Ohio Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Saint Marys, Ohio

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

Are You Ready for Life as an Owner?

Most new businesses don't make it, in part because the founder did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before you start your business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.

While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Saint Marys. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
  • 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. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.

What Business to Start

Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at 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 Starting a Dance Club guide or our Starting a Tatoo Parlor guide.

Remember that Saint Marys is the place where you are starting a business. Some businesses will do better in Saint Marys than others. A critical consideration is whether Saint Marys demographics mesh well with your startup concept.

Saint Marys, Ohio Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
1950
5-9 Employees
1155
10-19 Employees
840
20-49 Employees
330
50-99 Employees
195
100-249 Employees
75
250-499 Employees
15
500-999 Employees
45
1000+ Employees
0
All Saint Marys Businesses
4605

As a new Saint Marys entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Saint Marys 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
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
2
Automotive Transmission Repair
1
Beauty Salons
3
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
1
Boat Dealers
1
Bowling Centers
1
Car Washes
1
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Child and Youth Services
1
Child Day Care Services
2
Civic and Social Organizations
3
Clothing Accessories Stores
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Commercial Photography
1
Computer Systems Design Services
1
Consumer Lending
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
1
Credit Unions
1
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
1
Discount Department Stores
1
Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
3
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
1
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
1
Elementary and Secondary Schools
2
Family Clothing Stores
2
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
2
Floor Covering Stores
1
Flooring Contractors
1
Florists
2
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
3
Fruit and Vegetable Canning
1
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
2
Furniture Stores
2
General Automotive Repair
4
General Freight Trucking, Local
2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
2
Hardware Stores
2
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
2
Household Appliance Stores
2
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
6
Iron Foundries
1
Jewelry Stores
2
Land Subdivision
1
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
3
Limited-Service Restaurants
12
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
1
Machine Shops
4
Men's Clothing Stores
1
Metal Stamping
1
Mobile Food Services
1
Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping
2
New Car Dealers
3
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nonferrous Forging
1
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
3
Offices of Chiropractors
3
Offices of Lawyers
5
Offices of Optometrists
3
Offices of Podiatrists
1
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
1
Optical Goods Stores
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
2
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
2
Photography Studios, Portrait
2
Professional Employer Organizations
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Residential Remodelers
1
Schiffli Machine Embroidery
1
Securities Brokerage
2
Shoe Stores
2
Sign Manufacturing
1
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
3
Solid Waste Collection
1
Tax Preparation Services
2
Temporary Help Services
4
Tire Dealers
1
Used Car Dealers
3
Used Merchandise Stores
1
Vending Machine Operators
2
Video Tape and Disc Rental
2
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
2
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1
Women's Clothing Stores
3

Company Formation in Saint Marys, Ohio

A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.

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.

Incorporation is a very common way to legally create a business entity. 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. Just because you are starting a business in Ohio, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Ohio. 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's a lot to know about forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Incorporation Advice. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Saint Marys, Ohio, our web page covering Incorporating in Ohio may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Ohio.

The Role of the Business Plan

Creating a business plan is essential in laying a solid foundation for your business success. In effect, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Starting a business without a business plan

If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Expert Advice on Business Plans. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Ohio.

How to Sell

Mastering the art of selling is essential if you want your new Saint Marys business to do well.

Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Selling on the Phone is worth reading, as it may give you some good ideas on how to sell your products or services. We have many more good articles on selling that you may enjoy reading.

Never Give Up

Most new Saint Marys businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Saint Marys and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Saint Marys, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Saint Marys, Ohio

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

  • Resources for Saint Marys, Ohio Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Saint Marys entrepreneurs.
  • Ohio Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Ohio.
  • Ohio Small Business Development Center - Whether you're starting your business, expanding your business, or just looking to stay in business, the Small Business Development Centers of Ohio (SBDCs of Ohio) can help with professional guidance by connecting you with research, financing sources, and training opportunities.

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Ohio

Starting a Business in Richwood
Starting a Business in Salem

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

 

 

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