Starting a Business in Hillsborough, New Jersey

Thinking about starting a business in Hillsborough, New Jersey? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Hillsborough.

Do You Have Entrepreneurial Drive and Passion?

An entrepreneurial life is demanding, much more challenging than working as an employee. Are you sure you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?

Before you move forward with starting a business, be sure to do these three things:

• Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Hillsborough. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
• 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. A support network of family and friends can be a great sounding board for good advice before you decide for sure to go into business.

What Business to Start

An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read How to Evaluate a Business Idea.

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 a Dance Club guide or our Starting a Tatoo Parlor guide.

Remember that your new startup will be located in Hillsborough. Some businesses will do better in Hillsborough than others. Make sure you fully understand Hillsborough demographics before you lock in on your business idea.

Hillsborough, New Jersey Demographic Information

Hillsborough has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.

To give you a better feel for Hillsborough demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Hillsborough.

Business Size	# of Businesses
1-4 Employees	4548
5-9 Employees	1161
10-19 Employees	765
20-49 Employees	486
50-99 Employees	135
100-249 Employees	81
250-499 Employees	0
500-999 Employees	0
1000+ Employees	0
All Hillsborough Businesses	7176

As a new Hillsborough entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Hillsborough 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
Appliance Repair and Maintenance	1
Architectural Services	3
Art Dealers	1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores	3
Automotive Transmission Repair	1
Beauty Salons	16
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores	3
Book Publishers	1
Book Stores	2
Cable and Other Program Distribution	2
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services	1
Caterers	1
Child Day Care Services	10
Claims Adjusting	1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners	1
Commercial Lithographic Printing	2
Commercial Screen Printing	1
Computer and Software Stores	1
Computer Systems Design Services	22
Confectionery and Nut Stores	1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities	1
Convenience Stores	3
Convention and Trade Show Organizers	1
Custom Computer Programming Services	26
Dental Laboratories	2
Diagnostic Imaging Centers	1
Direct Mail Advertising	1
Discount Department Stores	1
Document Preparation Services	1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)	2
Drywall and Insulation Contractors	2
Educational Support Services	2
Electrical Contractors	10
Electronic Shopping	2
Engineering Services	9
Environmental Consulting Services	5
Exam Preparation and Tutoring	2
Facilities Support Services	1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	1
Fine Arts Schools	3
Finish Carpentry Contractors	3
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers	1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers	9
Flight Training	1
Floor Covering Stores	1
Flooring Contractors	1
Florists	1
Food (Health) Supplement Stores	1
Food Service Contractors	1
Footwear Merchant Wholesalers	1
Freight Transportation Arrangement	2
Full-Service Restaurants	20
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services	1
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers	3
Furniture Stores	1
General Automotive Repair	4
General Freight Trucking, Local	6
General Rental Centers	1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores	2
Glass and Glazing Contractors	1
Graphic Design Services	4
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores	2
Home Centers	1
Home Health Care Services	1
Industrial Launderers	1
Industrial Mold Manufacturing	2
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	8
Investigation Services	1
Janitorial Services	6
Jewelry Stores	1
Land Subdivision	1
Landscape Architectural Services	3
Landscaping Services	27
Language Schools	1
Libraries and Archives	1
Limited-Service Restaurants	7
Limousine Service	2
Locksmiths	1
Machine Shops	7
Mail-Order Houses	1
Marketing Consulting Services	3
Masonry Contractors	10
Meat Markets	1
Media Buying Agencies	1
Medical Laboratories	1
Miscellaneous Intermediation	1
Nail Salons	3
New Housing Operative Builders	2
Nursing Care Facilities	1
Office Administrative Services	5
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers	2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants	4
Offices of Chiropractors	3
Offices of Dentists	19
Offices of Lawyers	14
Offices of Optometrists	2
Offices of Podiatrists	1
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers	1
Optical Goods Stores	1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores	1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores	1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors	7
Periodical Publishers	1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores	1
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services	5
Pharmacies and Drug Stores	3
Photography Studios, Portrait	2
Political Organizations	1
Portfolio Management	3
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing	1
Prepress Services	1
Private Mail Centers	1
Professional Organizations	1
Public Relations Agencies	2
Quick Printing	2
Real Estate Credit	3
Remediation Services	1
Residential Property Managers	2
Residential Remodelers	13
School and Employee Bus Transportation	2
Securities Brokerage	3
Shoe Stores	3
Site Preparation Contractors	6
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars	6
Software Publishers	2
Sporting Goods Stores	2
Sports and Recreation Instruction	3
Tax Preparation Services	1
Taxi Service	1
Telecommunications Resellers	1
Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing	1
Temporary Help Services	2
Temporary Shelters	1
Testing Laboratories	1
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters	1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors	2
Tire Dealers	1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices	2
Truss Manufacturing	1
Vending Machine Operators	1
Veterinary Services	4
Video Tape and Disc Rental	1
Voluntary Health Organizations	1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers	9
Window Treatment Stores	2
Wired Telecommunications Carriers	1

Have You Considered Franchising?

Visit the business district of Hillsborough and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. Is it perhaps smarter to franchise a business instead of doing it from scratch.

We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to look into purchasing a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Costs of Franchise Ownership. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

You can review hundreds of franchise opportunities by browing our Franchise Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include Subway Franchises and Starbucks Franchises. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Accounting Franchises and Moving Franchises.

Note on Hillsborough Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Hillsborough.

What About Buying an Existing Hillsborough Business?

If you have some capital to play with, you may want to Buy a Business in New Jersey. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in Hillsborough.

For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: Buying a Business.

Choosing a Company Name

A big decision when starting a company is choosing a company name. Believe it or not, choosing a good company name can be a big contributor to your business success.

Pick a company name that isn't too generic. If you do a search engine search for your proposed name and a billion results come up, you may want to reconsider the name. It's much easier to come up in the search engines when your name is fairly unique.

Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Naming a Company.

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in Hillsborough, it's critical that you ensure that no other New Jersey company is using the business name you want to use.

Company Formation in Hillsborough, New Jersey

It's very important that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

The entity you form can be a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.

Incorporation is a very common way to legally create a business entity. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. Just because you are starting a business in New Jersey, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in New Jersey. As it turns out, you can incorporate in the state of your choosing. 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's a lot to know about forming a company. To learn the basics of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as LLC Advantages. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Hillsborough, New Jersey, our information on Incorporating in New Jersey may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in New Jersey.

Do You Need a Business Plan?

Having a business plan is vital to the health of your new business. Simply put, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Not having a business plan makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.

Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in New Jersey.

Raising Money for Your New Venture

Getting your Hillsborough business the capital it needs to succeed is not an easy task. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.

To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as 504 Loans.

For Hillsborough entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, you'll want to take a look at our List of New Jersey Angel Investors and our List of New Jersey Venture Capital Firms.

Letting the World Know You Exist

Whether your goal is to attract Hillsborough customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you need a great marketing plan.

There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Pricing is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Ramping Up Sales

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Hillsborough business, you need to focus on sales.

Not knowing how to sell can result in lost customers and minimal market share. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Compensating Sales People offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset

Good entrepreneurs know that they need to continually improve.

As an entrepreneur who lives in Hillsborough, New Jersey, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby New Jersey universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any networking organizations for Hillsborough entrepreneurs.

Now It's Up To You

As an entrepreneur in Hillsborough, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.

If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.

We are here to help Hillsborough businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough, New Jersey

Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Hillsborough.

• Resources for Hillsborough, New Jersey Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Hillsborough entrepreneurs.
• New Jersey Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in New Jersey.
• New Jersey Small Business Development Center - The New Jersey Small Business Development Centers (NJSBDC) network helps New Jersey small businesses expand operations, manage growth or launch new ventures. With offices in every county of the state, NJSBDC consultants help small business owners finance, market and manage their ventures.
• Hillsborough, New Jersey Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Hillsborough, New Jersey newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Hillsborough area.

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