Massachusetts Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in New Bedford, Massachusetts

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

Do You Have What It Takes?

Being an entrepreneur is difficult, and can be orders of magnitude more strenuous than working as an employee. Are you sure you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?

Because entrepreneurship is not for everyone, we recommend you do the following to help you assess whether you should move forward with starting a business:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in New Bedford. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
  • We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Have a candid conversation with friends and family. 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.

New Bedford, Massachusetts Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
6572
5-9 Employees
2680
10-19 Employees
1558
20-49 Employees
1164
50-99 Employees
366
100-249 Employees
180
250-499 Employees
60
500-999 Employees
12
1000+ Employees
6
All New Bedford Businesses
12598

As a new New Bedford entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in New Bedford 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
Abrasive Product Manufacturing
1
Advertising Agencies
1
Ambulance Services
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
2
Architectural Services
6
Art Dealers
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
4
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
12
Automotive Transmission Repair
2
Baked Goods Stores
1
Beauty Salons
13
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
21
Boat Dealers
3
Book Stores
3
Bowling Centers
3
Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills
2
Business Associations
4
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Cafeterias
1
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Caterers
3
Cemeteries and Crematories
2
Charter Bus Industry
2
Child and Youth Services
4
Child Day Care Services
32
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
1
Claims Adjusting
4
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
6
Commercial Bakeries
3
Commercial Lithographic Printing
2
Commercial Photography
1
Commercial Screen Printing
2
Computer Systems Design Services
6
Consumer Lending
1
Convenience Stores
21
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
1
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
1
Copper Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding
1
Copper Wire (except Mechanical) Drawing
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
2
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
1
Credit Card Issuing
1
Credit Unions
7
Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
1
Dental Laboratories
1
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
1
Discount Department Stores
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
43
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
12
Educational Support Services
2
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
21
Electronic Capacitor Manufacturing
1
Electronic Shopping
2
Elementary and Secondary Schools
3
Employment Placement Agencies
3
Engineering Services
13
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
2
Fabric Coating Mills
1
Family Planning Centers
1
Fine Arts Schools
1
Finfish Fishing
57
Finish Carpentry Contractors
8
Fish and Seafood Markets
4
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
17
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
15
Flooring Contractors
2
Florists
8
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
2
Food Service Contractors
5
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
1
Framing Contractors
1
Freight Transportation Arrangement
2
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
1
Full-Service Restaurants
82
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
11
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
1
Furniture Stores
6
General Automotive Repair
30
General Freight Trucking, Local
5
General Rental Centers
6
General Warehousing and Storage
3
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
7
Glass and Glazing Contractors
3
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
2
Grantmaking Foundations
2
Graphic Design Services
1
Hardware Stores
5
Hazardous Waste Collection
1
Heating Oil Dealers
6
Historical Sites
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
3
Home Centers
2
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
2
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Homes for the Elderly
1
Household Appliance Stores
4
Ice Manufacturing
1
Industrial Launderers
2
Inland Water Freight Transportation
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
46
Internet Service Providers
2
Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
1
Janitorial Services
11
Jewelry Stores
8
Kidney Dialysis Centers
1
Land Subdivision
3
Landscaping Services
12
Limousine Service
1
Linen Supply
1
Livestock Merchant Wholesalers
1
Luggage Manufacturing
1
Machine Shops
5
Marinas
1
Marine Cargo Handling
1
Masonry Contractors
7
Meat Markets
3
Meat Processed from Carcasses
2
Metal Stamping
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
5
Motor Vehicle Towing
1
Museums
4
Musical Groups and Artists
1
Nail Salons
5
Narrow Fabric Mills
2
Natural Gas Distribution
1
New Car Dealers
7
New Housing Operative Builders
4
Newspaper Publishers
2
Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
3
Nursing Care Facilities
12
Office Administrative Services
3
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
1
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
1
Offices of Chiropractors
13
Offices of Dentists
32
Offices of Lawyers
96
Offices of Optometrists
3
Offices of Podiatrists
4
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
2
One-Hour Photofinishing
1
Optical Goods Stores
1
Packaging and Labeling Services
1
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
2
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
12
Parking Lots and Garages
1
Passenger Car Leasing
1
Payroll Services
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
1
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
1
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
13
Photography Studios, Portrait
1
Political Organizations
1
Professional Organizations
2
Public Relations Agencies
1
Quick Printing
3
Radio Stations
2
Real Estate Credit
4
Real Estate Investment Trusts
1
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
3
Residential Remodelers
16
Retail Bakeries
8
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
1
Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing
2
Roofing Contractors
7
Savings Institutions
17
Scheduled Freight Air Transportation
1
School and Employee Bus Transportation
8
Seafood Canning
3
Securities Brokerage
6
Security Guards and Patrol Services
1
Septic Tank and Related Services
2
Sewage Treatment Facilities
1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
2
Ship Building and Repairing
1
Shoe Stores
2
Siding Contractors
7
Sign Manufacturing
2
Site Preparation Contractors
8
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
24
Solid Waste Collection
3
Sporting Goods Stores
6
Sports and Recreation Instruction
2
Tax Preparation Services
9
Taxi Service
4
Telecommunications Resellers
1
Temporary Help Services
6
Temporary Shelters
2
Textile Machinery Manufacturing
2
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
2
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
2
Tire Dealers
3
Tobacco Stores
2
Tour Operators
2
Travel Agencies
3
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
4
Used Merchandise Stores
4
Vending Machine Operators
1
Veterinary Services
2
Video Tape and Disc Rental
5
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
3
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
7
Women's Clothing Stores
4
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
1
Zoos and Botanical Gardens
1

Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?

As you drive around New Bedford, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?

Our recommendation is that you evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchisees Versus Licensees. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.

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

Representative franchise opportunities include Candy Bouquet and Fun Bus. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Cleaning and Maintenance Franchises and Personal Services Franchises.

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

Forming a Company in New Bedford, Massachusetts

It's very important that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

When forming a company, you will select one of 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. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in Massachusetts, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Massachusetts. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate wherever you want. 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. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as LLC Advantages. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in New Bedford, Massachusetts, our web page covering Incorporating in Massachusetts may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Massachusetts.

Marketing Your New Startup

To grow your New Bedford business, you need a great marketing plan.

There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Dealing with Angry Customers is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills

Good entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.

With your business being located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, you should get information on some of the many programs available at nearby Massachusetts universities, colleges and community colleges. Another way to keep up on your entrepreneurial education is to investigate networking organizations for New Bedford entrepreneurs.

Now It's Up To You

As an entrepreneur in New Bedford, 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 New Bedford and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in New Bedford, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in New Bedford, Massachusetts

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Massachusetts

Starting a Business in Needham
Starting a Business in Newburyport

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

 

 

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