Indiana Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Rensselaer, Indiana

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

Are You Sure You Want to Do This?

Before you get too far along in the process, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

To determine whether you have what it takes to run a business, we recommend these three steps to help you decide:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Rensselaer. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
  • We recommend reading Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.

Choosing the Right Company to Start

Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. You might get some good ideas about what kind of business to start by reading Free Business Ideas.

For step-by-step instructions on starting a variety of business types, visit the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Opening a Novelty Signs Business guide or our How to Start a Word Processing Equipment & Supplies Business guide.

Remember that you are starting a business in Rensselaer. Some businesses will do better in Rensselaer than others. Study Rensselaer demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.

Rensselaer, Indiana Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
1575
5-9 Employees
702
10-19 Employees
360
20-49 Employees
288
50-99 Employees
45
100-249 Employees
54
250-499 Employees
18
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Rensselaer Businesses
3042

As a new Rensselaer entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Rensselaer 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
Apprenticeship Training
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
2
Beauty Salons
2
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
1
Business Associations
2
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Car Washes
2
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Child and Youth Services
1
Civic and Social Organizations
4
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Computer Facilities Management Services
1
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
1
Discount Department Stores
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
2
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
1
Electric Power Distribution
1
Engineering Services
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
3
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
2
Flooring Contractors
1
Florists
1
Food Service Contractors
2
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
1
Framing Contractors
2
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Furniture Stores
3
General Automotive Repair
3
General Freight Trucking, Local
4
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
1
Grantmaking Foundations
1
Gypsum Product Manufacturing
1
Hardware Stores
1
Household Appliance Stores
2
Industrial Building Construction
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
6
Internet Service Providers
1
Jewelry Stores
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
12
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
1
Machine Shops
2
Masonry Contractors
2
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Motorcycle Dealers
1
New Housing Operative Builders
2
Newspaper Publishers
1
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
4
Offices of Chiropractors
3
Offices of Dentists
4
Offices of Lawyers
11
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
2
Passenger Car Rental
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
2
Radio Stations
1
Real Estate Credit
1
Residential Remodelers
6
Securities Brokerage
1
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
2
Sporting Goods Stores
1
Spring (Light Gauge) Manufacturing
1
Tax Preparation Services
5
Temporary Help Services
1
Tire Dealers
2
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Truck Trailer Manufacturing
1
Truss Manufacturing
1
Used Car Dealers
1
Used Merchandise Stores
1
Veterinary Services
4
Watch, Clock, and Part Manufacturing
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1
Women's Clothing Stores
1

Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?

As you drive around Rensselaer, you'll conclude that many business owners have opted to buy a franchise, rather than starting a business on their own. Would going with a franchise be a good idea for you?

Most business experts recommend that you investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Growth Trends in Franchising. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.

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

Representative franchise opportunities include Pepe's Mexican Restaurants and Apache Pizza. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Cartridge Recycling Franchises and Handyman Services Franchises.

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

Naming the 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.

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.

Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Naming a Business.

There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are opening a business in Rensselaer, it's very important that you make sure no other Indiana company is using the business name you want to use.

Make Sure You Have a Business Plan

A business plan is critical to the health of your new business. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Reasons to Write a Business Plan. You can also get free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Indiana.

How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities

The best entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.

Given that you are starting a business in Rensselaer, Indiana, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Indiana universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also beneficial to see if there are any Rensselaer networking organizations.

Next Steps

You have a dream -- starting a business in Rensselaer. 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 Rensselaer businesses to be successful. We have a wealth of experience in business start-ups, financing, marketing, sales and more...and we've made all of our knowledge available to you.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Rensselaer, Indiana

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

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