Contemplating starting a business in Westport, Connecticut? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Westport.
What Type of Business Should You Start?
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. We recommend that you read Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
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 Children's & Infants' Clothing Retail Business guide or our Opening a Human Resource Management Business guide.
Don't forget that your new business will be in Westport. Some businesses will do better in Westport than others. Make sure you fully understand Westport demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Westport, Connecticut Demographic Information
Westport has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Westport demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Westport.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
21168 |
| 5-9 Employees |
5880 |
| 10-19 Employees |
3654 |
| 20-49 Employees |
2247 |
| 50-99 Employees |
693 |
| 100-249 Employees |
378 |
| 250-499 Employees |
63 |
| 500-999 Employees |
0 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Westport Businesses |
34083 |
As a new Westport entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Westport 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 |
|
Advertising Agencies |
13 |
| Architectural Services |
17 |
| Art Dealers |
2 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
33 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
9 |
|
Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
3 |
| Book Stores |
2 |
| Business Associations |
2 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
1 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
1 |
| Caterers |
3 |
|
Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
15 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
2 |
| Claims Adjusting |
1 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
4 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
|
Commercial Lithographic Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Photography |
3 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
19 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
2 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
1 |
|
Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
3 |
| Couriers |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
14 |
| Dental Laboratories |
1 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
6 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
5 |
|
Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Educational Support Services |
4 |
| Electrical Contractors |
10 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
3 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
7 |
| Engineering Services |
4 |
|
Environmental Consulting Services |
2 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
5 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
2 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
13 |
|
Floor Covering Stores |
8 |
| Florists |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
2 |
| Food Service Contractors |
1 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
7 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
|
Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
3 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
45 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
1 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
11 |
| General Automotive Repair |
4 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
6 |
|
Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Gold Ore Mining |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
6 |
| Graphic Design Services |
13 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
| Hat, Cap, and Millinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
|
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
4 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
1 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Industrial Design Services |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
27 |
| Interior Design Services |
8 |
| Internet Service Providers |
3 |
|
Investment Advice |
27 |
| Janitorial Services |
1 |
| Jewelry Stores |
9 |
| Land Subdivision |
2 |
| Landscaping Services |
18 |
| Language Schools |
2 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
1 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
|
Limited-Service Restaurants |
18 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
2 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
2 |
| Marinas |
2 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
40 |
| Masonry Contractors |
3 |
| Media Representatives |
2 |
|
Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
10 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
9 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
9 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Music Publishers |
1 |
|
Musical Groups and Artists |
2 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
15 |
| New Car Dealers |
7 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
3 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
10 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
1 |
|
Office Administrative Services |
6 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
9 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
5 |
| Offices of Dentists |
25 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
79 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
1 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
6 |
|
Offices of Podiatrists |
3 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
2 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
6 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
2 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
6 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
2 |
| Payroll Services |
1 |
|
Periodical Publishers |
5 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
7 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
1 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
43 |
|
Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
2 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
9 |
| Quick Printing |
2 |
| Radio Stations |
3 |
| Real Estate Credit |
9 |
| Reinsurance Carriers |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
6 |
|
Residential Remodelers |
13 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
2 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
6 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
18 |
|
Shoe Stores |
5 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
5 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
11 |
| Software Publishers |
3 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
3 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
2 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
7 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
5 |
|
Sports Teams and Clubs |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
5 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
6 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
|
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
4 |
| Tire Dealers |
1 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
6 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
12 |
| Veterinary Services |
4 |
|
Video Tape and Disc Rental |
1 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
10 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
2 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
1 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
21 |
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.
Company names need to be easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember.
Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Naming a Company.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in Westport, it's critical that you ensure that no other Connecticut company is using the business name you want to use.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
A business plan is essential to the health of your new business. Indeed, 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.
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.
Marketing Your New Venture
Whether your goal is to attract Westport customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Examples of Marketing Strategies is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.
The Art of Selling
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Westport business, you need to focus on sales.
Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.
Sales Prospecting is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
Now It's Up To You
As an entrepreneur in Westport, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
We are here to help Westport businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Westport, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Westport, Connecticut
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Westport.
- Resources for Westport, Connecticut Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Westport entrepreneurs.
- Connecticut Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Connecticut.
- Connecticut Small Business Development Center - Central Connecticut State University's Institute of Technology and Business Development (ITBD) supports Connecticut businesses and business-related organizations with training, technology assistance, conferencing services, procurement services and business incubation.
- Westport, Connecticut Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Westport, Connecticut newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Westport area.
- Westport, Connecticut Payroll Services - This list includes Westport, Connecticut payroll services, national payroll services for Westport, and helpful information on choosing a Westport payroll service.
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