Contemplating starting a business in Gloucester, Massachusetts? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Gloucester.
Will You Be a Good Entrepreneur?
Before announcing to the world that you are going to start your own business, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
To determine whether you have what it takes to run a business, we recommend these three steps to help you decide:
- Speak with other entrepreneurs in Gloucester. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
- You should read Business Failure. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
- Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.
Gloucester, Massachusetts Demographic Information
Gloucester has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Gloucester demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Gloucester.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
1807 |
| 5-9 Employees |
570 |
| 10-19 Employees |
309 |
| 20-49 Employees |
135 |
| 50-99 Employees |
51 |
| 100-249 Employees |
21 |
| 250-499 Employees |
15 |
| 500-999 Employees |
3 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Gloucester Businesses |
2911 |
As a new Gloucester entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Gloucester 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 |
2 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
3 |
| Art Dealers |
3 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
4 |
| Beauty Salons |
16 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
8 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
3 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Breweries |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
3 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
1 |
| Caterers |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
15 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
11 |
| Claims Adjusting |
1 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Photography |
2 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
3 |
| Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
9 |
| Credit Unions |
3 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
4 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
10 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
18 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
3 |
| Engineering Services |
4 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
1 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Finfish Fishing |
25 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
6 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
2 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
13 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
5 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
1 |
| Flooring Contractors |
1 |
| Florists |
3 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
2 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
3 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing |
6 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
44 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
1 |
| General Automotive Repair |
7 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
2 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
4 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
2 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
6 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
4 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Design Services |
1 |
| Industrial Gas Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
1 |
| Institutional Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
7 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
7 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Jewelry Stores |
2 |
| Land Subdivision |
2 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
2 |
| Landscaping Services |
13 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
2 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
30 |
| Machine Shops |
3 |
| Marinas |
7 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
2 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
1 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
2 |
| Museums |
4 |
| Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
2 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
2 |
| Office Administrative Services |
2 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
6 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
7 |
| Offices of Dentists |
13 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
27 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
4 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
2 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
6 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
3 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
5 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
2 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
4 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
7 |
| Residential Property Managers |
1 |
| Residential Remodelers |
15 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
1 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
5 |
| Securities Brokerage |
1 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
1 |
| Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
4 |
| Shellfish Fishing |
20 |
| Ship Building and Repairing |
2 |
| Shoe Stores |
3 |
| Siding Contractors |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
5 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
14 |
| Software Publishers |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
2 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
6 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
3 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
1 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
3 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
1 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
2 |
| Used Car Dealers |
1 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
4 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
5 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
3 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
5 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
1 |
What About Franchising Opportunities?
Visit the business district of Gloucester and you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Is there a franchise opportunity out there that makes sense for you?
Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as How to Get More Franchisees. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Curves and Great Clips, Inc.. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Cartridge Recycling Franchises and Handyman Services Franchises.
Note on Gloucester Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Gloucester.
Selecting a Name For Your Venture
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.
Company names need to be easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember.
Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Branding Advice.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are starting a business in Gloucester, it's very important that you make sure no Massachusetts company has already registered the company name you have selected.
Company Formation in Gloucester, Massachusetts
A critical step is ensuring 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.
When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
Incorporation is a very common way to legally create a business entity. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. Just because you are starting a business in Massachusetts, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Massachusetts. 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's a lot to know about forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Nevada Incorporation. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Gloucester, Massachusetts, our web page covering Incorporating in Massachusetts may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Massachusetts.
Ramping Up Sales
Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Gloucester or are selling to customers throughout Massachusetts, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.
Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.
Sales Prospecting is worth reading, as it may give you some good ideas on how to sell your products or services. We have many more good articles on selling that you may enjoy reading.
What's Next?
You have a dream -- starting a business in Gloucester. 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 Gloucester and throughout the United States . 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 Gloucester, Massachusetts
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Gloucester.
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