Michigan Business Startup Guides

Opening a Business in Stephenson, Michigan

Contemplating starting a business in Stephenson, Michigan? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Stephenson.

What Business Are You Starting?

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 Evaluating Your Idea.

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 Foreign Currency Exchange & Brokers Business guide or our Opening a Sheltered Workshops Business guide.

Always keep in mind that your new business will be in Stephenson. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Stephenson. Don't forget to review Stephenson demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.

Stephenson, Michigan Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
90
5-9 Employees
39
10-19 Employees
18
20-49 Employees
6
50-99 Employees
0
100-249 Employees
3
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Stephenson Businesses
156

As a new Stephenson entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Stephenson 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
Child Day Care Services
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
1
Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
2
Electrical Contractors
1
Family Planning Centers
1
Finfish Fishing
1
Full-Service Restaurants
4
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Hardware Stores
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
2
Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
1
Retail Bakeries
1
Sawmills
1
Securities Brokerage
1
Siding Contractors
1
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Support Activities for Forestry
1
Veterinary Services
1

Should You Franchise?

Visit the business district of Stephenson and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. So, it probably makes sense for you to consider franchising too.

Most business experts recommend that you consider franchising as an option. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including Understanding Franchise Contracts. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include Applebee's International, Inc. and The Maids Home Services. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Bookstore Franchises and Personal Services Franchises.

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

Do You Need a Business Plan?

Having a business plan is critical in laying a solid foundation for your business success. In effect, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Failure to write a business plan makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.

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

Getting Money to Start a Business

Getting your Stephenson business the capital it needs to succeed requires strong organization skills and perseverance. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.

Take advantage of our many articles on finding startup capital, such as 504 Loans.

For Stephenson entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, browse our List of Michigan Angel Investors and our List of Michigan Venture Capital Firms.

Ramping Up Sales

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Stephenson business, you need to focus on sales.

Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.

Cold Call Selling 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

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

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

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

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Stephenson, Michigan

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

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

More Business Startup Guides for Michigan

Starting a Business in Standish
Starting a Business in Stockbridge

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

 

 

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary