Registering a business is one of the proudest moments of an entrepreneur’s life. If you’re ready to take the leap and combine your passion for archery into a money-making endeavor, we’ve compiled helpful guidelines and documents to help aspiring retail shop owners and manufacturers get their business off the ground.
Let’s start with official guidelines from the Small Business Administration. These are some of their suggestions for managing the stages of your growing business:
Plan Your Business
- Market research and competitive analysis
- Write your business plan
- Calculate your startup costs
- Establish business credit
- Fund your business
Launch Your Business
- Pick your business location
- Choose a business structure
- Choose your business name
- Register your business
- Get federal and state tax ID numbers
- Apply for licenses and permits
- Open a business bank account
- Get business insurance
Manage Your Business
- Manage your finances
- Hire and manage employees
- Pay taxes
- Stay legally compliant
- Buy assets and equipment
- Marketing and sales
- Strengthen your cybersecurity
- Prepare for emergencies
- Recover from disasters
Retail Trend Tracker Survey
- The ATA’s Retail Trend Tracker Survey offers insight from retailers across the country to help you adapt to changing conditions regionally as well as to compare your business to what is happening nationally. The report includes hard data for trends in archery sales classified by bow type, services, and more, as well as customer buying habits and demographics.
Archery Industry Data Packet
- Our Archery Industry Data Packet contains information gathered from a nationwide survey that determined how many people bowhunt and/or practice archery. You can use these stats and demographics when you’re seeking to market your business and buy inventory.
HR Documents
- The ATA has provided an extensive collection of human resource documents through our Resource Library. You can download everything from application documents to COBRA forms.
Intellectual Property
- The ATA’s Intellectual Property and Fighting Counterfeits document from Greenberg Traurig will familiarize you with the three types of intellectual property: trademarks, copyrights and patents.
Technical Guidelines
- Our Technical Guidelines, which have been updated for 2025, outline the ATA standard for specs like let-down curves, draw length, velocity and more.
Understanding the Business Lifecycle
- Check out the “Understanding the Business Lifecycle” course on our Learning Management System, conducted by lawyers Corey Jenkins and Jeremy Smith of Lanier, Ford, Shaver and Payne during the 2020 ATA Trade Show. The course takes you through the entire lifecycle of a business from the conception of the idea to the final sale of the business. You’ll learn what kind of legal documents you’ll need, such as documents to protect your intellectual property; how to classify your business, like sole proprietorship or LLC; how to grow your business from your first dollar; and how to mature with your company as it grows. Nonmembers and ATA members can take this course without charge through the LMS.
Inventory Management Tactics for Increased Profitability
- You can also take our “Inventory Management Tactics for Increased Profitability” course. You’ll learn how to effectively manage your inventory by analyzing how keeping inventory on the shelves for long periods affects your bottom line. You’ll also learn how to determine whether buying larger quantities is the right move for your store. Members can take this course at no cost; the fee for nonmembers is $25.
Passionate archers who are looking to branch out into the business world can benefit from an ATA membership. With our Resource Library and Learning Management Center, you’ll have a wealth of valuable resources at your disposal. Once your business is up and running, your ATA membership will continue to serve you by keeping you up to date with the most recent FET Tax Guidelines, retail trends, and more. Our documents are constantly updated to provide our members with all the tools they need to keep their business thriving.
Visit archerytrade.org to join today.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP THE INDUSTRY, TO HELP INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES GET THE MOST OUT OF THE INDUSTRY, AND TO HELP YOU.
