Iowa Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Jefferson, Iowa

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

Are You Ready for the Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur?

Before announcing to the world that you are going to start your own business, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Jefferson. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
  • We recommend reading Why Small Businesses Fail. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. 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.

Jefferson, Iowa Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
5760
5-9 Employees
1824
10-19 Employees
1536
20-49 Employees
528
50-99 Employees
96
100-249 Employees
144
250-499 Employees
48
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Jefferson Businesses
9936

As a new Jefferson entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Jefferson 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
Ambulance Services
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
2
Beauty Salons
1
Business Associations
3
Child Day Care Services
3
Civic and Social Organizations
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
1
Community Food Services
1
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
1
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
3
Engineering Services
3
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
1
Farm Management Services
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
2
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
1
Florists
1
Full-Service Restaurants
7
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
3
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
3
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
2
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Hardware Stores
1
Historical Sites
1
Home Centers
1
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
7
Janitorial Services
1
Jewelry Stores
1
Landscaping Services
1
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
7
Metal Stamping
1
New Car Dealers
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Office Administrative Services
1
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
1
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
2
Offices of Dentists
3
Offices of Lawyers
5
Offices of Optometrists
2
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
2
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
2
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
1
Roofing Contractors
1
Securities Brokerage
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
2
Soybean Processing
1
Sporting Goods Stores
1
Temporary Help Services
1
Tire Dealers
2
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Travel Agencies
1
Used Car Dealers
1
Veterinary Services
1
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
2
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1
Women's Clothing Stores
2

Is Franchising a Better Option?

As you drive around Jefferson, you'll conclude that many business owners have opted to buy a franchise, rather than starting a business on their own. But is franchising the right option for you?

Most business experts recommend that you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Staffing a Franchise. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include Pearle Vision and Sylvan Learning Center. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Sports Franchises and Dollar Store Franchises.

Note on Jefferson Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Jefferson.

Have You Considered Buying an Existing Jefferson Business?

An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Iowa. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Jefferson.

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

Selecting a Name For Your Company

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.

We strongly advocate that you make sure the ".com" domain name is available for your company name. Every business needs a strong Web presence these days, and having a non ".com" domain means somebody else may outrank you in the search results for your own company name.

To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Naming a Business.

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are planning on starting a business in Jefferson, it's very important that you make sure no other Iowa company is using the business name you want to use.

The Art of Selling

Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Jefferson or are selling to customers throughout Iowa, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

Clever sales techniques can transform any business from good to great. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

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

Never Give Up

You have a dream -- starting a business in Jefferson. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

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

We are here to help Jefferson businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Jefferson, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Jefferson, Iowa

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

  • Resources for Jefferson, Iowa Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Jefferson 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!

More Startup Articles for Iowa Cities

Starting a Business in Iowa Falls
Starting a Business in Jesup

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

 

 

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary