Thinking about starting a business in Burlington, Vermont? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Burlington.
Is Becoming a Business Owner Right for You?
Most new businesses do not succeed, in part because the entrepreneur did not have the perseverance and abilities that are necessary to succeed. So, before jumping into the world of entrepreneurship, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
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:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Burlington. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
- We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Have a candid conversation with friends and family. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.
Burlington, Vermont 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 |
39042 |
| 5-9 Employees |
17010 |
| 10-19 Employees |
12798 |
| 20-49 Employees |
7614 |
| 50-99 Employees |
2700 |
| 100-249 Employees |
1674 |
| 250-499 Employees |
540 |
| 500-999 Employees |
162 |
| 1000+ Employees |
54 |
| All Burlington Businesses |
81594 |
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 |
8 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
12 |
|
Art Dealers |
6 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Barber Shops |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
20 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
3 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
4 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
2 |
|
Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
8 |
| Breweries |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
2 |
| Business and Secretarial Schools |
1 |
| Business Associations |
9 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
2 |
|
Canvas and Related Product Mills |
1 |
| Car Washes |
3 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Caterers |
4 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
6 |
| Child Day Care Services |
9 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
3 |
|
Civic and Social Organizations |
12 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
3 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Photography |
3 |
| Community Food Services |
2 |
|
Computer and Software Stores |
1 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
4 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
1 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
15 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
1 |
|
Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
2 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
3 |
| Credit Unions |
6 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
15 |
| Deep Sea Passenger Transportation |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
2 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
6 |
|
Direct Mail Advertising |
2 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
15 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
1 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
4 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
6 |
|
Emergency and Other Relief Services |
2 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
10 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
5 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
12 |
| Family Planning Centers |
4 |
|
Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
6 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
6 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
2 |
| Florists |
6 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
3 |
| Food Service Contractors |
6 |
|
Framing Contractors |
1 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
52 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
4 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
4 |
| General Automotive Repair |
6 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
1 |
|
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
12 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
20 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
4 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
1 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
1 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
3 |
| Inland Water Passenger Transportation |
1 |
|
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
13 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
5 |
| Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
10 |
| Jewelry Stores |
10 |
|
Junior Colleges |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
1 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
2 |
| Landscaping Services |
11 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
2 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
42 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
3 |
|
Locksmiths |
1 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
1 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
7 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
4 |
| Marking Device Manufacturing |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
|
Men's Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Mobile Food Services |
3 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
3 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
7 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| Museums |
3 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
4 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
4 |
|
Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
2 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
2 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
2 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
3 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
6 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
3 |
|
Office Administrative Services |
2 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
9 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
7 |
| Offices of Dentists |
21 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
84 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
5 |
|
Offices of Other Holding Companies |
3 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
4 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
3 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
3 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
8 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
4 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
2 |
|
Periodical Publishers |
4 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
3 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
6 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
2 |
| Political Organizations |
4 |
| Portfolio Management |
8 |
| Private Mail Centers |
2 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
|
Public Relations Agencies |
2 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
4 |
| Recreational Goods Rental |
1 |
| Reinsurance Carriers |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing |
1 |
|
Repossession Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
7 |
| Residential Remodelers |
15 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
6 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
4 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
2 |
|
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
8 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
2 |
| Shoe Stores |
11 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
2 |
| Small Arms Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
14 |
| Software Publishers |
3 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
7 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
4 |
| Taxi Service |
3 |
| Television Broadcasting |
2 |
|
Temporary Help Services |
7 |
| Temporary Shelters |
5 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
3 |
| Tire Dealers |
3 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
| Tobacco Stores |
2 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
|
Travel Agencies |
4 |
| Used Car Dealers |
2 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
11 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
1 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
4 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
|
Voluntary Health Organizations |
3 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
4 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
6 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
25 |
| Wood Preservation |
1 |
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Burlington Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Vermont. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in Burlington.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.
Raising Funding for Your Business
Getting your Burlington business the capital it needs to succeed 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.
Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Business Incubators.
For Burlington entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, browse our List of Vermont Angel Investors and our List of Vermont Venture Capital Firms.
Ramping Up Sales
Mastering the art of selling is a must if you want your new Burlington business to do well.
So what does it take to bring in more prospects and close more business? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.
Anticipating Prospect Responses is worth reading, as it may give you some good ideas on how to sell your products or services. We have many more good articles on selling that you may enjoy reading.
Learning More About Entrepreneurship
Good business owners recognize that they need to continually improve.
Given that you are starting a business in Burlington, Vermont, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Vermont universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any networking organizations for Burlington entrepreneurs.
Moving Forward
Most new Burlington businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
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 Burlington and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Burlington, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Burlington, Vermont
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Burlington.
- Resources for Burlington, Vermont Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Burlington entrepreneurs.
- Vermont Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Vermont.
- Vermont Small Business Development Center - The missionof Vermont Small Business Development Centers is to strengthen existing business entities and assist start-ups with high-quality, no-cost counseling and affordable training programs.
- Burlington, Vermont Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Burlington, Vermont newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Burlington area.
- Burlington, Vermont Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Burlington, Vermont area radio stations.
- Burlington, Vermont Payroll Services - This list includes Burlington, Vermont payroll services, national payroll services for Burlington, and helpful information on choosing a Burlington payroll service.
- Burlington, Vermont Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Burlington, Vermont, such as business brokers in Burlington and other helpful information on how to buy a Burlington business.
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