Want to Start a Business in Connecticut?
Last Updated: By TRUiC Team
This page is dedicated to the best resources for starting a business in Connecticut.
Learn more about how to start a business in Connecticut.
Or simply use a professional service and start your business today:
Business Resources in Connecticut
Find the best resources to help create your informal business structure (sole proprietorship or partnership), corporation (S corp or C corp), limited liability company (single-member LLC or multi-member LLC), or how to file a DBA in Connecticut.
Use the following business resources in Connecticut to learn how to choose the best LLC services, file the Certificate of Organization, obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN), and decide whether you should be your own registered agent or if you should hire a third-party registered agent service.
Becoming an Entrepreneur in Connecticut
Just Starting Out
Every Connecticut business starts out with a great idea. To get inspiration, you can try our business idea generator that can suggest businesses for you based on your interests and lifestyle.
Once you've found the perfect idea, it's time to create a game plan for your business. This step helps lay a solid foundation for the future of your company. You can move on to planning out your business with our business plan generator or simply browse our selection of startup ideas. We also have several helpful guides for planning out your business:
Coming Up With a Name
One of the most important decisions you will make for your business is coming up with a name and then seeing if it is available in Connecticut. We have several naming tools and guides to help you get started with finding the perfect name for your Connecticut startup, small business, nonprofit or corporation.
Different Types of Business Formation
A business structure refers to how a business is legally organized. The type of business structure you choose to form your business with can affect how your company is regulated, taxed, and more. Because of this, choosing the best structure for your business is an important decision to make. Below are guides on the different business structures you can choose to form your company so you can learn how to form a business that works best for you.
Forming Your Connecticut Business
Now that you’ve created a business plan, found a name and chose your Connecticut business structure, it's time to form your business. This process might seem complicated, but it doesn't have to be. And if you want to save time and have someone else handle the paperwork, you can use one of our recommended services, like ZenBusiness, which will help to form your company for you or you can form it yourself using our helpful guides and tools.
LLC Checklist
This Connecticut Checklist for Starting an LLC covers the necessary steps you need to take when you create your LLC.
Formation Necessities
Here are the required documents and forms you may need to help you get your business up and running in Connecticut.
Highly Recommended Services for Your Business
Depending on the type of business structure your choose and how large your business is, you may also want to consider using the following services for your Connecticut startup:
Registered Agent
A Connecticut registered agent is a person or business that sends and receives legal papers on behalf of your company. These documents include official correspondence like legal summons and state filing notices.
Connecticut requires every business to nominate a registered agent when forming a small business. Your registered agent must be a Connecticut resident or a corporation authorized to conduct business in that Connecticut.
We also recommend hiring a professional registered agent service to provide you with peace of mind and help you stay compliant with the law.
DBA
Filing a “doing business as” (DBA) name, also known as a ficticious name, is an easy process that is achieved by registering a DBA with the State of Connecticut.
Branding
You can probably think of a dozen different companies in Connecticut whose brands play an important role in your daily or professional life. Maybe you only buy certain brands or prefer to buy your groceries at one supermarket chain over another. Your dedication to these companies is primarily a result of one thing: their branding. Our branding guides and tools will go over the importance of branding your small business and provide some tips for getting started.
Financing Your Connecticut Business
Small business finance is the raising and managing of funds to finance and operate a new small business. This includes banking, small business accounting, building business credit, and raising funds for your business.
When planning your Connecticut business, you should determine what types of business funding options your company will need and when. Whether you are starting a low-cost business or starting a high-growth startup, knowing when to get funding and what kind of funding you need is important.
Setting Up a Bank Account
Opening a business checking account is one of the first things you will need to do as a new business. Business banking is a fundamental asset protection requirement for every business and, depending on your needs, may include checking accounts, savings accounts, credit cards, and merchant accounts.
Every new and small business needs a business bank account to pay their business insurance, take care of payroll, collect money, and enroll with a merchant account to accept credit card payments.
Check out our guide on the Best Banks for Small Business for help finding a banking account for your business.
Getting a Business Credit Card
Small business credit cards are designed for professional use and provide a line of credit to small businesses while helping to maintain personal asset protection. It is crucial for small businesses to have a small business credit card.
Our guides will help you understand the importance of having a small business credit card and provide the steps for finding and applying for the best credit card for your business.
Finding Small Business Loans
Getting a small business loan is done by applying with a business lender, typically your bank or another lending institution, with the right documentation and your business plan.
A business loan can help to resolve cash flow problems, leverage growth opportunities, and even increase the value of a business. Making sure to plan for a loan ahead of time is extremely important, as is knowing the documentation needed by your lender when you do apply.
Small Business Financing for Female Entrepreneurs
Grants, loans, government contracts, investors, scholarships, advisors, tutorials — there are plenty of financial resources for female entrepreneurs and women leaders, and we’ll help you discover the best ones for you and your business.
Maintaining Your Small Business
Congratulations! Fewer than 14% of Americans have realized the dream of business ownership. To keep your Connecticut business running, make sure you keep up with required government filings and maintain a clear record of all earnings and expenses.
Make Sure Your Business is Compliant
When you start a small business, you’ll need to determine if your business needs any licenses or permits to stay compliant.
Set Up Accounting and Bookkeeping
Having a business accountant will help you take advantage of tax benefits and potentially save you and your Connecticut business a lot of money in taxes each year.
Finding a business accountant as soon as you start your business will ensure that you have the best advice from the very beginning.
Recommended: Hiring an accountant can save your company thousands of dollars in taxes each year. Get a free tax consultation with 1-800Accountant.
Set Up a Business Phone
Getting a business phone number is important for many businesses. Having a phone number for your customers to contact you with can go a long way in ensuring that your business is viewed as professional, trustworthy, and legitimate.
There are also different business phone services and answering services that can ensure that you are able to answer more than one call simultaneously and that all of your customers feel heard. Check out our different phone tools and guides to help your Connecticut business set up phone services.
Build a Business Website
With growing technology, more and more businesses are going online. We believe all companies need a website regardless of their industry or size to keep up with the times.
So, how do you build a website? Luckily, technology has recently caught up with the massive demand for tools to simplify website creation. It’s never been easier to build your own website without the need for any web designer experience.
Our tools and guides provide an overview of the steps to build a website for your Connecticut business as well as suggestions for which tools to use based on your business type and knowledge level.
Business Resources for Women
Starting your own business is no small feat; thankfully, there are many valuable resources dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs start and succeed. From woman-owned business certification to grants for female entrepreneurs, we’ll help you discover the women's business resources that will help you get the most out of your entrepreneurial journey.
Connecticut Business Resources
Connecticut Business and Industry Association
The Connecticut Business and Industry Association is a strong advocate of businesses in Connecticut. The association’s mission is to build Connecticut as the number one state when it comes to availability of jobs, growing businesses and economic growth. With the support of thousands of member companies, the association is able to support small businesses and startups within the state.
Doing Business in Connecticut
Doing Business in Connecticut is a guide to economic development opportunities in Connecticut. Doing Business in Connecticut is a program under the supervision of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. The agency promotes economic development by supporting startups and small businesses, providing them with business resources and tools.
AdvanceCT
AdvanceCT enables entrepreneurs to gain access to information on starting, growing and relocating a business in the state. The agency has friendly customer specialists, who assist in providing guidance – free of charge. AdvanceCT also has available support services and resources which entrepreneurs can take advantage of.
Hartford Public Library
Hartford Public Library is a virtual library that provides information, programs, access to technology, referrals, and other useful materials to help entrepreneurs thrive. The library also has a list of organizations that can assist entrepreneurs as they start their small businesses.
CTNext
CTNext is an innovation ecosystem in Connecticut that supports startups and entrepreneurs by allowing them to gain access to business resources and tools, guidance and networking opportunities so they can start on the right track and accelerate the success of their venture.
Stamford Innovation Center
Stamford Innovation Center is an entrepreneurship and innovation hub that supports a community of creative professionals, small business owners, freelancers, artists and entrepreneurs by enabling them access to helpful resources such as classes, events, and workspace.
Axis901
Axis901 is a creative, energetic and supportive coworking space where like-minded people work and grow together. It is designed for entrepreneurs, founders, innovators, freelancers and professionals who want to collaboratively work with other creative minds and develop innovative ideas. Most of Axis 901’s members are web marketers, e-commerce firms, authors and a lot more.
Connecticut Business Incubator Network
The Connecticut Business Incubator Network’s goal is to promote economic development by initiating business incubation activities that will create new jobs, start businesses and generate new investments. It has 7 participating incubator programs, each one located all throughout Connecticut. These facilities house over 64 small businesses.
Innovation, Destination: Hartford
Innovation Destination: Hartford serves Hartford’s entrepreneurial environment. The company enables entrepreneurs to check out newly built Connecticut startups, entrepreneurs, business events and key players in Hartford’s entrepreneurial community. Innovation, Destination: Hartford also provides entrepreneurs with resources and tools to start and grow their business.
The Refinery
The Refinery is a focused network that caters to women-led businesses in Connecticut. They provide personalized and individualized business programs, expert advice from experienced mentors, webinars and workshops to ensure that every woman succeeds in their chosen venture.
Fairfield Accelerator
Fairfield Accelerator offers numerous services to entrepreneurs and small business owners, they include: operational support, mentoring and advising, funding assistance, networking opportunities, technology and design support and professional development. It also has standard amenities for their coworking spaces which entrepreneurs can take advantage of.
SCORE
The Service Corps of Retired Executives, or more popularly known as SCORE, provides startup entrepreneurs with free one-on-one business counseling, mentoring, and assistance. The SCORE has a number of volunteer professionals from the business industry who are more than competent and experienced to provide the best guidance when a startup entrepreneur like you is building a startup.
SBA
When it comes to government agencies that look after the interests of small businesses all across the country, the US Small Business Administration is that organization. Providing all-out support in terms of assistance programs, services, and resources, the US SBA has satellite district offices that facilitate in the assistance and guidance of business startups from business planning to the actual business operations and day-to-day challenges that arise.
SBDC
Another active non-profit organization that provides small business assistance and services with several district offices as well, the Small Business Development Center has a lineup of assistance programs that range from business mentorship, training and workshops, to valuable entrepreneurial tools that can significantly contribute to the success of your startup.
General Merchant Funding
Founded in 2009, General Merchant Funding is a financing firm that focuses on helping small and medium sized businesses by giving them a variety of options when it comes to alternative financing solutions. The firm mainly offers merchant cash advances, business loans and unsecured loans.