Thinking about starting a business in Canandaigua, New York? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Canandaigua.
What Type of Business Should You Start?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Free Business Ideas.
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 Starting a Gas Well Services Business guide or our How to Start a Sheet Metal Work Industrial Business guide.
Don't forget that starting a business in Canandaigua has some implications. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Canandaigua. Don't forget to review Canandaigua demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.
Canandaigua, New York Demographic Information
Canandaigua has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Canandaigua demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Canandaigua.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
1217 |
| 5-9 Employees |
471 |
| 10-19 Employees |
291 |
| 20-49 Employees |
147 |
| 50-99 Employees |
72 |
| 100-249 Employees |
42 |
| 250-499 Employees |
6 |
| 500-999 Employees |
9 |
| 1000+ Employees |
3 |
| All Canandaigua Businesses |
2258 |
As a new Canandaigua entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Canandaigua 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 |
| Ambulance Services |
3 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
6 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
9 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
2 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
2 |
| Boat Dealers |
3 |
| Book Stores |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
2 |
| Business Associations |
3 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
| Caterers |
2 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
1 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
4 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
3 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
2 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
6 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
5 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Drafting Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
7 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
6 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
2 |
| Engineering Services |
4 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
1 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
5 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
9 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
3 |
| Flooring Contractors |
6 |
| Florists |
2 |
| Food Service Contractors |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
5 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
29 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
3 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
5 |
| General Automotive Repair |
7 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
7 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
2 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
3 |
| Home Centers |
1 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
3 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
1 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
12 |
| Investment Advice |
2 |
| Janitorial Services |
5 |
| Jewelry Stores |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
17 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
1 |
| Libraries and Archives |
3 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
23 |
| Machine Shops |
4 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Marinas |
3 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
3 |
| Masonry Contractors |
5 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
2 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
5 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
2 |
| Office Administrative Services |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
4 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
2 |
| Offices of Dentists |
14 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
25 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
3 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
5 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
4 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
2 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
1 |
| Plastics Bag Manufacturing |
1 |
| Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
1 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Recreational Goods Rental |
1 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
1 |
| Residential Remodelers |
12 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
4 |
| Sales Financing |
3 |
| Savings Institutions |
1 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
2 |
| Shoe Stores |
3 |
| Siding Contractors |
4 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
10 |
| Skiing Facilities |
2 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
5 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
5 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
2 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
7 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
3 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
3 |
| Tobacco Stores |
1 |
| Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
6 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
4 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
3 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
3 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
11 |
| Wineries |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
1 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
3 |
Should You Franchise?
As you drive around Canandaigua, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. But is franchising the right option for you?
Our advice is to investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as The Franchising Process. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Steamatic, Inc. and Futurekids Inc. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Child Care Franchises and Home Services Franchises.
Note on Canandaigua Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Canandaigua.
Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan
A business plan is critical to the health of your new business. Simply put, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Expert Advice on Business Plans. You can also get free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in New York.
Getting Money to Start a Business
Raising money to fund your new Canandaigua business is a difficult chore. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.
Take advantage of our many articles on raising capital, such as How Much Venture Capital Is There?.
For Canandaigua entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, you'll want to take a look at our List of New York Angel Investors and our List of New York Venture Capital Firms.
How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities
Good business owners recognize that they need to continually improve.
Given that you are starting a business in Canandaigua, 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 Canandaigua networking organizations.
Never Give Up
You have a dream -- starting a business in Canandaigua. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Canandaigua businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Canandaigua, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Canandaigua, New York
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Canandaigua.
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