Are you starting a business in Bloomington, Indiana? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Bloomington.
Before quitting your day job, take inventory of 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.
Bloomington has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Bloomington demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Bloomington.
As a new Bloomington entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Bloomington 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 |
4 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
7 |
| Art Dealers |
3 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
4 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
5 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
9 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
22 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
1 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
13 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
2 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
5 |
| Book Stores |
9 |
| Books Printing |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
2 |
| Building Inspection Services |
3 |
| Business Associations |
5 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
2 |
| Cafeterias |
3 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
8 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
8 |
| Caterers |
6 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
2 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
3 |
| Child Day Care Services |
24 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
17 |
| Claims Adjusting |
2 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
6 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
9 |
| Collection Agencies |
3 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
6 |
| Commercial Photography |
2 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
5 |
| Community Food Services |
3 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
8 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
12 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
2 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
2 |
| Consumer Lending |
5 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
7 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
1 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
2 |
| Couriers |
3 |
| Credit Unions |
10 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
15 |
| Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing |
2 |
| Dental Laboratories |
5 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
3 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
1 |
| Dimension Stone Mining and Quarrying |
2 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
4 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
5 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
19 |
| Drive-In Motion Picture Theaters |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
10 |
| Educational Support Services |
9 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
2 |
| Electrical Contractors |
23 |
| Electronic Shopping |
7 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
8 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
16 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
3 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
8 |
| Facilities Support Services |
3 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
14 |
| Family Planning Centers |
3 |
| Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
6 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
7 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
10 |
| Flooring Contractors |
3 |
| Florists |
6 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
3 |
| Food Service Contractors |
4 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
2 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
5 |
| Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
89 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
4 |
| Furniture Stores |
20 |
| General Automotive Repair |
35 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
1 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
8 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
3 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
26 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
3 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
5 |
| Graphic Design Services |
7 |
| Greeting Card Publishers |
1 |
| Hardware Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
4 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
6 |
| Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
5 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
6 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
6 |
| Industrial Design Services |
2 |
| Industrial Launderers |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
48 |
| Interior Design Services |
6 |
| Internet Service Providers |
6 |
| Investment Advice |
9 |
| Janitorial Services |
24 |
| Jewelry Stores |
14 |
| Land Subdivision |
8 |
| Landscaping Services |
38 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
6 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
101 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Logging |
2 |
| Machine Shops |
6 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
3 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
3 |
| Marinas |
2 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
7 |
| Marking Device Manufacturing |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
11 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
5 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
8 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
3 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
3 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
4 |
| Museums |
2 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
6 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Nail Salons |
3 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
8 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
9 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
6 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
7 |
| Office Administrative Services |
10 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
3 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
25 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
12 |
| Offices of Dentists |
50 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
47 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
14 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
5 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
11 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
5 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
3 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
2 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
24 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
2 |
| Periodical Publishers |
3 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
7 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
14 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
7 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
3 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
2 |
| Professional Organizations |
5 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
5 |
| Racetracks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
3 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
9 |
| Recreational Goods Rental |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
20 |
| Residential Remodelers |
41 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
4 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
35 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sawmills |
3 |
| Securities Brokerage |
14 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
3 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sewage Treatment Facilities |
2 |
| Shoe Stores |
11 |
| Siding Contractors |
5 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
| Silverware and Hollowware Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
22 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
21 |
| Software Publishers |
3 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
2 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
13 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
12 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
6 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
3 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
3 |
| Temporary Help Services |
7 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Testing Laboratories |
2 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
3 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
2 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
7 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
8 |
| Tobacco Stores |
4 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
1 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
12 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
8 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
3 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
11 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
13 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
8 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
2 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
4 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
6 |
| Wineries |
2 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
8 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
19 |
| Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
A big decision when starting a company is choosing a company name. Believe it or not, choosing a good company name can be a big contributor to your business success.
Company names need to be easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are starting a business in Bloomington, it's very important that you make sure your company name has not already been claimed by another Indiana business.
Raising money to fund your new Bloomington business is a difficult chore. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Getting a Small Business Loan.
Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Bloomington or are selling to customers throughout Indiana, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.
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.
Good business owners recognize that they need to continually improve.
Given that you are starting a business in Bloomington, Indiana, you should investigate some of the learning programs at local Indiana educational institutions. You should also check if there are any Bloomington networking organizations.
You have a dream -- starting a business in Bloomington. 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.
We are here to help Bloomington businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Bloomington, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Bloomington.
