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  Entrepreneurial Resources - Advice for Mississippi Entrepreneurs  
  Columbus, Mississippi Resources for Entrepreneurs  
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Opening a Business in Columbus, Mississippi

Thinking about starting a business in Columbus, Mississippi? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Columbus.

Do You Have Entrepreneurial Drive and Passion?

Before quitting your day job, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

Because entrepreneurship is not for everyone, we recommend you do the following to help you assess whether you should move forward with starting a business:

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in Columbus. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
  • You should read Starting a Company. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
  • Talk it over with a close friend or partner. A support network of family and friends can be a great sounding board for good advice before you decide for sure to go into business.

Which Business to Choose?

Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. You might get some good ideas about what kind of business to start by reading How to Evaluate a Business Idea.

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 Opening an Educational Testing Service guide or our Opening a Geriatric Care Nursing Homes Business guide.

Remember that you are opening your new business in Columbus. If Columbus already has plenty of the kind of business you want to start, you might want to change your plans. Only by spending some time analyzing Columbus demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.

Columbus, Mississippi Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees 30772
5-9 Employees 14868
10-19 Employees 9282
20-49 Employees 5376
50-99 Employees 2394
100-249 Employees 714
250-499 Employees 252
500-999 Employees 126
1000+ Employees 42
All Columbus Businesses 63826

As a new Columbus entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Columbus 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 1
Air Traffic Control 1
Amusement Arcades 2
Appliance Repair and Maintenance 2
Architectural Services 3
Automotive Exhaust System Repair 3
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops 4
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores 17
Automotive Transmission Repair 1
Baked Goods Stores 2
Barber Shops 1
Beauty Salons 15
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers 1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores 10
Boat Dealers 2
Book Publishers 1
Book Stores 3
Business Associations 4
Cable and Other Program Distribution 1
Cafeterias 4
Car Washes 3
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services 2
Caterers 3
Child Day Care Services 26
Civic and Social Organizations 10
Claims Adjusting 1
Clothing Accessories Stores 2
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners 1
Commercial Lithographic Printing 2
Commercial Photography 1
Commercial Screen Printing 1
Computer and Software Stores 2
Computer Facilities Management Services 1
Computer Systems Design Services 2
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing 1
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining 3
Consumer Lending 7
Continuing Care Retirement Communities 1
Convenience Stores 4
Cosmetology and Barber Schools 1
Couriers 5
Credit Unions 8
Custom Computer Programming Services 1
Diagnostic Imaging Centers 3
Direct Life Insurance Carriers 5
Directory and Mailing List Publishers 2
Discount Department Stores 1
Display Advertising 1
Drafting Services 1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 4
Drywall and Insulation Contractors 2
Educational Support Services 1
Electric Power Distribution 2
Electrical Contractors 17
Elementary and Secondary Schools 4
Emergency and Other Relief Services 1
Engineering Services 5
Environmental Consulting Services 2
Exam Preparation and Tutoring 2
Exterminating and Pest Control Services 3
Facilities Support Services 1
Family Clothing Stores 13
Family Planning Centers 1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 1
Finish Carpentry Contractors 5
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers 4
Flight Training 3
Floor Covering Stores 5
Flooring Contractors 3
Florists 6
Food (Health) Supplement Stores 3
Food Service Contractors 4
Formal Wear and Costume Rental 1
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation 1
Freight Transportation Arrangement 2
Full-Service Restaurants 35
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services 5
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers 4
Furniture Stores 6
General Automotive Repair 14
General Freight Trucking, Local 5
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 2
General Rental Centers 2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores 6
Glass and Glazing Contractors 2
Golf Courses and Country Clubs 3
Grantmaking Foundations 1
Hardware Stores 2
Historical Sites 1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores 1
Home Centers 2
Home Health Care Services 3
Home Health Equipment Rental 1
Homes for the Elderly 4
Household Appliance Stores 5
Human Rights Organizations 1
Ice Manufacturing 1
Industrial Building Construction 3
Industrial Launderers 1
Industrial Sand Mining 1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages 38
Interior Design Services 1
Internet Service Providers 1
Investment Advice 1
Iron and Steel Mills 1
Janitorial Services 11
Jewelry Stores 7
Kidney Dialysis Centers 1
Land Subdivision 1
Landscaping Services 9
Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing 1
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property 4
Limited-Service Restaurants 39
Locksmiths 2
Logging 6
Machine Shops 1
Mail-Order Houses 1
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers 3
Marinas 1
Masonry Contractors 3
Meat Markets 1
Medical Laboratories 2
Men's Clothing Stores 5
Metal Stamping 1
Mineral Wool Manufacturing 1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers 2
Motion Picture and Video Production 2
Motor and Generator Manufacturing 3
Motor Vehicle Towing 2
Motorcycle Dealers 1
Nail Salons 1
Natural Gas Distribution 1
Navigational Services to Shipping 1
New Car Dealers 7
New Housing Operative Builders 1
Newspaper Publishers 2
Nonresidential Property Managers 2
Nonwoven Fabric Mills 2
Nursing Care Facilities 3
Office Administrative Services 4
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers 5
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores 3
Offices of Certified Public Accountants 10
Offices of Chiropractors 3
Offices of Dentists 26
Offices of Lawyers 32
Offices of Optometrists 5
Offices of Other Holding Companies 2
Offices of Podiatrists 1
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers 1
Optical Goods Stores 2
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores 1
Paint and Coating Manufacturing 1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores 3
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors 5
Parking Lots and Garages 1
Passenger Car Rental 1
Periodical Publishers 2
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services 1
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals 5
Pharmacies and Drug Stores 11
Photography Studios, Portrait 7
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 2
Plate Work Manufacturing 1
Portfolio Management 1
Private Mail Centers 1
Professional Organizations 1
Pulp Mills 1
Quick Printing 2
Radio Stations 4
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing 3
Real Estate Credit 3
Remediation Services 1
Residential Property Managers 4
Residential Remodelers 7
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair 1
Roofing Contractors 10
Sawmills 2
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation 1
Securities Brokerage 4
Security Guards and Patrol Services 3
Septic Tank and Related Services 2
Sewage Treatment Facilities 2
Shoe Stores 6
Siding Contractors 1
Sign Manufacturing 2
Site Preparation Contractors 8
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars 4
Software Publishers 2
Solid Waste Collection 2
Special Needs Transportation 1
Sporting Goods Stores 4
Steel Investment Foundries 1
Tax Preparation Services 8
Taxi Service 1
Television Broadcasting 1
Temporary Help Services 3
Testing Laboratories 2
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers 1
Tire Dealers 5
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices 3
Tobacco Stores 3
Travel Agencies 1
Truss Manufacturing 1
Used Car Dealers 12
Used Household and Office Goods Moving 4
Used Merchandise Stores 4
Vending Machine Operators 2
Veterinary Services 4
Video Tape and Disc Rental 6
Vocational Rehabilitation Services 2
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters 1
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems 5
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers 3
Window Treatment Stores 1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers 3
Women's Clothing Stores 11
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing 3
Zoos and Botanical Gardens 1

What About Buying an Existing Columbus Business?

We've created a helpful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Mississippi. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Columbus.

If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.

Promoting Your New Company

To grow your Columbus business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.

There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Creating a Press Kit is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.

Building Up Your Sales

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

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.

Tips on Customer Referrals offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

Now It's Up To You

You have a dream -- starting a business in Columbus. 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 Columbus businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Columbus 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 Columbus, Mississippi

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Mississippi
Starting a Business in Columbia
Starting a Business in Corinth

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Mississippi
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Starting a Business - Business Ideas - Naming and Branding - City Guides

Buying a Business - Writing a Business Plan - Raising Money - Incorporate

Small Business Marketing - Customer Service Tips - Entrepreneurial Selling

Startup Leadership - Strategy - Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurs

Articles on Exporting - Human Resources for Entrepreneurs - Workers Comp

Legal Information for Entrepreneurs - Sarbanes-Oxley - Accounting - SBDC

Business Credit Cards - Nonprofit Entrepreneurs - Mission Statements

Tax Tips and Resources for Entrepreneurs - Operating Your Startup Business

Real Estate Decisions for Entrepreneurs - Franchising - Selling a Business

Starting a Home Business - Small Business Technology - Business Travel

Business Finance - Advice for Retailers - Entrepreneurship for Scientists

Administrative Professionals / Office Managers - Family Business Advice

Good Businesses to Start - Start an Energy Business - Start a Hedge Fund

Payroll Service Information - Productivity Tips - Bad Economy Advice

Small Business Websites - Search Engine Optimization - Online Reputation

Search Engine Marketing - Social Marketing Optimization - Business Forms

Business in the Jungle - Business in Fiction - Negotiating - Radio Ad Costs

Newspaper Advertising Rates - City-Specific Resources for Entrepreneurs

Small Business Insurance - Global Entrepreneurship - China & Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur Features - Acquisition Speculation - Business Book Reviews

Small Business Loans - Studying Entrepreneurship - Social Entrepreneurship

Veteran Entrepreneurs - Useful Web Sites for Entrepreneurs - Dell Deals

Entrepreneurial Resources by State - Resources for Young Entrepreneurs

African American Entrepreneurs - Resources for Hispanic Entrepreneurs

Resources for Asian Entrepreneurs - Resources for Women Entrepreneurs

Resources for Gay Entrepreneurs - Businesses for Sale - Office Supplies

Economics - Lists of Small Business Incubators - Lists of Angel Investors

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms - Franchise Opportunities

Recommended Products and Services for Entrepreneurs - Contributors

Get FREE Price Quotes from Multiple Vendors - Business Glossary