Thinking about starting a business in Des Plaines, Illinois? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Des Plaines.
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.
Don't forget that you are opening your new business in Des Plaines. Some businesses will do better in Des Plaines than others. Study Des Plaines demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.
Des Plaines has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Des Plaines demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Des Plaines.
As a new Des Plaines entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Des Plaines 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 |
| Abrasive Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Advertising Agencies |
7 |
| Aluminum Die-Casting Foundries |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
6 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
3 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
2 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
7 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
2 |
| Barber Shops |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
21 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
16 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
3 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
21 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
1 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
5 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Caterers |
9 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
3 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
2 |
| Child and Youth Services |
4 |
| Child Day Care Services |
11 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
5 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
4 |
| Collection Agencies |
4 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
2 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
9 |
| Commercial Photography |
3 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
3 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
27 |
| Computer Training |
2 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Consumer Lending |
9 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
10 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
6 |
| Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing |
1 |
| Couriers |
4 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
1 |
| Credit Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
31 |
| Dental Laboratories |
7 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
2 |
| Digital Printing |
2 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
16 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
5 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
5 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
2 |
| Discount Department Stores |
2 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
7 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
4 |
| Educational Support Services |
4 |
| Electrical Contractors |
30 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
6 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
12 |
| Engineering Services |
30 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
2 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
2 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
2 |
| Facilities Support Services |
3 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
18 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
3 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
4 |
| Flooring Contractors |
11 |
| Florists |
5 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
16 |
| Framing Contractors |
10 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
31 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
75 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
6 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
4 |
| Furniture Stores |
2 |
| General Automotive Repair |
38 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
19 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
9 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
10 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
4 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
4 |
| Graphic Design Services |
14 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
2 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
6 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
2 |
| Home Centers |
1 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
4 |
| Home Health Care Services |
9 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
55 |
| Interior Design Services |
5 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
9 |
| Iron Foundries |
1 |
| Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
33 |
| Jewelry Stores |
1 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
7 |
| Landscaping Services |
38 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
11 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
67 |
| Limousine Service |
10 |
| Linen Supply |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
8 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Luggage Manufacturing |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
11 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
6 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
1 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
2 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
16 |
| Masonry Contractors |
17 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
2 |
| Medical Laboratories |
4 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Metal Stamping |
7 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
18 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
3 |
| Motor and Generator Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
3 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
2 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
2 |
| Nail Salons |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
4 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
2 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
14 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
6 |
| Office Administrative Services |
17 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
3 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
25 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
10 |
| Offices of Dentists |
44 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
40 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
2 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
9 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
6 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
4 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
2 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
3 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
19 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
3 |
| Passenger Car Leasing |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
6 |
| Payroll Services |
2 |
| Periodical Publishers |
8 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
3 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
9 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
2 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
4 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
5 |
| Prepress Services |
2 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
5 |
| Professional Organizations |
17 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
3 |
| Quick Printing |
5 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
14 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
4 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
1 |
| Reinsurance Carriers |
1 |
| Repossession Services |
3 |
| Residential Property Managers |
12 |
| Residential Remodelers |
54 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
3 |
| Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
12 |
| Sales Financing |
5 |
| Savings Institutions |
1 |
| Saw Blade and Handsaw Manufacturing |
1 |
| Scheduled Freight Air Transportation |
1 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
3 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Secondary Market Financing |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
10 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
3 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
2 |
| Shoe Stores |
4 |
| Siding Contractors |
6 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Silverware and Hollowware Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
7 |
| Skiing Facilities |
1 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
10 |
| Software Publishers |
12 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
4 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
1 |
| Spring (Light Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
6 |
| Taxi Service |
4 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
4 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
26 |
| Testing Laboratories |
4 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
5 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
3 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
| Tobacco Stores |
2 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
5 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
1 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
2 |
| Travel Agencies |
21 |
| Used Car Dealers |
2 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
3 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
3 |
| Veterinary Services |
5 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
6 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
4 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
5 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
25 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
18 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
2 |
As you drive around Des Plaines, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. But is franchising the right option for you?
Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including Franchising Mistakes. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
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 should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are opening a business in Des Plaines, it's very important that you make sure no other Illinois company is using the business name you want to use.
Getting your Des Plaines business the capital it needs to succeed will be harder than you might expect. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.
To rise above the crowd in Des Plaines and build your business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
You have a dream -- starting a business in Des Plaines. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Des Plaines and elsewhere to achieve real success. We have a wealth of experience in business start-ups, financing, marketing, sales and more...and we've made all of our knowledge available to you.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Des Plaines.
