Thinking about starting a business in Augusta, Georgia? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Augusta.
Are You Ready for Entrepreneurship?
Before announcing to the world that you are going to start your own business, consider your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Augusta. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
- We recommend reading Why Small Businesses Fail. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.
Which Business to Choose?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Free Business Ideas.
For in-depth how-to guides on how to start specific businesses, browse our Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Starting a Dance Club guide or our Starting a Tatoo Parlor guide.
Always keep in mind that your new startup will be located in Augusta. Some businesses will do better in Augusta than others. Make sure you fully understand Augusta demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Augusta, Georgia Demographic Information
Augusta has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Augusta demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Augusta.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
67905 |
| 5-9 Employees |
31239 |
| 10-19 Employees |
22194 |
| 20-49 Employees |
15444 |
| 50-99 Employees |
5157 |
| 100-249 Employees |
2484 |
| 250-499 Employees |
675 |
| 500-999 Employees |
243 |
| 1000+ Employees |
216 |
| All Augusta Businesses |
145557 |
As a new Augusta entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Augusta 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 |
5 |
| Alkalies and Chlorine Manufacturing |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
4 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
4 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
13 |
| Armored Car Services |
1 |
| Art Dealers |
4 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
3 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
5 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
6 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
33 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
9 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
3 |
| Barber Shops |
3 |
| Beauty Salons |
50 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
22 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
2 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
12 |
| Books Printing |
2 |
| Bowling Centers |
2 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
2 |
| Burial Casket Manufacturing |
3 |
| Business and Secretarial Schools |
1 |
| Business Associations |
9 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
5 |
| Cafeterias |
14 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Car Washes |
4 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
7 |
| Caterers |
11 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
8 |
| Child Day Care Services |
56 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
10 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
23 |
| Claims Adjusting |
4 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
6 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
5 |
| Collection Agencies |
7 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
4 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
7 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
4 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
8 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
5 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
11 |
| Computer Training |
2 |
| Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
2 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
39 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
20 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
2 |
| Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Couriers |
6 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
4 |
| Credit Bureaus |
2 |
| Credit Unions |
19 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
2 |
| Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
14 |
| Dance Companies |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
11 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
9 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
6 |
| Digital Printing |
3 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
13 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
2 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
4 |
| Display Advertising |
4 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Drafting Services |
4 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
32 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
13 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
8 |
| Electrical Contractors |
51 |
| Electronic Shopping |
2 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
16 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
2 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
6 |
| Engineering Services |
50 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
2 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
4 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
14 |
| Facilities Support Services |
3 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
24 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Farm Product Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
8 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
14 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
4 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
29 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
17 |
| Flooring Contractors |
4 |
| Florists |
14 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
6 |
| Food Service Contractors |
14 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
5 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
4 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
5 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
158 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
12 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
4 |
| Furniture Stores |
30 |
| General Automotive Repair |
54 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
9 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
7 |
| General Rental Centers |
7 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
9 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
21 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
5 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
6 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
6 |
| Graphic Design Services |
4 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Hardware Stores |
4 |
| Historical Sites |
2 |
| HMO Medical Centers |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
7 |
| Home Centers |
4 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
7 |
| Home Health Care Services |
14 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
4 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
12 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
11 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Hunting and Trapping |
2 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
2 |
| Industrial Gas Manufacturing |
3 |
| Industrial Launderers |
4 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
88 |
| Interior Design Services |
3 |
| Internet Service Providers |
3 |
| Investigation Services |
5 |
| Investment Advice |
10 |
| Janitorial Services |
37 |
| Jewelry Stores |
28 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
7 |
| Land Subdivision |
11 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
4 |
| Landscaping Services |
42 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
7 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
159 |
| Limousine Service |
2 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
4 |
| Locksmiths |
3 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
2 |
| Machine Shops |
8 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
5 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
8 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
11 |
| Masonry Contractors |
12 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
3 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
2 |
| Medical Laboratories |
6 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
16 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
4 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
9 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
3 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
4 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
6 |
| Museums |
4 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
2 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
7 |
| Nail Salons |
3 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
28 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
15 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
6 |
| Newsprint Mills |
1 |
| Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Nonclay Refractory Manufacturing |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
10 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
16 |
| Office Administrative Services |
13 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
11 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
35 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
16 |
| Offices of Dentists |
105 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
186 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
15 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
3 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
7 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
19 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
2 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
14 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
4 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paging |
4 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
7 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
15 |
| Paper (except Newsprint) Mills |
3 |
| Paperboard Mills |
1 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
2 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
10 |
| Payroll Services |
2 |
| Periodical Publishers |
7 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
7 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
9 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
34 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
13 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
3 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
2 |
| Private Mail Centers |
5 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
2 |
| Professional Organizations |
4 |
| Quick Printing |
3 |
| Radio Networks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
11 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
7 |
| Real Estate Credit |
16 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
3 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
3 |
| Repossession Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
20 |
| Residential Remodelers |
36 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
3 |
| Roofing Contractors |
7 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
1 |
| Sales Financing |
6 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| Sawmills |
2 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
2 |
| Seafood Canning |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
19 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
6 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
2 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
33 |
| Siding Contractors |
6 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
6 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
13 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
14 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Soft Drink Manufacturing |
1 |
| Software Publishers |
2 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
4 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
4 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
23 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
4 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
2 |
| Storage Battery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
2 |
| Surface Active Agent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
19 |
| Taxi Service |
2 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
4 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
3 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
2 |
| Television Broadcasting |
6 |
| Temporary Help Services |
32 |
| Temporary Shelters |
5 |
| Testing Laboratories |
5 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
3 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
8 |
| Timber Tract Operations |
3 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
6 |
| Tire Dealers |
24 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
| Tobacco Stores |
4 |
| Travel Agencies |
10 |
| Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing |
1 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
38 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
8 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
23 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
3 |
| Veterinary Services |
18 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
10 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
6 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
4 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
18 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
2 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
21 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
37 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
1 |
| Wood Preservation |
1 |
Should You Franchise?
Browse the Yellow Pages for Augusta and you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. But is franchising the right option for you?
Our recommendation is that you investigate buying a franchise. On our site, you can read many articles about franchising, such as Franchising My Business. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
A comprehensive list of franchisors is available via our List of Franchise Opportunities.
Sample franchise opportunities include Subway Franchises and Starbucks Franchises. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Accounting Franchises and Moving Franchises.
Note on Augusta Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Augusta.
Is Buying an Existing Augusta Business a Good Strategy?
We've created a helpful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Georgia. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Augusta.
For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.
Choosing a Business Name
A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.
Pick a company name that isn't too generic. If you do a search engine search for your proposed name and a billion results come up, you may want to reconsider the name. It's much easier to come up in the search engines when your name is fairly unique.
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are opening a business in Augusta, it's very important that you make sure no other Georgia company is using the business name you want to use.
Company Formation in Augusta, Georgia
It's essential that you choose the right legal structure for your new entity. Doing so will separate 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.
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. Just because you are starting a business in Georgia, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Georgia. 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's a lot to know about forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Pre-Incorporation Agreements. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Augusta, Georgia, our information on Incorporating in Georgia may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Georgia.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
Writing a business plan is critical in laying a solid foundation for your business success. In effect, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Not having a business plan will greatly reduce your chances of business success.
If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Business Plan Contests. You can also get free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Georgia.
Getting Money to Start a Business
Getting your Augusta 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.
Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled How Equity Dilution Works.
For Augusta entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, check out our List of Georgia Angel Investors and our List of Georgia Venture Capital Firms.
Promoting Your New Company
To rise above the crowd in Augusta and build your business, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your business achieving its goals.
You can learn quite a bit about marketing on our site. Advertising in the Yellow Pages is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Building Up Your Sales
Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Augusta 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? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.
Closing Sales Techniques is worth reading, as it may give you some good ideas on how to sell your products or services. We have many more good articles on selling that you may enjoy reading.
Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset
Good entrepreneurs know that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
As an entrepreneur who lives in Augusta, Georgia, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Georgia universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also smart to see if there are any Augusta networking organizations.
Never Give Up
You have a dream -- starting a business in Augusta. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Augusta and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Augusta 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 Augusta, Georgia
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Augusta.
More Business Startup Guides for Georgia
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Business Startup Guides for Georgia
