Kansas Business Startup Guides
Starting a Business in Derby, Kansas
Thinking about starting a business in Derby, Kansas? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Derby.
Derby, Kansas Demographic Information
Derby has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Derby demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Derby.
Businesses
As a new Derby entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Derby 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.
Businesses
Naming the Business
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.
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.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are planning on starting a business in Derby, it's critical that you ensure that no other Kansas company is using the business name you want to use.
Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan
A business plan is vital 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.
If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Kansas.
Where to Get Money to Start a Company
Getting your Derby business the capital it needs to succeed requires strong organization skills and perseverance. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Only Idiots Send Venture Capitalists Business Plans.
For Derby entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, check out our List of Kansas Angel Investors and our List of Kansas Venture Capital Firms.
The Art of Selling
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Derby business, you need to focus on sales.
The key to selling is to set sales goals goals and monitor your progress towards those goals. Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.
Selling Products on eBay is worth reading, as it may give you some good ideas on how to sell your products or services. We have many more good articles on selling that you may enjoy reading.
Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills
The best business owners recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
Given that you are starting a business in Derby, Kansas, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Kansas universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any networking organizations for Derby entrepreneurs.
Next Steps
As an entrepreneur in Derby, 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.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Derby and throughout the United States . 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 Derby, Kansas
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Derby.
- Resources for Derby, Kansas Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Derby entrepreneurs.
- Kansas Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Kansas.
- Kansas Small Business Development Center - The KSBDC Network provides Kansas entrepreneurs and small business owners with knowledge, tools and resources to enhance their success. Contact them and they will help you identify your business needs and guide you toward opportunities and solutions.
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