Wisconsin Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Lancaster, Wisconsin

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

Are You Sure You Want to Do This?

Before quitting your day job, take inventory of your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

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

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in Lancaster. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
  • You should read Business Failure. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
  • Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.

What Business to Start

An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. You might get some good ideas about what kind of business to start by reading 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 Opening a Coal Miners & Shippers Business guide or our How to Start an Iron & Steel Business guide.

Don't forget that your new startup will be located in Lancaster. Some businesses will do better in Lancaster than others. Study Lancaster demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.

Lancaster, Wisconsin Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
3456
5-9 Employees
1476
10-19 Employees
1008
20-49 Employees
612
50-99 Employees
216
100-249 Employees
108
250-499 Employees
36
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Lancaster Businesses
6912

As a new Lancaster entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Lancaster 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
1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
1
Book Stores
1
Business Associations
2
Cheese Manufacturing
1
Child Day Care Services
4
Clothing Accessories Stores
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
1
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
1
Credit Unions
1
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
2
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
3
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
6
Engineering Services
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
2
Flooring Contractors
1
Florists
2
Food Service Contractors
1
Framing Contractors
1
Full-Service Restaurants
4
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
General Automotive Repair
2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Hardware Stores
1
Home Centers
1
Homes for the Elderly
1
Household Appliance Stores
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
7
Janitorial Services
2
Jewelry Stores
1
Land Subdivision
1
Landscaping Services
2
Masonry Contractors
2
Natural Gas Distribution
1
New Car Dealers
4
Newspaper Publishers
2
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Offices of Chiropractors
1
Offices of Dentists
3
Optical Goods Stores
1
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
1
Radio Stations
1
Residential Remodelers
1
Roofing Contractors
1
Savings Institutions
1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Tax Preparation Services
2
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Veterinary Services
2
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
2

Have You Considered Franchising?

As you drive around Lancaster, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?

We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Protecting Your Franchise Territory. 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 Cruise Holidays and American Asphalt Sealcoating. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Healthcare Services Franchises and Auto Sales Franchises.

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

Forming a Company in Lancaster, Wisconsin

A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will separate you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

Incorporating is a very popular way to form a business. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. If you are starting a business in Wisconsin, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Wisconsin. In fact, you can incorporate in any state you would like to. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.

There are many nuances to forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Piercing the Corporate Veil. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Lancaster, Wisconsin, our web page covering Incorporating in Wisconsin may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Wisconsin.

Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset

Good entrepreneurs recognize that they need to continually improve.

With your business being located in Lancaster, Wisconsin, you should check out some of the many programs available at nearby Wisconsin universities, colleges and community colleges. You should also check if there are any Lancaster networking organizations.

Next Steps

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

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

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

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Lancaster, Wisconsin

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

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