Contemplating starting a business in Burlington, North Carolina? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Burlington.
Will You Be a Good Entrepreneur?
Before quitting your day job, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
With so much at stake when you start a business, we strongly recommend you do the following before you proceed:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Burlington. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
- We recommend reading Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.
Which Business to Choose?
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
To view an extensive list of business types, complete with startup instructions, spend some time in the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our How to Start a Career Planning & Employment Assistance Services Business guide or our Starting a Dentists Group & Corporate Practice Business guide.
Don't forget that starting a business in Burlington has some implications. If Burlington already has plenty of the kind of business you want to start, you might want to change your plans. Don't forget to review Burlington demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.
Burlington, North Carolina Demographic Information
Burlington has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Burlington demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Burlington.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
52578 |
| 5-9 Employees |
22680 |
| 10-19 Employees |
14580 |
| 20-49 Employees |
12420 |
| 50-99 Employees |
4644 |
| 100-249 Employees |
2430 |
| 250-499 Employees |
594 |
| 500-999 Employees |
162 |
| 1000+ Employees |
108 |
| All Burlington Businesses |
110196 |
As a new Burlington entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Burlington 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 |
3 |
| Aluminum Extruded Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
3 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
1 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
2 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
2 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
15 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
3 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
15 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
5 |
| Book Stores |
4 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
7 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Mills |
2 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
4 |
| Cafeterias |
5 |
| Car Washes |
5 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
2 |
| Caterers |
2 |
| Cement Manufacturing |
1 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Cheese Manufacturing |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
19 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
7 |
| Claims Adjusting |
3 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
5 |
| Collection Agencies |
2 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
6 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
3 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
4 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
6 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
3 |
| Convenience Stores |
7 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
1 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
5 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
2 |
| Dental Laboratories |
2 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
3 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
3 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
7 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
4 |
| Educational Support Services |
3 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
17 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
3 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
5 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
3 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
21 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
7 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
9 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
5 |
| Flooring Contractors |
7 |
| Florists |
6 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
5 |
| Food Service Contractors |
2 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
10 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
77 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
6 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
11 |
| General Automotive Repair |
14 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
4 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
3 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
4 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
3 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Glove and Mitten Manufacturing |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
4 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
2 |
| Hazardous Waste Collection |
1 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
2 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
4 |
| Home Centers |
1 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
9 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
13 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Household Vacuum Cleaner Manufacturing |
1 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
3 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
44 |
| Interior Design Services |
3 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
2 |
| Investment Advice |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
17 |
| Jewelry Stores |
12 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
2 |
| Land Subdivision |
2 |
| Landscaping Services |
25 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
3 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
66 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Logging |
1 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
6 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
9 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
9 |
| Masonry Contractors |
19 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
6 |
| Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
7 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
3 |
| Museums |
2 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
1 |
| Narrow Fabric Mills |
2 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
12 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
4 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
7 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
11 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
10 |
| Offices of Dentists |
34 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
17 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
11 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
3 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
4 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
2 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paging |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
5 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
17 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Payroll Services |
2 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
10 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
5 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
2 |
| Quick Printing |
2 |
| Radio Stations |
2 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
4 |
| Real Estate Credit |
8 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
1 |
| Recreational Goods Rental |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
9 |
| Residential Remodelers |
11 |
| Retail Bakeries |
3 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
6 |
| Rope, Cordage, and Twine Mills |
1 |
| Saw Blade and Handsaw Manufacturing |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
9 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
2 |
| Setup Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sheer Hosiery Mills |
6 |
| Shoe Stores |
18 |
| Siding Contractors |
5 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
6 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
17 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
7 |
| Software Publishers |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
9 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
1 |
| Surface Active Agent Manufacturing |
2 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
7 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
8 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Textile Bag Mills |
1 |
| Textile Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
3 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
8 |
| Tobacco Stores |
3 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
8 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
13 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
5 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
11 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
7 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
2 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Weft Knit Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
7 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
2 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
11 |
| Yarn Spinning Mills |
2 |
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Burlington Business?
We've created a useful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in North Carolina. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Burlington.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.
Naming the Company
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.
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Branding Advice.
On a final note, given that you are opening a business in Burlington, it's very important that you make sure your company name has not already been claimed by another North Carolina business.
Forming a Company in Burlington, North Carolina
A critical step is ensuring that you form your business as a legal structure. Doing so will insulate you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
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 North Carolina, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in North Carolina. In fact, you can incorporate wherever you want. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.
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 Dissolving a Corporation. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Burlington, North Carolina, our web page covering Incorporating in North Carolina may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in North Carolina.
Getting Money to Start a Business
Raising money to fund your new Burlington business is a difficult chore. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Business Line of Credit.
For Burlington entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, check out our List of North Carolina Angel Investors and our List of North Carolina Venture Capital Firms.
What's Next?
You have a dream -- starting a business in Burlington. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Burlington and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Burlington 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 Burlington, North Carolina
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Burlington.
More Business Startup Guides for North Carolina
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Starting a Business in Burnsville
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Business Startup Guides for North Carolina
