Thinking about starting a business in Goldsboro, North Carolina? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Goldsboro.
Do You Have What It Takes?
Most startup companies do not succeed, in part because the entrepreneur did not have the entrepreneurial skills and traits needed to succeed. So, before you open a business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Goldsboro. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
- We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Have a candid conversation with friends and family. A support network of family and friends can be a great sounding board for good advice before you decide for sure to go into business.
Goldsboro, North Carolina Demographic Information
Goldsboro has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Goldsboro demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Goldsboro.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
7347 |
| 5-9 Employees |
3804 |
| 10-19 Employees |
2250 |
| 20-49 Employees |
1548 |
| 50-99 Employees |
567 |
| 100-249 Employees |
306 |
| 250-499 Employees |
72 |
| 500-999 Employees |
27 |
| 1000+ Employees |
18 |
| All Goldsboro Businesses |
15939 |
As a new Goldsboro entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Goldsboro 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 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
2 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
17 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
4 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
2 |
| Barber Shops |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
12 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
4 |
| Boat Building |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
5 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
2 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Caterers |
2 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
3 |
| Child Day Care Services |
31 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
11 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
7 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
2 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
8 |
| Convenience Stores |
11 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Couriers |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
6 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
3 |
| Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
5 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
2 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Discount Department Stores |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
7 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
2 |
| Educational Support Services |
2 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
16 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
8 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
7 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
4 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
9 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
5 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
2 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
6 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
6 |
| Flooring Contractors |
1 |
| Florists |
7 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
4 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
2 |
| Food Service Contractors |
3 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
3 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
51 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
6 |
| Furniture Stores |
11 |
| General Automotive Repair |
34 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
11 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
3 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
8 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
2 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
3 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
2 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
2 |
| Home Centers |
1 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
13 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
6 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
5 |
| Industrial Gas Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
27 |
| Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
4 |
| Janitorial Services |
12 |
| Jewelry Stores |
14 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
3 |
| Land Subdivision |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
13 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
3 |
| Libraries and Archives |
2 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
59 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Logging |
4 |
| Machine Shops |
3 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
1 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
8 |
| Masonry Contractors |
5 |
| Meat Markets |
2 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
2 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
5 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
4 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
2 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
13 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
2 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
4 |
| Office Administrative Services |
1 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
14 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
8 |
| Offices of Dentists |
25 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
40 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
10 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
7 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
5 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
7 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
1 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
4 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
16 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
5 |
| Political Organizations |
3 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
7 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
1 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
11 |
| Residential Remodelers |
13 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
2 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
2 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
6 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
2 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
3 |
| Setup Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sheer Hosiery Mills |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
11 |
| Siding Contractors |
5 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
7 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
5 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
3 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
10 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
11 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
2 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
5 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
3 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
8 |
| Tobacco Stores |
2 |
| Tortilla Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
2 |
| Used Car Dealers |
20 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
4 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
3 |
| Veterinary Services |
6 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
8 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
2 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
3 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
3 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
5 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
10 |
Naming the Company
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.
Even if the name doesn't do it by itself, many naming experts believe there should be a story behind the name that ties into your company mission.
To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Naming a Business.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are opening a business in Goldsboro, it's imperative that you check now that no other North Carolina company is using the business name you want to use.
Forming a Company in Goldsboro, North Carolina
It's very important that you form your business as a legal structure. Doing so will insulate 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.
Incorporating 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 North Carolina, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in North Carolina. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate in the state of your choosing. 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. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe 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 Goldsboro, North Carolina, our information on Incorporating in North Carolina may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in North Carolina.
Where to Get Money to Start a Company
Getting your Goldsboro business the capital it needs to succeed is not an easy task. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.
Take advantage of our many articles on raising money, such as Getting a Small Business Loan.
For Goldsboro entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, we have assembled a List of North Carolina Angel Investors and our List of North Carolina Venture Capital Firms.
Promoting Your New Business
To grow your Goldsboro business, you need a excellent marketing plan.
You can learn a ton about marketing on our site. Six Tips for Getting Customer Testimonials discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Bring in Revenues
Mastering the art of selling is essential if you want your new Goldsboro business to do well.
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.
Hiring Telemarketing Firms to Generate Sales Leads is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
Now It's Up To You
Most new Goldsboro businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Goldsboro businesses to be successful. 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 Goldsboro, North Carolina
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Goldsboro.
More Startup Articles for North Carolina Cities
Starting a Business in Gates
Starting a Business in Graham
Browse All
Business Startup Guides for North Carolina
