Contemplating starting a business in Fishers, Indiana? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Fishers.
Choosing the Right Company to Start
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
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 How to Start a Steak & Seafood Restaurant guide or our How to Start a Cash Registers & Supplies Wholesale & Manufacturers Business guide.
Don't forget that starting a business in Fishers has some implications. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Fishers. Make sure you fully understand Fishers demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Fishers, Indiana Demographic Information
Fishers has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Fishers demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Fishers.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
2223 |
| 5-9 Employees |
621 |
| 10-19 Employees |
489 |
| 20-49 Employees |
369 |
| 50-99 Employees |
129 |
| 100-249 Employees |
66 |
| 250-499 Employees |
15 |
| 500-999 Employees |
15 |
| 1000+ Employees |
3 |
| All Fishers Businesses |
3930 |
As a new Fishers entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Fishers 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 |
| Advertising Agencies |
7 |
| Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
6 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
3 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
27 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
5 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
2 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
1 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
18 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
7 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Photography |
3 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
17 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
1 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
2 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Couriers |
2 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
3 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
20 |
| Dance Companies |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
3 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
5 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
5 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
2 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
3 |
| Display Advertising |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
1 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
8 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
2 |
| Engineering Services |
12 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
1 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Facilities Support Services |
4 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
7 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
11 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
4 |
| Flooring Contractors |
2 |
| Florists |
3 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
1 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
2 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
47 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
1 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
4 |
| Furniture Stores |
2 |
| General Automotive Repair |
3 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
3 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
4 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
6 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
2 |
| Graphic Design Services |
11 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Hazardous Waste Collection |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
2 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
1 |
| Industrial Design Services |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
32 |
| Interior Design Services |
4 |
| Investment Advice |
6 |
| Janitorial Services |
20 |
| Jewelry Stores |
2 |
| Land Subdivision |
3 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
9 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
44 |
| Limousine Service |
3 |
| Machine Shops |
1 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
11 |
| Masonry Contractors |
4 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
11 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
4 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
2 |
| Office Administrative Services |
2 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
1 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
10 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
13 |
| Offices of Dentists |
37 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
12 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
11 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
4 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
1 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
5 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
8 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
9 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
7 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Private Mail Centers |
3 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
3 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
2 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
5 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
2 |
| Residential Remodelers |
14 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| Secondary Market Financing |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
9 |
| Sewage Treatment Facilities |
1 |
| Siding Contractors |
2 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
3 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
18 |
| Software Publishers |
2 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
2 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
5 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
4 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
6 |
| Testing Laboratories |
2 |
| Tire Dealers |
3 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
3 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
1 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
6 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
4 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
24 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
3 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
1 |
Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
As you drive around Fishers, you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?
Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including Opportunities in International Franchising. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
A comprehensive list of franchisors is available via our List of Franchise Opportunities.
Sample franchise opportunities include Relax The Back Corporation and Hair Saloon For Men. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Baby Franchises and Bath Remodeling Franchises.
Note on Fishers Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Fishers.
Is Buying an Existing Fishers Business a Good Strategy?
We've created a handy website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Indiana. Follow that link and you can assess several good businesses for sale in Fishers.
If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: How to Buy a Business.
Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan
A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Indeed, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read Find Sample Business Plans Online. A great resource for business planning assistance is the face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Indiana.
Where to Get Money to Start a Company
Finding the funds to fuel the growth of your Fishers business is not an easy task. 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 Business Incubators.
For Fishers entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of Indiana Angel Investors and our List of Indiana Venture Capital Firms.
The Art of Selling
Mastering the art of selling is a must if you want your new Fishers business to do well.
Clever sales techniques can transform any business from good to great. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Sales Prospecting offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
Next Steps
Most new Fishers businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
We are here to help Fishers businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Fishers 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 Fishers, Indiana
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Fishers.
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