Virginia Business Startup Guides
Open a Business in Glen Allen, Virginia
Need help starting a business in Glen Allen, Virginia? We've got the information you need to open a business in Glen Allen.
Is Becoming a Business Owner Right for You?
Most startup companies do not succeed, in part because the business owner did not have the entrepreneurial skills and traits needed to succeed. So, before jumping into the world of entrepreneurship, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Glen Allen. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
- We recommend reading Why Small Businesses Fail. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.
Glen Allen, Virginia Demographic Information
Glen Allen has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Glen Allen demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Glen Allen.
Businesses
As a new Glen Allen entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Glen Allen 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
What About Franchising Opportunities?
As you drive around Glen Allen, you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?
Our recommendation is that you consider franchising as an option. On our site, you can read many articles about franchising, such as How Franchises Work. 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.
Representative franchise opportunities include Roy Rogers Franchise Company, LLC and HomePros Home Improvement Specialists. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Tanning Franchises and Marketing, Sales and Advertising Franchises.
Note on Glen Allen Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Glen Allen.
Choosing a Company Name
Making the right decision when choosing a company name is very important. There are many decisions you'll make now that you can change later, but changing a company name years down the road is not very easy. So, choose a good company name at the outset.
Company names should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.
Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Naming a Business.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are starting a business in Glen Allen, it's imperative that you check now that no other Virginia company is using the business name you want to use.
Company Formation in Glen Allen, Virginia
It's essential that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.
The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporating is a very popular way to form a business. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. Just because you are starting a business in Virginia, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Virginia. In fact, you can incorporate in the state of your choosing. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.
There's a lot to know about forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Where to Incorporate. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Glen Allen, Virginia, our information on Incorporating in Virginia may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Virginia.
Marketing Your New Business
Whether your goal is to attract Glen Allen customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your successs.
We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Introduction to Advertising discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.
Moving Forward
Most new Glen Allen businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Glen Allen and elsewhere to achieve real success. 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 Glen Allen, Virginia
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Glen Allen.
- Resources for Glen Allen, Virginia Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Glen Allen entrepreneurs.
- Virginia Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Virginia.
- Virginia Small Business Development Center - Virginia Small Business Development Centers offer professional business counseling, training and information resources to help grow and strengthen Virginia businesses.
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