Thinking about starting a business in Aurora, Illinois? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Aurora.
Aurora has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Aurora demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Aurora.
As a new Aurora entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Aurora 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 |
| Abrasive Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Adhesive Manufacturing |
1 |
| Advertising Agencies |
3 |
| Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting) |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
3 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
8 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
5 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
5 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
12 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
7 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
3 |
| Ball and Roller Bearing Manufacturing |
1 |
| Barber Shops |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
26 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
13 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
6 |
| Bowling Centers |
2 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
2 |
| Business Associations |
4 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
7 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
2 |
| Casinos (except Casino Hotels) |
1 |
| Caterers |
4 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
4 |
| Child Day Care Services |
31 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
8 |
| Cigarette Manufacturing |
1 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
17 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
7 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
5 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
11 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
3 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
2 |
| Community Food Services |
2 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
1 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
40 |
| Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
3 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
2 |
| Consumer Lending |
9 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
10 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
2 |
| Copper Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding |
1 |
| Couriers |
3 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
3 |
| Credit Unions |
7 |
| Crown and Closure Manufacturing |
1 |
| Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
37 |
| Custom Roll Forming |
3 |
| Dental Laboratories |
3 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
5 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
2 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
4 |
| Discount Department Stores |
3 |
| Document Preparation Services |
6 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
22 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
12 |
| Educational Support Services |
4 |
| Electrical Contractors |
40 |
| Electronic Shopping |
2 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
6 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
4 |
| Engineering Services |
13 |
| Envelope Manufacturing |
1 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
4 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
3 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
36 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
14 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
22 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
4 |
| Flooring Contractors |
3 |
| Florists |
7 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
9 |
| Food Service Contractors |
15 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
6 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
4 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
3 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
79 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
4 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
13 |
| General Automotive Repair |
38 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
29 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Rental Centers |
3 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
11 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
13 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
5 |
| Graphic Design Services |
9 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Hardware Stores |
5 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
10 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Health Care Services |
7 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
2 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
7 |
| Industrial Design Services |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
1 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
2 |
| Industrial Valve Manufacturing |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
46 |
| Interior Design Services |
3 |
| Internet Service Providers |
6 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
6 |
| Iron and Steel Forging |
1 |
| Iron and Steel Mills |
1 |
| Iron Foundries |
1 |
| Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
26 |
| Jewelry Stores |
25 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
3 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
33 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
3 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
93 |
| Limousine Service |
8 |
| Linen Supply |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
2 |
| Machine Shops |
12 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
3 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
13 |
| Masonry Contractors |
9 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
11 |
| Metal Can Manufacturing |
1 |
| Metal Heat Treating |
1 |
| Metal Stamping |
2 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
10 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
7 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
2 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
3 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
1 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
10 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
4 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
3 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
10 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
10 |
| Office Administrative Services |
10 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
10 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
13 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
24 |
| Offices of Dentists |
77 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
62 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
8 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
6 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
4 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
9 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paging |
1 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
5 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
22 |
| Paperboard Mills |
1 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
3 |
| Payroll Services |
4 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
6 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
18 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
11 |
| Plastics Bag Manufacturing |
1 |
| Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
3 |
| Professional Organizations |
2 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
2 |
| Quick Printing |
5 |
| Radio Stations |
5 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
3 |
| Real Estate Credit |
6 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Repossession Services |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
9 |
| Residential Remodelers |
25 |
| Retail Bakeries |
4 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
12 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
4 |
| Schiffli Machine Embroidery |
1 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
3 |
| Securities Brokerage |
17 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
34 |
| Siding Contractors |
4 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
7 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
22 |
| Software Publishers |
3 |
| Software Reproducing |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
5 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
6 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
9 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
10 |
| Taxi Service |
2 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
2 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
28 |
| Temporary Shelters |
3 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
4 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Tire Dealers |
9 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Tobacco Stores |
1 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
8 |
| Used Car Dealers |
9 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
7 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
5 |
| Veterinary Services |
5 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
10 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Web Search Portals |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
23 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
7 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
38 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
5 |
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.
Company names should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are planning on starting a business in Aurora, it's critical that you ensure that your company name has not already been claimed by another Illinois business.
A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. In effect, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Raising money to fund your new Aurora business requires strong organization skills and perseverance. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as 504 Loans.
Whether your goal is to attract Aurora customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your beating the competition.
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Aurora business, you need to focus on sales.
Clever sales techniques can transform any business from good to great. The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.
As an entrepreneur in Aurora, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Aurora and elsewhere to achieve real success. 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.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Aurora.
