Starting a Business in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Thinking about starting a business in Fort Lauderdale, Florida? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Fort Lauderdale.

What Business Are You Starting?

There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at Evaluating Your Idea.

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 Metal Finishing Equipment & Supplies Business guide or our How to Start a Mobile Health Care Business guide.

Remember that you are starting a business in Fort Lauderdale. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Fort Lauderdale. Study Fort Lauderdale demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size	# of Businesses
1-4 Employees	59235
5-9 Employees	13041
10-19 Employees	8336
20-49 Employees	5510
50-99 Employees	2112
100-249 Employees	1350
250-499 Employees	309
500-999 Employees	87
1000+ Employees	39
All Fort Lauderdale Businesses	90019

As a new Fort Lauderdale entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Fort Lauderdale 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	80
Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing	2
Aircraft Manufacturing	2
Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting)	2
Ambulance Services	6
Amusement and Theme Parks	4
Amusement Arcades	12
Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering	1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance	38
Apprenticeship Training	3
Architectural Services	143
Armored Car Services	1
Art Dealers	36
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing	4
Automatic Vending Machine Manufacturing	1
Automobile Driving Schools	7
Automotive Exhaust System Repair	6
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops	17
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores	77
Automotive Transmission Repair	22
Baked Goods Stores	13
Barber Shops	14
Beauty Salons	307
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns	6
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers	1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores	56
Blind and Shade Manufacturing	3
Blood and Organ Banks	8
Boat Building	24
Boat Dealers	141
Book Publishers	10
Book Stores	24
Books Printing	2
Bottled Water Manufacturing	1
Bowling Centers	4
Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills	7
Broadwoven Fabric Mills	2
Building Inspection Services	31
Burial Casket Manufacturing	1
Business and Secretarial Schools	2
Business Associations	49
Business to Business Electronic Markets	11
Cable and Other Program Distribution	9
Cafeterias	27
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores	11
Canvas and Related Product Mills	12
Car Washes	46
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services	46
Casino Hotels	1
Casinos (except Casino Hotels)	1
Caterers	43
Cemeteries and Crematories	7
Charter Bus Industry	7
Child and Youth Services	20
Child Day Care Services	166
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores	24
Cigarette Manufacturing	1
Civic and Social Organizations	53
Claims Adjusting	40
Clothing Accessories Stores	36
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners	47
Collection Agencies	41
Commercial Bakeries	7
Commercial Flexographic Printing	3
Commercial Gravure Printing	2
Commercial Lithographic Printing	37
Commercial Photography	30
Commercial Screen Printing	17
Commodity Contracts Brokerage	15
Commodity Contracts Dealing	17
Community Food Services	6
Computer and Software Stores	53
Computer Facilities Management Services	9
Computer Storage Device Manufacturing	1
Computer Systems Design Services	190
Computer Training	10
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing	2
Concrete Pipe Manufacturing	1
Confectionery and Nut Stores	15
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers	7
Consumer Lending	42
Continuing Care Retirement Communities	10
Convenience Stores	111
Convention and Trade Show Organizers	36
Convention and Visitors Bureaus	2
Copper Foundries (except Die-Casting)	1
Copper Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding	1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools	2
Couriers	42
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services	65
Credit Bureaus	7
Credit Card Issuing	3
Credit Unions	23
Curtain and Drapery Mills	2
Custom Computer Programming Services	222
Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing	2
Deep Sea Freight Transportation	9
Deep Sea Passenger Transportation	10
Dental Laboratories	31
Diagnostic Imaging Centers	42
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers	12
Digital Printing	13
Direct Life Insurance Carriers	29
Direct Mail Advertising	20
Direct Title Insurance Carriers	33
Directory and Mailing List Publishers	8
Discount Department Stores	9
Display Advertising	14
Document Preparation Services	42
Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing	1
Drafting Services	12
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells	1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)	133
Dry Pasta Manufacturing	1
Drywall and Insulation Contractors	69
Educational Support Services	24
Electric Power Distribution	1
Electrical Contractors	268
Electronic Auctions	3
Electronic Computer Manufacturing	5
Electronic Connector Manufacturing	3
Electronic Shopping	66
Elementary and Secondary Schools	65
Emergency and Other Relief Services	1
Employment Placement Agencies	49
Engineering Services	220
Environmental Consulting Services	24
Exam Preparation and Tutoring	21
Exterminating and Pest Control Services	93
Facilities Support Services	12
Family Clothing Stores	101
Family Planning Centers	5
Farm Management Services	1
Farm Product Warehousing and Storage	2
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	9
Fine Arts Schools	31
Finish Carpentry Contractors	135
Fish and Seafood Markets	7
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers	17
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers	108
Flight Training	12
Floor Covering Stores	51
Flooring Contractors	58
Florists	41
Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing	1
Food (Health) Supplement Stores	37
Food Service Contractors	45
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair	9
Footwear Merchant Wholesalers	7
Formal Wear and Costume Rental	6
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation	3
Framing Contractors	16
Freight Transportation Arrangement	80
Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing	1
Fruit and Vegetable Canning	2
Fruit and Vegetable Markets	11
Full-Service Restaurants	723
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services	20
Fur and Leather Apparel Manufacturing	1
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers	24
Furniture Stores	111
General Automotive Repair	252
General Freight Trucking, Local	56
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	9
General Rental Centers	17
General Warehousing and Storage	18
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores	98
Glass and Glazing Contractors	20
Golf Courses and Country Clubs	16
Grantmaking Foundations	26
Graphic Design Services	107
Gypsum Product Manufacturing	1
Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing	1
Hardware Manufacturing	1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers	36
Hardware Stores	15
Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal	4
Heating Oil Dealers	1
HMO Medical Centers	4
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores	27
Home Centers	11
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers	34
Home Health Care Services	131
Home Health Equipment Rental	9
Homes for the Elderly	38
Household Appliance Stores	18
Human Rights Organizations	7
Ice Manufacturing	2
Industrial Building Construction	4
Industrial Design Services	20
Industrial Launderers	4
Industrial Mold Manufacturing	1
Inland Water Freight Transportation	3
Inland Water Passenger Transportation	11
Institutional Furniture Manufacturing	5
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	561
Interior Design Services	137
International Trade Financing	7
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting	21
Internet Service Providers	37
Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation	2
Investigation Services	53
Investment Advice	155
Iron and Steel Forging	2
Iron Ore Mining	1
Janitorial Services	191
Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing	6
Jewelry Stores	135
Junior Colleges	4
Kidney Dialysis Centers	17
Land Subdivision	56
Landscape Architectural Services	36
Landscaping Services	344
Language Schools	9
Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing	1
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property	33
Libraries and Archives	1
Limited-Service Restaurants	569
Limousine Service	26
Linen Supply	4
Local Messengers and Local Delivery	26
Locksmiths	29
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores	10
Machine Shops	27
Mail-Order Houses	51
Manifold Business Forms Printing	1
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers	8
Marinas	70
Marine Cargo Handling	8
Marketing Consulting Services	240
Marking Device Manufacturing	1
Masonry Contractors	49
Materials Recovery Facilities	5
Mattress Manufacturing	2
Meat Markets	20
Meat Processed from Carcasses	2
Media Buying Agencies	5
Media Representatives	16
Medical Laboratories	32
Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing	1
Men's Clothing Stores	49
Metal Heat Treating	1
Metal Household Furniture Manufacturing	1
Metal Stamping	6
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing	4
Mineral Wool Manufacturing	2
Miscellaneous Intermediation	34
Mixed Mode Transit Systems	1
Mobile Food Services	5
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers	198
Motion Picture and Video Distribution	1
Motion Picture and Video Production	52
Motor and Generator Manufacturing	1
Motor Vehicle Towing	21
Motorcycle Dealers	14
Museums	13
Music Publishers	4
Musical Groups and Artists	27
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores	10
Musical Instrument Manufacturing	4
Nail Salons	35
Natural Gas Distribution	1
Navigational Services to Shipping	20
New Car Dealers	64
New Housing Operative Builders	34
News Dealers and Newsstands	6
News Syndicates	2
Newspaper Publishers	13
Nonclay Refractory Manufacturing	1
Nonferrous Forging	1
Nonresidential Property Managers	89
Nursing Care Facilities	31
Office Administrative Services	232
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers	33
Office Machinery Manufacturing	1
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores	28
Offices of Bank Holding Companies	5
Offices of Certified Public Accountants	384
Offices of Chiropractors	183
Offices of Dentists	406
Offices of Lawyers	1,528
Offices of Optometrists	89
Offices of Other Holding Companies	41
Offices of Podiatrists	50
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers	94
One-Hour Photofinishing	4
Open-End Investment Funds	4
Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing	3
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers	12
Optical Goods Stores	65
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores	9
Packaging and Labeling Services	10
Packaging Machinery Manufacturing	3
Packing and Crating	9
Paging	3
Paint and Coating Manufacturing	4
Paint and Wallpaper Stores	19
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors	157
Parking Lots and Garages	62
Passenger Car Leasing	8
Passenger Car Rental	44
Payroll Services	17
Periodical Publishers	47
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing	2
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores	43
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services	50
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals	15
Petroleum Refineries	1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores	121
Photography Studios, Portrait	54
Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing	5
Political Organizations	6
Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing	1
Port and Harbor Operations	3
Portfolio Management	48
Power-Driven Handtool Manufacturing	1
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing	3
Prepress Services	11
Primary Battery Manufacturing	1
Printing Ink Manufacturing	2
Private Mail Centers	33
Professional Employer Organizations	19
Professional Organizations	33
Public Relations Agencies	31
Quick Printing	35
Racetracks	2
Radio Networks	2
Radio Stations	6
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing	10
Real Estate Credit	218
Real Estate Investment Trusts	9
Record Production	2
Recreational Goods Rental	12
Recreational Vehicle Dealers	3
Reinsurance Carriers	1
Remediation Services	8
Repossession Services	11
Residential Property Managers	142
Residential Remodelers	162
Retail Bakeries	23
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair	31
Roofing Contractors	59
Rooming and Boarding Houses	1
Sales Financing	34
Satellite Telecommunications	8
Savings Institutions	60
Sawmills	1
Scheduled Freight Air Transportation	1
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation	33
School and Employee Bus Transportation	9
Secondary Market Financing	3
Securities Brokerage	108
Security Guards and Patrol Services	39
Septic Tank and Related Services	5
Sewage Treatment Facilities	3
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing	5
Shellfish Fishing	2
Ship Building and Repairing	11
Shoe Stores	119
Siding Contractors	9
Sign Manufacturing	10
Silverware and Hollowware Manufacturing	1
Site Preparation Contractors	66
Small Arms Manufacturing	1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars	121
Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing	4
Soft Drink Manufacturing	1
Software Publishers	42
Software Reproducing	2
Solid Waste Collection	16
Solid Waste Combustors and Incinerators	2
Solid Waste Landfill	1
Sound Recording Studios	7
Special Needs Transportation	6
Sporting Goods Stores	82
Sports and Recreation Instruction	59
Sports Teams and Clubs	4
Spring (Light Gauge) Manufacturing	1
Steel Wire Drawing	2
Storage Battery Manufacturing	1
Support Activities for Forestry	1
Tax Preparation Services	79
Taxi Service	8
Telecommunications Resellers	20
Telemarketing Bureaus	34
Telephone Answering Services	8
Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing	4
Television Broadcasting	6
Temporary Help Services	103
Temporary Shelters	2
Testing Laboratories	12
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters	13
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors	59
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers	6
Tire Dealers	58
Tire Retreading	2
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices	127
Tobacco Stores	10
Toilet Preparation Manufacturing	3
Tortilla Manufacturing	1
Tour Operators	38
Tradebinding and Related Work	4
Translation and Interpretation Services	13
Travel Agencies	150
Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing	2
Used Car Dealers	68
Used Household and Office Goods Moving	50
Used Merchandise Stores	51
Vending Machine Operators	20
Veterinary Services	78
Video Tape and Disc Rental	43
Vocational Rehabilitation Services	16
Voluntary Health Organizations	16
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters	4
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems	10
Web Search Portals	3
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers	324
Window Treatment Stores	23
Wired Telecommunications Carriers	79
Women's Clothing Stores	162
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing	2
Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing	1
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing	3
Zoos and Botanical Gardens	2

Is Franchising a Better Option?

Examine a list of Fort Lauderdale businesses and you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?

Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Five Franchise Opportunities To Watch. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

You can review hundreds of franchise opportunities by browing our Franchise Directory.

Representative franchise opportunities include UBuildIt and Atlantic Windshield. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Textile Repair Franchises and Health and Diet Franchises.

Note on Fort Lauderdale Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Fort Lauderdale.

What About Buying an Existing Fort Lauderdale Business?

We've created a handy website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Florida. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Fort Lauderdale.

Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: How to Buy a Business.

Forming a Company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

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 traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

Incorporation is a very common way to legally create a business entity. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. If you are starting a business in Florida, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Florida. As it turns out, you can incorporate wherever you want. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.

There are many nuances to forming a company. To learn the basics of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Subchapter S Corporations. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, our information on Incorporating in Florida may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Florida.

Startup Financing Basics

Finding the funds to fuel the growth of your Fort Lauderdale business 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.

To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Attracting Investors.

For Fort Lauderdale entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, you'll want to take a look at our List of Florida Angel Investors and our List of Florida Venture Capital Firms.

Getting the Word Out About Your New Company

To rise above the crowd in Fort Lauderdale and build your business, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your business achieving its goals.

We have some excellent resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Newspaper Advertising Costs is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Fort Lauderdale Entrepreneur Interviews

Here, we'll keep a running list of interviews we've had with Fort Lauderdale entrepreneurs.

What's Next?

You have a dream -- starting a business in Fort Lauderdale. 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.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Fort Lauderdale and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Fort Lauderdale, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

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

Resources for Fort Lauderdale, Florida Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Fort Lauderdale entrepreneurs.
Florida Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Florida.
Florida Small Business Development Center - The Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) is a statewide economic development partnership between higher education and other stakeholder organizations dedicated to providing entrepreneurs and established businesses with the assistance needed to start, grow and succeed, contributing to the Florida economy.