Population factor

[alanzhao]

Hi,

where would you like to start your business?

choices:

• ~40,000 population, 2 - 3 competitions, lots of boaters and motorists in summer, few close by small towns.
• ~150,000 population, ~ 15 competitions, city close to other majoy cities

Added:

What's the populations of city/town of your business?

What's your opinion?

 

[Bigdawg]

Myself, I would go for the 40,000. Less price shoppers, good summer business, probably easier to establish yourself and gain that good word-of-mouth business. Besides, I'm just a small town gal anyway

 

[Fred Weiss]

I would go for the 150,000 to live and setup shop in a larger nearby major city. More business, less price competition (if the economy is good) and more available labor and services.

 

[Derf]

150,000 population, ~ 15 competitions, city close to other majoy cities


Or bigger, it is easer to set your self apart if your good.

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

150,000 population, ~ 15 competitions, city close to other majoy cities

 

[Pro Image]

Im with Stacy............Hell the whole County I live in has less than 40,000 people.......lol

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

There is a slight little problem. When you don't know anybody - small towns can be suicidal. In big cities nobody cares about names. In other words, if there is no "in", you're "out", in small towns.

 

[Geary]

Bigger the better. For instance, when I first moved to San Francisco many years ago and then decided to start one of my sign shops there....I found that the clientel wasn't as concerned about price as they were about "WHEN" it gets done. That's always a good problem to have in my book.


~Gear

 

[Fred Weiss]

There is a slight little problem. When you don't know anybody - small towns can be suicidal. In big cities nobody cares about names. In other words, if there is no "in", you're "out", in small towns.

Good point. When we lived in Washington in an area of about 150K people, we were only at breakeven after a year. We moved back to West Palm Beach (over 1 million people), started from scratch and were profitable in less than three months.

 

[2NinerNiner2]

I agree 110% with Pro! And also Geary's point. Born and raised in a small (less than 4k) rural town; that's why I LOVE Montréal...3 million plus!

 

[Gino]

Well, I didn’t know I was moving. Why do you want to know where I’d like to start ?? I started over 35 years ago.

Seriously, when I started the area was about 100,000 with about 8 competitors. Now it’s still about 90,000, but closer to 65 competitors. We’re still going strong.

I think if you have a choice, you should pick wherever you want to be. As long as you do quality work, at a fair price and do what you say you’re going to do, you can be anywhere.

The rule is… demographics have nothing to do with you or your talent, only useless polls.

Now don’t come back with some foolish political argument. LOL

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

Actually Gino, his demographics has a lot to do with it. Unfortunately the area, where Alanzhao currently is, has been experiencing the downward slope for quite some time. Being born and raised there, seeing the "hey days" and the ever present "ney days", I can see where a question like this would come up.

There are actually three different possible answers:

1. Stay in a somewhat populated area.
2. Move to a "nice" quite little seasonal town, where everything is cheap.
3. Move to a place like NYC, and try to catch a fast moving train.

Alanzhao - Why the question? Are you concerned with winter coming? Have you considered moving to different ideas (same business), instead of physically moving? Were you originally asking about a "single" move, or a "family" move? (Singles can fare much easier in a metro area, while families tend to appreciate a more wholesome type of place)

 

[threeputt]

Seems to me that it's more of a question of what lifestyle you want. Bigger city or small, rural feeling.

I think you can make money anywhere in the U.S. Set up shop in any area that you've fallen in love with, work hard, sell quality.

Super large cities like San Fran, New York, Miami, etc. would not attract me, but I have no doubt I could be very successful there. But the lifestyle is not for me.

My two cents.