Thinking about starting a business in Sherman, Connecticut? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Sherman.
Are You Ready for the Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur?
Most new companies fail, in part because the business owner did not have the perseverance and abilities that are necessary to succeed. So, before you start your business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Sherman. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
- Take a look at The Entrepreneurial Personality. It's a short article but it's a good reality check for those are about to jump into the world of entrepreneurship.
- Reach out to a trusted acquaintance. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.
Choosing the Right Company to Start
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? We recommend that you read Evaluating Your Idea.
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 Dance Club guide or our Starting a Tatoo Parlor guide.
Always keep in mind that you are starting a business in Sherman. Some businesses will do better in Sherman than others. Study Sherman demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.
Sherman, Connecticut Demographic Information
Sherman has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Sherman demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Sherman.
| Business Size | # of Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
665 |
| 5-9 Employees |
195 |
| 10-19 Employees |
75 |
| 20-49 Employees |
60 |
| 50-99 Employees |
0 |
| 100-249 Employees |
0 |
| 250-499 Employees |
0 |
| 500-999 Employees |
0 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Sherman Businesses |
995 |
As a new Sherman entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Sherman 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 |
|
Beauty Salons |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
2 |
| Caterers |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
1 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
1 |
|
Finish Carpentry Contractors |
2 |
| Flooring Contractors |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
3 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
|
Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
3 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Residential Remodelers |
4 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
4 |
| Software Publishers |
1 |
|
Veterinary Services |
2 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
1 |
Is Franchising a Better Option?
As you drive around Sherman, it becomes clear that purchasing a franchise is a common way to get started as an entrepreneur. Evidently, there must be some significant advantages to purchasing a franchise.
Most business experts recommend that you investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchising Mistakes. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Subway Franchises and Starbucks Franchises. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Accounting Franchises and Moving Franchises.
Note on Sherman Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Sherman.
Should You Buy an Existing Sherman Business?
If you have some capital to play with, you may want to Buy a Business in Connecticut. Follow that link and you can review several good businesses for sale in Sherman.
If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.
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.
We strongly advocate that you make sure the ".com" domain name is available for your company name. Every business needs a strong Web presence these days, and having a non ".com" domain means somebody else may outrank you in the search results for your own company name.
Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Branding Advice.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are planning on starting a business in Sherman, it's imperative that you check now that no other Connecticut company is using the business name you want to use.
Forming a Company in Sherman, Connecticut
It's very important that you are forming a legal entity that operates independently from you. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
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. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in Connecticut, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Connecticut. As it turns out, you are allowed to incorporate in any state you would like to. 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. To learn the basics of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Where to Incorporate. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Sherman, Connecticut, our information on Incorporating in Connecticut may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Connecticut.
The Role of the Business Plan
A business plan is essential to the health of your new business. In effect, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Business Plan Contests. A great resource for business planning assistance is the face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Connecticut.
Startup Financing Basics
Getting your Sherman business the capital it needs to succeed is not an easy task. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.
Take advantage of our many articles on raising capital, such as SBIR Funding.
For Sherman entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, we have assembled a List of Connecticut Angel Investors and our List of Connecticut Venture Capital Firms.
Marketing Your New Company
Whether your goal is to attract Sherman customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your succeeding.
We have some great resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. How to Be an Effective Networker discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Bring in Revenues
Mastering the art of selling is priority one if you want your new Sherman business to do well.
The key to selling is to set sales goals goals and monitor your progress towards those goals. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Tips on Customer Referrals is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities
Successful entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
As an entrepreneur who lives in Sherman, Connecticut, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Connecticut universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also wise to see if there are any networking groups or organizations in which Sherman entrepreneurs get together to network and trade their business experiences.
Never Give Up
Most new Sherman businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Sherman businesses to be successful. 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 Sherman, Connecticut
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Sherman.
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