Are you starting a business in Amarillo, Texas? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Amarillo.
An entrepreneurial life is hard work, much harder than working as an employee. Are you sure you want to start a business?
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
Amarillo has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Amarillo demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Amarillo.
As a new Amarillo entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Amarillo 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 |
| Adhesive Manufacturing |
1 |
| Advertising Agencies |
9 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
2 |
| Amusement Arcades |
5 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
5 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
6 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
14 |
| Armored Car Services |
2 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
3 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
3 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
14 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
34 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
15 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
4 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
27 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
25 |
| Beet Sugar Manufacturing |
1 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
2 |
| Boat Dealers |
3 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
6 |
| Bottled Water Manufacturing |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
4 |
| Broom, Brush, and Mop Manufacturing |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
2 |
| Business Associations |
11 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
4 |
| Cafeterias |
4 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
14 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
6 |
| Caterers |
5 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
5 |
| Child Day Care Services |
38 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
30 |
| Claims Adjusting |
13 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
9 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
9 |
| Collection Agencies |
6 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
8 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
5 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
5 |
| Community Food Services |
2 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
13 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
10 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
3 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
2 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
16 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
7 |
| Convenience Stores |
7 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
1 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
2 |
| Couriers |
9 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
4 |
| Credit Unions |
15 |
| Crop Harvesting, Primarily by Machine |
1 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
10 |
| Dental Laboratories |
11 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
8 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
2 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
6 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
2 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
4 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
8 |
| Discount Department Stores |
3 |
| Display Advertising |
3 |
| Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing |
2 |
| Drafting Services |
3 |
| Drilling Oil and Gas Wells |
3 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
48 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
15 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
8 |
| Electrical Contractors |
56 |
| Electronic Shopping |
6 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
9 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
3 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
30 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
6 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
2 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
12 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
23 |
| Family Planning Centers |
2 |
| Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders |
1 |
| Farm Management Services |
2 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
7 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
5 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
14 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
7 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
14 |
| Flooring Contractors |
5 |
| Florists |
12 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
7 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
3 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
4 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
12 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
2 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
142 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
13 |
| Furniture Stores |
26 |
| General Automotive Repair |
58 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
14 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
3 |
| General Rental Centers |
6 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
4 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
24 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
2 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
5 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
4 |
| Graphic Design Services |
2 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| Hazardous Waste Collection |
1 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
11 |
| Home Centers |
4 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Home Health Care Services |
27 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
5 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
6 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
6 |
| Hunting and Trapping |
1 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Gas Manufacturing |
2 |
| Industrial Launderers |
5 |
| Industrial Valve Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
128 |
| Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
2 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
2 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
12 |
| Iron Foundries |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
34 |
| Jewelry Stores |
16 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
3 |
| Land Subdivision |
10 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
2 |
| Landscaping Services |
40 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
10 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
174 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Linen Supply |
2 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
5 |
| Locksmiths |
3 |
| Machine Shops |
11 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
3 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
2 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
8 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
6 |
| Masonry Contractors |
21 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
5 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
2 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
10 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Metal Household Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
2 |
| Mineral Wool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
22 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
4 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
4 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
4 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
4 |
| Museums |
2 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
4 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
4 |
| Nail Salons |
1 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
6 |
| Natural Gas Liquid Extraction |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
25 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
5 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
2 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
16 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
12 |
| Office Administrative Services |
46 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
8 |
| Office Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
5 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
59 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
31 |
| Offices of Dentists |
82 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
119 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
24 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
4 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
7 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
9 |
| Open-End Investment Funds |
1 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
10 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
4 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Paging |
2 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
9 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
30 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
10 |
| Payroll Services |
3 |
| Periodical Publishers |
5 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
6 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
25 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
16 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil |
1 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
3 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
2 |
| Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
5 |
| Portfolio Management |
9 |
| Primary Smelting and Refining of Copper |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
3 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
3 |
| Professional Organizations |
4 |
| Quick Printing |
3 |
| Radio Networks |
2 |
| Radio Stations |
8 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
16 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
2 |
| Recreational Goods Rental |
1 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
8 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
2 |
| Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
17 |
| Residential Remodelers |
39 |
| Retail Bakeries |
9 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
23 |
| Sales Financing |
5 |
| Savings Institutions |
9 |
| Scheduled Freight Air Transportation |
1 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
5 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
26 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
3 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
4 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
2 |
| Shoe Stores |
27 |
| Siding Contractors |
4 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
5 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
12 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
31 |
| Software Publishers |
5 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
4 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
16 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
7 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
2 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
14 |
| Taxi Service |
2 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
3 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
4 |
| Temporary Help Services |
14 |
| Temporary Shelters |
4 |
| Testing Laboratories |
6 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
3 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
8 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Tire Dealers |
21 |
| Tire Retreading |
2 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
3 |
| Tobacco Stores |
3 |
| Tortilla Manufacturing |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
5 |
| Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing |
1 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
42 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
7 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
17 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
3 |
| Veterinary Services |
19 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
5 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
6 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
4 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
13 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
15 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
28 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
2 |
Making the right decision when choosing a company name is very important. There are many decisions you'll make now that you can change later, but changing a company name years down the road is not very easy. So, choose a good company name at the outset.
Even if the name doesn't do it by itself, many naming experts believe there should be a story behind the name that ties into your company mission.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are starting a business in Amarillo, it's critical that you ensure that no other Texas company is using the business name you want to use.
It's very important that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will protect you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporation is a very popular way to form a business. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in Texas, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Texas. In fact, you are allowed to 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 ESOP Formation. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Amarillo, Texas, our information on Incorporating in Texas may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Texas.
Getting your Amarillo business the capital it needs to succeed is a difficult chore. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.
Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Getting a Small Business Loan.
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Amarillo business, you need to focus on sales.
Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
As an entrepreneur in Amarillo, 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.
We are here to help Amarillo businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Amarillo, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Amarillo.
