Wisconsin Business Startup Guides
Opening a Business in La Crosse, Wisconsin
Contemplating starting a business in La Crosse, Wisconsin? We walk you through the process of opening a business in La Crosse.
La Crosse, Wisconsin Demographic Information
La Crosse has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for La Crosse demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in La Crosse.
Businesses
As a new La Crosse entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in La Crosse 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.
Businesses
Naming the Company
A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.
Before you decide on a company name, run it by some prospective customers and see what they think. If they don't like it, it's probably a good idea to go back to the drawing board.
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are planning on starting a business in La Crosse, it's very important that you make sure no other Wisconsin company is using the business name you want to use.
Do You Need a Business Plan?
A business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Business Plan Contests. You can also get free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Wisconsin.
Getting Money to Start a Business
Getting your La Crosse business the capital it needs to succeed requires strong organization skills and perseverance. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Getting a Small Business Loan.
For La Crosse entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of Wisconsin Angel Investors and our List of Wisconsin Venture Capital Firms.
Promoting Your New Company
To grow your La Crosse business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Billboard Advertising Best Practices is a good read to get your marketing thoughts flowing. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Increase Your Entrepreneurial Knowledge
The best entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.
As an entrepreneur who lives in La Crosse, Wisconsin, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Wisconsin universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also smart to see if there are any networking organizations for La Crosse entrepreneurs.
What's Next?
You have a dream -- starting a business in La Crosse. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
We are here to help La Crosse businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new La Crosse 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 La Crosse, Wisconsin
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in La Crosse.
- Resources for La Crosse, Wisconsin Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist La Crosse entrepreneurs.
- Wisconsin Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin Small Business Development Center - Wisconsin Small Business Development Centers offer a variety of educational services to small-businesses. The low-cost courses, seminars, and workshops cover both basic and complex topics, from marketing to management techniques to business plan development.
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