Thinking about starting a business in Janesville, Wisconsin? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Janesville.
Which Business to Choose?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Good Business Ideas.
If you still are not sure what type of business to start, peruse the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Starting a Bean Elevators Business guide or our How to Start a Coated Fabrics Retail Business guide.
Don't forget that your new startup will be located in Janesville. If Janesville already has plenty of the kind of business you want to start, you might want to change your plans. A critical consideration is whether Janesville demographics mesh well with your startup concept.
Janesville, Wisconsin Demographic Information
Janesville has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Janesville demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Janesville.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
7728 |
| 5-9 Employees |
3474 |
| 10-19 Employees |
2553 |
| 20-49 Employees |
1800 |
| 50-99 Employees |
594 |
| 100-249 Employees |
432 |
| 250-499 Employees |
117 |
| 500-999 Employees |
45 |
| 1000+ Employees |
18 |
| All Janesville Businesses |
16761 |
As a new Janesville entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Janesville 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 |
| Aircraft Manufacturing |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
2 |
| Art Dealers |
3 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
2 |
| Automobile Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
2 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
9 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
3 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
3 |
| Beauty Salons |
29 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
6 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
6 |
| Bowling Centers |
3 |
| Breweries |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
2 |
| Business Associations |
4 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
2 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
1 |
| Car Washes |
4 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Caterers |
2 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
23 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
13 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
3 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
3 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
6 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
2 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
1 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
4 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
1 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Couriers |
3 |
| Credit Unions |
9 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
2 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
3 |
| Dental Laboratories |
3 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
1 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
3 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
5 |
| Display Advertising |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
36 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
5 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
5 |
| Electrical Contractors |
19 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
8 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
6 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
1 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
6 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing |
2 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
9 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
8 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
9 |
| Flooring Contractors |
5 |
| Florists |
5 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
2 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
5 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
4 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
55 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
12 |
| General Automotive Repair |
21 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
9 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
5 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
9 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
2 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
6 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
5 |
| Graphic Design Services |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
7 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Health Care Services |
5 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
11 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
5 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
2 |
| Institutional Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
34 |
| Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
2 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
2 |
| Iron and Steel Mills |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
21 |
| Jewelry Stores |
8 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
2 |
| Land Subdivision |
5 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
18 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
2 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
53 |
| Limousine Service |
2 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
9 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
2 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
2 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
5 |
| Masonry Contractors |
7 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
1 |
| Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
1 |
| Mobile Food Services |
2 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
6 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
2 |
| Motor Home Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
4 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Nail Salons |
2 |
| Natural Gas Liquid Extraction |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
11 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
7 |
| News Syndicates |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonwoven Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
1 |
| Office Administrative Services |
6 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
3 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
8 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
14 |
| Offices of Dentists |
22 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
31 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
4 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
5 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
8 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
3 |
| Outerwear Knitting Mills |
1 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
3 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
8 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
5 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
12 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
8 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
3 |
| Plastics Bag Manufacturing |
1 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
1 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
3 |
| Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
3 |
| Quick Printing |
4 |
| Radio Stations |
2 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
5 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
4 |
| Residential Remodelers |
11 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
3 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| Securities Brokerage |
10 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
3 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
8 |
| Siding Contractors |
4 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
4 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
11 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
13 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Software Publishers |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
2 |
| Spice and Extract Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
6 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Surface Active Agent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
7 |
| Temporary Help Services |
15 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
6 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
3 |
| Tobacco Stores |
3 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
4 |
| Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing |
1 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
7 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
4 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
3 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
6 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
5 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Weft Knit Fabric Mills |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
6 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
6 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Wood Preservation |
1 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
2 |
Picking a Business 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.
Company names need to be easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember.
Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Branding Advice.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in Janesville, it's critical that you ensure that no Wisconsin company has already registered the company name you have selected.
Forming a Company in Janesville, Wisconsin
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.
When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporation is a very popular way to form a business. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. If you are starting a business in Wisconsin, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Wisconsin. 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. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Corporate Formalities. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Janesville, Wisconsin, our web page covering Incorporating in Wisconsin may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Wisconsin.
Do You Need a Business Plan?
Writing a business plan is vital to the health of your new business. Indeed, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Failure to write a business plan will greatly reduce your chances of business success.
To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Software. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Wisconsin.
Getting the Word Out About Your New Company
Whether your goal is to attract Janesville 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. Working with an Advertising Agency is an article that will generate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Increase Your Entrepreneurial Knowledge
Good entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.
Given that you are starting a business in Janesville, Wisconsin, you should get information on some of the many programs available at nearby Wisconsin universities, colleges and community colleges. Another way to keep up on your learning is to investigate networking groups or organizations in which Janesville entrepreneurs get together to network and trade their business experiences.
What's Next?
As an entrepreneur in Janesville, 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 Janesville and elsewhere to achieve real success. We have a wealth of experience in business start-ups, financing, marketing, sales and more...and we've made all of our knowledge available to you.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Janesville, Wisconsin
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