Wisconsin Business Startup Guides

Opening a Business in Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Contemplating starting a business in Manitowoc, Wisconsin? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Manitowoc.

Will You Be a Good Entrepreneur?

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

Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Manitowoc. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
  • We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Have a candid conversation with friends and family. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.

Manitowoc, Wisconsin Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
1468
5-9 Employees
603
10-19 Employees
534
20-49 Employees
311
50-99 Employees
129
100-249 Employees
81
250-499 Employees
30
500-999 Employees
3
1000+ Employees
3
All Manitowoc Businesses
3162

As a new Manitowoc entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Manitowoc 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
2
Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting)
2
Amusement Arcades
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
2
Architectural Services
1
Art Dealers
1
Automobile Driving Schools
2
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
7
Barber Shops
1
Beauty Salons
14
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
1
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
4
Blood and Organ Banks
1
Boat Building
1
Bowling Centers
2
Building Inspection Services
1
Business Associations
5
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Canvas and Related Product Mills
2
Car Washes
3
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
2
Child and Youth Services
8
Child Day Care Services
6
Civic and Social Organizations
3
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Collection Agencies
1
Commercial Bakeries
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
3
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing
1
Construction Machinery Manufacturing
1
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
1
Creamery Butter Manufacturing
1
Credit Unions
8
Custom Computer Programming Services
2
Discount Department Stores
1
Document Preparation Services
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
25
Electrical Contractors
10
Elementary and Secondary Schools
6
Emergency and Other Relief Services
1
Engineering Services
4
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
1
Family Planning Centers
1
Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
1
Fine Arts Schools
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
4
Floor Covering Stores
3
Flooring Contractors
1
Florists
4
Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing
1
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
4
Food Service Contractors
4
Framing Contractors
2
Fruit and Vegetable Canning
2
Full-Service Restaurants
33
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
3
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
1
Furniture Stores
3
General Automotive Repair
11
General Freight Trucking, Local
6
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
7
Glass and Glazing Contractors
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Grantmaking Foundations
1
Graphic Design Services
1
Hardware Stores
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
1
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
1
Home Health Care Services
4
Homes for the Elderly
11
Household Appliance Stores
5
Industrial Building Construction
1
Industrial Pattern Manufacturing
2
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
23
Investment Advice
1
Iron Foundries
1
Janitorial Services
6
Jewelry Stores
3
Land Subdivision
1
Landscaping Services
14
Lime Manufacturing
1
Machine Shops
12
Mail-Order Houses
1
Malt Manufacturing
1
Marinas
1
Marketing Consulting Services
2
Masonry Contractors
4
Materials Recovery Facilities
1
Meat Processed from Carcasses
1
Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing
1
Men's Clothing Stores
2
Metal Stamping
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Motor and Generator Manufacturing
1
Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping
1
Museums
1
Musical Groups and Artists
2
Nail Salons
1
New Car Dealers
2
New Housing Operative Builders
2
Newspaper Publishers
3
Nursing Care Facilities
4
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
6
Offices of Chiropractors
5
Offices of Dentists
16
Offices of Lawyers
19
Offices of Optometrists
1
Offices of Other Holding Companies
3
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
2
One-Hour Photofinishing
1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
1
Packaging Machinery Manufacturing
1
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
3
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
6
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
1
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
7
Photography Studios, Portrait
4
Plate Work Manufacturing
1
Portfolio Management
2
Powder Metallurgy Part Manufacturing
1
Private Mail Centers
1
Professional Organizations
1
Quick Printing
1
Radio Stations
3
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
3
Real Estate Credit
3
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
1
Residential Remodelers
12
Retail Bakeries
2
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
2
Roofing Contractors
2
School and Employee Bus Transportation
2
Securities Brokerage
11
Security Guards and Patrol Services
1
Shoe Stores
3
Siding Contractors
1
Site Preparation Contractors
5
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
3
Solid Waste Collection
4
Special Needs Transportation
1
Spice and Extract Manufacturing
2
Sports and Recreation Instruction
2
Tax Preparation Services
3
Taxi Service
2
Temporary Help Services
7
Temporary Shelters
1
Textile Machinery Manufacturing
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
1
Tire Dealers
4
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
3
Tour Operators
1
Travel Agencies
2
Used Car Dealers
6
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
1
Used Merchandise Stores
5
Veterinary Services
4
Video Tape and Disc Rental
2
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
5
Voluntary Health Organizations
1
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
3
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
3
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1

Should You Franchise?

As you drive around Manitowoc, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?

Our advice is to look into purchasing a franchise. On our site, you can read many articles about franchising, such as Selling A Franchise. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include Planet Fitness and Burger King Corporation. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Children's Franchises and Kitchen Design Franchises.

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

Have You Considered Buying an Existing Manitowoc Business?

We've created a helpful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Wisconsin. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Manitowoc.

Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.

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.

Company names should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.

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 starting a business in Manitowoc, it's critical that you ensure that you will be the only Wisconsin company using the business name you have chosen.

Make Sure You Have a Business Plan

A business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Outsourcing. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Wisconsin.

Building Up Your Sales

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

So what does it take to bring in more prospects and close more business? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Selling on the Phone is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.

What's Next?

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

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Manitowoc and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Manitowoc 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 Manitowoc, Wisconsin

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

More Startup Articles for Wisconsin Cities

Starting a Business in Madison
Starting a Business in Marinette

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Wisconsin
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

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