Are you starting a business in Covington, Kentucky? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Covington.
Choosing the Right Company to Start
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Free 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 Nautical Instruments Wholesale & Manufacturers Business guide or our Opening a Public Fishing Lakes & Ponds Business guide.
Always keep in mind that Covington is the place where you are starting a business. Some businesses will do better in Covington than others. Make sure you fully understand Covington demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Covington, Kentucky Demographic Information
Covington has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Covington demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Covington.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
15460 |
| 5-9 Employees |
5580 |
| 10-19 Employees |
4350 |
| 20-49 Employees |
2970 |
| 50-99 Employees |
1380 |
| 100-249 Employees |
570 |
| 250-499 Employees |
90 |
| 500-999 Employees |
30 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Covington Businesses |
30430 |
As a new Covington entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Covington 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 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
4 |
| Automatic Vending Machine Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
5 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
8 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
1 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
9 |
| Book Stores |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
3 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Car Washes |
3 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Caterers |
4 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
3 |
| Child Day Care Services |
14 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
8 |
| Claims Adjusting |
2 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
3 |
| Collection Agencies |
3 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
5 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
6 |
| Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
9 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
1 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
3 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
1 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
1 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
1 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Drafting Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
36 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
6 |
| Electrical Contractors |
11 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
5 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
1 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
5 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
1 |
| Flooring Contractors |
2 |
| Florists |
3 |
| Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
4 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
42 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
5 |
| Furniture Stores |
1 |
| General Automotive Repair |
8 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
1 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
4 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
8 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
1 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
3 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
12 |
| Interior Design Services |
2 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
5 |
| Janitorial Services |
7 |
| Jewelry Stores |
2 |
| Landscaping Services |
5 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
25 |
| Limousine Service |
2 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
2 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
2 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
3 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
1 |
| Marine Cargo Handling |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
4 |
| Masonry Contractors |
5 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
3 |
| Motor and Generator Manufacturing |
1 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
2 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
4 |
| Nonwoven Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
1 |
| Office Administrative Services |
2 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
9 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
9 |
| Offices of Dentists |
14 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
59 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
1 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
4 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
12 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
4 |
| Payroll Services |
5 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
14 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
2 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
5 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
4 |
| Residential Remodelers |
11 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
3 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| Securities Brokerage |
2 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
1 |
| Siding Contractors |
1 |
| Silverware and Hollowware Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
2 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
2 |
| Software Publishers |
3 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
2 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
5 |
| Television Broadcasting |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
7 |
| Temporary Shelters |
3 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
2 |
| Tobacco Stores |
6 |
| Used Car Dealers |
4 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
3 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
1 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
1 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
2 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
9 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
2 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
Should You Franchise?
As you drive around Covington, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Is there a franchise opportunity out there that makes sense for you?
Most business experts recommend that you evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. We have many articles on franchises, such as Protecting Your Franchise Territory. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Snap-on-Tools Company and SandFree. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Sports Restaurant Franchises and Children Arts Programs Franchises.
Note on Covington Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Covington.
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Covington Business?
We've created a useful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Kentucky. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Covington.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.
Selecting a Name For Your Venture
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.
Company names need to be easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember.
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Company.
On a final note, given that you are planning on starting a business in Covington, it's very important that you make sure no other Kentucky company is using the business name you want to use.
Marketing Your New Venture
To grow your Covington business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
You can learn plenty about marketing on our site. Seven Marketing Ideas for Your Small Business 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.
Moving Forward
You have a dream -- starting a business in Covington. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
We are here to help Covington businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Covington, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Covington, Kentucky
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Covington.
- Resources for Covington, Kentucky Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Covington entrepreneurs.
- Kentucky Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Kentucky.
- Kentucky Small Business Development Center - The Kentucky Small Business Development Center (KSBDC) has been assisting Kentucky small business community for more than 25 years. KSBDC is co-sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration and is administered by the University of Kentucky in partnership with regional universities, community and private colleges, and the private sector.
- Covington, Kentucky Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Covington, Kentucky newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Covington area.
- Covington, Kentucky Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Covington, Kentucky area radio stations.
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