Michigan Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Saint Joseph, Michigan

Need help starting a business in Saint Joseph, Michigan? We've got the information you need to open a business in Saint Joseph.

What Business Are You Starting?

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 Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.

If you still are not sure what type of business to start, peruse the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Starting a Dance Club guide or our Starting a Tatoo Parlor guide.

Remember that your new startup will be located in Saint Joseph. Some businesses will do better in Saint Joseph than others. Study Saint Joseph demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.

Saint Joseph, Michigan Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
5340
5-9 Employees
2028
10-19 Employees
1320
20-49 Employees
840
50-99 Employees
348
100-249 Employees
192
250-499 Employees
60
500-999 Employees
36
1000+ Employees
12
All Saint Joseph Businesses
10176

As a new Saint Joseph entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Saint Joseph 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
Advertising Agencies
6
Aluminum Die-Casting Foundries
1
Ambulance Services
1
Amusement Arcades
1
Architectural Services
3
Automobile Driving Schools
2
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
2
Automotive Transmission Repair
1
Baked Goods Stores
2
Beauty Salons
11
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
2
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
2
Boat Dealers
3
Book Stores
3
Bowling Centers
1
Business Associations
2
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Canvas and Related Product Mills
1
Car Washes
1
Child Day Care Services
7
Civic and Social Organizations
3
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
3
Commercial Lithographic Printing
3
Computer Systems Design Services
3
Confectionery and Nut Stores
1
Consumer Lending
2
Convenience Stores
3
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
1
Couriers
1
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
2
Credit Unions
2
Custom Computer Programming Services
3
Dental Laboratories
2
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
3
Electrical Contractors
9
Electronic Auctions
1
Electronic Shopping
2
Elementary and Secondary Schools
3
Employment Placement Agencies
2
Environmental Consulting Services
2
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
1
Fine Arts Schools
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
5
Floor Covering Stores
4
Flooring Contractors
1
Food Service Contractors
2
Freight Transportation Arrangement
2
Full-Service Restaurants
22
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
1
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
1
General Warehousing and Storage
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
4
Grantmaking Foundations
3
Graphic Design Services
1
Hardware Manufacturing
1
Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
2
Home Health Care Services
5
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Household Appliance Stores
2
Industrial Mold Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
24
Investigation Services
2
Investment Advice
3
Janitorial Services
3
Jewelry Stores
2
Land Subdivision
2
Landscaping Services
2
Limited-Service Restaurants
19
Mail-Order Houses
2
Masonry Contractors
1
Medical Laboratories
2
Metal Stamping
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
3
Museums
4
New Housing Operative Builders
2
Newspaper Publishers
2
Nonresidential Property Managers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Office Administrative Services
3
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
1
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
2
Offices of Chiropractors
10
Offices of Dentists
21
Offices of Lawyers
43
Offices of Optometrists
8
Offices of Podiatrists
2
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
2
Optical Goods Stores
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
2
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
4
Payroll Services
1
Periodical Publishers
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
2
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
5
Political Organizations
2
Portfolio Management
3
Prepress Services
1
Professional Employer Organizations
2
Professional Organizations
1
Quick Printing
2
Real Estate Credit
5
Residential Property Managers
3
Residential Remodelers
10
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
1
Sales Financing
1
Savings Institutions
3
Sawmills
1
Securities Brokerage
11
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Siding Contractors
1
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
10
Software Publishers
1
Sound Recording Studios
1
Sporting Goods Stores
4
Tax Preparation Services
1
Temporary Help Services
9
Tire Dealers
1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Travel Agencies
3
Used Car Dealers
1
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
2
Vending Machine Operators
1
Veterinary Services
2
Video Tape and Disc Rental
3
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
5
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1
Women's Clothing Stores
3

Naming the Business

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.

Company names should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.

Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Branding Advice.

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are planning on starting a business in Saint Joseph, it's critical that you ensure that you will be the only Michigan company using the business name you have chosen.

Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan

A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

To learn more about business plans, read Find Sample Business Plans Online. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Michigan.

Marketing Your New Company

To rise above the crowd in Saint Joseph and build your business, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your succeeding.

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

How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities

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

As an entrepreneur who lives in Saint Joseph, Michigan, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Michigan universities, colleges and community colleges. We also suggest you look into networking organizations for Saint Joseph entrepreneurs.

Moving Forward

As an entrepreneur in Saint Joseph, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.

If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.

We are here to help Saint Joseph businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Saint Joseph 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 Saint Joseph, Michigan

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

  • Resources for Saint Joseph, Michigan Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Saint Joseph 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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