Arizona Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Sierra Vista, Arizona

Are you starting a business in Sierra Vista, Arizona? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Sierra Vista.

Do You Have What It Takes?

Before announcing to the world that you are going to start your own business, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

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 Sierra Vista. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
  • We recommend reading Why Small Businesses Fail. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. A support network of family and friends can be a great sounding board for good advice before you decide for sure to go into business.

What Type of Business Should You Start?

There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to 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 Homes & Residential Real Estate Business guide or our How to Start an Investors Business guide.

Always keep in mind that starting a business in Sierra Vista has some implications. Some businesses will do better in Sierra Vista than others. A critical consideration is whether Sierra Vista demographics mesh well with your startup concept.

Sierra Vista, Arizona Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
1456
5-9 Employees
677
10-19 Employees
444
20-49 Employees
384
50-99 Employees
93
100-249 Employees
57
250-499 Employees
9
500-999 Employees
3
1000+ Employees
0
All Sierra Vista Businesses
3123

As a new Sierra Vista entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Sierra Vista 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
Architectural Services
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
4
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
8
Automotive Transmission Repair
1
Beauty Salons
10
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
4
Book Stores
5
Business Associations
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Cafeterias
1
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Car Washes
2
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Caterers
1
Child Day Care Services
12
Civic and Social Organizations
5
Claims Adjusting
1
Clothing Accessories Stores
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Collection Agencies
2
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Computer Facilities Management Services
1
Computer Systems Design Services
7
Computer Training
1
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing
2
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
1
Consumer Lending
2
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
1
Couriers
3
Credit Unions
2
Custom Computer Programming Services
7
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
2
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
1
Direct Mail Advertising
1
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
1
Discount Department Stores
3
Document Preparation Services
2
Drafting Services
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
8
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
2
Educational Support Services
1
Electrical Contractors
9
Elementary and Secondary Schools
7
Employment Placement Agencies
2
Engineering Services
10
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
4
Family Clothing Stores
8
Fine Arts Schools
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
10
Floor Covering Stores
3
Flooring Contractors
1
Florists
2
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
1
Framing Contractors
6
Full-Service Restaurants
38
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
2
Furniture Stores
9
General Automotive Repair
13
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
5
Grantmaking Foundations
2
Graphic Design Services
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
1
Hardware Stores
2
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
3
Home Centers
1
Home Health Care Services
2
Homes for the Elderly
3
Household Appliance Stores
3
Industrial Launderers
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
24
Interior Design Services
1
Internet Service Providers
2
Investment Advice
1
Jewelry Stores
5
Kidney Dialysis Centers
2
Land Subdivision
1
Landscaping Services
11
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
3
Limited-Service Restaurants
30
Locksmiths
1
Mail-Order Houses
1
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
4
Masonry Contractors
3
Medical Laboratories
3
Men's Clothing Stores
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Motorcycle Dealers
3
Musical Groups and Artists
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
Natural Gas Distribution
1
New Car Dealers
6
New Housing Operative Builders
2
Newspaper Publishers
3
Nursing Care Facilities
3
Office Administrative Services
4
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
3
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
6
Offices of Chiropractors
7
Offices of Dentists
22
Offices of Optometrists
5
Offices of Podiatrists
2
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
5
One-Hour Photofinishing
1
Optical Goods Stores
4
Packaging and Labeling Services
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
2
Passenger Car Rental
1
Payroll Services
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
2
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
2
Photography Studios, Portrait
3
Private Mail Centers
1
Radio Networks
2
Radio Stations
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
2
Real Estate Credit
4
Residential Property Managers
2
Residential Remodelers
9
Retail Bakeries
2
Roofing Contractors
5
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
1
Securities Brokerage
8
Security Guards and Patrol Services
2
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Shoe Stores
7
Sign Manufacturing
1
Site Preparation Contractors
3
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
3
Solid Waste Collection
1
Solid Waste Landfill
1
Sporting Goods Stores
7
Sports and Recreation Instruction
2
Taxi Service
1
Telecommunications Resellers
1
Telemarketing Bureaus
1
Telephone Answering Services
1
Testing Laboratories
1
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
4
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
3
Tour Operators
1
Travel Agencies
2
Truss Manufacturing
1
Used Car Dealers
4
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
5
Used Merchandise Stores
5
Video Tape and Disc Rental
2
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
4
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
5
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
3
Window Treatment Stores
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
2
Women's Clothing Stores
3

Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?

As you drive around Sierra Vista, you'll conclude that many business owners have opted to buy a franchise, rather than starting a business on their own. Would going with a franchise be a good idea for you?

Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Franchising My Business. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

A comprehensive list of franchisors is available via our List of Franchise Opportunities.

Sample franchise opportunities include The Lemon Tree Family Hair Salon and FASTSIGNS. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Sports Restaurant Franchises and Children Arts Programs Franchises.

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

Forming a Company in Sierra Vista, Arizona

It's essential that you form your business as a legal structure. 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. 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 Arizona, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Arizona. In fact, you can incorporate wherever you want. 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 Incorporation Advice. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Sierra Vista, Arizona, our information on Incorporating in Arizona may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Arizona.

Where to Get Money to Start a Company

Getting your Sierra Vista business the capital it needs to succeed requires strong organization skills and perseverance. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.

Take advantage of our many articles on securing funding, such as Business Line of Credit.

For Sierra Vista entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, check out our List of Arizona Angel Investors and our List of Arizona Venture Capital Firms.

The Art of Selling

Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Sierra Vista or are selling to customers throughout Arizona, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

Clever sales techniques can transform any business from good to great. The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.

Landing Big Customers is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.

Now It's Up To You

You have a dream -- starting a business in Sierra Vista. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

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

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

  • Resources for Sierra Vista, Arizona Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Sierra Vista entrepreneurs.
  • Arizona Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Arizona.
  • Arizona Small Business Development Center - Arizona�s Small Business Development Center Network is an innovative partnership between the state�s ten community college districts and the U.S. Small Business Administration. The network is the largest and most accessible source of assistance to Arizona businesses with fewer than 200 employees.

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