A support network of family and friends can be a great sounding board for good advice before you decide for sure to go into business.

Big Rapids, Michigan Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size	# of Businesses
1-4 Employees	751
5-9 Employees	312
10-19 Employees	225
20-49 Employees	150
50-99 Employees	36
100-249 Employees	24
250-499 Employees	15
500-999 Employees	0
1000+ Employees	0
All Big Rapids Businesses	1513

As a new Big Rapids entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Big Rapids 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
Automotive Exhaust System Repair	1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops	3
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores	4
Automotive Transmission Repair	1
Baked Goods Stores	1
Beauty Salons	5
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores	1
Boat Dealers	1
Book Stores	2
Bowling Centers	1
Building Inspection Services	1
Business Associations	1
Cable and Other Program Distribution	1
Cafeterias	1
Car Washes	3
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services	1
Caterers	1
Child Day Care Services	5
Civic and Social Organizations	4
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners	2
Collection Agencies	1
Community Food Services	1
Computer and Software Stores	2
Computer Systems Design Services	1
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing	1
Convenience Stores	1
Convention and Visitors Bureaus	1
Couriers	1
Credit Unions	3
Custom Computer Programming Services	2
Dental Laboratories	1
Direct Title Insurance Carriers	2
Discount Department Stores	1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)	6
Drywall and Insulation Contractors	2
Educational Support Services	2
Electric Power Distribution	2
Electrical Contractors	1
Electronic Computer Manufacturing	1
Electronic Shopping	1
Emergency and Other Relief Services	1
Engineering Services	2
Environmental Consulting Services	1
Family Clothing Stores	2
Family Planning Centers	1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers	3
Floor Covering Stores	3
Flooring Contractors	1
Florists	1
Food (Health) Supplement Stores	1
Food Service Contractors	2
Formal Wear and Costume Rental	1
Freight Transportation Arrangement	1
Full-Service Restaurants	14
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services	2
Furniture Stores	3
General Automotive Repair	3
General Freight Trucking, Local	2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	1
General Rental Centers	1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores	3
Golf Courses and Country Clubs	2
Hardware Stores	1
Heating Oil Dealers	1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores	2
Home Centers	1
Home Health Care Services	5
Home Health Equipment Rental	1
Homes for the Elderly	1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	16
Interior Design Services	1
Janitorial Services	3
Jewelry Stores	1
Landscape Architectural Services	1
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property	1
Limited-Service Restaurants	19
Logging	3
Machine Shops	2
Mail-Order Houses	2
Masonry Contractors	1
Meat Processed from Carcasses	1
Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping	1
Motor Vehicle Towing	1
Museums	1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores	1
Natural Gas Distribution	1
New Car Dealers	5
Newspaper Publishers	1
Nonresidential Property Managers	1
Nursing Care Facilities	2
Office Administrative Services	1
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers	1
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores	2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants	4
Offices of Chiropractors	5
Offices of Dentists	11
Offices of Lawyers	12
Offices of Optometrists	3
Offices of Podiatrists	1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores	1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores	1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores	2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores	4
Photography Studios, Portrait	4
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas	3
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing	1
Professional Employer Organizations	1
Quick Printing	1
Radio Stations	2
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing	1
Real Estate Credit	2
Recreational Goods Rental	2
Residential Property Managers	1
Residential Remodelers	2
Retail Bakeries	1
Savings Institutions	1
Saw Blade and Handsaw Manufacturing	1
Sawmills	1
Securities Brokerage	3
Shoe Stores	2
Site Preparation Contractors	3
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars	1
Solid Waste Collection	1
Sporting Goods Stores	1
Tax Preparation Services	2
Temporary Help Services	3
Temporary Shelters	1
Tire Dealers	3
Tobacco Stores	1
Used Car Dealers	6
Used Merchandise Stores	2
Vending Machine Operators	1
Veterinary Services	5
Video Tape and Disc Rental	2
Vocational Rehabilitation Services	1
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters	2
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers	1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers	2
Women's Clothing Stores	2
Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing	1

Picking a Company Name

Making the right decision when choosing a company name is very important. There are many decisions you'll make now that you can change later, but changing a company name years down the road is not very easy. So, choose a good company name at the outset.

Companies like Starbucks, Apple, Target, Microsoft and Intuit all have strong company names that are easy to remember and have become well-loved brands. Wouldn't it be nice if your new company name got on a similar track?

For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are opening a business in Big Rapids, it's very important that you make sure your company name has not already been claimed by another Michigan business.

Forming a Company in Big Rapids, Michigan

It's very important that you are forming a legal entity that operates independently from you. Doing so will separate you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

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 Michigan, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Michigan. As it turns out, you can 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 Dissolving a Corporation. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Big Rapids, Michigan, our web page covering Incorporating in Michigan may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Michigan.

Do You Need a Business Plan?

A business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Indeed, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

To learn more about business plans, read Expert Advice on Business Plans. You can also get free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Michigan.

Raising Money for Your New Venture

Raising money to fund your new Big Rapids business will be harder than you might expect. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.

On the bright side, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled 504 Loans.

For Big Rapids entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of Michigan Angel Investors and our List of Michigan Venture Capital Firms.

Learning More About Entrepreneurship

The best entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.

With your business being located in Big Rapids, Michigan, you should get information on some of the many programs available at nearby Michigan universities, colleges and community colleges. You should also check if there are any networking organizations for Big Rapids entrepreneurs.

Now It's Up To You

You have a dream -- starting a business in Big Rapids. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

We are here to help Big Rapids businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Big Rapids 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 Big Rapids, Michigan

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

• Resources for Big Rapids, Michigan Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Big Rapids entrepreneurs.
• Michigan Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Michigan.
• Michigan Small Business Development Center - This organization supports 12 regional offices and over 30 satellite offices, each providing counseling and training to Michigan small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout the 83 counties in Michigan. Services to entrepreneurs are offered through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
• Big Rapids, Michigan Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Big Rapids, Michigan newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Big Rapids area.
• Big Rapids, Michigan Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Big Rapids, Michigan area radio stations.

More Business Startup Guides for Michigan
Starting a Business in Berrien Springs
Starting a Business in Birmingham

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Michigan