Thinking about starting a business in Brooklyn, New York? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Brooklyn.
An entrepreneurial life is demanding, and can be orders of magnitude more strenuous than working as an employee. Are you certain you want to go into business for yourself?
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:
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. We recommend that you read Free Business Ideas.
Always keep in mind that you are starting a business in Brooklyn. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Brooklyn. Study Brooklyn demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.
Brooklyn has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Brooklyn demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Brooklyn.
As a new Brooklyn entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Brooklyn 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 |
4 |
| Advertising Agencies |
53 |
| Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing |
1 |
| Aluminum Die-Casting Foundries |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
35 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
8 |
| Amusement Arcades |
2 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
5 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
52 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
4 |
| Architectural Services |
86 |
| Armored Car Services |
8 |
| Art Dealers |
18 |
| Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing |
5 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
44 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
10 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
22 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
101 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
34 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
114 |
| Barber Shops |
69 |
| Beauty Salons |
503 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
5 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
31 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
249 |
| Blind and Shade Manufacturing |
12 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
2 |
| Book Publishers |
23 |
| Book Stores |
62 |
| Bowling Centers |
7 |
| Breweries |
3 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
15 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Mills |
9 |
| Broom, Brush, and Mop Manufacturing |
5 |
| Building Inspection Services |
10 |
| Business and Secretarial Schools |
3 |
| Business Associations |
27 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
3 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
10 |
| Cafeterias |
24 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
18 |
| Cane Sugar Refining |
2 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
5 |
| Car Washes |
77 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
19 |
| Caterers |
93 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
6 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
12 |
| Cheese Manufacturing |
5 |
| Child and Youth Services |
108 |
| Child Day Care Services |
611 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
93 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
63 |
| Claims Adjusting |
12 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
92 |
| Coffee and Tea Manufacturing |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
344 |
| Collection Agencies |
19 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
65 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
3 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
52 |
| Commercial Photography |
22 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
16 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
8 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
5 |
| Community Food Services |
15 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
62 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
15 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
249 |
| Computer Training |
14 |
| Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
28 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
39 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
11 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
10 |
| Convenience Stores |
144 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
11 |
| Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing |
6 |
| Copper Foundries (except Die-Casting) |
3 |
| Copper Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
7 |
| Couriers |
29 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
7 |
| Creamery Butter Manufacturing |
1 |
| Credit Bureaus |
2 |
| Credit Card Issuing |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
11 |
| Crown and Closure Manufacturing |
2 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
7 |
| Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
255 |
| Custom Roll Forming |
3 |
| Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing |
1 |
| Dance Companies |
9 |
| Deep Sea Freight Transportation |
2 |
| Deep Sea Passenger Transportation |
2 |
| Dental Laboratories |
67 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
61 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
14 |
| Digital Printing |
8 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
10 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
10 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
11 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
2 |
| Discount Department Stores |
8 |
| Display Advertising |
11 |
| Document Preparation Services |
31 |
| Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Doll and Stuffed Toy Manufacturing |
6 |
| Drafting Services |
8 |
| Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
233 |
| Dry Pasta Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
75 |
| Educational Support Services |
37 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
16 |
| Electrical Contractors |
417 |
| Electronic Auctions |
1 |
| Electronic Computer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Connector Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
73 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
288 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
4 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
52 |
| Engineering Services |
56 |
| Envelope Manufacturing |
2 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
19 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
48 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
65 |
| Fabric Coating Mills |
1 |
| Facilities Support Services |
8 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
128 |
| Family Planning Centers |
9 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
9 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
47 |
| Finfish Fishing |
1 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
203 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
101 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
51 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
121 |
| Flat Glass Manufacturing |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
66 |
| Flooring Contractors |
73 |
| Florists |
98 |
| Flour Milling |
1 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
2 |
| Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
2 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
59 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
60 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
8 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
28 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
3 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
39 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
65 |
| Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing |
4 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
5 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
5 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
177 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
1,087 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
87 |
| Fur and Leather Apparel Manufacturing |
4 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
65 |
| Furniture Stores |
252 |
| General Automotive Repair |
485 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
228 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
21 |
| General Rental Centers |
9 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
42 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
165 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
45 |
| Glove and Mitten Manufacturing |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
4 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
41 |
| Graphic Design Services |
99 |
| Gum and Wood Chemical Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
4 |
| Hardware Manufacturing |
4 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
36 |
| Hardware Stores |
135 |
| Hat, Cap, and Millinery Manufacturing |
15 |
| Hazardous Waste Collection |
3 |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal |
1 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
56 |
| Historical Sites |
5 |
| HMO Medical Centers |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
55 |
| Home Centers |
21 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
120 |
| Home Health Care Services |
106 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
3 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
32 |
| House Slipper Manufacturing |
1 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
59 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
19 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
2 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
11 |
| Industrial Design Services |
15 |
| Industrial Launderers |
11 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
2 |
| Industrial Pattern Manufacturing |
3 |
| Industrial Valve Manufacturing |
1 |
| Inland Water Freight Transportation |
1 |
| Inland Water Passenger Transportation |
1 |
| Institutional Furniture Manufacturing |
8 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
337 |
| Interior Design Services |
84 |
| International Trade Financing |
2 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
9 |
| Internet Service Providers |
20 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
2 |
| Investigation Services |
20 |
| Investment Advice |
35 |
| Iron and Steel Forging |
1 |
| Iron and Steel Mills |
4 |
| Iron Foundries |
2 |
| Janitorial Services |
128 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
24 |
| Jewelry Stores |
192 |
| Junior Colleges |
5 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
16 |
| Land Subdivision |
21 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
11 |
| Landscaping Services |
108 |
| Language Schools |
13 |
| Lead Pencil and Art Good Manufacturing |
1 |
| Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing |
1 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
48 |
| Libraries and Archives |
4 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
1,146 |
| Limousine Service |
100 |
| Linen Supply |
12 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
39 |
| Locksmiths |
49 |
| Logging |
1 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
8 |
| Luggage Manufacturing |
5 |
| Machine Shops |
17 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
72 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
1 |
| Marinas |
7 |
| Marine Cargo Handling |
2 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
101 |
| Marking Device Manufacturing |
2 |
| Masonry Contractors |
84 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
4 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
8 |
| Meat Markets |
193 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
13 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
2 |
| Media Representatives |
6 |
| Medical Laboratories |
25 |
| Men's and Boys' Neckwear Manufacturing |
6 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
139 |
| Metal Heat Treating |
1 |
| Metal Household Furniture Manufacturing |
8 |
| Metal Stamping |
3 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
23 |
| Mineral Wool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
9 |
| Mobile Food Services |
5 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
64 |
| Motion Picture and Video Distribution |
2 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
112 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
41 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
9 |
| Museums |
12 |
| Music Publishers |
4 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
21 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
10 |
| Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
2 |
| Nail Salons |
301 |
| Narrow Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
14 |
| Navigational Services to Shipping |
3 |
| New Car Dealers |
52 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
16 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
36 |
| News Syndicates |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
37 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
106 |
| Nonwoven Fabric Mills |
2 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
45 |
| Office Administrative Services |
206 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
11 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
41 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
163 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
130 |
| Offices of Dentists |
876 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
630 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
55 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
11 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
122 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
46 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
14 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
2 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
12 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
129 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Outerwear Knitting Mills |
26 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
7 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
2 |
| Packing and Crating |
10 |
| Paging |
5 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
11 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
31 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
161 |
| Paper Industry Machinery Manufacturing |
2 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
90 |
| Passenger Car Leasing |
8 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
15 |
| Payroll Services |
25 |
| Pen and Mechanical Pencil Manufacturing |
4 |
| Periodical Publishers |
30 |
| Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing |
16 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
51 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
17 |
| Petrochemical Manufacturing |
1 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
14 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
593 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
53 |
| Plastics Bag Manufacturing |
17 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
2 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
3 |
| Political Organizations |
8 |
| Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
14 |
| Poultry Processing |
5 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Prepress Services |
5 |
| Primary Aluminum Production |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
23 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
5 |
| Professional Organizations |
14 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
31 |
| Quick Printing |
36 |
| Racetracks |
1 |
| Radio Networks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
8 |
| Real Estate Credit |
43 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
7 |
| Record Production |
4 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
1 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
7 |
| Remediation Services |
24 |
| Repossession Services |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
469 |
| Residential Remodelers |
454 |
| Resilient Floor Covering Manufacturing |
2 |
| Retail Bakeries |
132 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
45 |
| Roofing Contractors |
78 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
3 |
| Sales Financing |
4 |
| Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
8 |
| Savings Institutions |
140 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
1 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
72 |
| Seafood Canning |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
34 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
49 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
2 |
| Setup Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
3 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
18 |
| Ship Building and Repairing |
6 |
| Shoe Stores |
275 |
| Siding Contractors |
10 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
38 |
| Silverware and Hollowware Manufacturing |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
64 |
| Small Arms Manufacturing |
2 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
311 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
5 |
| Soft Drink Manufacturing |
4 |
| Software Publishers |
12 |
| Software Reproducing |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
43 |
| Solid Waste Combustors and Incinerators |
1 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
5 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
13 |
| Soybean Processing |
2 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
55 |
| Specialty Canning |
1 |
| Spice and Extract Manufacturing |
7 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
59 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
40 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
2 |
| Spring (Light Gauge) Manufacturing |
3 |
| Steel Wire Drawing |
3 |
| Surface-Coated Paperboard Manufacturing |
2 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
103 |
| Taxi Service |
249 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
28 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
10 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
7 |
| Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing |
2 |
| Television Broadcasting |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
56 |
| Temporary Shelters |
37 |
| Testing Laboratories |
5 |
| Textile Bag Mills |
5 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
27 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
59 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
8 |
| Tire Dealers |
35 |
| Tire Retreading |
3 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
44 |
| Tobacco Stores |
13 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
2 |
| Tortilla Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
25 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
15 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
20 |
| Travel Agencies |
155 |
| Used Car Dealers |
83 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
84 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
63 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
17 |
| Veterinary Services |
47 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
76 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
38 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
18 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Watch, Clock, and Part Manufacturing |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Web Search Portals |
1 |
| Weft Knit Fabric Mills |
7 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
196 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
20 |
| Wineries |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
91 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
369 |
| Women's Handbag and Purse Manufacturing |
2 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
5 |
| Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing |
3 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
7 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
4 |
As you drive around Brooklyn, you'll see that franchises make up a large percentage of local businesses. But is franchising the right option for you?
We highly recommend you look into purchasing a franchise. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Why Franchises Fail. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: How to Buy a Business.
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.
Even if the name doesn't do it by itself, many naming experts believe there should be a story behind the name that ties into your company mission.
To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Naming a Business.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are starting a business in Brooklyn, it's critical that you ensure that your company name has not already been claimed by another New York business.
It's very important that you form your business as a legal structure. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
When forming a company, you will select one of many company types, such as a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporating is a very popular way to form a business. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in New York, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in New York. In fact, you can 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 are many nuances to forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Where to Incorporate. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Brooklyn, New York, our web page covering Incorporating in New York may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in New York.
A business plan is vital to the health of your new business. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Raising money to fund your new Brooklyn business will be harder than you might expect. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.
Whether your goal is to attract Brooklyn customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
We have some great resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Advertising in Magazines is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Brooklyn business, you need to focus on sales.
Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
The best business owners recognize that they don't know everything.
Given that you are starting a business in Brooklyn, New York, you should check out some of the many programs available at nearby New York universities, colleges and community colleges. You should also check if there are any Brooklyn networking organizations.
As an entrepreneur in Brooklyn, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Brooklyn and throughout the United States . 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 Brooklyn.
