Operating your own food catering services in Arkansas is the perfect career for someone who enjoys entertaining and being creative with food. The ideal caterer is someone who pays attention to both large and small details, is highly organized, flexible and not afraid of hard work.

Starting an Arkansas catering company takes planning, patience and a lot of hard work. Before you begin printing off catering menus or booking events, there are several areas you need to think about first, including the amount of time and money you are willing to invest in a fledgling business.

Other areas you should consider before starting your own Arkansas catering company include:

1. Start-up Finances: How will you fund your Arkansas catering business start-up?
2. Legalities: Start your Arkansas catering business on legal ground.
3. The Arkansas catering market: How will you make your catering company stand out from all the other caterers in AR?
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Stand out from the other Arkansas caterers

Starting a new business providing food catering in AR means that you will be competing against better known, more established caterers. For this reason it is very important that you know your competition. You need to offer something different that will set you apart from the pack, but you also need to stay in the local price range.

I recommend: Check out the competition. You'll find lists of food catering companies in Arkansas at the Harrison Region Chamber of Commerce and the Springdale Chamber of Commerce. Link to your competitors' websites from there, and review their menus and price range. If possible, try to sample their foods yourself to see just what you are competing against.

Start your Arkansas catering business on a legal footing

Catering companies in Arkansas require permits and licensing in order to serve food to the public. Depending on how many employees you plan to hire, you will need some sort of business insurance as well. Insurance can help protect your personal assets from a potential lawsuit by either a customer or an employee. To protect your customers from potential foodborne illnesses, knowledge of food safety is paramount for employees in catering.

I recommend: Find a list of permits and requirements for your Arkansas catering company at the state's Healthy Arkansas website. It is also a good idea to familiarize yourself with proper food safety and handling procedures available at the U.S. Department of Food and Drug Administration's website.

Get your Arkansas catering business off the ground with a small business loan

To help with the initial start-up costs of a new catering business, you can apply for a loan through a number of agencies dedicated to helping small businesses. Unlike restaurants, which need hundreds of thousands of dollars to open the doors, food catering companies in Arkansas can get off the ground on a much more modest budget.

I recommend: The Arkansas Small Business Development Center offers free business counseling, economic development assistance and training for small businesses. The Small Business Administration of Arkansas can connect you with a lender and also offers additional counseling services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't under estimate the power of a website if you have an Arkansas catering. Arkansas caterers can expand their business to a much wider audience using a website. Plus a website is usually much cheaper over the long run than traditional print and radio advertising.