West Virginia Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Charleston, West Virginia

Are you starting a business in Charleston, West Virginia? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Charleston.

Will You Be a Successful Entrepreneur?

Most startup ventures don't make it, in part because the entrepreneur did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before jumping into the world of entrepreneurship, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.

Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.

  • Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Charleston. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
  • Take a look at Business Failure. It's a short article but it's a good reality check for those are about to jump into the world of entrepreneurship.
  • Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.

Charleston, West Virginia Demographic Information

Charleston has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.

To give you a better feel for Charleston demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Charleston.

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
48888
5-9 Employees
22440
10-19 Employees
15120
20-49 Employees
9328
50-99 Employees
3576
100-249 Employees
2232
250-499 Employees
432
500-999 Employees
168
1000+ Employees
96
All Charleston Businesses
102280

As a new Charleston entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Charleston 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
7
Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
2
Apprenticeship Training
6
Architectural Services
15
Armored Car Services
1
Automobile Driving Schools
2
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
2
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
3
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
28
Automotive Transmission Repair
6
Baked Goods Stores
1
Barber Shops
1
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
1
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
3
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
3
Bituminous Coal Underground Mining
3
Blood and Organ Banks
1
Boat Dealers
1
Book Publishers
1
Books Printing
2
Bowling Centers
1
Breweries
1
Building Inspection Services
2
Business Associations
33
Cable and Other Program Distribution
3
Cafeterias
3
Car Washes
12
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Caterers
6
Cemeteries and Crematories
5
Charter Bus Industry
2
Child and Youth Services
9
Child Day Care Services
32
Civic and Social Organizations
27
Claims Adjusting
4
Clothing Accessories Stores
4
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
6
Collection Agencies
4
Commercial Lithographic Printing
4
Commercial Screen Printing
2
Computer Facilities Management Services
2
Computer Systems Design Services
9
Computer Training
1
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
4
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
1
Construction Machinery Manufacturing
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
3
Convenience Stores
5
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
1
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
2
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
1
Couriers
6
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
6
Credit Unions
18
Custom Computer Programming Services
9
Dance Companies
1
Dental Laboratories
4
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
6
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
4
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
9
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
1
Discount Department Stores
4
Display Advertising
2
Document Preparation Services
6
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells
2
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
42
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
2
Electric Power Distribution
16
Electrical Contractors
23
Electronic Shopping
2
Elementary and Secondary Schools
4
Emergency and Other Relief Services
4
Employment Placement Agencies
3
Engineering Services
42
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
7
Family Clothing Stores
15
Family Planning Centers
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
2
Fine Arts Schools
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
3
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
22
Floor Covering Stores
10
Flooring Contractors
4
Florists
12
Fluid Milk Manufacturing
1
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
5
Food Service Contractors
9
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
1
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
1
Framing Contractors
1
Freight Transportation Arrangement
2
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
4
Full-Service Restaurants
92
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
15
Furniture Stores
15
General Automotive Repair
27
General Freight Trucking, Local
5
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
5
General Rental Centers
3
General Warehousing and Storage
6
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
25
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
4
Grantmaking Foundations
8
Graphic Design Services
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
4
Hardware Stores
10
Historical Sites
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
6
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
3
Home Health Care Services
12
Home Health Equipment Rental
4
Homes for the Elderly
2
Household Appliance Stores
5
Human Rights Organizations
4
Hydroelectric Power Generation
4
Industrial Gas Manufacturing
1
Industrial Launderers
1
Inland Water Freight Transportation
1
Inland Water Passenger Transportation
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
71
Interior Design Services
6
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
1
Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
1
Investigation Services
5
Investment Advice
6
Iron and Steel Mills
1
Janitorial Services
21
Jewelry Stores
19
Junior Colleges
1
Land Subdivision
1
Landscaping Services
16
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
19
Limited-Service Restaurants
142
Limousine Service
1
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
3
Locksmiths
2
Mail-Order Houses
2
Manifold Business Forms Printing
1
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
6
Marinas
1
Marketing Consulting Services
5
Marking Device Manufacturing
1
Masonry Contractors
9
Media Representatives
3
Medical Laboratories
3
Men's Clothing Stores
7
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
10
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
4
Motor and Generator Manufacturing
1
Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping
1
Motor Vehicle Towing
6
Motorcycle Dealers
4
Museums
3
Musical Groups and Artists
4
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
4
Natural Gas Distribution
5
New Car Dealers
14
New Housing Operative Builders
3
News Dealers and Newsstands
1
News Syndicates
2
Newspaper Publishers
3
Nonresidential Property Managers
5
Office Administrative Services
22
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
13
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
5
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
40
Offices of Chiropractors
17
Offices of Dentists
76
Offices of Lawyers
223
Offices of Other Holding Companies
5
Offices of Podiatrists
5
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
6
One-Hour Photofinishing
2
Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing
1
Optical Goods Stores
11
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
2
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
3
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
11
Parking Lots and Garages
31
Passenger Car Leasing
2
Passenger Car Rental
5
Payroll Services
1
Periodical Publishers
5
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
3
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
4
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
24
Photography Studios, Portrait
13
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas
4
Political Organizations
5
Portfolio Management
5
Prepress Services
1
Private Mail Centers
3
Professional Employer Organizations
6
Professional Organizations
18
Public Relations Agencies
9
Quick Printing
2
Radio Networks
1
Radio Stations
4
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
2
Real Estate Credit
11
Remediation Services
3
Repossession Services
3
Residential Property Managers
10
Retail Bakeries
2
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
3
Roofing Contractors
10
Satellite Telecommunications
1
Scheduled Freight Air Transportation
1
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
8
Securities Brokerage
22
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Sewage Treatment Facilities
1
Shoe Stores
19
Siding Contractors
6
Sign Manufacturing
2
Site Preparation Contractors
23
Small Arms Manufacturing
1
Software Publishers
1
Solid Waste Collection
1
Solid Waste Landfill
1
Sound Recording Studios
1
Sporting Goods Stores
12
Sports and Recreation Instruction
3
Sports Teams and Clubs
2
Support Activities for Metal Mining
1
Tax Preparation Services
10
Taxi Service
1
Telecommunications Resellers
3
Telemarketing Bureaus
2
Telephone Answering Services
1
Television Broadcasting
4
Temporary Shelters
6
Testing Laboratories
3
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
3
Tire Dealers
15
Tire Retreading
1
Tobacco Stores
6
Travel Agencies
4
Used Car Dealers
9
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
2
Used Merchandise Stores
5
Vending Machine Operators
10
Veterinary Services
12
Video Tape and Disc Rental
10
Voluntary Health Organizations
6
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
2
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
11
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
15
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
30
Women's Clothing Stores
27
Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing
1

What About Buying an Existing Charleston Business?

We've created a useful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in West Virginia. Follow that link and you can assess several good businesses for sale in Charleston.

For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.

Picking a Business Name

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.

For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Branding Advice.

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are opening a business in Charleston, it's imperative that you check now that no other West Virginia company is using the business name you want to use.

Forming a Company in Charleston, West Virginia

A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will insulate you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

Incorporating is a very common way to legally create a business entity. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in West Virginia, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in West Virginia. As it turns out, you are allowed to incorporate in the state of your choosing. 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. To learn the basics of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Registered Agents. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Charleston, West Virginia, our information on Incorporating in West Virginia may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in West Virginia.

Startup Financing Basics

Getting your Charleston business the capital it needs to succeed is a difficult chore. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled How Equity Dilution Works.

For Charleston entrepreneurs who need startup capital, we have assembled a List of West Virginia Angel Investors and our List of West Virginia Venture Capital Firms.

Marketing Your New Startup

Whether your goal is to attract Charleston customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your successs.

You can learn a ton about marketing on our site. Pricing discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

What's Next?

Most new Charleston businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Charleston and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Charleston 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 Charleston, West Virginia

Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Charleston.

More Business Startup Guides for West Virginia

Starting a Business in Charles Town
Starting a Business in Clarksburg

Browse All Business Startup Guides for West Virginia
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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