Starting a Business in Chandler, Oklahoma

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

Do You Have What It Takes?

Most new companies don't make it, in part because the entrepreneur did not have the entrepreneurial skills and traits needed to succeed. So, before jumping into the world of entrepreneurship, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.

To determine whether you have what it takes to run a business, we recommend these three steps to help you decide:

• Reach out to other entrepreneurs in Chandler. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
• Peruse Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. This is one of our more popular articles for folks who want to go into business for themselves.
• Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. 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.

What Type of Business Should You Start?

There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Free Business Ideas.

For in-depth how-to guides on how to start specific businesses, browse our Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Opening an Interior Decorators' & Designers' Supplies Retail Business guide or our Starting a Pneumatic Equipment Components Manufacturers Business guide.

Always keep in mind that your new startup will be located in Chandler. Some businesses will do better in Chandler than others. Study Chandler demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.

Chandler, Oklahoma Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size	# of Businesses
1-4 Employees	1485
5-9 Employees	585
10-19 Employees	300
20-49 Employees	105
50-99 Employees	60
100-249 Employees	30
250-499 Employees	0
500-999 Employees	0
1000+ Employees	0
All Chandler Businesses	2565

As a new Chandler entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Chandler 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 Parts and Accessories Stores	4
Beauty Salons	1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores	2
Business Associations	1
Car Washes	1
Child Day Care Services	3
Claims Adjusting	2
Commercial Lithographic Printing	1
Community Food Services	2
Computer Systems Design Services	1
Consumer Lending	1
Convenience Stores	1
Discount Department Stores	1
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells	1
Electrical Contractors	1
Family Clothing Stores	1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	1
Florists	1
Fluid Milk Manufacturing	1
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation	1
Framing Contractors	2
Full-Service Restaurants	6
Furniture Stores	1
General Automotive Repair	1
General Freight Trucking, Local	2
Hardware Stores	2
Home Health Care Services	2
Homes for the Elderly	1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	3
Investment Advice	1
Janitorial Services	1
Jewelry Stores	3
Limited-Service Restaurants	6
Machine Shops	1
Museums	1
New Car Dealers	3
New Housing Operative Builders	1
Nursing Care Facilities	1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants	2
Offices of Dentists	3
Offices of Lawyers	8
Offices of Optometrists	1
Offices of Other Holding Companies	1
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers	1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors	1
Periodical Publishers	1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores	1
Portfolio Management	1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing	1
Residential Remodelers	1
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation	1
School and Employee Bus Transportation	1
Securities Brokerage	1
Site Preparation Contractors	1
Sporting Goods Stores	1
Sports and Recreation Instruction	1
Tax Preparation Services	1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices	1
Tobacco Stores	1
Veterinary Services	2
Video Tape and Disc Rental	1
Vocational Rehabilitation Services	1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers	1
Wineries	1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers	1
Women's Clothing Stores	1

Have You Considered Franchising?

As you drive around Chandler, you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. Is franchising maybe a better way for you to start your business?

Our advice is to evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. We have many articles on franchises, such as Why Franchises Fail. 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 Wine Lovers and IM=X Pilates Studio. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Restaurant Services Franchises and Florist Franchises.

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

Don't Skip the Business Plan

A business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Business Plan Contests. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Oklahoma.

Raising Money for Your New Venture

Getting your Chandler business the capital it needs to succeed 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.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Only Idiots Send Venture Capitalists Business Plans.

For Chandler entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, we have assembled a List of Oklahoma Angel Investors and our List of Oklahoma Venture Capital Firms.

Now It's Up To You

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

If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Chandler and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Chandler 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 Chandler, Oklahoma

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

• Resources for Chandler, Oklahoma Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Chandler entrepreneurs.
• Oklahoma Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Oklahoma.
• Oklahoma Small Business Development Center - Whether you are in business or thinking about it, the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center staff can assist you. Their goal is to help Oklahoma entrepreneurs like you be more successful.
• Chandler, Oklahoma Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Chandler, Oklahoma newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Chandler area.

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Oklahoma
Starting a Business in Carnegie
Starting a Business in Chelsea

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