Contemplating starting a business in Framingham, Massachusetts? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Framingham.
Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?
An entrepreneurial life is hard work, and can be orders of magnitude more strenuous than working as an employee. Are you positive you want to go into business for yourself?
With so much at stake when you start a business, we strongly recommend you do the following before you proceed:
- Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Framingham. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
- Take a look at The Entrepreneurial Personality. It's a short article but it's a good reality check for those are about to jump into the world of entrepreneurship.
- Reach out to a trusted acquaintance. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.
Which Business to Choose?
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? You might get some good ideas about what kind of business to start by reading Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
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 Juice Bar guide or our Starting a Concrete Construction Equipment & Supplies Rental & Leasing Business guide.
Don't forget that Framingham is the place where you are starting a business. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Framingham. Make sure you fully understand Framingham demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Framingham, Massachusetts Demographic Information
Framingham has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Framingham demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Framingham.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
3346 |
| 5-9 Employees |
1127 |
| 10-19 Employees |
792 |
| 20-49 Employees |
557 |
| 50-99 Employees |
222 |
| 100-249 Employees |
141 |
| 250-499 Employees |
39 |
| 500-999 Employees |
27 |
| 1000+ Employees |
12 |
| All Framingham Businesses |
6263 |
As a new Framingham entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Framingham 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 |
8 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
8 |
| Art Dealers |
2 |
| Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
3 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
4 |
|
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
9 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Barber Shops |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
28 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
11 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
4 |
|
Bottled Water Manufacturing |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
2 |
| Business Associations |
2 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
2 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Caterers |
6 |
|
Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
19 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
9 |
| Claims Adjusting |
3 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
3 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Collection Agencies |
3 |
|
Commercial Gravure Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
4 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
1 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
21 |
| Computer Training |
3 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
|
Consumer Lending |
2 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
17 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
1 |
| Couriers |
3 |
| Credit Bureaus |
2 |
| Credit Card Issuing |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
|
Curtain and Drapery Mills |
3 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
27 |
| Dental Laboratories |
3 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
3 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
3 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
3 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
2 |
|
Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
15 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
4 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
6 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
|
Electrical Contractors |
21 |
| Electronic Computer Manufacturing |
2 |
| Electronic Shopping |
3 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
6 |
| Engineering Services |
20 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
5 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
2 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
2 |
|
Family Clothing Stores |
20 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
4 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
16 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
2 |
| Flooring Contractors |
5 |
| Florists |
4 |
|
Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
2 |
| Food Service Contractors |
14 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
2 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
4 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
64 |
|
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
4 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
9 |
| General Automotive Repair |
16 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
2 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
5 |
|
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
6 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
5 |
| Graphic Design Services |
5 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal |
1 |
|
Heating Oil Dealers |
2 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
2 |
| Home Centers |
1 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
3 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
3 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
4 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
2 |
|
Industrial Design Services |
3 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
36 |
| Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
2 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
4 |
| Janitorial Services |
25 |
|
Jewelry Stores |
8 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
6 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
26 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
32 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
|
Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
1 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
5 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
10 |
| Masonry Contractors |
4 |
| Meat Markets |
4 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
|
Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
6 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
3 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
2 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
2 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
|
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
10 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
4 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
2 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
4 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
8 |
| Office Administrative Services |
7 |
|
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
4 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
19 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
10 |
| Offices of Dentists |
52 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
78 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
2 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
2 |
|
Offices of Podiatrists |
4 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
3 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
2 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
7 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paging |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
2 |
|
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
14 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
3 |
| Payroll Services |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
6 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
3 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
1 |
|
Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
7 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
6 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
7 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
|
Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
5 |
| Quick Printing |
3 |
| Radio Networks |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
9 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
13 |
| Residential Remodelers |
20 |
|
Retail Bakeries |
3 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
2 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
1 |
| Sales Financing |
3 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
10 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
|
Securities Brokerage |
3 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
5 |
| Siding Contractors |
2 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
7 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
13 |
| Software Publishers |
13 |
|
Solid Waste Collection |
5 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
11 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
3 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
8 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
3 |
|
Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
18 |
| Temporary Shelters |
3 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
2 |
| Tire Dealers |
2 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
|
Tobacco Stores |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
9 |
| Used Car Dealers |
6 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
3 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
3 |
| Veterinary Services |
3 |
|
Video Tape and Disc Rental |
3 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
7 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
25 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
13 |
| Women's Handbag and Purse Manufacturing |
1 |
Have You Considered Franchising?
As you drive around Framingham, you'll see that franchises make up a large percentage of local businesses. Evidently, there must be some significant advantages to purchasing a franchise.
Most business experts recommend that you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchise Marketing Support. 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.
Representative franchise opportunities include Rita's Ices, Cones, Shakes & other Cool Stuff and Max & Erma's Restaurants, Inc.. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Bookstore Franchises and Personal Services Franchises.
Note on Framingham Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Framingham.
Forming a Company in Framingham, Massachusetts
It's very important that you are forming a legal entity that operates independently from you. The principal advantage of forming your new business as a legal entity is that it separates your business liabilities from your personal liabilities.
When forming a company, you will select one of many company types, such as a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
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 Massachusetts, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Massachusetts. In fact, you can incorporate in any state you would like to. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.
There are many nuances to forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as LLC Advantages. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Framingham, Massachusetts, our web page covering Incorporating in Massachusetts may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Massachusetts.
Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset
Successful 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 Framingham, Massachusetts, you should check out some of the learning programs at local Massachusetts educational institutions. Another way to keep up on your entrepreneurial education is to investigate Framingham networking organizations.
Moving Forward
As an entrepreneur in Framingham, 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 Framingham and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Framingham 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 Framingham, Massachusetts
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Framingham.
- Resources for Framingham, Massachusetts Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Framingham 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.
- Framingham, Massachusetts Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Framingham, Massachusetts newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Framingham area.
- Framingham, Massachusetts Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Framingham, Massachusetts area radio stations.
- Framingham, Massachusetts Payroll Services - This list includes Framingham, Massachusetts payroll services, national payroll services for Framingham, and helpful information on choosing a Framingham payroll service.
- Framingham, Massachusetts Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Framingham, Massachusetts, such as business brokers in Framingham and other helpful information on how to buy a Framingham business.
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