Are you starting a business in Johnson City, Tennessee? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Johnson City.
Do You Have What It Takes?
Being an entrepreneur is difficult, and can be orders of magnitude more strenuous than working as an employee. Are you positive you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?
To determine whether you have what it takes to run a business, we recommend these three steps to help you decide:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Johnson City. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
- We recommend reading Why Small Businesses Fail. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. 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.
Which Business to Choose?
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Free Business Ideas.
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 Starting a Grain Elevator Equipment & Builders Business guide or our Opening a Lutheran Schools Business guide.
Always keep in mind that Johnson City is the place where you are starting a business. Some businesses will do better in Johnson City than others. Only by spending some time analyzing Johnson City demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.
Johnson City, Tennessee Demographic Information
Johnson City has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Johnson City demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Johnson City.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
16205 |
| 5-9 Employees |
8415 |
| 10-19 Employees |
5760 |
| 20-49 Employees |
3900 |
| 50-99 Employees |
1590 |
| 100-249 Employees |
765 |
| 250-499 Employees |
105 |
| 500-999 Employees |
120 |
| 1000+ Employees |
45 |
| All Johnson City Businesses |
36905 |
As a new Johnson City entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Johnson City 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 |
4 |
| Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting) |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
2 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
4 |
| Architectural Services |
5 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
5 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
16 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
4 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
33 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
11 |
| Blind and Shade Manufacturing |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
8 |
| Books Printing |
3 |
| Bottled Water Manufacturing |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
2 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
1 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
3 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
7 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
1 |
| Caterers |
3 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
4 |
| Child Day Care Services |
20 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
9 |
| Claims Adjusting |
1 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
3 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Collection Agencies |
2 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
7 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
4 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
7 |
| Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing |
1 |
| Concrete Pipe Manufacturing |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
14 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
6 |
| Convenience Stores |
4 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
1 |
| Couriers |
5 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
11 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
10 |
| Dental Laboratories |
3 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
2 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
4 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
6 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
2 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
2 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
3 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
5 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
5 |
| Educational Support Services |
2 |
| Electrical Contractors |
15 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
3 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
18 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
4 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
4 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
19 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
4 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
3 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
12 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
6 |
| Flooring Contractors |
2 |
| Florists |
6 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
5 |
| Food Service Contractors |
9 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
3 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
2 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
82 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
8 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Furniture Stores |
10 |
| General Automotive Repair |
16 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
4 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Rental Centers |
3 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
7 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
20 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
3 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
3 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
3 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
4 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
6 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Home Health Care Services |
8 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
5 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
3 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
4 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
58 |
| Interior Design Services |
3 |
| International Trade Financing |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
4 |
| Janitorial Services |
15 |
| Jewelry Stores |
17 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
3 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
2 |
| Landscaping Services |
22 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
2 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
86 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
8 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
2 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
3 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
3 |
| Masonry Contractors |
3 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
3 |
| Medical Laboratories |
3 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
| Mineral Wool Manufacturing |
2 |
| Mobile Food Services |
2 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
1 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
2 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
5 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Nail Salons |
2 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
12 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
3 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
2 |
| Nonwoven Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
6 |
| Office Administrative Services |
6 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
4 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
17 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
21 |
| Offices of Dentists |
43 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
43 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
10 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
3 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
6 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Paging |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
5 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
6 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Payroll Services |
4 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
4 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
18 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
7 |
| Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing |
2 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
3 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
2 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
2 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
13 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
3 |
| Residential Property Managers |
8 |
| Residential Remodelers |
12 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
7 |
| Sales Financing |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
4 |
| Securities Brokerage |
11 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
1 |
| Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
2 |
| Shoe Stores |
9 |
| Siding Contractors |
1 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
4 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
5 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
7 |
| Soft Drink Manufacturing |
1 |
| Software Publishers |
2 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
2 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
7 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
5 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
7 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
2 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
2 |
| Television Broadcasting |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
20 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Testing Laboratories |
3 |
| Textile Machinery Manufacturing |
2 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
7 |
| Tire Dealers |
8 |
| Tire Retreading |
1 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
6 |
| Tobacco Stores |
3 |
| Tour Operators |
2 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
1 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
4 |
| Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing |
1 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
2 |
| Used Car Dealers |
13 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
5 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
8 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
4 |
| Veterinary Services |
7 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
9 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
3 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Weft Knit Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
5 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
11 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
15 |
Naming the Business
Making the right decision when choosing a company name is very important. There are many decisions you'll make now that you can change later, but changing a company name years down the road is not very easy. So, choose a good company name at the outset.
Companies like Starbucks, Apple, Target, Microsoft and Intuit all have strong company names that are easy to remember and have become well-loved brands. Wouldn't it be nice if your new company name got on a similar track?
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.
On a final note, given that you are opening a business in Johnson City, it's critical that you ensure that no other Tennessee company is using the business name you want to use.
Forming a Company in Johnson City, Tennessee
It's essential that you are forming a legal entity that operates independently from you. The main advantage of forming your new business as a legal entity is that it separates your business liabilities from your personal liabilities.
The entity you form can be a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
Incorporating is a very popular way to form a business. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in Tennessee, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Tennessee. In fact, you can incorporate in the state of your choosing. 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 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 Pre-Incorporation Agreements. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Johnson City, Tennessee, our information on Incorporating in Tennessee may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Tennessee.
Building Up Your Sales
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Johnson City business, you need to focus on sales.
Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Sales Prospecting is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
Now It's Up To You
As an entrepreneur in Johnson City, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Johnson City 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 Johnson City, Tennessee
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Johnson City.
- Resources for Johnson City, Tennessee Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Johnson City entrepreneurs.
- Tennessee Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Tennessee.
- Tennessee Small Business Development Center - If you are a small business owner, entrepreneur or you are thinking about starting a new business, the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) is ready to help you every step of the way!
- Johnson City, Tennessee Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Johnson City, Tennessee newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Johnson City area.
- Johnson City, Tennessee Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Johnson City, Tennessee area radio stations.
- Johnson City, Tennessee Payroll Services - This list includes Johnson City, Tennessee payroll services, national payroll services for Johnson City, and helpful information on choosing a Johnson City payroll service.
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