Illinois Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Galena, Illinois

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

What Business Are You Starting?

Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. We recommend that you read Finding Your Niche in Life.

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 How to Start a GPS Navigation Business guide or our How to Start a Fax Information & Service Bureaus Business guide.

Remember that your new startup will be located in Galena. Some businesses will do better in Galena than others. Make sure you fully understand Galena demographics before you lock in on your business idea.

Galena, Illinois Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
4032
5-9 Employees
1323
10-19 Employees
777
20-49 Employees
357
50-99 Employees
147
100-249 Employees
105
250-499 Employees
63
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Galena Businesses
6804

As a new Galena entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Galena 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
Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting)
1
Ambulance Services
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
1
Architectural Services
2
Art Dealers
3
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
1
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
7
Building Inspection Services
1
Business Associations
1
Car Washes
1
Caterers
1
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Child and Youth Services
1
Civic and Social Organizations
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Commercial Screen Printing
3
Computer Systems Design Services
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
1
Credit Unions
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
1
Electrical Contractors
3
Elementary and Secondary Schools
1
Employment Placement Agencies
1
Engineering Services
5
Family Clothing Stores
2
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
1
Floor Covering Stores
1
Florists
1
Framing Contractors
1
Full-Service Restaurants
15
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
2
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
1
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Hardware Stores
1
Heating Oil Dealers
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
2
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
4
Iron Foundries
2
Landscaping Services
3
Logging
1
Machine Shops
1
Marinas
1
Marketing Consulting Services
2
Masonry Contractors
5
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Motor Vehicle Towing
1
Museums
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
2
Offices of Chiropractors
1
Offices of Dentists
4
Offices of Lawyers
5
Offices of Optometrists
2
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
2
Remediation Services
1
Residential Property Managers
1
Residential Remodelers
4
Securities Brokerage
4
Siding Contractors
1
Small Arms Manufacturing
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
5
Solid Waste Collection
1
Temporary Help Services
2
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Tour Operators
2
Travel Agencies
1
Veterinary Services
2
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
1
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
1
Wineries
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
2
Women's Clothing Stores
5

Have You Considered Franchising?

As you drive around Galena, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. Is it perhaps smarter to franchise a business instead of doing it from scratch.

Most business experts recommend that you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchising and Veterans. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.

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

Representative franchise opportunities include Tunex Automotive Specialists and Batter Up Kids Culinary Center. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Embroidery Franchises and Meal Preparation Franchises.

Note on Galena Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Galena, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.

Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan

A business plan is essential 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 is a recipe for disaster.

To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Illinois.

Bring in Revenues

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Galena 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.

Closing Sales Techniques 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.

Increase Your Entrepreneurial Knowledge

The best entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.

With your business being located in Galena, Illinois, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Illinois universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also smart to see if there are any networking organizations for Galena entrepreneurs.

Now It's Up To You

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

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

We are here to help Galena businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Galena 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 Galena, Illinois

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

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