Are you starting a business in Columbia, Missouri? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Columbia.
Most new businesses do not succeed, in part because the founder did not have the entrepreneurial skills and traits needed to succeed. So, before you start your business, 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.
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at Free Business Ideas.
Remember that starting a business in Columbia has some implications. Some businesses will do better in Columbia than others. Make sure you fully understand Columbia demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
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.
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 |
11 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
17 |
| Armored Car Services |
1 |
| Art Dealers |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
3 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
7 |
|
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
23 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
5 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
47 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
2 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
1 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
5 |
|
Boat Dealers |
2 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
6 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
14 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
6 |
|
Cafeterias |
3 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
12 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
9 |
| Casinos (except Casino Hotels) |
1 |
| Caterers |
5 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
2 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
1 |
|
Child and Youth Services |
6 |
| Child Day Care Services |
65 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
5 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
20 |
| Claims Adjusting |
2 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
4 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
3 |
| Collection Agencies |
5 |
|
Commercial Lithographic Printing |
4 |
| Commercial Photography |
2 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
3 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
3 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
5 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
15 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
2 |
|
Consumer Lending |
12 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
5 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
2 |
| Couriers |
11 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
3 |
| Credit Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
19 |
|
Dental Laboratories |
4 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
3 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
2 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
5 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
1 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
3 |
|
Discount Department Stores |
4 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
1 |
| Drafting Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
28 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
18 |
| Educational Support Services |
3 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
3 |
|
Electrical Contractors |
29 |
| Electronic Auctions |
2 |
| Electronic Shopping |
3 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
7 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
3 |
| Engineering Services |
25 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
3 |
|
Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
5 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
5 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
15 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Farm Management Services |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
8 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
23 |
|
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
12 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
7 |
| Flooring Contractors |
8 |
| Florists |
6 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
5 |
| Food Service Contractors |
11 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
|
Framing Contractors |
18 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
4 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
118 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
4 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
22 |
| General Automotive Repair |
37 |
|
General Freight Trucking, Local |
5 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
5 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
4 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
19 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
2 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
4 |
|
Graphic Design Services |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
7 |
| Home Centers |
5 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
17 |
|
Home Health Equipment Rental |
4 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
5 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
9 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
1 |
| Institutional Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
86 |
|
Interior Design Services |
6 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
2 |
| Internet Service Providers |
3 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
4 |
| Janitorial Services |
25 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Jewelry Stores |
13 |
|
Kidney Dialysis Centers |
2 |
| Land Subdivision |
12 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
45 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
5 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
99 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
|
Linen Supply |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
3 |
| Locksmiths |
2 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
4 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
6 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
7 |
| Marinas |
1 |
|
Marketing Consulting Services |
10 |
| Masonry Contractors |
10 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
5 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
3 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
15 |
|
Motion Picture and Video Production |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
4 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
4 |
| Music Publishers |
1 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
2 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
6 |
| Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
2 |
|
Nail Salons |
6 |
| New Car Dealers |
12 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
18 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| News Syndicates |
2 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
2 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
3 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
5 |
|
Office Administrative Services |
9 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
3 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
22 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
21 |
| Offices of Dentists |
55 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
86 |
|
Offices of Optometrists |
13 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
12 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
2 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
7 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
|
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
20 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
2 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
3 |
| Payroll Services |
4 |
| Periodical Publishers |
3 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
4 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
8 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
3 |
|
Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
5 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
7 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
2 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
2 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Poultry Processing |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
5 |
|
Professional Employer Organizations |
3 |
| Professional Organizations |
8 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
3 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Networks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
9 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
6 |
| Real Estate Credit |
5 |
|
Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Repossession Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
22 |
| Residential Remodelers |
30 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
5 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
25 |
|
Rope, Cordage, and Twine Mills |
1 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
4 |
| Sawmills |
1 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
1 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
19 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
3 |
|
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
15 |
| Siding Contractors |
11 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
16 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
14 |
| Software Publishers |
4 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
2 |
|
Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
19 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
14 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
9 |
| Taxi Service |
4 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
2 |
|
Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
17 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Textile Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
4 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
|
Tire Dealers |
11 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
4 |
| Tobacco Stores |
4 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
2 |
| Travel Agencies |
5 |
| Used Car Dealers |
17 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
6 |
|
Used Merchandise Stores |
14 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
16 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
10 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
5 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
4 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
|
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
11 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
6 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
21 |
A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To rise above the crowd in Columbia and advance your business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
Mastering the art of selling is priority one if you want your new Columbia business to do well.
Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Most new Columbia 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 Columbia and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Columbia, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Columbia.
