Contemplating starting a business in Birmingham, Michigan? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Birmingham.
Are You Sure You Want to Do This?
An entrepreneurial life is demanding, much harder than working as an employee. Are you sure you want to start a business?
Because entrepreneurship is not for everyone, we recommend you do the following to help you assess whether you should move forward with starting a business:
- Speak with other entrepreneurs in Birmingham. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
- You should read Starting a Company. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
- Talk it over with a close friend or partner. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.
What Type of Business Should You Start?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
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 Opening a Highways & Bridges Engineers Business guide or our Opening a Truck Trailer Parking & Storage Business guide.
Always keep in mind that you are starting a business in Birmingham. Some businesses will do better in Birmingham than others. Don't forget to review Birmingham demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.
Birmingham, Michigan Demographic Information
Birmingham has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Birmingham demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Birmingham.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
12345 |
| 5-9 Employees |
3705 |
| 10-19 Employees |
2325 |
| 20-49 Employees |
1470 |
| 50-99 Employees |
645 |
| 100-249 Employees |
300 |
| 250-499 Employees |
45 |
| 500-999 Employees |
0 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Birmingham Businesses |
20835 |
As a new Birmingham entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Birmingham 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 |
9 |
| Architectural Services |
26 |
| Art Dealers |
9 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
2 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
36 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
2 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
2 |
| Building Inspection Services |
2 |
| Business Associations |
3 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
3 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
| Caterers |
4 |
| Child and Youth Services |
3 |
| Child Day Care Services |
3 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
3 |
| Claims Adjusting |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
1 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
1 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
5 |
| Convenience Stores |
1 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
1 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
2 |
| Credit Unions |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
14 |
| Dental Laboratories |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
6 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
2 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
4 |
| Engineering Services |
6 |
| Envelope Manufacturing |
1 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
2 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
3 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
8 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
1 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
5 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
6 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
4 |
| Flooring Contractors |
3 |
| Florists |
8 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
3 |
| Food Service Contractors |
2 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
2 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
2 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
28 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
1 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
4 |
| Furniture Stores |
15 |
| General Automotive Repair |
4 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
6 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
7 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
4 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
1 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
3 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
1 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Industrial Design Services |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
39 |
| Interior Design Services |
20 |
| Internet Service Providers |
2 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
15 |
| Janitorial Services |
5 |
| Jewelry Stores |
11 |
| Land Subdivision |
6 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
3 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
7 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
19 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
2 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
22 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
4 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
9 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
11 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
6 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
2 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
2 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
1 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
5 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
7 |
| Office Administrative Services |
8 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
2 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
13 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
3 |
| Offices of Dentists |
31 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
96 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
3 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
5 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
10 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
3 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
5 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
6 |
| Payroll Services |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
6 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
3 |
| Portfolio Management |
17 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
7 |
| Professional Organizations |
2 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
3 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
12 |
| Residential Property Managers |
14 |
| Residential Remodelers |
12 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
2 |
| Sales Financing |
6 |
| Savings Institutions |
4 |
| Securities and Commodity Exchanges |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
15 |
| Shoe Stores |
7 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
1 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
8 |
| Software Publishers |
3 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
6 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Surface Active Agent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
2 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
5 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
1 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
3 |
| Tobacco Stores |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
4 |
| Used Car Dealers |
3 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
3 |
| Veterinary Services |
5 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
21 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
4 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
15 |
Have You Considered Franchising?
As you drive around Birmingham, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?
We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchising Scams. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Van Houtte Café and All American Deli & Ice Cream Shops. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Golf Franchises and Real Estate Franchises.
Note on Birmingham Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Birmingham.
Selling Tips
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Birmingham business, you need to focus on sales.
The key to selling is to set sales goals goals and monitor your progress towards those goals. The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.
Sales Prospecting 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.
As an entrepreneur who lives in Birmingham, Michigan, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Michigan universities, colleges and community colleges. We also recommend you look into networking organizations for Birmingham entrepreneurs.
Next Steps
As an entrepreneur in Birmingham, 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 Birmingham and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Birmingham 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 Birmingham, Michigan
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Birmingham.
- Resources for Birmingham, Michigan Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Birmingham entrepreneurs.
- Michigan Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Michigan.
- Michigan Small Business Development Center - This organization supports 12 regional offices and over 30 satellite offices, each providing counseling and training to Michigan small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout the 83 counties in Michigan. Services to entrepreneurs are offered through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
- Birmingham, Michigan Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Birmingham, Michigan newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Birmingham area.
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