Montana Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Harlowton, Montana

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

Do You Have What It Takes?

An entrepreneurial life is demanding, much harder than working as an employee. Are you certain you are ready to take on this challenge?

Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.

  • Reach out to other entrepreneurs in Harlowton. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
  • Peruse Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. This is one of our more popular articles for folks who want to go into business for themselves.
  • Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. A support network of family and friends can be a great sounding board for good advice before you decide for sure to go into business.

What Business Are You Starting?

There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? 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 Starting a Debt Collection Business guide or our Starting a Theme Weddings Business guide.

Don't forget that Harlowton is the place where you are starting a business. Some businesses will do better in Harlowton than others. Don't forget to review Harlowton demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.

Harlowton, Montana Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
117
5-9 Employees
30
10-19 Employees
9
20-49 Employees
0
50-99 Employees
0
100-249 Employees
3
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Harlowton Businesses
159

As a new Harlowton entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Harlowton 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
Casinos (except Casino Hotels)
1
Civic and Social Organizations
2
Coffee and Tea Manufacturing
1
Community Food Services
1
Computer Systems Design Services
1
Credit Unions
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
4
Electrical Contractors
1
Family Clothing Stores
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
1
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
1
Full-Service Restaurants
3
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Home Centers
1
Home Health Care Services
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
4
Museums
1
Newspaper Publishers
2
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
1
Residential Remodelers
1
Veterinary Services
2

The Role of the Business Plan

A business plan is essential to the health of your new business. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Business Presentations. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Montana.

Getting Money to Start a Business

Getting your Harlowton business the capital it needs to succeed will be harder than you might expect. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.

To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Getting a Small Business Loan.

For Harlowton entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of Montana Angel Investors and our List of Montana Venture Capital Firms.

Marketing Your New Venture

To rise above the crowd in Harlowton and build your business, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your beating the competition.

We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Examples of Marketing Strategies is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.

The Art of Selling

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

Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Tips on Customer Referrals offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

Now It's Up To You

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

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Harlowton and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Harlowton 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 Harlowton, Montana

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

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