Are you starting a business in Auburn, Alabama? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Auburn.
Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?
Most new ventures do not succeed, in part because the founder did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before jumping into the world of entrepreneurship, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Auburn. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
- We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Have a candid conversation with friends and family. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.
Auburn, Alabama Demographic Information
Auburn has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Auburn demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Auburn.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
23952 |
| 5-9 Employees |
11376 |
| 10-19 Employees |
8448 |
| 20-49 Employees |
6336 |
| 50-99 Employees |
2208 |
| 100-249 Employees |
816 |
| 250-499 Employees |
144 |
| 500-999 Employees |
48 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Auburn Businesses |
53328 |
As a new Auburn entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Auburn 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 |
| Aluminum Die-Casting Foundries |
1 |
| Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting) |
1 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
1 |
|
Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
6 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Ball and Roller Bearing Manufacturing |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
13 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
3 |
| Book Stores |
8 |
|
Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
1 |
| Business Associations |
4 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
|
Caterers |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
19 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
8 |
| Claims Adjusting |
1 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
6 |
|
Commercial Lithographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
4 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
3 |
| Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
3 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
|
Credit Unions |
2 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
5 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
4 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
2 |
|
Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
2 |
| Electrical Contractors |
11 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
3 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
12 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
3 |
|
Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
4 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
8 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
7 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
5 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
2 |
|
Florists |
3 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
3 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
2 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
56 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
6 |
| General Automotive Repair |
9 |
|
General Freight Trucking, Local |
4 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
9 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Graphic Design Services |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
|
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
2 |
| Industrial Design Services |
1 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
16 |
| Interior Design Services |
2 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
4 |
|
Janitorial Services |
1 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Jewelry Stores |
10 |
| Land Subdivision |
6 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
17 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
6 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
57 |
|
Locksmiths |
2 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
3 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
1 |
|
Motion Picture and Video Production |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
6 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
5 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
|
Nonresidential Property Managers |
3 |
| Office Administrative Services |
4 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
1 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
4 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
4 |
| Offices of Dentists |
12 |
|
Offices of Lawyers |
21 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
3 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
5 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
2 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
2 |
|
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
5 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
8 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
1 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
|
Primary Battery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
3 |
| Radio Networks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
11 |
|
Residential Remodelers |
5 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
10 |
| Sales Financing |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
6 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
3 |
|
Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
8 |
| Siding Contractors |
1 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
4 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
8 |
| Software Publishers |
1 |
|
Solid Waste Collection |
2 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
5 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
1 |
| Steel Investment Foundries |
1 |
| Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
1 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
|
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
3 |
| Tire Dealers |
3 |
| Travel Agencies |
2 |
| Used Car Dealers |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
10 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
6 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
|
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
5 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
3 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
10 |
Is Buying an Existing Auburn Business a Good Strategy?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Alabama. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Auburn.
For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: How to Buy a Business.
Do You Need a Business Plan?
A business plan is vital to the health of your new business. Indeed, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Contests. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Alabama.
The Art of Selling
Mastering the art of selling is priority one if you want your new Auburn business to do well.
So what does it take to bring in more prospects and close more business? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Landing Big Customers offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset
Good entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
With your business being located in Auburn, Alabama, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Alabama universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any networking groups or organizations in which Auburn entrepreneurs get together to network and trade their business experiences.
Moving Forward
Most new Auburn businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Auburn businesses to be successful. We have a wealth of experience in business start-ups, financing, marketing, sales and more...and we've made all of our knowledge available to you.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Auburn, Alabama
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Auburn.
- Resources for Auburn, Alabama Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Auburn entrepreneurs.
- Alabama Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Alabama.
- Alabama Small Business Development Center - Alabama's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) counsels and trains business people in a wide variety of business topics and provides comprehensive information services and access to experts in many fields. Counseling is provided free of charge to all Alabama small business owners.
- Auburn, Alabama Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Auburn, Alabama newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Auburn area.
- Auburn, Alabama Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Auburn, Alabama area radio stations.
- Auburn, Alabama Payroll Services - This list includes Auburn, Alabama payroll services, national payroll services for Auburn, and helpful information on choosing a Auburn payroll service.
- Auburn, Alabama Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Auburn, Alabama, such as business brokers in Auburn and other helpful information on how to buy a Auburn business.
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