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  Thomaston, Connecticut Resources for Entrepreneurs  
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Starting a Business in Thomaston, Connecticut

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

Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?

Running your own business is demanding, and can be orders of magnitude more strenuous than working as an employee. Are you sure you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?

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 Thomaston. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
  • 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. 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. To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Free 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 Starting a Dance Club guide or our Starting a Tatoo Parlor guide.

Always keep in mind that starting a business in Thomaston has some implications. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Thomaston. A critical consideration is whether Thomaston demographics mesh well with your startup concept.

Thomaston, Connecticut Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees 1336
5-9 Employees 504
10-19 Employees 372
20-49 Employees 276
50-99 Employees 72
100-249 Employees 48
250-499 Employees 12
500-999 Employees 0
1000+ Employees 0
All Thomaston Businesses 2620

As a new Thomaston entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Thomaston 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 1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores 2
Beauty Salons 5
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores 2
Bowling Centers 1
Building Inspection Services 1
Car Washes 1
Child Day Care Services 2
Civic and Social Organizations 2
Commercial Lithographic Printing 2
Commercial Screen Printing 1
Computer Facilities Management Services 1
Computer Systems Design Services 2
Copper Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding 1
Curtain and Drapery Mills 1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 2
Drywall and Insulation Contractors 1
Electrical Contractors 4
Finish Carpentry Contractors 1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers 1
Florists 1
Freight Transportation Arrangement 1
Full-Service Restaurants 6
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services 1
General Automotive Repair 3
General Freight Trucking, Local 2
Graphic Design Services 2
Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing 1
Hardware Manufacturing 1
Hazardous Waste Collection 1
Home Health Care Services 1
Industrial Design Services 1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages 1
Jewelry Stores 2
Landscaping Services 6
Limited-Service Restaurants 2
Machine Shops 4
Mail-Order Houses 1
Masonry Contractors 1
Metal Stamping 5
Motor and Generator Manufacturing 1
Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping 1
Motorcycle Dealers 2
New Car Dealers 1
Nonresidential Property Managers 1
Offices of Dentists 2
Offices of Lawyers 3
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores 2
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors 1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores 2
Photography Studios, Portrait 1
Power-Driven Handtool Manufacturing 1
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing 5
Quick Printing 1
Residential Remodelers 3
Savings Institutions 2
Securities Brokerage 1
Septic Tank and Related Services 1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing 1
Shoe Stores 1
Siding Contractors 2
Site Preparation Contractors 3
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars 4
Tax Preparation Services 1
Used Car Dealers 2
Vending Machine Operators 1

Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?

As you drive around Thomaston, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. Evidently, there must be some significant advantages to purchasing a franchise.

Our recommendation is that you look into purchasing a franchise. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including Franchise Versus Business Opportunity. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise 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 Thomaston Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Thomaston.

Have You Considered Buying an Existing Thomaston Business?

If you have some capital to play with, you may want to Buy a Business in Connecticut. Follow that link and you can assess several good businesses for sale in Thomaston.

Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.

Naming the Company

Making the right decision when choosing a company name is very important. There are many decisions you'll make now that you can change later, but changing a company name years down the road is not very easy. So, choose a good company name at the outset.

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.

Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Branding Advice.

On a final note, given that you are starting a business in Thomaston, it's critical that you ensure that no other Connecticut company is using the business name you want to use.

Forming a Company in Thomaston, Connecticut

It's very important that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Without a legal structure for the business, you can be held personally liable for the actions, debts and obligations of your company.

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 Connecticut, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Connecticut. 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. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Registered Agents. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Thomaston, Connecticut, our information on Incorporating in Connecticut may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Connecticut.

Do You Need a Business Plan?

A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. In effect, 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.

Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Connecticut.

Where to Get Money to Start a Company

Getting your Thomaston business the capital it needs to succeed requires strong organization skills and perseverance. 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 money, such as Business Incubators.

For Thomaston entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, we have assembled a List of Connecticut Angel Investors and our List of Connecticut Venture Capital Firms.

Promoting Your New Company

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

There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Local Search is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Building Up Your Sales

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Thomaston business, you need to focus on sales.

Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.

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

Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset

Good business owners recognize that they need to continually improve.

Given that you are starting a business in Thomaston, Connecticut, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Connecticut universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any Thomaston networking organizations.

Moving Forward

As an entrepreneur in Thomaston, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Thomaston and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Thomaston 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 Thomaston, Connecticut

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

More Startup Articles for Connecticut Cities
Starting a Business in Storrs Mansfield
Starting a Business in Torrington

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

 

 

Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Starting a Business - Business Ideas - Naming and Branding - City Guides

Buying a Business - Writing a Business Plan - Raising Money - Incorporate

Small Business Marketing - Customer Service Tips - Entrepreneurial Selling

Startup Leadership - Strategy - Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurs

Articles on Exporting - Human Resources for Entrepreneurs - Workers Comp

Legal Information for Entrepreneurs - Sarbanes-Oxley - Accounting - SBDC

Business Credit Cards - Nonprofit Entrepreneurs - Mission Statements

Tax Tips and Resources for Entrepreneurs - Operating Your Startup Business

Real Estate Decisions for Entrepreneurs - Franchising - Selling a Business

Starting a Home Business - Small Business Technology - Business Travel

Business Finance - Advice for Retailers - Entrepreneurship for Scientists

Administrative Professionals / Office Managers - Family Business Advice

Good Businesses to Start - Start an Energy Business - Start a Hedge Fund

Payroll Service Information - Productivity Tips - Bad Economy Advice

Small Business Websites - Search Engine Optimization - Online Reputation

Search Engine Marketing - Social Marketing Optimization - Business Forms

Business in the Jungle - Business in Fiction - Negotiating - Radio Ad Costs

Newspaper Advertising Rates - City-Specific Resources for Entrepreneurs

Small Business Insurance - Global Entrepreneurship - China & Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur Features - Acquisition Speculation - Business Book Reviews

Small Business Loans - Studying Entrepreneurship - Social Entrepreneurship

Veteran Entrepreneurs - Useful Web Sites for Entrepreneurs - Dell Deals

Entrepreneurial Resources by State - Resources for Young Entrepreneurs

African American Entrepreneurs - Resources for Hispanic Entrepreneurs

Resources for Asian Entrepreneurs - Resources for Women Entrepreneurs

Resources for Gay Entrepreneurs - Businesses for Sale - Office Supplies

Economics - Lists of Small Business Incubators - Lists of Angel Investors

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms - Franchise Opportunities

Recommended Products and Services for Entrepreneurs - Contributors

Get FREE Price Quotes from Multiple Vendors - Business Glossary