Contemplating starting a business in Grand Haven, Michigan? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Grand Haven.
Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?
Being an entrepreneur is difficult, much harder than working as an employee. Are you certain you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?
While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Grand Haven. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
- We recommend reading Why Small Businesses Fail. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.
What Business to Start
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. We recommend that you read Good 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 a Chauffeur Business guide or our Opening a Commodity & Merchandise Warehouses Business guide.
Don't forget that your new startup will be located in Grand Haven. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Grand Haven. Only by spending some time analyzing Grand Haven demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.
Grand Haven, Michigan Demographic Information
Grand Haven has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Grand Haven demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Grand Haven.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
1423 |
| 5-9 Employees |
620 |
| 10-19 Employees |
366 |
| 20-49 Employees |
213 |
| 50-99 Employees |
93 |
| 100-249 Employees |
54 |
| 250-499 Employees |
18 |
| 500-999 Employees |
0 |
| 1000+ Employees |
3 |
| All Grand Haven Businesses |
2790 |
As a new Grand Haven entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Grand Haven 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 |
3 |
| Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing |
1 |
| Aluminum Die-Casting Foundries |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
4 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
4 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
4 |
| Ball and Roller Bearing Manufacturing |
1 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
12 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
2 |
| Book Stores |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
1 |
| Business Associations |
3 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
3 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
| Caterers |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
11 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
3 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
2 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
7 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
4 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
2 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
2 |
| Custom Roll Forming |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
1 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
3 |
| Drafting Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
6 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
4 |
| Electrical Contractors |
14 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
2 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
2 |
| Engineering Services |
10 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
2 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
3 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
6 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
3 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
2 |
| Florists |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
4 |
| Framing Contractors |
1 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
28 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
1 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
1 |
| General Automotive Repair |
7 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
6 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
2 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
4 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
3 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
4 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Industrial Design Services |
1 |
| Industrial Sand Mining |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
21 |
| Investment Advice |
1 |
| Iron and Steel Mills |
2 |
| Janitorial Services |
7 |
| Jewelry Stores |
3 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
2 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
11 |
| Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing |
1 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
30 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
6 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
1 |
| Marinas |
6 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
2 |
| Masonry Contractors |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Metal Heat Treating |
1 |
| Metal Stamping |
4 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping |
3 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
2 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
1 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
4 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| News Syndicates |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
3 |
| Office Administrative Services |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
3 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
7 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
8 |
| Offices of Dentists |
18 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
19 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
2 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
3 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
3 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
2 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
3 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
5 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Payroll Services |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
4 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
3 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
2 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
3 |
| Residential Property Managers |
3 |
| Residential Remodelers |
7 |
| Roofing Contractors |
1 |
| Rope, Cordage, and Twine Mills |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
5 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
2 |
| Siding Contractors |
2 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
4 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
7 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
7 |
| Spring (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Spring (Light Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
4 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
5 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
3 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
4 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
2 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
2 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
8 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
2 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
2 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
What About Franchising Opportunities?
As you drive around Grand Haven, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?
We highly recommend you look into purchasing a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Protecting Your Franchise Territory. 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.
Representative franchise opportunities include Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. and CiCi's Pizza. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Dating Service Franchises and Mail and Shipping Services Franchises.
Note on Grand Haven Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Grand Haven.
Do You Need a Business Plan?
A business plan is critical in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Expert Advice on Business Plans. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Michigan.
Raising Funding for Your Venture
Raising money to fund your new Grand Haven business is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. 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 securing funding, such as Bank Credit Lines.
For Grand Haven entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of Michigan Angel Investors and our List of Michigan Venture Capital Firms.
Bring in Revenues
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Grand Haven business, you need to focus on sales.
Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.
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.
Moving Forward
As an entrepreneur in Grand Haven, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Grand Haven and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Grand Haven, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Grand Haven, Michigan
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Grand Haven.
Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Michigan
Starting a Business in Gladwin
Starting a Business in Grand Ledge
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