Iowa Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Guthrie Center, Iowa

Thinking about starting a business in Guthrie Center, Iowa? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Guthrie Center.

Are You Ready for Entrepreneurship?

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

With so much at stake when you start a business, we strongly recommend you do the following before you proceed:

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in Guthrie Center. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
  • You should read Starting a Company. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
  • 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.

Guthrie Center, Iowa Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
185
5-9 Employees
42
10-19 Employees
30
20-49 Employees
18
50-99 Employees
6
100-249 Employees
0
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Guthrie Center Businesses
281

As a new Guthrie Center entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Guthrie Center 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
Bowling Centers
1
Business Associations
1
Child Day Care Services
1
Computer and Software Stores
1
Couriers
1
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
1
Fluid Milk Manufacturing
1
Full-Service Restaurants
1
General Automotive Repair
2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
6
Janitorial Services
1
Land Subdivision
1
Landscaping Services
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Offices of Chiropractors
1
Offices of Dentists
1
Offices of Lawyers
2
Offices of Optometrists
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
1
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Taxi Service
1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Veterinary Services
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
2
Women's Clothing Stores
1

Have You Considered Buying an Existing Guthrie Center Business?

If you have some capital to play with, you may want to Buy a Business in Iowa. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Guthrie Center.

Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.

Naming the Business

A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.

Even if the name doesn't do it by itself, many naming experts believe there should be a story behind the name that ties into your company mission.

Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Naming a Company.

There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are planning on starting a business in Guthrie Center, it's critical that you ensure that no other Iowa company is using the business name you want to use.

Make Sure You Have a Business Plan

A business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Not having 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 counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Iowa.

How to Sell

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Guthrie Center business, you need to focus on sales.

So what does it take to bring in more prospects and close more business? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Anticipating Prospect Responses is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.

Never Give Up

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

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

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

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

  • Resources for Guthrie Center, Iowa Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Guthrie Center entrepreneurs.
  • Iowa Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Iowa.
  • Iowa Small Business Development Center - The Iowa SBDC conducts research, counsels, and trains business people in management, financing, and operating small businesses. They provide comprehensive information services and access to experts in a variety of fields. This is a great resource for Iowa entrepreneurs!

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Iowa

Starting a Business in Grundy Center
Starting a Business in Guttenberg

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

 

 

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