Maryland Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Columbia, Maryland

Need help starting a business in Columbia, Maryland? We've got the information you need to open a business in Columbia.

Columbia, Maryland Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
67564
5-9 Employees
25074
10-19 Employees
21546
20-49 Employees
15078
50-99 Employees
7182
100-249 Employees
4620
250-499 Employees
1176
500-999 Employees
378
1000+ Employees
168
All Columbia Businesses
142786

As a new Columbia entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Columbia 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
5
Amusement Arcades
1
Apprenticeship Training
2
Armored Car Services
1
Art Dealers
3
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
2
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
3
Automotive Transmission Repair
1
Beauty Salons
35
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
9
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
5
Bowling Centers
1
Building Inspection Services
1
Business Associations
12
Cafeterias
2
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Car Washes
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Caterers
4
Child and Youth Services
4
Child Day Care Services
51
Civic and Social Organizations
6
Claims Adjusting
6
Clothing Accessories Stores
8
Coffee and Tea Manufacturing
1
Collection Agencies
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
4
Commercial Photography
2
Community Food Services
1
Computer and Software Stores
8
Computer Facilities Management Services
8
Computer Storage Device Manufacturing
1
Computer Systems Design Services
102
Computer Training
6
Confectionery and Nut Stores
3
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
2
Convenience Stores
8
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
8
Couriers
5
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
1
Credit Bureaus
1
Credit Unions
3
Dental Laboratories
3
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
3
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
3
Digital Printing
1
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
8
Direct Mail Advertising
1
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
5
Display Advertising
1
Document Preparation Services
5
Drafting Services
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
2
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
4
Educational Support Services
5
Electrical Contractors
21
Electronic Shopping
3
Elementary and Secondary Schools
5
Employment Placement Agencies
12
Engineering Services
97
Environmental Consulting Services
12
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
6
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
18
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
2
Fine Arts Schools
8
Finfish Fishing
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
5
Fish and Seafood Markets
1
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
2
Floor Covering Stores
3
Flooring Contractors
3
Florists
3
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
5
Food Service Contractors
13
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
2
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
1
Freight Transportation Arrangement
4
Full-Service Restaurants
58
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
2
Furniture Stores
20
General Automotive Repair
15
General Freight Trucking, Local
4
General Rental Centers
2
General Warehousing and Storage
4
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
12
Glass and Glazing Contractors
2
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
4
Grantmaking Foundations
10
Graphic Design Services
13
Hardware Stores
1
Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal
1
HMO Medical Centers
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
6
Home Centers
2
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
3
Home Health Care Services
7
Household Appliance Stores
2
Human Rights Organizations
1
Industrial Design Services
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
45
Interior Design Services
2
International Trade Financing
1
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
1
Investigation Services
3
Investment Advice
14
Janitorial Services
40
Jewelry Stores
21
Junior Colleges
1
Kidney Dialysis Centers
2
Land Subdivision
15
Landscaping Services
14
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
87
Limousine Service
2
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
4
Locksmiths
4
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
2
Mail-Order Houses
7
Marketing Consulting Services
17
Masonry Contractors
5
Meat Markets
2
Media Representatives
2
Medical Laboratories
4
Men's Clothing Stores
6
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
22
Motion Picture and Video Production
4
Museums
2
Musical Groups and Artists
2
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
Nail Salons
9
New Car Dealers
1
News Dealers and Newsstands
2
Newspaper Publishers
4
Nonresidential Property Managers
10
Nursing Care Facilities
7
Office Administrative Services
21
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
4
Office Machinery Manufacturing
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
35
Offices of Chiropractors
9
Offices of Dentists
58
Offices of Lawyers
91
Offices of Optometrists
10
Offices of Other Holding Companies
3
Offices of Podiatrists
1
One-Hour Photofinishing
3
Optical Goods Stores
10
Packing and Crating
1
Paging
2
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
2
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
16
Passenger Car Rental
3
Periodical Publishers
4
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
4
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
5
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
10
Photography Studios, Portrait
8
Political Organizations
1
Portfolio Management
13
Printing Ink Manufacturing
2
Private Mail Centers
4
Professional Employer Organizations
3
Professional Organizations
10
Public Relations Agencies
5
Quick Printing
4
Radio Networks
1
Real Estate Investment Trusts
5
Reinsurance Carriers
1
Remediation Services
2
Residential Property Managers
26
Residential Remodelers
30
Retail Bakeries
2
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
1
Sales Financing
3
Savings Institutions
3
School and Employee Bus Transportation
5
Securities Brokerage
9
Security Guards and Patrol Services
3
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Shoe Stores
24
Sign Manufacturing
1
Site Preparation Contractors
4
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
17
Software Publishers
15
Solid Waste Collection
1
Solid Waste Landfill
1
Special Needs Transportation
1
Sports and Recreation Instruction
16
Sports Teams and Clubs
1
Tax Preparation Services
8
Telecommunications Resellers
1
Telemarketing Bureaus
2
Telephone Answering Services
1
Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing
1
Testing Laboratories
4
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
3
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
1
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
1
Tire Dealers
3
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
26
Toilet Preparation Manufacturing
1
Travel Agencies
10
Used Car Dealers
2
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
4
Used Merchandise Stores
2
Vending Machine Operators
1
Veterinary Services
9
Video Tape and Disc Rental
3
Voluntary Health Organizations
2
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
1
Web Search Portals
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
44
Window Treatment Stores
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
22
Women's Clothing Stores
20

What About Franchising Opportunities?

Browse the Yellow Pages for Columbia and 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. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including Franchise Marketing Support. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.

To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include EncouraGym and Club Z In-Home Tutoring. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Asian Restaurant Franchises and Environmental Testing Franchises.

Note on Columbia Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Columbia.

Naming the Company

A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.

Companies like Starbucks, Apple, Target, Microsoft and Intuit all have strong company names that are easy to remember and have become well-loved brands. Wouldn't it be nice if your new company name got on a similar track?

For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.

On a final note, given that you are planning on starting a business in Columbia, it's very important that you make sure no other Maryland company is using the business name you want to use.

Forming a Company in Columbia, Maryland

A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will shield 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 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 Maryland, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Maryland. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate in any state you would like to. 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. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe 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 Columbia, Maryland, our information on Incorporating in Maryland may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Maryland.

The Role of the Business Plan

Writing a business plan is essential in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan will greatly reduce your chances of business success.

If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Reasons to Write a Business Plan. You can also get face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Maryland.

Raising Capital for Your Venture

Getting your Columbia business the capital it needs to succeed requires strong organization skills and perseverance. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.

To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Getting a Small Business Loan.

For Columbia entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, check out our List of Maryland Angel Investors and our List of Maryland Venture Capital Firms.

The Art of Selling

Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Columbia or are selling to customers throughout Maryland, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

How to Build and Motivate a Sales Team offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

What's Next?

You have a dream -- starting a business in Columbia. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

We are here to help Columbia businesses to be successful. 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 Columbia, Maryland

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Maryland

Starting a Business in College Park
Starting a Business in Crisfield

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