Virginia Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Bowling Green, Virginia

Need help starting a business in Bowling Green, Virginia? We've got the information you need to open a business in Bowling Green.

Are You Ready for the Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur?

Before quitting your day job, 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.

  • Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Bowling Green. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
  • 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. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.

What Business Are You Starting?

An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. We recommend that you 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 Opening an Outfitters & Guides Business guide or our Opening a Sheep & Goats Business guide.

Remember that starting a business in Bowling Green has some implications. Some businesses will do better in Bowling Green than others. Only by spending some time analyzing Bowling Green demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.

Bowling Green, Virginia Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
1110
5-9 Employees
235
10-19 Employees
180
20-49 Employees
75
50-99 Employees
15
100-249 Employees
30
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Bowling Green Businesses
1645

As a new Bowling Green entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Bowling Green 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
Beauty Salons
1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
1
Business Associations
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Convenience Stores
1
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
1
Electrical Contractors
1
Engineering Services
1
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
1
Flooring Contractors
1
Florists
1
Full-Service Restaurants
5
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
3
General Automotive Repair
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
1
Glass and Glazing Contractors
1
Hardware Stores
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
4
Janitorial Services
2
Jewelry Stores
1
Kidney Dialysis Centers
1
Landscaping Services
2
Libraries and Archives
1
Logging
1
Marketing Consulting Services
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
1
Offices of Chiropractors
1
Offices of Dentists
2
Offices of Lawyers
4
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
1
Sawmills
1
Securities Brokerage
1
Tax Preparation Services
2
Video Tape and Disc Rental
2
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
2

Is Franchising a Better Option?

As you drive around Bowling Green, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Is it perhaps smarter to franchise a business instead of doing it from scratch.

Most business experts recommend that you evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. We have many articles on franchises, such as Costs of Franchise Ownership. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.

To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include Perfect Pizza - UK and Stone Mountain / GCO Flooring Outlets. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Restaurant Franchises and Donut Shop Franchises.

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

The Role of the Business Plan

A business plan is critical in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Simply put, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Business Plan Contests. You can also get face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Virginia.

Promoting Your New Company

Whether your goal is to attract Bowling Green customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you need a solid marketing plan.

We have some great resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Advertising on Google is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Never Give Up

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

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

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

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

More Business Startup Guides for Virginia

Starting a Business in Blackstone
Starting a Business in Bristol

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

 

 

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Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

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Franchise Opportunities

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