Contemplating starting a business in Fayetteville, Arkansas? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Fayetteville.
Which Business to Choose?
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at Free 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 Swimwear Retail Business guide or our How to Start a used Stereo Equipment Business guide.
Remember that you are starting a business in Fayetteville. Some businesses will do better in Fayetteville than others. A critical consideration is whether Fayetteville demographics mesh well with your startup concept.
Fayetteville, Arkansas Demographic Information
Fayetteville has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Fayetteville demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Fayetteville.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
38800 |
| 5-9 Employees |
16230 |
| 10-19 Employees |
9810 |
| 20-49 Employees |
7350 |
| 50-99 Employees |
2820 |
| 100-249 Employees |
1320 |
| 250-499 Employees |
240 |
| 500-999 Employees |
120 |
| 1000+ Employees |
60 |
| All Fayetteville Businesses |
76750 |
As a new Fayetteville entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Fayetteville 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 |
6 |
| Air Traffic Control |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
2 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
16 |
| Armored Car Services |
1 |
| Art Dealers |
3 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
2 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
14 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
3 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
2 |
| Barber Shops |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
27 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
21 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
2 |
| Book Stores |
7 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
6 |
| Business Associations |
6 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
2 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Car Washes |
7 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
1 |
| Casinos (except Casino Hotels) |
1 |
| Caterers |
4 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
18 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
5 |
| Claims Adjusting |
4 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
4 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
4 |
| Collection Agencies |
3 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
4 |
| Commercial Photography |
3 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
2 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
5 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
6 |
| Computer Training |
2 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
2 |
| Consumer Lending |
2 |
| Convenience Stores |
3 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
3 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Couriers |
1 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
2 |
| Credit Unions |
3 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
16 |
| Dental Laboratories |
3 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
3 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
3 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
1 |
| Drilling Oil and Gas Wells |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
19 |
| Drive-In Motion Picture Theaters |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
5 |
| Educational Support Services |
4 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
6 |
| Electrical Contractors |
21 |
| Electronic Computer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
1 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
2 |
| Engineering Services |
24 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
2 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
4 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
4 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
18 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
1 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
4 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
10 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
4 |
| Flooring Contractors |
5 |
| Florists |
9 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
3 |
| Food Service Contractors |
10 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
3 |
| Framing Contractors |
2 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
7 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
3 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
97 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
3 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
11 |
| General Automotive Repair |
15 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
5 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
4 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
16 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
19 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
6 |
| Graphic Design Services |
6 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
3 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
3 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Health Care Services |
5 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
2 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
3 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
53 |
| Interior Design Services |
4 |
| Internet Service Providers |
4 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
5 |
| Janitorial Services |
13 |
| Jewelry Stores |
13 |
| Land Subdivision |
4 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
18 |
| Language Schools |
1 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
5 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
76 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Locksmiths |
3 |
| Machine Shops |
2 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
4 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
1 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
1 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
12 |
| Masonry Contractors |
9 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
1 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
9 |
| Motion Picture and Video Distribution |
1 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
4 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
2 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
2 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
20 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
2 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
6 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
3 |
| Office Administrative Services |
12 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
4 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
32 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
15 |
| Offices of Dentists |
45 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
104 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
8 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
3 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
19 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
2 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
6 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
6 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Payroll Services |
2 |
| Periodical Publishers |
4 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
5 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
1 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
11 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
9 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
3 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
3 |
| Radio Stations |
6 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
3 |
| Real Estate Credit |
8 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
13 |
| Residential Remodelers |
18 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
1 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
12 |
| Sales Financing |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| Sawmills |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
10 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
15 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
12 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
17 |
| Software Publishers |
1 |
| Spice and Extract Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
17 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
3 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
6 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
2 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
2 |
| Television Broadcasting |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
9 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Testing Laboratories |
3 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
2 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
3 |
| Tire Dealers |
5 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
9 |
| Tobacco Stores |
2 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
5 |
| Used Car Dealers |
13 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
9 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
13 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
8 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
2 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
18 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
2 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
7 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
24 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
1 |
Forming a Company in Fayetteville, Arkansas
It's essential that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
The entity you form can be a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
Incorporating 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. If you are starting a business in Arkansas, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Arkansas. In fact, you can incorporate wherever you want. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.
There are many nuances to forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Avoiding Personal Liability in Business. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Fayetteville, Arkansas, our information on Incorporating in Arkansas may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Arkansas.
Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan
A business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Simply put, 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 Business Plan Contests. You can also get face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Arkansas.
Getting Money to Start a Business
Getting your Fayetteville 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.
The good news is this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Choosing VC Firms.
For Fayetteville entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, we have assembled a List of Arkansas Angel Investors and our List of Arkansas Venture Capital Firms.
Bring in Revenues
Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Fayetteville or are selling to customers throughout Arkansas, 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? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.
Selling Stuff on the Web is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
Now It's Up To You
You have a dream -- starting a business in Fayetteville. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Fayetteville 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.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Fayetteville.
- Resources for Fayetteville, Arkansas Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Fayetteville entrepreneurs.
- Arkansas Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Arkansas.
- Arkansas Small Business Development Center - The Arkansas Small Business Development Center (ASBDC) is a University-based economic development program which provides assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout Arkansas via a statewide network of seven offices.
- Fayetteville, Arkansas Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Fayetteville, Arkansas newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Fayetteville area.
- Fayetteville, Arkansas Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Fayetteville, Arkansas area radio stations.
- Fayetteville, Arkansas Payroll Services - This list includes Fayetteville, Arkansas payroll services, national payroll services for Fayetteville, and helpful information on choosing a Fayetteville payroll service.
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