Contemplating starting a business in Franklin, Tennessee? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Franklin.
Most new companies do not succeed, in part because the founder did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before you start your business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
To determine whether you have what it takes to run a business, we recommend these three steps to help you decide:
Franklin has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Franklin demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Franklin.
As a new Franklin entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Franklin 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 |
8 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
9 |
| Art Dealers |
2 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
2 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
7 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
2 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
37 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
13 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
3 |
| Book Stores |
6 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
2 |
| Building Inspection Services |
2 |
| Business Associations |
5 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
3 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
1 |
| Car Washes |
5 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
4 |
| Caterers |
3 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
2 |
| Child and Youth Services |
5 |
| Child Day Care Services |
21 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
11 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
6 |
| Claims Adjusting |
4 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
7 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
| Collection Agencies |
3 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
4 |
| Commercial Photography |
2 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
1 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
24 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Concrete Pipe Manufacturing |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
4 |
| Consumer Lending |
7 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
3 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
3 |
| Copper Wire (except Mechanical) Drawing |
1 |
| Couriers |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
1 |
| Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
20 |
| Dental Laboratories |
2 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
2 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
3 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
7 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
3 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
5 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
4 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
3 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
5 |
| Educational Support Services |
3 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
3 |
| Electrical Contractors |
15 |
| Electronic Auctions |
1 |
| Electronic Connector Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
4 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
7 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
2 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
3 |
| Engineering Services |
29 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
8 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
4 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
15 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
9 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
13 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
5 |
| Flooring Contractors |
1 |
| Florists |
3 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
6 |
| Food Service Contractors |
5 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
6 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
4 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
79 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
3 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
15 |
| General Automotive Repair |
13 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
1 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
3 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
19 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
5 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
5 |
| Graphic Design Services |
14 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
7 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Health Care Services |
2 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
8 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
6 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Design Services |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
54 |
| Interior Design Services |
8 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
2 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
17 |
| Janitorial Services |
13 |
| Jewelry Stores |
17 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
3 |
| Land Subdivision |
15 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
5 |
| Landscaping Services |
53 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
2 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
80 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
2 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
5 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
2 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
9 |
| Masonry Contractors |
6 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
2 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
2 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
2 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
8 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
9 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
4 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Music Publishers |
14 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
29 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
5 |
| Nail Salons |
3 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
12 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
13 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
2 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
3 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
6 |
| Office Administrative Services |
17 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Office Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
5 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
16 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
12 |
| Offices of Dentists |
42 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
38 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
7 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
3 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
4 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
3 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
7 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
2 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
3 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
9 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
6 |
| Payroll Services |
2 |
| Periodical Publishers |
4 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
4 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
3 |
| Petroleum Refineries |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
15 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
12 |
| Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing |
3 |
| Political Organizations |
3 |
| Portfolio Management |
3 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
6 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
2 |
| Professional Organizations |
7 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
5 |
| Quick Printing |
2 |
| Radio Networks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
4 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
17 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
3 |
| Record Production |
4 |
| Recreational Goods Rental |
1 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
12 |
| Residential Remodelers |
19 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
4 |
| Sales Financing |
8 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
2 |
| Sawmills |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
11 |
| Shoe Stores |
15 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
10 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
17 |
| Software Publishers |
5 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
8 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
1 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
13 |
| Spice and Extract Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
13 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
7 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
6 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
9 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
5 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
7 |
| Tobacco Stores |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
5 |
| Used Car Dealers |
5 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
3 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
16 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
9 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
7 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Web Search Portals |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
38 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
3 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
29 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
1 |
| Wood Preservation |
1 |
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.
We strongly advocate that you make sure the ".com" domain name is available for your company name. Every business needs a strong Web presence these days, and having a non ".com" domain means somebody else may outrank you in the search results for your own company name.
On a final note, given that you are starting a business in Franklin, it's imperative that you check now that no other Tennessee company is using the business name you want to use.
A business plan is vital to the health of your new business. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Whether your goal is to attract Franklin customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your succeeding.
Successful entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
As an entrepreneur who lives in Franklin, Tennessee, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Tennessee universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any networking organizations for Franklin entrepreneurs.
Most new Franklin businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Franklin and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Franklin entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Franklin.