Published on: 28 April 2021
Last Updated on: 12 May 2026
You’re finally ready to take that plunge, and the great state of Michigan is an ideal place to open a new business. Whether you’re setting up a shop in a quaint small town like Frankenmuth or a thriving metropolis like Detroit, you should take some critical steps to give your business the best chance of success. Every business is different, and no business owner will have the same path to opening day.
However, there are a few critical steps that every new enterprise must take to cover their bases and protect their investment, including:
1. Finalize a Concept:
Before you invest in opening a business, you need to know your concept, goal, and customer base. This includes how you’ll market yourself, how you’ll distribute your product and provide your services, and how you plan to grow and build on your success. Before you open your doors, know your industry and your place in the market and address all important considerations to ensure you don’t have to course-correct.
Having a solid business plan can save you a lot of money, especially when developing your branding and dealing with third parties to design your logos and advertising.
2. Register Your Business:
Before you can legally open your doors, you need everything to be in order with the government—both federally and locally. You must pay taxes, so make sure to get online IRS EIN Tax ID. You must pay taxes, so make sure you file with the IRS for a Federal Employee Identification Number. This helps formally identify a business in the eyes of the law.
Michigan has one of the more detailed and structured business registration laws in the U.S., so make sure you apply for any necessary licenses and permits before you open your doors. This could avoid costly fines and shutdowns later. It’s common for many businesses to need multiple permits, with specific commercial and industrial activities warranting independent certification.
3. Open a Bank Account:
You may have a personal bank account, but this isn't the account you want to run your business out of. A business should have an independent bank account for several reasons, including greater liability protection for your personal assets and purchase protection for your customers. It also comes in handy during tax season when you need to identify business expenses.
Business accounts can accept credit card payments more efficiently and allow more opportunities for funding. Setting up a business account with a bank will give you access to a line of credit that can be useful if unexpected costs crop up or you need to make a significant up-front investment to get your business started.
4. Obtain Proper Insurance:
This is possibly the most critical step in setting your business up for success. Even if you do everything right, an unexpected disaster could put your business in a tight spot, and insurance gives you a safety net. You should look into property insurance and insurance on any valuable asset you have in the business. However, there’s one type of insurance that’s not only essential—it’s mandatory.
Michigan workers' compensation laws require any business with three or more full-time employees or with one or more people for at least 35 hours a week to have workers' compensation insurance. This insurance covers costs if an employee gets injured in the course of the job. This protects the employee and covers you as, in most cases, an employee gives up the right to sue when accepting workers' compensation funds.
5. Hire a Strong Team:
A business is only as good as its employees. While many small businesses start with a shoestring team of their owner and maybe their family or some close friends, hiring your first batch of employees is a critical step. You should be able to trust these people with the fate of your business, so make sure to interview and vet each new hire carefully.
Ideal characteristics to look for include the ability to think on their feet, a history of commitment, and good people skills. Not every prospective employee has the experience you need for your business, so it's ideal to have specific skills training plans. This also ensures everyone is on the same page when they first start.
6. Spread the News:
You’re almost ready to launch, but a business is only off to a good start when people know about it. This is especially important for a startup, and it’s better to spend smart on marketing than to spend big. This means knowing your customer base and knowing how to appeal to them.
Targeted advertising, both online and brick-and-mortar, is more effective than mass advertising. Even if you’re operating on a budget, don’t be afraid to start by offering promotions to allow people to sample your product or service for a lower price. This can be a great way to build long-lasting loyalty once they get a taste.
A Good Start Pays Dividends:
A business’ success or failure is often determined before they open their doors. These tips will protect your investment and increase your brand awareness. If you cover all your bases, you’ll have the tools you need to secure your spot in the market.
Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.
If you have a rental company and specialize in restaurant space, you should know there are certain pitfalls you’ll want to avoid. You can also take specific steps to ensure you have the best success opportunity. There is an art to setting up a rental space and coming up with a contract that your tenant will love.
We’ll take a few moments to break down your best moves if you want to get tenants for each of your properties that will stay with you year after year.
Figure Out Which Restaurants Tenants Stay with You Longest
The first rule of restaurant property development is to figure out what works in a particular locale. For instance, you’ll want to think about:
What other cuisines have worked in your city
Whether there will be any call for that food type in the space you have available
This step will require research. Look at your neighborhood and see which cuisines and restaurant types have found prior success. If what the tenant is proposing to you sounds like too much of a departure from what has worked previously, you might give the space to a more promising candidate.
Offer a Lower Rate for the First 3-5 Years
When a restaurant first starts out will be the most challenging time for them. That’s because:
No one knows about them yet
They might not have the money for an aggressive marketing campaign
You should keep this in mind when you talk to a potential candidate. You might offer them a multiple-year contract, but you can tell them you’ll keep the rate lower for the first 3-5 years.
After that, if they catch on, they should have no problem paying more. After five years, a restaurant will either be a neighborhood fixture, or it will fold, and the owner will try their luck elsewhere.
Consider Whether the Property is Liquor License-Ready
Most restaurants want to serve alcohol because if people order it, it drives up their bills. Dining establishments can also mark up alcohol prices considerably, and people seldom have any problem paying for it.
However, getting a liquor license can sometimes be tricky. If you know for a fact that you have a rental property that is liquor license-ready, that will appeal to many potential restaurant candidates. They will be fighting with each other to get that space if they know there’s a license waiting for them.
Look into Laundry and Other Nearby Services
A restaurant owner or operator will also probably look favorably on a space that has additional amenities nearby or onsite. For instance, if laundry services are in the same building or right next door, they can wash their employee uniforms there.
The owner or operator might also look for things like on-site employee parking. They might look for public transportation that drops their employees off right in front of the property. They may like it if the space is right by an expressway for their employees who drive to work.
At the same time, if there are diverse properties nearby, that will work in their favor. For instance, if there are office buildings or similar establishments across the street, the workers will probably come over frequently for meals.
Provide Restaurant Exclusivity
You might also have a restaurant space that’s part of a larger property. If so, you’ll know your restaurant tenant will have to share the space with other entities.
They should have no problems with that, except if you let other restaurants move in. It’s not helpful if they have to compete with other food-preparing establishments in the same building.
You can promise them exclusivity. You can agree in writing that as long as they are in that space, you will not allow any other restaurants to move in. That should make the owner happy.
Consider Lease Flexibility Options
You can also make the tough financial market into account. With the pandemic wreaking havoc on the restaurant industry over the past year, you might have some potential tenants who are leery about moving in and committing to a multiple-year lease.
You can put language in the contract stipulating that you will not evict them if they can’t pay the rent for one month, or even two, provided they pay within a designated period after that. You can’t let it go forever, but a restaurant owner will like to know that if their sales tank for a few weeks, you will not immediately change the locks on them.
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Today, everyone wants to become an entrepreneur – or at least hopes to. Well, who doesn’t like to introduce ‘the next big thing?’
But we can’t blame them because owning a startup offers you tons of benefits, and that’s obvious.
For example, you get to bring value to the people around you. You create something right from the beginning. You are your own boss, and not to mention, you make a decent number of bucks along the way.
However, all of this happens when you’re successful, which unfortunately isn’t true for most cases. For example, the Harvard Business Review states that 75% of startups fail. But why?
Sadly, not all of us have an entrepreneurial spirit within us – at least, nature didn’t allow it.
However, if you want to run a business successfully, you’ve got to get your act together. That means doing something that your nature doesn’t approve of, so be it. Otherwise, you’ll end up eating the same piece of pie the 75% of entrepreneurs are eating.
Here are some business pieces of advice that’ll help you become a successful startup owner.
Know Your Instincts!
You should know yourself, what you’re willing to do to attain success, the amount of money you can afford to lose, and your proper motivational level. Undoubtedly, we’re all here to at least hit those one million marks. But are we ready to give up things to accomplish that goal?
How far will your family support you? Is it in your comfort zone or are you willing to go further?
How many hours a week will you be able to devote? If you want to become successful, or come anywhere close to it, keep your business plans aligned with you and your family’s resources and goals.
Learn how to this through the AACSB Online MBA with No GMAT program. It will teach some administrative skills to run a business adequately.
Be Passionate
Nobody is asking you to love all aspects of your business (nobody can), but whatever you do, do it with all your heart. If you want to build a successful enterprise, you’ll need to put in some effort and devote much time.
That is why you should be passionate about what you do, whether offering financial advice, creating pottery, or running fishing charters.
How can you ensure you’re on the right track? By questioning yourself whether your business is worth the investment you’re making in terms of both time and money. If not, you’re better off doing something else.
Keep the positive vibes around you. Plus, say goodbye to those people who put you or your business down. Don’t waste your energy and time defending yourself – use it on your business!
Be A Solution
Instead of basing your idea around what to sell, think about how it will become a solution. If your business is solving a problem, you’ll gain a solid customer base more efficiently. Why? Because your venture will be bridging a gap in a specific niche or market.
Going with your passion alone isn’t going to cut it; your idea should help the people. For example, suppose you’re passionate about accounting. In that case, you might design an affordable, easy-to-use payroll and accounting software that many people would like to invest in and be a part of it.
Give yourself some time and think about why you’re opening your business. If you’re able to understand your motive well, you’ll be able to market your company and build a brand. Just do one thing: determine what problems your target customers are currently facing and what you can do to solve them.
Start Your Business During Your Employment
Without money, nobody can go far. Plus, your business won’t immediately offer your returns – you’ve got to invest in it first. If you start your business while you’re employed, you’ll have money to invest in your industry. It will also help you meet your monthly living expenses even if your business doesn’t readily offer returns.
Diversify
Diversity will help ensure you don’t put all your eggs in a single basket. Discover other options, for example, sister products/services that you can add to your offerings to lure and retain more clients.
It won’t just amplify your revenue and produce enough during times your business doesn’t do well. Plus, diversification will allow you to cross-market by increasing your bottom line and offering consumers more value for their money!
Keep Networking
If you find it challenging to get your business off the ground, connections will keep it afloat. Therefore, it’s advisable to make connections and record every person you interact with and ask for their suggestions and assistance. Remain in touch with them and build your network – it’ll help you.
Research your Competitors
Regardless of the type of business you’re operating or thinking of starting, you’ll have competitors even if there’s no other business with the same offerings as yours.
There would be different products/services your target market may get used to satisfy their needs. To be successful, you’ll have to research your competitors and determine what they sell and how.
There’s no time when you should do competitor analysis, but it must get done now and then. However, if you don’t have any competitors, that’s a warning sign. See if whatever you’re planning to sell is something that people would like to spend their money on or not.
Have a Solid Financial Plan
It doesn’t matter whether the company is small or big; it needs to work out how it will manage its finances. Suppose you want your startup to survive in this economy and out-compete your competitors.
In that case, financial management should be one of your primary activities. Don’t use your revenue for personal expenses; manage your expenditures and cash flow, and have reserves for steady seasons.
Maybe, exercise caution – hire a bookkeeper or an accountant if you have to. It will help you complete your financial tasks, allowing you an opportunity to focus on other parts of your business.
Are You Ready!
As your startup comes to fruition, think of it like you’re driving a car. Let your mind control the steering wheel, and your passion hits the accelerator.
By doing this, you wouldn’t just be confident about the path you take and sustain the momentum you need to arrive at your destination.
Best of luck!
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Starting a business can be expensive. You want to be mindful of where every cent is going. While a frugal approach to business expenditure is encouraged, there are some services you need to invest in to take your business to the next level.
Failure to get Professional Services help with cash flow and computer systems management may result in unwanted issues in your business.
Let’s go over some of the recommended professional services to spend on:
1. Lawyers
Your business will have to comply with several federal and local government regulations that you may be unaware existed. An accomplished attorney will expose any legal loopholes that you might run into as you launch your startup. Since it is their field, they will be abreast of any changes that may affect these laws and advise you on how to conform.
Being compliant from the get-go can save you substantial litigation costs down the road. It will also lessen the possibility of being shut down for non-compliance.
Many business owners think that they would be able to do without a lawyer if there are no on-the-horizon legal issues. However, if you need a general counsel attorney you will be able to enjoy many of the legal services that can help you grow the business. For example, a trained legal counsel can show you ways and means of minimizing risks, ensuring coverage, and making sure all your paperwork is always in order.
2. Accountants
While their work may seem lackluster, accountants are the beating heart of any profit-seeking venture. Trained in using standardized tools and techniques, they help businesses keep track of their cash inflows and outflows, assets, and liabilities. The reports they produce periodically will give you a clear indication of whether your business is currently on the right side of the profit-loss divide and whether its future is healthy.
When you hire an accountant for a startup business, you also improve your chances of staying on the Internal Revenue Service's good side. The last thing any fledgling venture needs is to be liable for hefty fines when revenue streams are yet to stabilize. Savvy Certified Public Accountants will help you discover and take advantage of all the tax breaks for which you qualify.
3. Web Developers
Operating any modern business without an online presence is equivalent to conducting your business in a cocoon. Close to 60 percent of the global population uses the Internet actively. First impressions are everything. To make the right one, you need to have a reputable web developer team on your side.
Your web developer will be responsible for designing and hosting your site. They will ensure that it has all the functionalities you require and offer support when you suffer downtime or external attacks.
4. Content Creators and Marketers
Having a functional website is only half the equation. Content creators and marketers will provide you with a means of reaching out to your clientele, both through your website and your social media handles. They will come up with creative on-brand messages that they will broadcast through these channels to capture the hearts and minds of your target audience.
Having digital marketers as part of your team will not only help you reach your potential customers where they are. It will save plenty of cash you would have spent on advertising through traditional media.
Digital content creators have a finger on the pulse of current trends and will have the know-how to make your products or services a part of what is trending.
5. IT Experts
IT experts are needed to manage your business' devices and hardware, along with the front and back-office software systems. Your tech consultants will help you put these systems in place as well as keep them running smoothly.
If you have an online presence or any functions that rely on the Internet, you need to invest in these systems’ security. Contrary to what many small business owners think, they do occasionally get targeted by hackers. With a proactive team of IT experts well versed with the latest cybersecurity threats on your side, you won't have to spend sleepless nights wondering if your site will be next.
Two Heads Are Better Than One
It is tempting for small business owners to try to be a jack of all trades. You would rather juggle your own books, fix your own networks, and manage your own social media to avoid spending too much on outsourced expertise. While conducting some of these services yourself can save money and grant more control over your operations, you can achieve better results by hiring help.
Besides exposing your business to diverse financial and operational risks, you will become an impediment to its growth if you adopt the one-man-army approach.
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A business is only as good as its employees. While many small businesses start with a shoestring team of their owner and maybe their family or some close friends, hiring your first batch of employees is a critical step. You should be able to trust these people with the fate of your business, so make sure to interview and vet each new hire carefully.
Ideal characteristics to look for include the ability to think on their feet, a history of commitment, and good people skills. Not every prospective employee has the experience you need for your business, so it's ideal to have specific skills training plans. This also ensures everyone is on the same page when they first start.
