Iowa Business Startup Guides

Opening a Business in Waverly, Iowa

Contemplating starting a business in Waverly, Iowa? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Waverly.

Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?

Most new businesses don't make it, in part because the entrepreneur did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before you open a business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.

While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:

  • Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Waverly. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
  • Take a look at Starting a Company. It's a short article but it's a good reality check for those are about to jump into the world of entrepreneurship.
  • Talk it over with a close friend or partner. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.

Waverly, Iowa Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
7905
5-9 Employees
3015
10-19 Employees
1980
20-49 Employees
1215
50-99 Employees
450
100-249 Employees
360
250-499 Employees
135
500-999 Employees
45
1000+ Employees
0
All Waverly Businesses
15105

As a new Waverly entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Waverly 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
Art Dealers
1
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
4
Beauty Salons
6
Book Publishers
1
Bowling Centers
1
Business Associations
2
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Car Washes
2
Child Day Care Services
3
Civic and Social Organizations
4
Computer and Software Stores
1
Computer Systems Design Services
1
Construction Machinery Manufacturing
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Credit Unions
2
Curtain and Drapery Mills
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
1
Discount Department Stores
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
2
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
1
Electric Power Distribution
2
Electrical Contractors
5
Family Clothing Stores
1
Farm Product Warehousing and Storage
1
Floor Covering Stores
2
Florists
1
Food Service Contractors
3
Framing Contractors
1
Full-Service Restaurants
8
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Furniture Stores
2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
2
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Grantmaking Foundations
1
Graphic Design Services
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
1
Hardware Stores
1
Home Health Care Services
1
Household Appliance Stores
2
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
17
Interior Design Services
1
Janitorial Services
2
Jewelry Stores
1
Land Subdivision
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
8
Machine Shops
1
Marketing Consulting Services
1
Masonry Contractors
2
Metal Stamping
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Motor and Generator Manufacturing
1
New Car Dealers
3
New Housing Operative Builders
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Office Administrative Services
3
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
3
Offices of Chiropractors
4
Offices of Dentists
4
Offices of Optometrists
2
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
2
Periodical Publishers
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
1
Photography Studios, Portrait
4
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Real Estate Credit
1
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
1
Residential Property Managers
1
Retail Bakeries
1
Securities Brokerage
2
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Siding Contractors
1
Site Preparation Contractors
2
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
1
Support Activities for Forestry
1
Tax Preparation Services
1
Tire Dealers
1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Video Tape and Disc Rental
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
3
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
2
Women's Clothing Stores
3
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1

Have You Considered Franchising?

Visit the business district of Waverly and you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. Is it perhaps smarter to franchise a business instead of doing it from scratch.

Our recommendation is that you investigate buying a franchise. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as How to Franchise. 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 The Income Tax Place and Body Access Pilates & Pedal Center. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Retail Franchises and Frozen Yogurt Franchises.

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

Should You Buy an Existing Waverly Business?

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

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

Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan

Having a business plan is critical in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Starting a business without a business plan makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.

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 Iowa.

Raising Money for Your New Venture

Getting your Waverly business the capital it needs to succeed is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. 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 How to Raise Money.

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

Marketing Your New Startup

To grow your Waverly business, you need a excellent marketing plan.

We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Phone Book Advertising Costs discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Moving Forward

Most new Waverly businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.

If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Waverly and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Waverly 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 Waverly, Iowa

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

  • Resources for Waverly, Iowa Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Waverly entrepreneurs.
  • Iowa Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Iowa.
  • Iowa Small Business Development Center - The Iowa SBDC conducts research, counsels, and trains business people in management, financing, and operating small businesses. They provide comprehensive information services and access to experts in a variety of fields. This is a great resource for Iowa entrepreneurs!

More Business Startup Guides for Iowa

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Starting a Business in Webster City

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Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

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