Thinking about starting a business in Dedham, Massachusetts? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Dedham.
What Business Are You Starting?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Finding Your Niche in Life.
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 a Commercial & Industrial Hand Tools Business guide or our How to Start a Wrestling Instruction Business guide.
Remember that starting a business in Dedham has some implications. Some businesses will do better in Dedham than others. Don't forget to review Dedham demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.
Dedham, Massachusetts Demographic Information
Dedham has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Dedham demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Dedham.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
2658 |
| 5-9 Employees |
882 |
| 10-19 Employees |
636 |
| 20-49 Employees |
336 |
| 50-99 Employees |
192 |
| 100-249 Employees |
156 |
| 250-499 Employees |
18 |
| 500-999 Employees |
6 |
| 1000+ Employees |
12 |
| All Dedham Businesses |
4896 |
As a new Dedham entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Dedham 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 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
2 |
|
Automobile Driving Schools |
2 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
3 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
9 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
3 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
2 |
| Boat Dealers |
2 |
| Book Stores |
3 |
|
Cable and Other Program Distribution |
3 |
| Child Day Care Services |
5 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
3 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
1 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
4 |
|
Computer Training |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
2 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
2 |
| Convenience Stores |
5 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
2 |
| Couriers |
2 |
| Credit Card Issuing |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
2 |
|
Custom Computer Programming Services |
6 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
2 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
2 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
3 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
4 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
|
Electrical Contractors |
17 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
4 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
2 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
2 |
|
Finish Carpentry Contractors |
7 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
5 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
1 |
| Florists |
2 |
| Food Service Contractors |
5 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
21 |
|
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
2 |
| Furniture Stores |
3 |
| General Automotive Repair |
10 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
3 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
2 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
|
Heating Oil Dealers |
3 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
1 |
| Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
19 |
|
Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
5 |
| Janitorial Services |
6 |
| Jewelry Stores |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
13 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
1 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
|
Limited-Service Restaurants |
10 |
| Machine Shops |
2 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
4 |
| Masonry Contractors |
2 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
|
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
3 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
3 |
| New Car Dealers |
4 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
|
Nonresidential Property Managers |
4 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
1 |
| Office Administrative Services |
6 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
14 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
5 |
| Offices of Dentists |
12 |
|
Offices of Lawyers |
40 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
2 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
4 |
| Paging |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
1 |
|
Passenger Car Rental |
2 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
3 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
3 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
|
Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
3 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
7 |
| Residential Remodelers |
20 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
2 |
|
Sales Financing |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
11 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
2 |
| Shoe Stores |
4 |
| Siding Contractors |
3 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
5 |
|
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
4 |
| Software Publishers |
4 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
3 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
4 |
| Taxi Service |
2 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
1 |
|
Temporary Help Services |
2 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
3 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
5 |
| Used Car Dealers |
2 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
2 |
|
Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
3 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
1 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
4 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
3 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
5 |
|
Women's Clothing Stores |
4 |
Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
Visit the business district of Dedham and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?
Our advice is to look into purchasing a franchise. On our site, you can read many articles about franchising, such as Franchising Scams. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include VIP Cleaners and The Shine Factory. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Fitness Franchises and Mail and Shipping Services Franchises.
Note on Dedham Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Dedham.
Selecting a Name For Your Business
A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.
Before you decide on a company name, run it by some prospective customers and see what they think. If they don't like it, it's probably a good idea to go back to the drawing board.
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Company.
On a final note, given that you are starting a business in Dedham, it's critical that you ensure that no Massachusetts company has already registered the company name you have selected.
Getting the Word Out About Your New Company
Whether your goal is to attract Dedham customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you need a great marketing plan.
We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. How to Be an Effective Networker is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
The Art of Selling
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Dedham business, you need to focus on sales.
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 Forecasting is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
What's Next?
As an entrepreneur in Dedham, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Dedham and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Dedham, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Dedham, Massachusetts
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Dedham.
- Resources for Dedham, Massachusetts Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Dedham entrepreneurs.
- Massachusetts Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Massachusetts.
- Massachusetts Small Business Development Center - The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) Network provides one-to-one free comprehensive and confidential services focusing on, business growth and strategies, financing and loan assistance as well as strategic, marketing and operational analysis.
- Dedham, Massachusetts Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Dedham, Massachusetts newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Dedham area.
- Dedham, Massachusetts Payroll Services - This list includes Dedham, Massachusetts payroll services, national payroll services for Dedham, and helpful information on choosing a Dedham payroll service.
- Dedham, Massachusetts Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Dedham, Massachusetts, such as business brokers in Dedham and other helpful information on how to buy a Dedham business.
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