Michigan Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Ludington, Michigan

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

Choosing the Right Company to Start

An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.

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 How to Start an Allergy & Immunology Physicians & Surgeons Firm guide or our Opening an Ornamental Bronze Work Business guide.

Don't forget that your new startup will be located in Ludington. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Ludington. Only by spending some time analyzing Ludington demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.

Ludington, Michigan Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
1003
5-9 Employees
432
10-19 Employees
216
20-49 Employees
147
50-99 Employees
18
100-249 Employees
36
250-499 Employees
9
500-999 Employees
3
1000+ Employees
0
All Ludington Businesses
1864

As a new Ludington entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Ludington 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
Aluminum Extruded Product Manufacturing
1
Ambulance Services
1
Architectural Services
2
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
7
Beauty Salons
8
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
2
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
2
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
1
Boat Dealers
2
Book Stores
1
Bowling Centers
3
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Cafeterias
1
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Car Washes
2
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Child and Youth Services
1
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
1
Civic and Social Organizations
5
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Computer and Software Stores
1
Computer Systems Design Services
1
Convenience Stores
1
Couriers
1
Credit Unions
4
Curtain and Drapery Mills
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
1
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
5
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
1
Electric Power Distribution
2
Electrical Contractors
9
Elementary and Secondary Schools
1
Engineering Services
2
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Family Planning Centers
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
3
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
2
Floor Covering Stores
3
Flooring Contractors
1
Florists
1
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
1
Food Service Contractors
1
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
1
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
2
Furniture Stores
2
General Automotive Repair
3
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Warehousing and Storage
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
9
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
3
Historical Sites
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
1
Home Centers
1
Home Health Care Services
2
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Homes for the Elderly
3
Household Appliance Stores
2
Industrial Building Construction
1
Industrial Design Services
1
Industrial Launderers
1
Inland Water Passenger Transportation
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
10
Investment Advice
1
Iron Foundries
1
Jewelry Stores
3
Kidney Dialysis Centers
1
Landscaping Services
8
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
1
Libraries and Archives
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
14
Logging
1
Mail-Order Houses
2
Masonry Contractors
1
Medical Laboratories
1
Metal Stamping
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Motor Vehicle Towing
1
Motorcycle Dealers
2
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
Nail Salons
1
Natural Gas Distribution
2
New Car Dealers
2
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Office Administrative Services
1
Offices of Chiropractors
3
Offices of Dentists
8
Offices of Lawyers
12
Offices of Optometrists
3
Offices of Other Holding Companies
2
Offices of Podiatrists
1
Packaging Machinery Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
2
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
4
Payroll Services
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
2
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
2
Photography Studios, Portrait
2
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
1
Quick Printing
1
Radio Stations
2
Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
2
Real Estate Credit
2
Residential Property Managers
2
Retail Bakeries
1
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
1
Roofing Contractors
1
Savings Institutions
1
Securities Brokerage
4
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Shoe Stores
2
Site Preparation Contractors
3
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
4
Solid Waste Collection
1
Sporting Goods Stores
6
Tax Preparation Services
2
Temporary Help Services
3
Temporary Shelters
1
Tire Dealers
1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Used Car Dealers
1
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
3
Used Merchandise Stores
4
Veterinary Services
4
Video Tape and Disc Rental
2
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
2
Women's Clothing Stores
2
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
2

Selecting a Name For Your Venture

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.

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.

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

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in Ludington, it's critical that you ensure that your company name has not already been claimed by another Michigan business.

Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan

A business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Indeed, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read The Art of the Executive Summary. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Michigan.

Where to Get Money to Start a Company

Raising money to fund your new Ludington business requires strong organization skills and perseverance. 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 Ludington entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of Michigan Angel Investors and our List of Michigan Venture Capital Firms.

Getting the Word Out About Your New Startup

Whether your goal is to attract Ludington customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you need a great marketing plan.

You can learn plenty about marketing on our site. Pros and Cons of Advertising is an article that will generate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Next Steps

As an entrepreneur in Ludington, 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 Ludington and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Ludington 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 Ludington, Michigan

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

  • Resources for Ludington, Michigan Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Ludington entrepreneurs.
  • Michigan Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Michigan.
  • Michigan Small Business Development Center - This organization supports 12 regional offices and over 30 satellite offices, each providing counseling and training to Michigan small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout the 83 counties in Michigan. Services to entrepreneurs are offered through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

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