Thinking about starting a business in Fort Dodge, Iowa? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Fort Dodge.
Will You Be a Good Entrepreneur?
Most new businesses do not succeed, in part because the founder did not have the entrepreneurial skills and traits needed to succeed. So, before you start your business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Fort Dodge. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
- Take a look at Business Failure. It's a short article but it's a good reality check for those are about to jump into the world of entrepreneurship.
- Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.
What Type of Business Should You 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 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 Starting an Astrology School guide or our How to Start a Counseling Centers Business guide.
Remember that Fort Dodge is the place where you are starting a business. Some businesses will do better in Fort Dodge than others. A critical consideration is whether Fort Dodge demographics mesh well with your startup concept.
Fort Dodge, Iowa Demographic Information
Fort Dodge has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Fort Dodge demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Fort Dodge.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
1425 |
| 5-9 Employees |
612 |
| 10-19 Employees |
408 |
| 20-49 Employees |
312 |
| 50-99 Employees |
111 |
| 100-249 Employees |
42 |
| 250-499 Employees |
6 |
| 500-999 Employees |
12 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Fort Dodge Businesses |
2928 |
As a new Fort Dodge entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Fort Dodge 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 |
|
Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
7 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
|
Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
13 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
2 |
| Boat Building |
1 |
| Book Stores |
2 |
| Bowling Centers |
3 |
| Business Associations |
2 |
|
Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
3 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
1 |
| Car Washes |
4 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
13 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
10 |
| Claims Adjusting |
1 |
|
Clothing Accessories Stores |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
3 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
2 |
|
Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
2 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Couriers |
4 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
1 |
|
Dental Laboratories |
2 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
| Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
10 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
1 |
|
Electric Power Distribution |
2 |
| Electrical Contractors |
10 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
2 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
1 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
3 |
|
Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Farm Management Services |
2 |
| Farm Product Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
2 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
4 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
5 |
| Flooring Contractors |
1 |
|
Florists |
4 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
2 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
25 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
6 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
|
Furniture Stores |
5 |
| General Automotive Repair |
9 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
9 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
6 |
| Glove and Mitten Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Gypsum Product Manufacturing |
4 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
1 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Health Care Services |
3 |
|
Home Health Equipment Rental |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
2 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
5 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
30 |
| Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
|
Investment Advice |
2 |
| Janitorial Services |
10 |
| Jewelry Stores |
2 |
| Landscaping Services |
4 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
2 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
24 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
3 |
|
Machine Shops |
1 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
2 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
4 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Metal Can Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
3 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
3 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
1 |
|
News Syndicates |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
4 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
3 |
| Office Administrative Services |
1 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
1 |
|
Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
8 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
5 |
| Offices of Dentists |
16 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
23 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
6 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
2 |
|
One-Hour Photofinishing |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
3 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
3 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
4 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Payroll Services |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
10 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
5 |
|
Photography Studios, Portrait |
6 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
3 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
1 |
|
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
2 |
| Residential Remodelers |
8 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
6 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
2 |
|
Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sewage Treatment Facilities |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
6 |
| Siding Contractors |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
2 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
3 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
5 |
|
Tax Preparation Services |
1 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
3 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
6 |
| Tire Retreading |
1 |
|
Travel Agencies |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
9 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
4 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
3 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
3 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
|
Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
4 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
5 |
What About Franchising Opportunities?
Browse the Yellow Pages for Fort Dodge and you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. Evidently, there must be some significant advantages to purchasing a franchise.
We highly recommend you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Multi-Unit Franchising. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
A comprehensive list of franchisors is available via our List of Franchise Opportunities.
Sample franchise opportunities include The Pool Doctors and JumpBunch, Inc.. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Restaurant Services Franchises and Telecommunications Franchises.
Note on Fort Dodge Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Fort Dodge.
Forming a Company in Fort Dodge, Iowa
A critical step is ensuring that you choose the right legal structure for your new entity. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.
The entity you form can be 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 Iowa, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Iowa. In fact, you can incorporate wherever you want. 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. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as C Corp Versus S Corp. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Fort Dodge, Iowa, our information on Incorporating in Iowa may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Iowa.
Bring in Revenues
Mastering the art of selling is priority one if you want your new Fort Dodge business to do well.
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.
The Art of Customer Referrals offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
What's Next?
Most new Fort Dodge businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Fort Dodge and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Fort Dodge, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Fort Dodge, Iowa
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Fort Dodge.
- Resources for Fort Dodge, Iowa Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Fort Dodge entrepreneurs.
- Iowa Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Iowa.
- Iowa Small Business Development Center - The Iowa SBDC conducts research, counsels, and trains business people in management, financing, and operating small businesses. They provide comprehensive information services and access to experts in a variety of fields. This is a great resource for Iowa entrepreneurs!
- Fort Dodge, Iowa Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Fort Dodge, Iowa newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Fort Dodge area.
- Fort Dodge, Iowa Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Fort Dodge, Iowa area radio stations.
- Fort Dodge, Iowa Payroll Services - This list includes Fort Dodge, Iowa payroll services, national payroll services for Fort Dodge, and helpful information on choosing a Fort Dodge payroll service.
- Fort Dodge, Iowa Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Fort Dodge, Iowa, such as business brokers in Fort Dodge and other helpful information on how to buy a Fort Dodge business.
More Business Startup Guides for Iowa
Starting a Business in Forest City
Starting a Business in Fort Madison
Browse All
Business Startup Guides for Iowa
Starting a Business
Guides for Other States
