Are you starting a business in Emporia, Kansas? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Emporia.
Which Business to Choose?
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Good 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 How to Start a Kiosk Business guide or our Starting an Events Photographers Business guide.
Always keep in mind that starting a business in Emporia has some implications. Some businesses will do better in Emporia than others. Make sure you fully understand Emporia demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Emporia, Kansas Demographic Information
Emporia has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Emporia demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Emporia.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
2368 |
| 5-9 Employees |
1308 |
| 10-19 Employees |
654 |
| 20-49 Employees |
390 |
| 50-99 Employees |
126 |
| 100-249 Employees |
84 |
| 250-499 Employees |
18 |
| 500-999 Employees |
6 |
| 1000+ Employees |
12 |
| All Emporia Businesses |
4966 |
As a new Emporia entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Emporia 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 |
|
Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
1 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
6 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
18 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
|
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
5 |
| Book Stores |
4 |
| Bottled Water Manufacturing |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Business Associations |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
1 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
|
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
2 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
5 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
9 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
3 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
|
Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
3 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
2 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
|
Consumer Lending |
2 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Couriers |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
2 |
| Dental Laboratories |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing |
2 |
|
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
14 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
1 |
| Educational Support Services |
2 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
4 |
| Electrical Contractors |
6 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
3 |
|
Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
3 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
3 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
4 |
| Flooring Contractors |
1 |
|
Florists |
2 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
2 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
2 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
4 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
25 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
2 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
|
Furniture Stores |
3 |
| General Automotive Repair |
16 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
3 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
2 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
4 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
|
Grantmaking Foundations |
3 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
1 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
1 |
|
Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
25 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
7 |
| Jewelry Stores |
2 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
|
Land Subdivision |
1 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
5 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
28 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
1 |
|
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
1 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
2 |
| Museums |
2 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
6 |
|
Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonclay Refractory Manufacturing |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
3 |
| Office Administrative Services |
1 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
1 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
|
Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
6 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
6 |
| Offices of Dentists |
17 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
16 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
4 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
1 |
|
Optical Goods Stores |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
5 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
3 |
|
Photography Studios, Portrait |
1 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Racetracks |
1 |
| Radio Networks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
4 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
2 |
|
Residential Remodelers |
5 |
| Roofing Contractors |
4 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
5 |
| Savings Institutions |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
4 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
2 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Shoe Stores |
4 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
3 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
9 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Soybean Processing |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
5 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
1 |
|
Tax Preparation Services |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
2 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
5 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
| Tobacco Stores |
2 |
| Travel Agencies |
1 |
|
Truck Trailer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
5 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
6 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
3 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
2 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
|
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
9 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
1 |
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Emporia Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Kansas. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Emporia.
For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: Buying a Business.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
A business plan is critical in laying a solid foundation for your business success. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read The Art of the Executive Summary. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Kansas.
Letting the World Know You Exist
To rise above the crowd in Emporia and build your business, you need a excellent marketing plan.
You can learn quite a bit about marketing on our site. Competitive Analysis discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Bring in Revenues
Mastering the art of selling is a must if you want your new Emporia business to do well.
So what does it take to bring in more prospects and close more business? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Hiring Telemarketing Firms to Generate Sales Leads offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset
The best entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
Given that you are starting a business in Emporia, Kansas, you should investigate some of the many programs available at nearby Kansas universities, colleges and community colleges. You should also check if there are any Emporia networking organizations.
Next Steps
Most new Emporia businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Emporia and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Emporia 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 Emporia, Kansas
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Emporia.
- Resources for Emporia, Kansas Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Emporia entrepreneurs.
- Kansas Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Kansas.
- Kansas Small Business Development Center - The KSBDC Network provides Kansas entrepreneurs and small business owners with knowledge, tools and resources to enhance their success. Contact them and they will help you identify your business needs and guide you toward opportunities and solutions.
- Emporia, Kansas Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Emporia, Kansas newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Emporia area.
- Emporia, Kansas Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Emporia, Kansas area radio stations.
- Emporia, Kansas Payroll Services - This list includes Emporia, Kansas payroll services, national payroll services for Emporia, and helpful information on choosing a Emporia payroll service.
- Emporia, Kansas Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Emporia, Kansas, such as business brokers in Emporia and other helpful information on how to buy a Emporia business.
More Business Startup Guides for Kansas
Starting a Business in Ellsworth
Starting a Business in Erie
Browse All
Business Startup Guides for Kansas
Starting a Business
Guides for Other States
