Georgia Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Duluth, Georgia

Need help starting a business in Duluth, Georgia? We've got the information you need to open a business in Duluth.

Duluth, Georgia Demographic Information

Duluth has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.

To give you a better feel for Duluth demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Duluth.

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
13224
5-9 Employees
3714
10-19 Employees
2952
20-49 Employees
2250
50-99 Employees
930
100-249 Employees
600
250-499 Employees
108
500-999 Employees
54
1000+ Employees
12
All Duluth Businesses
23844

As a new Duluth entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Duluth 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
11
Architectural Services
12
Art Dealers
2
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing
1
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
1
Automotive Transmission Repair
3
Baked Goods Stores
1
Barber Shops
2
Beauty Salons
54
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
9
Blind and Shade Manufacturing
1
Boat Dealers
1
Book Stores
7
Building Inspection Services
5
Business and Secretarial Schools
1
Business Associations
4
Business to Business Electronic Markets
2
Cable and Other Program Distribution
2
Cafeterias
5
Canvas and Related Product Mills
1
Car Washes
5
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Caterers
4
Child and Youth Services
2
Child Day Care Services
23
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
7
Claims Adjusting
1
Clothing Accessories Stores
5
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
5
Collection Agencies
6
Commercial Bakeries
1
Commercial Flexographic Printing
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
4
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Computer and Software Stores
8
Computer Facilities Management Services
3
Computer Systems Design Services
99
Computer Training
4
Confectionery and Nut Stores
1
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
2
Convenience Stores
9
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
6
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
2
Couriers
3
Credit Unions
5
Custom Computer Programming Services
113
Deep Sea Freight Transportation
1
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
2
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
3
Digital Printing
2
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
11
Direct Mail Advertising
2
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
1
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
1
Display Advertising
2
Document Preparation Services
4
Drafting Services
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
3
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
3
Educational Support Services
8
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electronic Auctions
1
Electronic Shopping
8
Elementary and Secondary Schools
7
Emergency and Other Relief Services
1
Employment Placement Agencies
10
Engineering Services
55
Environmental Consulting Services
3
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
3
Facilities Support Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
20
Fine Arts Schools
9
Finish Carpentry Contractors
3
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
21
Floor Covering Stores
7
Florists
8
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
3
Food Service Contractors
9
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
2
Footwear Merchant Wholesalers
1
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
2
Framing Contractors
4
Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing
1
Full-Service Restaurants
152
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
6
Furniture Stores
25
General Automotive Repair
27
General Freight Trucking, Local
4
General Rental Centers
4
General Warehousing and Storage
7
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
24
Glass and Glazing Contractors
3
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
8
Grantmaking Foundations
1
Graphic Design Services
8
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
2
Hardware Stores
2
HMO Medical Centers
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
8
Home Centers
4
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
2
Home Health Care Services
2
Homes for the Elderly
2
Household Appliance Stores
3
Human Rights Organizations
1
Industrial Design Services
1
Industrial Mold Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
75
Interior Design Services
18
Internet Service Providers
3
Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
1
Investigation Services
7
Investment Advice
17
Janitorial Services
25
Jewelry Stores
32
Junior Colleges
1
Landscape Architectural Services
3
Landscaping Services
25
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
2
Libraries and Archives
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
116
Limousine Service
1
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
2
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
3
Machine Shops
1
Mail-Order Houses
8
Marketing Consulting Services
12
Masonry Contractors
12
Meat Markets
3
Media Buying Agencies
2
Medical Laboratories
2
Men's Clothing Stores
10
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
5
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
32
Motion Picture and Video Distribution
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
6
Motorcycle Dealers
2
Museums
1
Musical Groups and Artists
3
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
3
Nail Salons
4
Narrow Fabric Mills
1
Natural Gas Distribution
1
New Housing Operative Builders
12
News Dealers and Newsstands
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
8
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Office Administrative Services
22
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
11
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
8
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
47
Offices of Chiropractors
15
Offices of Dentists
79
Offices of Lawyers
80
Offices of Optometrists
17
Offices of Other Holding Companies
8
Offices of Podiatrists
3
One-Hour Photofinishing
1
Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing
1
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
2
Optical Goods Stores
15
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
2
Packaging Machinery Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
7
Parking Lots and Garages
2
Passenger Car Rental
5
Periodical Publishers
5
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
9
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
10
Photography Studios, Portrait
12
Political Organizations
2
Portfolio Management
5
Poultry Processing
2
Private Mail Centers
7
Professional Employer Organizations
3
Professional Organizations
1
Public Relations Agencies
4
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
2
Real Estate Credit
38
Real Estate Investment Trusts
4
Recreational Goods Rental
1
Reinsurance Carriers
2
Residential Property Managers
22
Residential Remodelers
28
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
3
Roofing Contractors
4
Sales Financing
9
Savings Institutions
9
Securities Brokerage
16
Security Guards and Patrol Services
2
Sewage Treatment Facilities
1
Shoe Stores
23
Siding Contractors
7
Sign Manufacturing
6
Site Preparation Contractors
5
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
33
Software Publishers
14
Software Reproducing
2
Sporting Goods Stores
15
Sports and Recreation Instruction
13
Tax Preparation Services
10
Telecommunications Resellers
2
Telephone Answering Services
1
Television Broadcasting
1
Temporary Help Services
40
Textile Machinery Manufacturing
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
6
Timber Tract Operations
1
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
3
Tire Dealers
11
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Tobacco Stores
1
Translation and Interpretation Services
1
Travel Agencies
8
Used Car Dealers
9
Used Merchandise Stores
4
Vending Machine Operators
1
Veterinary Services
8
Video Tape and Disc Rental
9
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Web Search Portals
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
84
Window Treatment Stores
2
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
9
Women's Clothing Stores
34
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
1

Choosing a Business Name

A big decision when starting a company is choosing a company name. Believe it or not, choosing a good company name can be a big contributor to your business success.

Pick a company name that isn't too generic. If you do a search engine search for your proposed name and a billion results come up, you may want to reconsider the name. It's much easier to come up in the search engines when your name is fairly unique.

Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Branding Advice.

There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are planning on starting a business in Duluth, it's very important that you make sure no other Georgia company is using the business name you want to use.

Company Formation in Duluth, Georgia

It's very important that you choose the right legal structure for your new entity. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.

The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

Incorporation is a very popular way to form a business. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. Just because you are starting a business in Georgia, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Georgia. In fact, you can incorporate in any state you would like to. 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. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Where to Incorporate. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Duluth, Georgia, our information on Incorporating in Georgia may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Georgia.

Raising Money for Your New Venture

Getting your Duluth business the capital it needs to succeed is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled 504 Loans.

For Duluth entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, browse our List of Georgia Angel Investors and our List of Georgia Venture Capital Firms.

Marketing Your New Venture

Whether your goal is to attract Duluth customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your succeeding.

We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Marketing Basics is a good read to get your marketing ideas flowing. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.

Ramping Up Sales

Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Duluth or are selling to customers throughout Georgia, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Selling Stuff on the Web offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

Now It's Up To You

You have a dream -- starting a business in Duluth. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

We are here to help Duluth businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Duluth entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Duluth, Georgia

Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Duluth.

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