Are you starting a business in College Station, Texas? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in College Station.
Will You Be a Good Entrepreneur?
Being an entrepreneur is demanding, and can be orders of magnitude more strenuous than working as an employee. Are you sure you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?
While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in College Station. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
- We recommend reading Why Small Businesses Fail. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.
College Station, Texas Demographic Information
College Station has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for College Station demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in College Station.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
4344 |
| 5-9 Employees |
2094 |
| 10-19 Employees |
1410 |
| 20-49 Employees |
1188 |
| 50-99 Employees |
348 |
| 100-249 Employees |
162 |
| 250-499 Employees |
48 |
| 500-999 Employees |
12 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All College Station Businesses |
9606 |
As a new College Station entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in College Station 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 |
| Abrasive Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Advertising Agencies |
1 |
| Air Traffic Control |
1 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
5 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
8 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Barber Shops |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
21 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
5 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
3 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
13 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
2 |
| Business Associations |
5 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Car Washes |
4 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
8 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
16 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
6 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
7 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
3 |
| Commercial Photography |
2 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
3 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
4 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
2 |
| Convenience Stores |
8 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Couriers |
4 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
9 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Discount Department Stores |
2 |
| Drilling Oil and Gas Wells |
4 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
18 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
2 |
| Educational Support Services |
2 |
| Electrical Contractors |
12 |
| Electron Tube Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Computer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
2 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
3 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
2 |
| Engineering Services |
32 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
3 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
7 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
6 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
21 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
6 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
3 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
7 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
2 |
| Flooring Contractors |
4 |
| Florists |
3 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
4 |
| Food Service Contractors |
3 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
5 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
53 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
1 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
5 |
| General Automotive Repair |
7 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
2 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
3 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
11 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
4 |
| Graphic Design Services |
3 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
4 |
| Home Centers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
3 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
2 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
31 |
| Interior Design Services |
2 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
7 |
| Investment Advice |
5 |
| Janitorial Services |
10 |
| Jewelry Stores |
20 |
| Land Subdivision |
2 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
2 |
| Landscaping Services |
15 |
| Language Schools |
1 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
4 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
84 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
2 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
2 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
3 |
| Masonry Contractors |
3 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
1 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
3 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
2 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
2 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
2 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
3 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
5 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
1 |
| Office Administrative Services |
11 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
3 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
3 |
| Offices of Dentists |
18 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
15 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
8 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
4 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
6 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
2 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
7 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
7 |
| Periodical Publishers |
3 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
5 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
5 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
3 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
1 |
| Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
2 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
3 |
| Racetracks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
10 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
12 |
| Residential Remodelers |
9 |
| Roofing Contractors |
2 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
9 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
8 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
3 |
| Securities Brokerage |
8 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
12 |
| Siding Contractors |
2 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
7 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
16 |
| Software Publishers |
4 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
11 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
4 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
2 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
5 |
| Testing Laboratories |
5 |
| Tire Dealers |
5 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
3 |
| Tobacco Stores |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
4 |
| Used Car Dealers |
2 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
6 |
| Veterinary Services |
15 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
3 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
4 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
5 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
12 |
What About Buying an Existing College Station Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Texas. Follow that link and you can assess several good businesses for sale in College Station.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.
Do You Need a Business Plan?
Having a business plan is essential 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 makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.
If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Texas.
Getting Money to Start a Business
Getting your College Station business the capital it needs to succeed requires strong organization skills and perseverance. 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 How to Raise Money.
For College Station entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, browse our List of Texas Angel Investors and our List of Texas Venture Capital Firms.
Selling Tips
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new College Station business, you need to focus on sales.
Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.
Selling Products on eBay offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills
Successful business owners recognize that they don't know everything.
Given that you are starting a business in College Station, Texas, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Texas universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also smart to see if there are any College Station networking organizations.
What's Next?
As an entrepreneur in College Station, 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.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in College Station and elsewhere to achieve real success. 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.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in College Station, Texas
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in College Station.
- Resources for College Station, Texas Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist College Station entrepreneurs.
- Texas Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Texas.
- Houston, Texas Small Business Development Center - Serving 32 counties in Southeast Texas through 14 business consulting and training centers, the Small Business Development Center Network contributes to the growth and prosperity of the Texas Gulf Coast communities.
- North Texas Small Business Development Center - The NTSBDC Network promotes small business success by providing management education.
- Northwest Texas Small Business Development Center - The Northwest Texas Small Business Development Center was established with Texas Tech University in 1986. This regional program serves over ninety thousand square miles including ninety-five counties with a population base of approximately 1.8 million people. This region is serviced by six centers located in Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland/Odessa, Abilene, Stephenville, and Wichita Falls.
- South-West Texas Border SBDC Network Texas Small Business Development Center - The South-West Texas Border Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides consulting and technical assistance to the small business community.
- College Station, Texas Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for College Station, Texas newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the College Station area.
- College Station, Texas Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for College Station, Texas area radio stations.
- College Station, Texas Payroll Services - This list includes College Station, Texas payroll services, national payroll services for College Station, and helpful information on choosing a College Station payroll service.
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