Thinking about starting a business in Albany, Georgia? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Albany.
Albany, Georgia Demographic Information
Albany has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Albany demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Albany.
| Business Size | # of Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
56115 |
| 5-9 Employees |
24210 |
| 10-19 Employees |
18585 |
| 20-49 Employees |
12555 |
| 50-99 Employees |
4635 |
| 100-249 Employees |
1890 |
| 250-499 Employees |
405 |
| 500-999 Employees |
135 |
| 1000+ Employees |
135 |
| All Albany Businesses |
118665 |
As a new Albany entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Albany for each business category. By looking at this chart, you can get
a general sense for how much competition there is in the business niche that
you are pursuing.
| Business Type |
# of Businesses |
| Advertising Agencies |
1 |
| Aircraft Manufacturing |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
4 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
6 |
| Armored Car Services |
2 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
3 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
3 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
22 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
5 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
13 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
17 |
| Boat Dealers |
2 |
| Book Stores |
4 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Breweries |
1 |
| Business Associations |
7 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
5 |
| Cafeterias |
4 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
6 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
2 |
| Caterers |
3 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
52 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
5 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
22 |
| Claims Adjusting |
4 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
5 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
5 |
| Collection Agencies |
3 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
3 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
2 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
3 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
5 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
5 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
21 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
3 |
| Convenience Stores |
9 |
| Cotton Ginning |
1 |
| Couriers |
5 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
2 |
| Credit Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Card Issuing |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
5 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
6 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
3 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
7 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
1 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
3 |
| Drilling Oil and Gas Wells |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
10 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
8 |
| Educational Support Services |
2 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
6 |
| Electrical Contractors |
20 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
5 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
2 |
| Engineering Services |
18 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
8 |
| Facilities Support Services |
2 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
11 |
| Farm Management Services |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
8 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
5 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
3 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
8 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
6 |
| Flooring Contractors |
2 |
| Florists |
12 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
3 |
| Food Service Contractors |
6 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
2 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
4 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
3 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
66 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
6 |
| Furniture Stores |
13 |
| General Automotive Repair |
21 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
6 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
11 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
8 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
3 |
| Graphic Design Services |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| HMO Medical Centers |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
6 |
| Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
10 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
5 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
4 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
3 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Hunting and Trapping |
1 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
3 |
| Inland Water Passenger Transportation |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
63 |
| Interior Design Services |
2 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
2 |
| Investment Advice |
2 |
| Janitorial Services |
12 |
| Jewelry Stores |
19 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
3 |
| Land Subdivision |
5 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
20 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
11 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
86 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
2 |
| Locksmiths |
3 |
| Logging |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
4 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
2 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
1 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
4 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
2 |
| Masonry Contractors |
5 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
2 |
| Meat Markets |
2 |
| Medical Laboratories |
3 |
| Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
5 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
2 |
| Mobile Food Services |
2 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
3 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
4 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
5 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Nail Salons |
4 |
| New Car Dealers |
17 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
2 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
3 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
2 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
7 |
| Office Administrative Services |
5 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
7 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
6 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
21 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
10 |
| Offices of Dentists |
37 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
78 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
8 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
4 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
3 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
7 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
3 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
8 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
8 |
| Payroll Services |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
3 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
5 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
22 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
5 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
1 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
2 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
5 |
| Radio Stations |
7 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
3 |
| Real Estate Credit |
10 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
1 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
8 |
| Residential Remodelers |
5 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
2 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
6 |
| Sawmills |
3 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
1 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
7 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
5 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
17 |
| Siding Contractors |
1 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
4 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
7 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
3 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
2 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
6 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
1 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
5 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
13 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
11 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
2 |
| Timber Tract Operations |
1 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Tire Dealers |
13 |
| Tire Manufacturing (except Retreading) |
1 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
3 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
2 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
24 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
3 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
11 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
10 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
7 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
3 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
13 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
11 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
24 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
1 |
Is Franchising a Better Option?
As you drive around Albany, you'll see that franchises make up a large percentage of local businesses. But is franchising the right option for you?
Most business experts recommend that you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchising My Business. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Pick Up Stix and SecurePay. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Children's Franchises and Pest Control Franchises.
Note on Albany Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Albany.
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Albany Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Georgia. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Albany.
For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: Buying a Business.
Forming a Company in Albany, Georgia
A critical step is ensuring that you form your business as a legal structure. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.
The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporating is a very popular way to form a business. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. If you are starting a business in Georgia, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Georgia. In fact, you can incorporate in any state you would like to. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.
There are many nuances to forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Piercing the Corporate Veil. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Albany, Georgia, our information on Incorporating in Georgia may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Georgia.
Startup Financing Basics
Getting your Albany business the capital it needs to succeed is not an easy task. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Choosing VC Firms.
For Albany entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, check out our List of Georgia Angel Investors and our List of Georgia Venture Capital Firms.
Getting the Word Out About Your New Venture
To rise above the crowd in Albany and grow your business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Advertising Campaigns is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.
Increase Your Entrepreneurial Knowledge
The best business owners recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
As an entrepreneur who lives in Albany, Georgia, you will want to take advantage of the learning programs at local Georgia educational institutions. It's also beneficial to see if there are any networking groups or organizations in which Albany entrepreneurs get together to network and trade their business experiences.
Never Give Up
As an entrepreneur in Albany, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Albany and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Albany entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Albany, Georgia
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Albany.
- Resources for Albany, Georgia Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Albany entrepreneurs.
- Georgia Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Georgia.
- Georgia Small Business Development Center - The Georgia SBDC program helps Georgia entrepreneurs with developing business plans, providing financial analysis, identifying sources of capital, and assessing marketing strategies.
- Albany, Georgia Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Albany, Georgia newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Albany area.
- Albany, Georgia Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Albany, Georgia area radio stations.
More Startup Articles for Georgia Cities
Starting a Business in Adel
Starting a Business in Alma
Browse All
Business Startup Guides for Georgia