Thinking about starting a business in Dubuque, Iowa? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Dubuque.
Are You Ready for the Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur?
Before you get too far along in the process, take inventory of your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Dubuque. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
- Take a look at Starting a Company. It's a short article but it's a good reality check for those are about to jump into the world of entrepreneurship.
- Talk it over with a close friend or partner. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.
What Type of Business Should You Start?
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Finding Your Niche in Life.
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 Cigar & Cigarette Accessories Wholesale & Manufacturers Business guide or our Opening a Hospital Equipment & Supplies Service & Repair Business guide.
Remember that you are starting a business in Dubuque. If Dubuque already has plenty of the kind of business you want to start, you might want to change your plans. Don't forget to review Dubuque demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.
Dubuque, Iowa Demographic Information
Dubuque has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Dubuque demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Dubuque.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
2875 |
| 5-9 Employees |
1346 |
| 10-19 Employees |
1029 |
| 20-49 Employees |
612 |
| 50-99 Employees |
252 |
| 100-249 Employees |
141 |
| 250-499 Employees |
45 |
| 500-999 Employees |
24 |
| 1000+ Employees |
6 |
| All Dubuque Businesses |
6330 |
As a new Dubuque entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Dubuque 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 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
6 |
| Art Dealers |
4 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
2 |
|
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
2 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
14 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
4 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
3 |
| Barber Shops |
4 |
| Beauty Salons |
19 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
3 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
|
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
7 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
2 |
| Boat Dealers |
2 |
| Book Publishers |
4 |
| Book Stores |
5 |
| Books Printing |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
3 |
| Business Associations |
6 |
|
Cable and Other Program Distribution |
3 |
| Cafeterias |
5 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
1 |
| Car Washes |
8 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
4 |
| Casinos (except Casino Hotels) |
3 |
| Caterers |
1 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
4 |
|
Child and Youth Services |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
8 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
13 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
4 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
|
Commercial Screen Printing |
3 |
| Community Food Services |
4 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
3 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
1 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
2 |
|
Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
2 |
| Convenience Stores |
5 |
| Copper Foundries (except Die-Casting) |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Couriers |
4 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
1 |
| Credit Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
16 |
|
Custom Computer Programming Services |
5 |
| Dental Laboratories |
3 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
8 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
4 |
| Display Advertising |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
4 |
|
Drafting Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
27 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
8 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
4 |
| Electrical Contractors |
22 |
| Electronic Auctions |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
9 |
|
Emergency and Other Relief Services |
2 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
3 |
| Engineering Services |
7 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
2 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
4 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
12 |
| Family Planning Centers |
2 |
|
Farm Product Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
5 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
5 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
7 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
5 |
| Flooring Contractors |
2 |
| Florists |
4 |
|
Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
2 |
| Food Service Contractors |
4 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
68 |
|
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
4 |
| Furniture Stores |
15 |
| General Automotive Repair |
33 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
2 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
6 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
15 |
|
Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
3 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
8 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
6 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
|
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
2 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
1 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
4 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Hunting and Trapping |
1 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Industrial Launderers |
2 |
| Industrial Pattern Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Valve Manufacturing |
1 |
| Inland Water Freight Transportation |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
52 |
| Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
8 |
|
Janitorial Services |
12 |
| Jewelry Stores |
10 |
| Land Subdivision |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
22 |
| Language Schools |
1 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
3 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
57 |
| Linen Supply |
1 |
|
Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
4 |
| Logging |
5 |
| Machine Shops |
5 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
2 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
3 |
| Marking Device Manufacturing |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
8 |
|
Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
3 |
| Meat Markets |
2 |
| Medical Laboratories |
4 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
2 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
4 |
| Museums |
3 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
2 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
3 |
|
Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
12 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
4 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
5 |
| Office Administrative Services |
4 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
8 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
4 |
|
Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
11 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
21 |
| Offices of Dentists |
36 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
26 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
5 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
3 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
|
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
5 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
7 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
9 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
3 |
|
Payroll Services |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
5 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
1 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
4 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
11 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
7 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
|
Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
7 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
2 |
| Professional Organizations |
3 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
5 |
|
Racetracks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
2 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
5 |
| Recreational Goods Rental |
1 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing |
1 |
|
Residential Property Managers |
4 |
| Residential Remodelers |
17 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
3 |
| Roofing Contractors |
8 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
1 |
| Sawmills |
1 |
|
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
19 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
3 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
8 |
| Siding Contractors |
2 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
7 |
|
Skiing Facilities |
1 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
8 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Software Publishers |
4 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
4 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
11 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
9 |
|
Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
4 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
6 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Testing Laboratories |
2 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
2 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
2 |
|
Tire Dealers |
6 |
| Tire Manufacturing (except Retreading) |
1 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
| Tobacco Stores |
2 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
4 |
| Used Car Dealers |
7 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
|
Used Merchandise Stores |
5 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
7 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
3 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
5 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
11 |
|
Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
5 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
2 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
1 |
Company Formation in Dubuque, Iowa
It's essential that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will separate you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporating is a very common way to legally create a business entity. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. Just because you are starting a business in Iowa, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Iowa. As it turns out, you are allowed to incorporate in the state of your choosing. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.
There's a lot to know about forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Corporate Formalities. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Dubuque, Iowa, our information on Incorporating in Iowa may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Iowa.
Marketing Your New Venture
To rise above the crowd in Dubuque and build your business, you need a solid marketing plan.
We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Advertising on the Web 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.
How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities
Successful entrepreneurs know that they need to continually improve.
As an entrepreneur who lives in Dubuque, Iowa, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Iowa universities, colleges and community colleges. We also suggest you look into networking organizations for Dubuque entrepreneurs.
Never Give Up
You have a dream -- starting a business in Dubuque. 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.
We are here to help Dubuque businesses to be successful. 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.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Dubuque, Iowa
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Dubuque.
- Resources for Dubuque, Iowa Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Dubuque 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!
- Dubuque, Iowa Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Dubuque, Iowa newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Dubuque area.
- Dubuque, Iowa Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Dubuque, Iowa area radio stations.
- Dubuque, Iowa Payroll Services - This list includes Dubuque, Iowa payroll services, national payroll services for Dubuque, and helpful information on choosing a Dubuque payroll service.
- Dubuque, Iowa Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Dubuque, Iowa, such as business brokers in Dubuque and other helpful information on how to buy a Dubuque business.
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