Michigan Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in South Haven, Michigan

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

Are You Ready for Entrepreneurship?

Most new companies don't make it, in part because the business owner did not have the entrepreneurial skills and traits needed to succeed. So, before you open a 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:

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in South Haven. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
  • 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. 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.

South Haven, Michigan Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
2760
5-9 Employees
1140
10-19 Employees
588
20-49 Employees
372
50-99 Employees
120
100-249 Employees
72
250-499 Employees
24
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All South Haven Businesses
5076

As a new South Haven entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in South Haven 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
Adhesive Manufacturing
1
Amusement Arcades
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
5
Baked Goods Stores
1
Beauty Salons
3
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
10
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
1
Bowling Centers
1
Building Inspection Services
1
Business Associations
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Car Washes
1
Child Day Care Services
5
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
1
Clay Refractory Manufacturing
1
Clothing Accessories Stores
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Community Food Services
1
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing
1
Convenience Stores
3
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
1
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
5
Electrical Contractors
3
Elementary and Secondary Schools
1
Engineering Services
3
Family Clothing Stores
2
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
2
Floor Covering Stores
4
Flooring Contractors
2
Florists
2
Food Service Contractors
2
Framing Contractors
1
Full-Service Restaurants
16
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
1
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
3
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
2
Glass and Glazing Contractors
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
4
Homes for the Elderly
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
9
Investigation Services
2
Investment Advice
2
Janitorial Services
2
Jewelry Stores
4
Landscaping Services
4
Limited-Service Restaurants
15
Machine Shops
5
Mail-Order Houses
1
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
1
Marinas
4
Masonry Contractors
1
Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing
1
Motor Vehicle Towing
3
Motorcycle Dealers
1
Museums
2
New Car Dealers
3
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
1
Offices of Chiropractors
3
Offices of Dentists
4
Offices of Lawyers
4
Offices of Optometrists
2
Offices of Other Holding Companies
3
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Payroll Services
2
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
1
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
4
Photography Studios, Portrait
2
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
3
Public Relations Agencies
1
Racetracks
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Residential Remodelers
6
Retail Bakeries
2
Savings Institutions
2
Securities Brokerage
2
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
3
Sporting Goods Stores
1
Tax Preparation Services
3
Temporary Help Services
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
1
Tire Dealers
1
Tobacco Stores
1
Used Merchandise Stores
1
Veterinary Services
3
Video Tape and Disc Rental
2
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
1
Web Search Portals
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
5
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
2

Should You Franchise?

Visit the business district of South Haven and it becomes clear that purchasing a franchise is a common way to get started as an entrepreneur. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?

Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Buying a Franchise. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.

A comprehensive list of franchisors is available via our List of Franchise Opportunities.

Sample franchise opportunities include Andy's Frozen Custard Franchising, L.L.C. and It's Just Lunch. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as ATM Franchises and Home Repair Franchises.

Note on South Haven Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in South Haven, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.

Is Buying an Existing South Haven Business a Good Strategy?

An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Michigan. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in South Haven.

Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.

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.

To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Branding Advice.

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in South Haven, it's imperative that you check now that no other Michigan company is using the business name you want to use.

Getting Money to Start a Business

Getting your South Haven business the capital it needs to succeed will be harder than you might expect. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.

Recognizing this challenge, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Attracting Investors.

For South Haven entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, check out our List of Michigan Angel Investors and our List of Michigan Venture Capital Firms.

Never Give Up

Most new South Haven 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 South Haven and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new South Haven 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 South Haven, Michigan

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

  • Resources for South Haven, Michigan Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist South Haven 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.

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Michigan

Starting a Business in Shepherd
Starting a Business in South Lyon

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

 

 

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