Missouri Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Marshall, Missouri

Need help starting a business in Marshall, Missouri? We've got the information you need to open a business in Marshall.

Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?

Most new businesses don't make it, in part because the business owner did not have the perseverance and abilities that are necessary to succeed. So, before you open a business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.

With so much at stake when you start a business, we strongly recommend you do the following before you proceed:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Marshall. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
  • We recommend reading Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. 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

An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. We recommend that you read Evaluating Your 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 Opening a Distilled Water Retail Business guide or our Opening a Prefabricated Chimneys Business guide.

Remember that you are opening your new business in Marshall. Some businesses will do better in Marshall than others. A critical consideration is whether Marshall demographics mesh well with your startup concept.

Marshall, Missouri Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
8206
5-9 Employees
2541
10-19 Employees
1980
20-49 Employees
1155
50-99 Employees
264
100-249 Employees
165
250-499 Employees
66
500-999 Employees
66
1000+ Employees
0
All Marshall Businesses
14443

As a new Marshall entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Marshall 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
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
4
Baked Goods Stores
1
Beauty Salons
5
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
2
Book Stores
2
Bowling Centers
1
Business Associations
1
Car Washes
1
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Child Day Care Services
4
Civic and Social Organizations
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
2
Community Food Services
1
Computer and Software Stores
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Convenience Stores
1
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
1
Discount Department Stores
1
Doll and Stuffed Toy Manufacturing
1
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
4
Family Clothing Stores
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
5
Floor Covering Stores
1
Florists
2
Food Service Contractors
1
Full-Service Restaurants
14
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
2
Furniture Stores
2
General Automotive Repair
7
General Freight Trucking, Local
1
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
1
Glove and Mitten Manufacturing
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Graphic Design Services
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
1
Home Health Care Services
1
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Homes for the Elderly
6
Industrial Launderers
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
14
Jewelry Stores
1
Kidney Dialysis Centers
1
Landscaping Services
9
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
2
Limited-Service Restaurants
12
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
1
Machine Shops
2
Meat Processed from Carcasses
1
Men's Clothing Stores
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Museums
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
New Car Dealers
3
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
5
Offices of Chiropractors
4
Offices of Dentists
4
Offices of Optometrists
2
One-Hour Photofinishing
1
Optical Goods Stores
2
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
1
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
2
Radio Stations
2
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Real Estate Credit
2
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
1
Residential Property Managers
2
Residential Remodelers
1
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
1
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
1
Sporting Goods Stores
1
Temporary Shelters
1
Testing Laboratories
1
Tire Dealers
2
Used Car Dealers
4
Used Merchandise Stores
4
Veterinary Services
5
Video Tape and Disc Rental
3
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
2
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1
Women's Clothing Stores
1

Is Franchising a Better Option?

As you drive around Marshall, you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?

Our recommendation is that you consider franchising as an option. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Franchisees Versus Licensees. 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.

Representative franchise opportunities include Contem 1g Franchising Ltda and Hilton Garden Inn. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Restaurant Franchises and Donut Shop Franchises.

Note on Marshall Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Marshall, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.

Picking 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.

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.

To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Naming a Company.

There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are planning on starting a business in Marshall, it's imperative that you check now that no other Missouri company is using the business name you want to use.

The Art of Selling

Mastering the art of selling is a must if you want your new Marshall business to do well.

Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Hiring Good Sales People is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.

Moving Forward

Most new Marshall businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

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

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Missouri

Starting a Business in Marble Hill
Starting a Business in Marshfield

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

 

 

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Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

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Franchise Opportunities

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