Iowa Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Solon, Iowa

Are you starting a business in Solon, Iowa? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Solon.

Are You Sure You Want to Do This?

Before quitting your day job, consider your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

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

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in Solon. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
  • You should read Business Failure. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
  • Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. 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

An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read 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 Opening a Salvage Yard guide or our How to Start an Irrigation, Fertilizing, & Spraying Equipment Business guide.

Don't forget that Solon is the place where you are starting a business. Some businesses will do better in Solon than others. A critical consideration is whether Solon demographics mesh well with your startup concept.

Solon, Iowa Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
352
5-9 Employees
150
10-19 Employees
120
20-49 Employees
18
50-99 Employees
6
100-249 Employees
0
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Solon Businesses
646

As a new Solon entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Solon 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
Car Washes
1
Caterers
2
Child Day Care Services
2
Civic and Social Organizations
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
1
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
2
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
2
Framing Contractors
2
Full-Service Restaurants
2
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
General Automotive Repair
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
2
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
1
Janitorial Services
1
Landscaping Services
2
Limited-Service Restaurants
2
Livestock Merchant Wholesalers
2
Machine Shops
1
Masonry Contractors
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Offices of Dentists
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
3
Residential Remodelers
1
Security Guards and Patrol Services
1
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Siding Contractors
2
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
1
Veterinary Services
3
Video Tape and Disc Rental
1

Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?

As you drive around Solon, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?

Most business experts recommend that you evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including Multi-Unit Franchising. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

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

Sample franchise opportunities include Blue Collar Financial Group and Hot Harry's Fresh Burritos. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Specialty Foods Franchises and Family Restaurant Franchises.

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

Naming the Company

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.

For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Company.

On a final note, given that you are opening a business in Solon, it's very important that you make sure no other Iowa company is using the business name you want to use.

Where to Get Money to Start a Company

Getting your Solon business the capital it needs to succeed is not an easy task. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.

On the bright side, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Getting a Small Business Loan.

For Solon entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, check out our List of Iowa Angel Investors and our List of Iowa Venture Capital Firms.

Building Up Your Sales

Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Solon or are selling to customers throughout Iowa, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Hiring Good Sales People offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

Next Steps

You have a dream -- starting a business in Solon. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

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

We are here to help Solon businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Solon, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Solon, Iowa

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

  • Resources for Solon, Iowa Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Solon entrepreneurs.
  • Iowa Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Iowa.
  • Iowa Small Business Development Center - The Iowa SBDC conducts research, counsels, and trains business people in management, financing, and operating small businesses. They provide comprehensive information services and access to experts in a variety of fields. This is a great resource for Iowa entrepreneurs!

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