Contemplating starting a business in Council Bluffs, Iowa? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Council Bluffs.
What Business Are You Starting?
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. We recommend that you read Good Business Ideas.
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 a Hardwood Wholesaler & Manufacturers Business guide or our How to Start a Thermostats Retail Business guide.
Don't forget that your new startup will be located in Council Bluffs. If Council Bluffs 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 Council Bluffs demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.
Council Bluffs, Iowa Demographic Information
Council Bluffs has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Council Bluffs demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Council Bluffs.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
2551 |
| 5-9 Employees |
861 |
| 10-19 Employees |
618 |
| 20-49 Employees |
390 |
| 50-99 Employees |
147 |
| 100-249 Employees |
96 |
| 250-499 Employees |
12 |
| 500-999 Employees |
15 |
| 1000+ Employees |
12 |
| All Council Bluffs Businesses |
4702 |
As a new Council Bluffs entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Council Bluffs 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 |
3 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
1 |
| Armored Car Services |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
2 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
3 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
11 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
4 |
|
Baked Goods Stores |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
30 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
2 |
| Book Stores |
4 |
| Bowling Centers |
2 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
2 |
|
Cable and Other Program Distribution |
2 |
| Cafeterias |
4 |
| Car Washes |
9 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Casino Hotels |
2 |
| Caterers |
3 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
4 |
|
Child Day Care Services |
16 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
13 |
| Claims Adjusting |
3 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
3 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
2 |
|
Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
2 |
| Community Food Services |
4 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
4 |
| Consumer Lending |
2 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
3 |
| Convenience Stores |
3 |
|
Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Couriers |
1 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
2 |
| Credit Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
5 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
4 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
3 |
|
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
2 |
| Display Advertising |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
24 |
| Drive-In Motion Picture Theaters |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
3 |
|
Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
3 |
| Electrical Contractors |
12 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
4 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
3 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
|
Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
2 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
8 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Farm Management Services |
3 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
8 |
|
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
9 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
3 |
| Flooring Contractors |
5 |
| Florists |
3 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
5 |
| Food Service Contractors |
2 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
8 |
|
Freight Transportation Arrangement |
5 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
3 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
28 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
2 |
| General Automotive Repair |
19 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
12 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
|
General Rental Centers |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
2 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
9 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
3 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
3 |
|
Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
3 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
2 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
4 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
2 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
28 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
|
Iron Foundries |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
17 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Jewelry Stores |
5 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
18 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
1 |
|
Limited-Service Restaurants |
46 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
2 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
3 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
2 |
| Masonry Contractors |
5 |
|
Meat Processed from Carcasses |
2 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
2 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
3 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
3 |
|
Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
3 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
1 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
10 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
5 |
|
Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
4 |
| Office Administrative Services |
3 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
9 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
10 |
| Offices of Dentists |
22 |
|
Offices of Lawyers |
41 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
4 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
6 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
7 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
|
Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
3 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
11 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
2 |
| Passenger Car Leasing |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
1 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
3 |
|
Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
8 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
7 |
| Plastics Bag Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
2 |
| Portfolio Management |
1 |
| Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
|
Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Racetracks |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
6 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
7 |
| Residential Remodelers |
10 |
| Roofing Contractors |
2 |
|
Satellite Telecommunications |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
4 |
| Sawmills |
1 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
6 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
5 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
2 |
| Shoe Stores |
11 |
|
Siding Contractors |
8 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
5 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
10 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Soybean Processing |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
7 |
|
Sports and Recreation Instruction |
4 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
6 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
5 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
2 |
| Tire Dealers |
8 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
4 |
|
Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
12 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
4 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
6 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
5 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
5 |
|
Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
2 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
7 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
5 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
5 |
Is Buying an Existing Council Bluffs Business a Good Strategy?
We've created a handy website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Iowa. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in Council Bluffs.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
Having a business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Indeed, 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 makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.
To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Contests. You can also get free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Iowa.
Marketing Your New Business
To rise above the crowd in Council Bluffs and build your business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Customer Loyalty is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset
The best entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
With your business being located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Iowa universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also wise to see if there are any networking organizations for Council Bluffs entrepreneurs.
What's Next?
You have a dream -- starting a business in Council Bluffs. 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.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Council Bluffs and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Council Bluffs, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Council Bluffs, Iowa
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Council Bluffs.
- Resources for Council Bluffs, Iowa Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Council Bluffs entrepreneurs.
- Iowa Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Iowa.
- Iowa Small Business Development Center - The Iowa SBDC conducts research, counsels, and trains business people in management, financing, and operating small businesses. They provide comprehensive information services and access to experts in a variety of fields. This is a great resource for Iowa entrepreneurs!
- Council Bluffs, Iowa Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Council Bluffs, Iowa newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Council Bluffs area.
- Council Bluffs, Iowa Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Council Bluffs, Iowa area radio stations.
- Council Bluffs, Iowa Payroll Services - This list includes Council Bluffs, Iowa payroll services, national payroll services for Council Bluffs, and helpful information on choosing a Council Bluffs payroll service.
- Council Bluffs, Iowa Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Council Bluffs, Iowa, such as business brokers in Council Bluffs and other helpful information on how to buy a Council Bluffs business.
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