Connecticut Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Willimantic, Connecticut

Need help starting a business in Willimantic, Connecticut? We've got the information you need to open a business in Willimantic.

Will You Be a Good Entrepreneur?

Being an entrepreneur is hard work, much more challenging than working as an employee. Are you positive you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?

Because entrepreneurship is not for everyone, we recommend you do the following to help you assess whether you should move forward with starting a business:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Willimantic. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
  • We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Have a candid conversation with friends and family. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.

What Business Are You Starting?

Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. You might get some good ideas about what kind of business to start by reading Evaluating Your Idea.

For step-by-step instructions on starting a variety of business types, visit the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our How to Start a Legal Counsel & Prosecution Business guide or our Opening a Speech & Hearing Business guide.

Always keep in mind that you are starting a business in Willimantic. Some businesses will do better in Willimantic than others. Don't forget to review Willimantic demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.

Willimantic, Connecticut Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
515
5-9 Employees
309
10-19 Employees
174
20-49 Employees
105
50-99 Employees
39
100-249 Employees
12
250-499 Employees
6
500-999 Employees
3
1000+ Employees
0
All Willimantic Businesses
1163

As a new Willimantic entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Willimantic 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
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
2
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
4
Automotive Transmission Repair
2
Beauty Salons
3
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
2
Book Stores
2
Building Inspection Services
1
Business Associations
3
Cafeterias
2
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Car Washes
1
Caterers
1
Child and Youth Services
1
Child Day Care Services
2
Civic and Social Organizations
4
Clothing Accessories Stores
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
3
Commercial Lithographic Printing
1
Community Food Services
1
Computer Facilities Management Services
1
Computer Systems Design Services
1
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
1
Convenience Stores
2
Copper Foundries (except Die-Casting)
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
1
Credit Unions
2
Dental Laboratories
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
5
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
1
Elementary and Secondary Schools
3
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Facilities Support Services
1
Family Planning Centers
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
1
Floor Covering Stores
1
Florists
1
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
1
Food Service Contractors
1
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
1
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
3
Grantmaking Foundations
2
Heating Oil Dealers
2
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
1
Home Centers
1
Home Health Care Services
2
Homes for the Elderly
1
Household Appliance Stores
1
Hydroelectric Power Generation
1
Interior Design Services
1
Janitorial Services
1
Jewelry Stores
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
15
Locksmiths
1
Medical Laboratories
1
Motorcycle Dealers
2
Nail Salons
1
New Car Dealers
4
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Office Administrative Services
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
2
Offices of Dentists
11
Offices of Optometrists
2
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
6
Quick Printing
1
Radio Stations
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
2
Retail Bakeries
2
Roofing Contractors
1
Savings Institutions
6
Shoe Stores
1
Sign Manufacturing
2
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
3
Sporting Goods Stores
2
Tax Preparation Services
2
Temporary Help Services
1
Temporary Shelters
2
Tire Dealers
1
Travel Agencies
1
Used Merchandise Stores
1
Video Tape and Disc Rental
2
Voluntary Health Organizations
1
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1
Women's Clothing Stores
2

Should You Franchise?

Browse the Yellow Pages for Willimantic and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?

We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to investigate buying a franchise. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as How to Franchise a Business. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.

You can review hundreds of franchise opportunities by browing our Franchise Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include Arabica Coffeehouse and Johnny Bruscos Pizza. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Children's Fitness Franchises and Party Supply Franchises.

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

Getting Money to Start a Business

Getting your Willimantic business the capital it needs to succeed is a difficult chore. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.

To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Getting a Small Business Loan.

For Willimantic entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, browse our List of Connecticut Angel Investors and our List of Connecticut Venture Capital Firms.

Increase Your Entrepreneurial Knowledge

The best entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.

As an entrepreneur who lives in Willimantic, Connecticut, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Connecticut universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also smart to see if there are any Willimantic networking organizations.

What's Next?

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

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

We are here to help Willimantic businesses to be successful. We have a wealth of experience in business start-ups, financing, marketing, sales and more...and we've made all of our knowledge available to you.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Willimantic, Connecticut

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Connecticut

Starting a Business in Westport
Starting a Business in Wilton

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

 

 

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Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

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