Contemplating starting a business in Atlanta, Georgia? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Atlanta.
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
Remember that you are opening your new business in Atlanta. Some businesses will do better in Atlanta than others. A critical consideration is whether Atlanta demographics mesh well with your startup concept.
Atlanta has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Atlanta demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Atlanta.
As a new Atlanta entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Atlanta 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 |
2 |
| Advertising Agencies |
170 |
| Air Traffic Control |
1 |
| Aircraft Manufacturing |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
6 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
3 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
5 |
| Architectural Services |
260 |
| Armored Car Services |
7 |
| Art Dealers |
46 |
| Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
6 |
| Automobile Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
10 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
10 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
65 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
17 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
12 |
| Barber Shops |
22 |
| Beauty Salons |
332 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
2 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
7 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
120 |
| Blind and Shade Manufacturing |
1 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
4 |
| Boat Dealers |
2 |
| Book Publishers |
15 |
| Book Stores |
63 |
| Books Printing |
2 |
| Bowling Centers |
5 |
| Breweries |
3 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
2 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Mills |
2 |
| Broom, Brush, and Mop Manufacturing |
4 |
| Building Inspection Services |
22 |
| Burial Casket Manufacturing |
1 |
| Business and Secretarial Schools |
4 |
| Business Associations |
96 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
6 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
25 |
| Cafeterias |
38 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
29 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
4 |
| Car Washes |
32 |
| Carpet and Rug Mills |
1 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
21 |
| Caterers |
64 |
| Cement Manufacturing |
1 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
12 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
14 |
| Cheese Manufacturing |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
53 |
| Child Day Care Services |
261 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
28 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
94 |
| Claims Adjusting |
34 |
| Clay Refractory Manufacturing |
1 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
45 |
| Coffee and Tea Manufacturing |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
47 |
| Collection Agencies |
41 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
12 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
4 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
80 |
| Commercial Photography |
43 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
22 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
12 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
6 |
| Community Food Services |
6 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
39 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
24 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
425 |
| Computer Training |
21 |
| Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing |
2 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
13 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
67 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
8 |
| Convenience Stores |
99 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
67 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
12 |
| Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
4 |
| Couriers |
66 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
29 |
| Creamery Butter Manufacturing |
1 |
| Credit Bureaus |
13 |
| Credit Card Issuing |
5 |
| Credit Unions |
74 |
| Crown and Closure Manufacturing |
1 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
7 |
| Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
431 |
| Custom Roll Forming |
1 |
| Dance Companies |
2 |
| Deep Sea Freight Transportation |
4 |
| Dental Laboratories |
23 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
31 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
10 |
| Digital Printing |
11 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
116 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
19 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
15 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
17 |
| Discount Department Stores |
10 |
| Display Advertising |
23 |
| Distilleries |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
30 |
| Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing |
2 |
| Drafting Services |
4 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
127 |
| Dry Pasta Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
31 |
| Educational Support Services |
41 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
41 |
| Electrical Contractors |
133 |
| Electronic Connector Manufacturing |
2 |
| Electronic Shopping |
36 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
87 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
5 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
101 |
| Engineering Services |
307 |
| Envelope Manufacturing |
5 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
39 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
40 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
19 |
| Fabric Coating Mills |
1 |
| Facilities Support Services |
35 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
102 |
| Family Planning Centers |
7 |
| Farm Management Services |
1 |
| Farm Product Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
18 |
| Fats and Oils Refining and Blending |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
38 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
38 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
4 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
8 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
123 |
| Flight Training |
13 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
44 |
| Flooring Contractors |
34 |
| Florists |
57 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
3 |
| Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
2 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
47 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
190 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
5 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
10 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
11 |
| Framing Contractors |
11 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
188 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
2 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
3 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
1,041 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
25 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
75 |
| Furniture Stores |
126 |
| General Automotive Repair |
178 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
44 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
13 |
| General Rental Centers |
18 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
79 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
115 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
8 |
| Glass Container Manufacturing |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
15 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
56 |
| Graphic Design Services |
222 |
| Gypsum Product Manufacturing |
2 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Manufacturing |
2 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
37 |
| Hardware Stores |
27 |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal |
5 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| Historical Sites |
3 |
| HMO Medical Centers |
7 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
22 |
| Home Centers |
17 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
97 |
| Home Health Care Services |
53 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
36 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
15 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
29 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
9 |
| Industrial Design Services |
10 |
| Industrial Launderers |
19 |
| Industrial Pattern Manufacturing |
1 |
| Inorganic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
561 |
| Interior Design Services |
201 |
| International Trade Financing |
5 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
26 |
| Internet Service Providers |
47 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
4 |
| Investigation Services |
25 |
| Investment Advice |
206 |
| Iron and Steel Mills |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
174 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
3 |
| Jewelry Stores |
169 |
| Junior Colleges |
4 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
26 |
| Land Subdivision |
86 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
52 |
| Landscaping Services |
163 |
| Language Schools |
15 |
| Lead Pencil and Art Good Manufacturing |
1 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
11 |
| Libraries and Archives |
6 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
966 |
| Limousine Service |
13 |
| Linen Supply |
8 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
26 |
| Locksmiths |
13 |
| Logging |
2 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
16 |
| Machine Shops |
12 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
41 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
287 |
| Marking Device Manufacturing |
3 |
| Masonry Contractors |
26 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
3 |
| Meat Markets |
15 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
2 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
11 |
| Media Representatives |
44 |
| Medical Laboratories |
27 |
| Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
60 |
| Metal Heat Treating |
1 |
| Metal Household Furniture Manufacturing |
2 |
| Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
3 |
| Mineral Wool Manufacturing |
4 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
55 |
| Mobile Food Services |
4 |
| Monetary Authorities-Central Bank |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
216 |
| Motion Picture and Video Distribution |
2 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
112 |
| Motor and Generator Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
18 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
3 |
| Museums |
16 |
| Music Publishers |
7 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
34 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
8 |
| Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
2 |
| Nail Salons |
38 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
12 |
| New Car Dealers |
41 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
54 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
21 |
| News Syndicates |
5 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
27 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
147 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
38 |
| Office Administrative Services |
182 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
60 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
34 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
7 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
368 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
163 |
| Offices of Dentists |
470 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
1,492 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
64 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
76 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
19 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
62 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
3 |
| Open-End Investment Funds |
2 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
2 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
4 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
47 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
3 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
9 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Packing and Crating |
5 |
| Paging |
6 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
10 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
25 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
60 |
| Paper Industry Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
248 |
| Passenger Car Leasing |
2 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
35 |
| Payroll Services |
33 |
| Periodical Publishers |
85 |
| Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing |
3 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
23 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
35 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
21 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
115 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
78 |
| Plastics Bag Manufacturing |
2 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
7 |
| Political Organizations |
21 |
| Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
2 |
| Port and Harbor Operations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
127 |
| Poultry Processing |
1 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Prepress Services |
11 |
| Printing Ink Manufacturing |
7 |
| Private Mail Centers |
27 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
36 |
| Professional Organizations |
80 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
117 |
| Quick Printing |
37 |
| Racetracks |
1 |
| Radio Networks |
8 |
| Radio Stations |
62 |
| Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing |
2 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
17 |
| Real Estate Credit |
223 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
35 |
| Record Production |
9 |
| Recreational Goods Rental |
3 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
9 |
| Reinsurance Carriers |
9 |
| Remediation Services |
9 |
| Repossession Services |
7 |
| Residential Property Managers |
234 |
| Residential Remodelers |
142 |
| Retail Bakeries |
13 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
22 |
| Roofing Contractors |
35 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
11 |
| Sales Financing |
59 |
| Savings Institutions |
45 |
| Saw Blade and Handsaw Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sawmills |
2 |
| Scheduled Freight Air Transportation |
11 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
32 |
| Schiffli Machine Embroidery |
1 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
2 |
| Seafood Canning |
1 |
| Secondary Market Financing |
6 |
| Securities and Commodity Exchanges |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
140 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
70 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
2 |
| Setup Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sewage Treatment Facilities |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
8 |
| Shoe Stores |
153 |
| Siding Contractors |
11 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
29 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
24 |
| Skiing Facilities |
1 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
153 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
10 |
| Soft Drink Manufacturing |
6 |
| Software Publishers |
96 |
| Software Reproducing |
2 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
13 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
2 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
26 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
13 |
| Specialty Canning |
1 |
| Spice and Extract Manufacturing |
4 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
62 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
32 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
6 |
| Steel Wire Drawing |
1 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
2 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
89 |
| Taxi Service |
13 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
30 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
12 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
11 |
| Television Broadcasting |
20 |
| Temporary Help Services |
300 |
| Temporary Shelters |
15 |
| Testing Laboratories |
17 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
34 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
10 |
| Timber Tract Operations |
1 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
15 |
| Tire Dealers |
51 |
| Tire Retreading |
2 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
41 |
| Tobacco Stores |
10 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
5 |
| Tortilla Manufacturing |
4 |
| Tour Operators |
18 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
9 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
13 |
| Travel Agencies |
136 |
| Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
54 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
41 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
103 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
11 |
| Veterinary Services |
55 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
43 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
27 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
41 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
3 |
| Watch, Clock, and Part Manufacturing |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
3 |
| Web Search Portals |
5 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
470 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
3 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
202 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
239 |
| Women's Handbag and Purse Manufacturing |
1 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
9 |
| Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing |
2 |
| Wood Preservation |
1 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
2 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
5 |
If you are headed down the path of buying a business, you may want to read this article: Buying a Business.
A critical step is ensuring that you choose the right legal structure for your new entity. The principal advantage of forming your new business as a legal entity is that it separates your business liabilities from your personal liabilities.
The entity you form can be a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
Incorporating 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 Georgia, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Georgia. In fact, you can incorporate wherever you want. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.
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 How to Incorporate. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Atlanta, Georgia, our information on Incorporating in Georgia may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Georgia.
A business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Atlanta or are selling to customers throughout Georgia, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.
Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
You have a dream -- starting a business in Atlanta. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Atlanta and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Atlantaentrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Atlanta.
