Contemplating starting a business in Robertsdale, Alabama? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Robertsdale.
What Type of Business Should You Start?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. We recommend that you read Good Business Ideas.
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 Ventilating Systems Cleaning Business guide or our Starting a Large Animal Veterinarians Business guide.
Remember that you are opening your new business in Robertsdale. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Robertsdale. Only by spending some time analyzing Robertsdale demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.
Robertsdale, Alabama Demographic Information
Robertsdale has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Robertsdale demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Robertsdale.
| Business Size | # of Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
374 |
| 5-9 Employees |
168 |
| 10-19 Employees |
117 |
| 20-49 Employees |
51 |
| 50-99 Employees |
27 |
| 100-249 Employees |
3 |
| 250-499 Employees |
0 |
| 500-999 Employees |
0 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Robertsdale Businesses |
740 |
As a new Robertsdale entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Robertsdale 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 |
6 |
| Beauty Salons |
1 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Business Associations |
2 |
| Child and Youth Services |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
2 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
1 |
|
Commercial Lithographic Printing |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
2 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Couriers |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
1 |
|
Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
6 |
| Engineering Services |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
2 |
| Flooring Contractors |
1 |
| Florists |
1 |
|
Framing Contractors |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
4 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
2 |
| General Automotive Repair |
7 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
1 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
|
Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
5 |
| Investment Advice |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
3 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
9 |
|
Logging |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
4 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
3 |
|
Offices of Chiropractors |
2 |
| Offices of Dentists |
3 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
1 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
3 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
3 |
|
Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
1 |
| Residential Remodelers |
2 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
5 |
| Tire Dealers |
1 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
| Tobacco Stores |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
1 |
|
Used Car Dealers |
1 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
2 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
1 |
Forming a Company in Robertsdale, Alabama
It's very important that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. The main advantage of forming your new business as a legal entity is that it separates your business liabilities from your personal liabilities.
The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporating 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 Alabama, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Alabama. In fact, you can incorporate in the state of your choosing. 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 Subchapter S Corporations. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Robertsdale, Alabama, our information on Incorporating in Alabama may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Alabama.
Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan
A business plan is vital to the health of your new business. Simply put, 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.
To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Alabama.
Raising Capital for Your Venture
Getting your Robertsdale business the capital it needs to succeed is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.
The good news is this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Bank Credit Lines.
For Robertsdale entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, check out our List of Alabama Angel Investors and our List of Alabama Venture Capital Firms.
Promoting Your New Company
To grow your Robertsdale business, you need a great marketing plan.
We have some excellent resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Marketing Basics is an article that will generate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.
Now It's Up To You
As an entrepreneur in Robertsdale, 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.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Robertsdale and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Robertsdale, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Robertsdale, Alabama
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Robertsdale.
Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Alabama
Starting a Business in Roanoke
Starting a Business in Rogersville
Browse All
Business Startup Guides for Alabama
Starting a Business
Guides for Other States