Contemplating starting a business in Des Moines, Iowa? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Des Moines.
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Good Business Ideas.
Don't forget that you are starting a business in Des Moines. Some businesses will do better in Des Moines than others. Only by spending some time analyzing Des Moines demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.
Des Moines has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Des Moines demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Des Moines.
As a new Des Moines entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Des Moines 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 |
|
Adhesive Manufacturing |
2 |
| Advertising Agencies |
10 |
| Ambulance Services |
2 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
5 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
4 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
5 |
|
Architectural Services |
25 |
| Armored Car Services |
2 |
| Art Dealers |
4 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
5 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
7 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
50 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
5 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
4 |
|
Barber Shops |
4 |
| Beauty Salons |
59 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
6 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
3 |
| Boat Dealers |
3 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
10 |
|
Bottled Water Manufacturing |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
6 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
34 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
4 |
| Cafeterias |
5 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
|
Canvas and Related Product Mills |
1 |
| Car Washes |
15 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
11 |
| Casinos (except Casino Hotels) |
1 |
| Caterers |
10 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
4 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
6 |
|
Child Day Care Services |
40 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
47 |
| Claims Adjusting |
4 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
5 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
10 |
| Collection Agencies |
4 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
2 |
|
Commercial Flexographic Printing |
3 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
22 |
| Commercial Photography |
9 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
2 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
23 |
|
Computer Training |
2 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
1 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
5 |
| Consumer Lending |
34 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
8 |
| Convenience Stores |
5 |
|
Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
8 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Couriers |
23 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
4 |
| Credit Card Issuing |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
29 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
22 |
| Custom Roll Forming |
1 |
|
Dental Laboratories |
8 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
8 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
2 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
21 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
4 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
|
Discount Department Stores |
5 |
| Display Advertising |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
9 |
| Drafting Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
80 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
12 |
| Educational Support Services |
4 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
14 |
|
Electrical Contractors |
36 |
| Electron Tube Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
8 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
9 |
| Engineering Services |
20 |
| Envelope Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Environmental Consulting Services |
3 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
4 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
8 |
| Facilities Support Services |
4 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
22 |
| Family Planning Centers |
4 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fats and Oils Refining and Blending |
2 |
|
Fine Arts Schools |
14 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
26 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
12 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
10 |
| Flooring Contractors |
10 |
| Florists |
16 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
2 |
|
Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
4 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
29 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
17 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
7 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
140 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
9 |
|
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
17 |
| General Automotive Repair |
55 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
19 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
8 |
| General Rental Centers |
7 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
9 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
31 |
|
Glass and Glazing Contractors |
9 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
9 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
14 |
| Graphic Design Services |
15 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
2 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
6 |
| Hardware Stores |
15 |
| Hat, Cap, and Millinery Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Hazardous Waste Collection |
1 |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal |
3 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
6 |
| Home Centers |
4 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
6 |
| Home Health Care Services |
6 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
3 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
6 |
|
Human Rights Organizations |
13 |
| Hunting and Trapping |
2 |
| Industrial Launderers |
4 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
96 |
| Interior Design Services |
9 |
| International Trade Financing |
2 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
3 |
|
Internet Service Providers |
4 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
5 |
| Investment Advice |
18 |
| Janitorial Services |
62 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Jewelry Stores |
27 |
| Junior Colleges |
2 |
|
Kidney Dialysis Centers |
2 |
| Land Subdivision |
6 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
5 |
| Landscaping Services |
49 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
9 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
172 |
| Limousine Service |
2 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
|
Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
9 |
| Locksmiths |
3 |
| Luggage Manufacturing |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
9 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
2 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
2 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
4 |
|
Marking Device Manufacturing |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
8 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
3 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
3 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
5 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
2 |
|
Miscellaneous Intermediation |
3 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Monetary Authorities-Central Bank |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
5 |
| Motion Picture and Video Distribution |
1 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
7 |
| Motor and Generator Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Motor Vehicle Towing |
6 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
5 |
| Museums |
5 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
4 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
8 |
| Nail Salons |
8 |
| New Car Dealers |
18 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
4 |
|
News Syndicates |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
3 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
7 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
12 |
| Office Administrative Services |
17 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
9 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
6 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
26 |
|
Offices of Chiropractors |
17 |
| Offices of Dentists |
85 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
183 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
13 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
7 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
6 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
14 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
1 |
|
Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
19 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
4 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Paging |
1 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
4 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
8 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
39 |
|
Parking Lots and Garages |
11 |
| Passenger Car Leasing |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
6 |
| Periodical Publishers |
11 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
8 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
3 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
6 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
28 |
|
Photography Studios, Portrait |
9 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil |
2 |
| Political Organizations |
12 |
| Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
6 |
| Power-Driven Handtool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Prepress Services |
2 |
| Printing Ink Manufacturing |
4 |
|
Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
2 |
| Professional Organizations |
21 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
11 |
| Quick Printing |
13 |
| Radio Networks |
2 |
| Radio Stations |
12 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
4 |
|
Real Estate Credit |
18 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
1 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
7 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
3 |
| Remediation Services |
4 |
| Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing |
1 |
| Repossession Services |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
20 |
|
Residential Remodelers |
55 |
| Retail Bakeries |
4 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
5 |
| Roofing Contractors |
18 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
7 |
| Sales Financing |
3 |
| Savings Institutions |
10 |
| Scheduled Freight Air Transportation |
1 |
|
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
10 |
| Secondary Market Financing |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
29 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
9 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
3 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
2 |
| Ship Building and Repairing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
22 |
|
Siding Contractors |
6 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
6 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
11 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
40 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Soft Drink Manufacturing |
1 |
| Software Publishers |
3 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
6 |
|
Solid Waste Landfill |
2 |
| Soybean Processing |
2 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
16 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
3 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
18 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
|
Telemarketing Bureaus |
3 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
2 |
| Television Broadcasting |
3 |
| Temporary Help Services |
23 |
| Temporary Shelters |
10 |
| Testing Laboratories |
3 |
| Textile Bag Mills |
1 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
3 |
|
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
6 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
6 |
| Tire Dealers |
23 |
| Tire Manufacturing (except Retreading) |
2 |
| Tire Retreading |
1 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Tobacco Stores |
4 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Tradebinding and Related Work |
4 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
4 |
| Travel Agencies |
14 |
| Truck Trailer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
35 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
6 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
19 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
9 |
|
Veterinary Services |
22 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
18 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
16 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
5 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
3 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Weft Knit Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
35 |
|
Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
26 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
18 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
2 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
2 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
1 |
Writing a business plan is vital 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.
Getting your Des Moines business the capital it needs to succeed requires strong organization skills and perseverance. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.
Recognizing this challenge, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled How Equity Dilution Works.
Whether your goal is to attract Des Moines customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Des Moines business, you need to focus on sales.
Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
As an entrepreneur in Des Moines, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Des Moines and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Des Moines, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Des Moines.
