I was contacted about submitting a blog about my current experience as a new business owner in Hutchinson/Reno County.  I appreciate the opportunity and happy to share my thoughts and experiences.  Currently, I am in the process of opening my own insurance agency in Hutchinson.  This is still a work in progress so I can only provide to you my experiences to date. 

When I decided to pursue opening my own business the first thing I did was begin to search for office space.  I found that there are quite a few spaces available in Hutchinson, but not a lot spaces in high traffic areas which were affordable.  I found searching for commercial property or an office space is quite different than searching for personal property or a home.  I was very surprised by the condition of some properties I looked at and the lessor’s expectation that I would take my own funds to make the property workable for my business.  In today’s current market I did not feel that the entire burden had to be placed on me as a new business owner and stuck to that position.  I eventually found a space that was adequate in size and the owner was willing to make an investment in his property to remodel it in order to bring a professional business into the property.  Initially, I utilized a real estate agent to pull information on properties and view a few properties, but I found that just searching the classified ads in the Hutchinson News and making calls was the best source as sometimes I felt like the agent only wanted to show me the properties his company had vs. everything that was available in Hutchinson. 

A positive experience I have had during the process is my initial contact with the Chamber of Commerce to learn more about membership.  I feel the membership fee is affordable and the resources that are provided to help introduce your new business to the community will be very helpful in developing relationships which will help me grow my business.  I would highly recommend to anyone starting their own business in this community to talk with Tom at the Chamber of Commerce to find out more about what the Chamber can do for you.   

At this point, I have not had a negative experience during the process of starting my own business.  Generally, the people and the businesses in the community I have made contact with have been very supportive and I feel that I have adequate resources available to me to help me be successful.  This process has been a challenge but it’s a good challenge.  If I can provide one piece of advice to someone who is thinking about starting their own business it is this – remember you can not do everything and do not be afraid to ask for help.  Getting support from your family and friends is crucial in the beginning stages.  Starting your own business takes a lot of time but with a good support base it is something that can be done, and I am confident that all the hard work and sacrifice will pay off. 

Comments 

When do you plan on opening, are you life or property agent?

Multi-line (auto, home, life, etc.) Opening May 1st.

Thanks Sheila for sharing this information. So, where did you finally settle your new business?

My office will be located at 1722 N. Plum, Suite B (Gill Chiropractic building). Telephone number is (620) 665-0400. My enterance is on the north side of the building.

Congrats on your new business! It's good to see people see Hutchinson as a place to establish a new business.

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