Start a Business in Shreveport, Louisiana

Thinking about starting a business in Shreveport, Louisiana? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Shreveport.

Shreveport, Louisiana Demographic Information

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

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

As a new Shreveport entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Shreveport 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.

Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?

Browse the Yellow Pages for Shreveport and you'll conclude that many business owners have opted to buy a franchise, rather than starting a business on their own. But is franchising the right option for you?

We highly recommend you evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including Benefits of Owning A Franchise. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.

You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include Residence Inn by Marriott and Arby's, LLC. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Senior Care Franchises and Child Entertainment Franchises.

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

Should You Buy an Existing Shreveport Business?

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

If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Buying a Business.

Forming a Company in Shreveport, Louisiana

It's very important that you are forming a legal entity that operates independently from you. Without a legal structure for the business, you can be held personally liable for the actions, debts and obligations of your company.

When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as 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 Louisiana, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Louisiana. 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. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Why Incorporate in Delaware. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Shreveport, Louisiana, our web page covering Incorporating in Louisiana may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Louisiana.

Make Sure You Have a Business Plan

Writing a business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Starting a business without a business plan will greatly reduce your chances of business success.

If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Expert Advice on Business Plans. You can also get free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Louisiana.

Marketing Your New Venture

Whether your goal is to attract Shreveport customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you need a solid marketing plan.

You can learn quite a bit about marketing on our site. Getting Publicity is a good read to get your marketing creativity flowing. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities

Good entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.

Given that you are starting a business in Shreveport, Louisiana, you should check out some of the many programs available at nearby Louisiana universities, colleges and community colleges. You should also check if there are any Shreveport networking organizations.

What's Next?

You have a dream -- starting a business in Shreveport. 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 Shreveport businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Shreveport 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 Shreveport, Louisiana

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

• Resources for Shreveport, Louisiana Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Shreveport entrepreneurs.
• Louisiana Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Louisiana.
• Louisiana Small Business Development Center - The Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC Network) provides low- or no-cost guidance and training for small business owners and potential owners.
• Shreveport, Louisiana Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Shreveport, Louisiana newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Shreveport area.
• Shreveport, Louisiana Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Shreveport, Louisiana area radio stations.