Starting a Business in Bloomfield, Connecticut

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

Are You Sure You Want to Do This?

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

While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:

• Talk to other entrepreneurs in Bloomfield. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
• We recommend reading Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
• Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.

Choosing the Right Company to Start

Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at How to Evaluate a Business Idea.

For step-by-step instructions on starting a variety of business types, visit the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Starting a Dance Club guide or our Starting a Tatoo Parlor guide.

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

Bloomfield, Connecticut Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size	# of Businesses
1-4 Employees	8793
5-9 Employees	3591
10-19 Employees	3159
20-49 Employees	2511
50-99 Employees	594
100-249 Employees	486
250-499 Employees	189
500-999 Employees	0
1000+ Employees	27
All Bloomfield Businesses	19350

As a new Bloomfield entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Bloomfield 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
Abrasive Product Manufacturing	1
Adhesive Manufacturing	1
Advertising Agencies	1
Ambulance Services	1
Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering	1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance	2
Apprenticeship Training	1
Architectural Services	1
Armored Car Services	1
Automobile Driving Schools	1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores	5
Baked Goods Stores	1
Beauty Salons	7
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores	4
Book Publishers	3
Business and Secretarial Schools	1
Cable and Other Program Distribution	1
Car Washes	3
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services	2
Caterers	1
Cemeteries and Crematories	1
Child and Youth Services	4
Child Day Care Services	5
Civic and Social Organizations	2
Claims Adjusting	2
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners	1
Commercial Bakeries	1
Commercial Flexographic Printing	1
Commercial Lithographic Printing	6
Computer and Software Stores	1
Computer Systems Design Services	1
Computer Training	1
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining	1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities	2
Convenience Stores	1
Credit Unions	6
Custom Computer Programming Services	1
Dental Laboratories	2
Diagnostic Imaging Centers	2
Digital Printing	1
Direct Mail Advertising	1
Directory and Mailing List Publishers	1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)	1
Drywall and Insulation Contractors	1
Electrical Contractors	11
Elementary and Secondary Schools	2
Employment Placement Agencies	2
Engineering Services	5
Environmental Consulting Services	1
Family Clothing Stores	1
Finish Carpentry Contractors	2
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers	4
Floor Covering Stores	3
Florists	2
Food (Health) Supplement Stores	1
Food Service Contractors	5
Formal Wear and Costume Rental	1
Freight Transportation Arrangement	1
Full-Service Restaurants	11
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers	1
Furniture Stores	1
General Automotive Repair	7
General Freight Trucking, Local	4
General Warehousing and Storage	3
Glass and Glazing Contractors	2
Golf Courses and Country Clubs	1
Grantmaking Foundations	1
Gypsum Product Manufacturing	1
Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing	2
Hardware Manufacturing	1
Heating Oil Dealers	2
Home Centers	2
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers	1
Home Health Care Services	1
Household Appliance Stores	2
Industrial Launderers	1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	20
Investigation Services	1
Iron and Steel Mills	1
Janitorial Services	5
Jewelry Stores	1
Junior Colleges	1
Landscape Architectural Services	2
Landscaping Services	16
Limited-Service Restaurants	12
Linen Supply	1
Machine Shops	3
Masonry Contractors	1
Materials Recovery Facilities	1
Mattress Manufacturing	1
Meat Processed from Carcasses	1
Media Buying Agencies	1
Metal Heat Treating	1
Metal Stamping	2
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers	1
Musical Groups and Artists	1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores	2
Natural Gas Distribution	1
Newspaper Publishers	1
Nonresidential Property Managers	2
Nursing Care Facilities	3
Office Administrative Services	1
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers	2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants	5
Offices of Chiropractors	3
Offices of Dentists	14
Offices of Lawyers	16
Offices of Optometrists	1
Offices of Podiatrists	2
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers	4
Optical Goods Stores	2
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors	4
Periodical Publishers	1
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services	3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores	3
Plate Work Manufacturing	1
Portfolio Management	1
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing	1
Prepress Services	1
Printing Ink Manufacturing	1
Public Relations Agencies	1
Radio Networks	1
Real Estate Credit	1
Reinsurance Carriers	1
Remediation Services	1
Residential Property Managers	9
Residential Remodelers	5
Retail Bakeries	1
Roofing Contractors	1
Savings Institutions	2
Sawmills	1
School and Employee Bus Transportation	1
Securities Brokerage	2
Septic Tank and Related Services	1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing	1
Shoe Stores	1
Sign Manufacturing	1
Site Preparation Contractors	8
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars	3
Software Publishers	1
Sporting Goods Stores	1
Tax Preparation Services	2
Taxi Service	2
Television Broadcasting	1
Temporary Help Services	1
Testing Laboratories	1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors	1
Tour Operators	1
Travel Agencies	2
Used Car Dealers	1
Used Household and Office Goods Moving	3
Vending Machine Operators	2
Veterinary Services	2
Video Tape and Disc Rental	1
Vocational Rehabilitation Services	1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers	5
Wired Telecommunications Carriers	1
Women's Clothing Stores	6
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing	1
Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing	1

Should You Franchise?

Visit the business district of Bloomfield and you'll conclude that many business owners have opted to buy a franchise, rather than starting a business on their own. But is franchising the right option for you?

Most business experts recommend that you look into purchasing a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Growth Trends in Franchising. 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 Subway Franchises and Starbucks Franchises. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Accounting Franchises and Moving Franchises.

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

Should You Buy an Existing Bloomfield Business?

If you have some capital to play with, you may want to Buy a Business in Connecticut. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Bloomfield.

Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: How to Buy a Business.

Naming the Company

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?

Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Naming a Company.

There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are starting a business in Bloomfield, it's very important that you make sure no Connecticut company has already registered the company name you have selected.

Forming a Company in Bloomfield, Connecticut

A critical step is ensuring that you are forming a legal entity that operates independently from you. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

Incorporating is a very common way to legally create a business entity. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. If you are starting a business in Connecticut, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Connecticut. 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. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Avoiding Personal Liability in Business. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Bloomfield, Connecticut, our web page covering Incorporating in Connecticut may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Connecticut.

The Role of the Business Plan

Having a business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Starting a business without a business plan makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.

Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Software. You can also get face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Connecticut.

Getting Money to Start a Business

Obtaining startup financing for your Bloomfield business is a difficult chore. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Business Line of Credit.

For Bloomfield entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, check out our List of Connecticut Angel Investors and our List of Connecticut Venture Capital Firms.

Promoting Your New Company

Whether your goal is to attract Bloomfield customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.

We have some great 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 juices flowing. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Building Up Your Sales

Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Bloomfield or are selling to customers throughout Connecticut, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Closing Sales offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills

The best business owners recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.

Given that you are starting a business in Bloomfield, Connecticut, you should check out some of the many programs available at nearby Connecticut universities, colleges and community colleges. Another way to keep up on your learning is to investigate networking groups or organizations in which Bloomfield entrepreneurs get together to network and trade their business experiences.

Next Steps

You have a dream -- starting a business in Bloomfield. 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 Bloomfield and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Bloomfield 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 Bloomfield, Connecticut

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

• Resources for Bloomfield, Connecticut Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Bloomfield entrepreneurs.
• Connecticut Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Connecticut.
• Connecticut Small Business Development Center - Central Connecticut State University's Institute of Technology and Business Development (ITBD) supports Connecticut businesses and business-related organizations with training, technology assistance, conferencing services, procurement services and business incubation.
• Bloomfield, Connecticut Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Bloomfield, Connecticut newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Bloomfield area.

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