Are you starting a business in Gaithersburg, Maryland? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Gaithersburg.
Before you get too far along in the process, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Good Business Ideas.
Always keep in mind that you are starting a business in Gaithersburg. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Gaithersburg. Make sure you fully understand Gaithersburg demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Gaithersburg has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Gaithersburg demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Gaithersburg.
As a new Gaithersburg entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Gaithersburg 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 |
3 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
3 |
| Architectural Services |
15 |
| Art Dealers |
5 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
5 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
13 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
5 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
4 |
| Barber Shops |
6 |
| Beauty Salons |
61 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
24 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
2 |
| Book Stores |
7 |
| Books Printing |
4 |
| Bowling Centers |
3 |
| Building Inspection Services |
7 |
| Business Associations |
6 |
| Cafeterias |
5 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Car Washes |
7 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
10 |
| Caterers |
6 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
3 |
| Child Day Care Services |
33 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
9 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
4 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
3 |
| Collection Agencies |
2 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
7 |
| Commercial Photography |
3 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
3 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
16 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
9 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
92 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
2 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
5 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
16 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
3 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
2 |
| Couriers |
5 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
2 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
66 |
| Dental Laboratories |
6 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
3 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
2 |
| Dimension Stone Mining and Quarrying |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
5 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
3 |
| Discount Department Stores |
3 |
| Document Preparation Services |
4 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
2 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
18 |
| Educational Support Services |
6 |
| Electrical Contractors |
51 |
| Electronic Auctions |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
9 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
3 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
60 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
5 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
4 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
8 |
| Facilities Support Services |
4 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
14 |
| Family Planning Centers |
2 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
6 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
19 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
12 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
14 |
| Flooring Contractors |
13 |
| Florists |
9 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
6 |
| Food Service Contractors |
14 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
2 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
3 |
| Framing Contractors |
14 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
4 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
99 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
3 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Furniture Stores |
16 |
| General Automotive Repair |
50 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
10 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
5 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
17 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
6 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
5 |
| Graphic Design Services |
14 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal |
1 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| HMO Medical Centers |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
5 |
| Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
11 |
| Home Health Care Services |
4 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
3 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
6 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Design Services |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
58 |
| Interior Design Services |
12 |
| International Trade Financing |
1 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
4 |
| Investigation Services |
2 |
| Investment Advice |
15 |
| Janitorial Services |
67 |
| Jewelry Stores |
14 |
| Land Subdivision |
4 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
74 |
| Language Schools |
1 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
1 |
| Libraries and Archives |
2 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
116 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
7 |
| Locksmiths |
3 |
| Machine Shops |
2 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
9 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
21 |
| Masonry Contractors |
16 |
| Meat Markets |
2 |
| Media Representatives |
3 |
| Medical Laboratories |
3 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
30 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
3 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
5 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
4 |
| Music Publishers |
1 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
7 |
| New Car Dealers |
14 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
8 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
2 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
3 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
14 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
1 |
| Office Administrative Services |
11 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
7 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
7 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
39 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
13 |
| Offices of Dentists |
90 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
58 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
6 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
5 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
13 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
2 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
11 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
3 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
36 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
2 |
| Payroll Services |
2 |
| Periodical Publishers |
6 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
6 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
6 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
7 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
9 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
5 |
| Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
3 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
3 |
| Professional Organizations |
9 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
3 |
| Quick Printing |
3 |
| Real Estate Credit |
26 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
4 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
19 |
| Residential Remodelers |
90 |
| Retail Bakeries |
4 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
10 |
| Roofing Contractors |
8 |
| Sales Financing |
3 |
| Savings Institutions |
11 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Secondary Market Financing |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
7 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
3 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
2 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
19 |
| Siding Contractors |
8 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
4 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
9 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
23 |
| Software Publishers |
12 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
3 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
2 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
14 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
17 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
15 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
3 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
1 |
| Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
20 |
| Testing Laboratories |
9 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
4 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
8 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
18 |
| Tobacco Stores |
3 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
1 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
7 |
| Travel Agencies |
11 |
| Truck Trailer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
7 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
12 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
10 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
16 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
12 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
27 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
2 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
7 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
17 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
1 |
Getting your Gaithersburg business the capital it needs to succeed is not an easy task. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
Whether your goal is to attract Gaithersburg customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your successs.
We have some excellent resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Examples of Marketing Strategies is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Gaithersburg or are selling to customers throughout Maryland, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.
Clever sales techniques can transform any business from good to great. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
You have a dream -- starting a business in Gaithersburg. 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.
We are here to help Gaithersburg businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Gaithersburg 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 Gaithersburg.
