Are you starting a business in Jonesboro, Arkansas? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Jonesboro.
Are You Sure You Want to Do This?
Most new companies don't make it, in part because the founder did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before jumping into the world of entrepreneurship, 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 Jonesboro. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a 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. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.
Jonesboro, Arkansas Demographic Information
Jonesboro has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Jonesboro demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Jonesboro.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
16125 |
| 5-9 Employees |
6690 |
| 10-19 Employees |
4470 |
| 20-49 Employees |
3570 |
| 50-99 Employees |
1065 |
| 100-249 Employees |
510 |
| 250-499 Employees |
195 |
| 500-999 Employees |
60 |
| 1000+ Employees |
15 |
| All Jonesboro Businesses |
32700 |
As a new Jonesboro entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Jonesboro 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 |
3 |
| Amusement Arcades |
2 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
5 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
9 |
| Art Dealers |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
|
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
7 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
17 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
2 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
12 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
1 |
|
Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
6 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Breakfast Cereal Manufacturing |
1 |
| Burial Casket Manufacturing |
1 |
| Business and Secretarial Schools |
1 |
| Business Associations |
4 |
|
Cable and Other Program Distribution |
3 |
| Cafeterias |
8 |
| Car Washes |
3 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
1 |
| Caterers |
3 |
| Cement Manufacturing |
1 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
1 |
|
Child Day Care Services |
24 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
8 |
| Claims Adjusting |
3 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
4 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
4 |
| Collection Agencies |
3 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
2 |
|
Commercial Lithographic Printing |
4 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
5 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
6 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
5 |
| Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing |
2 |
| Concrete Pipe Manufacturing |
2 |
|
Confectionery and Nut Stores |
3 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
2 |
| Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
2 |
| Convenience Stores |
2 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Cotton Ginning |
1 |
| Couriers |
4 |
|
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
7 |
| Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
3 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
2 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
5 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
|
Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
6 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
3 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
2 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
23 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
|
Elementary and Secondary Schools |
5 |
| Engineering Services |
5 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
3 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
11 |
| Family Planning Centers |
2 |
| Farm Management Services |
2 |
|
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
4 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
8 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
10 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
4 |
| Flooring Contractors |
2 |
| Florists |
9 |
|
Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
2 |
| Food Service Contractors |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
2 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
5 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
50 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
6 |
|
Furniture Stores |
13 |
| General Automotive Repair |
26 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
12 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
4 |
| General Rental Centers |
3 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
4 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
10 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
|
Glass Container Manufacturing |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
6 |
| Graphic Design Services |
3 |
| Hardware Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
2 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
5 |
|
Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
3 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
5 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
1 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
3 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
|
Industrial Launderers |
3 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Pattern Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
50 |
| Interior Design Services |
2 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
1 |
|
Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
3 |
| Iron Foundries |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
22 |
| Jewelry Stores |
7 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
3 |
| Land Subdivision |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
23 |
|
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
3 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
57 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Locksmiths |
2 |
| Machine Shops |
8 |
| Marine Cargo Handling |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
2 |
| Masonry Contractors |
5 |
|
Meat Markets |
1 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
2 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Metal Stamping |
2 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
2 |
|
Motion Picture and Video Production |
1 |
| Motor and Generator Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
3 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Natural Gas Liquid Extraction |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
15 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
6 |
|
Newspaper Publishers |
2 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
4 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
3 |
| Office Administrative Services |
6 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
6 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
19 |
|
Offices of Chiropractors |
13 |
| Offices of Dentists |
41 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
49 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
10 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
4 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
4 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
7 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
|
Optical Goods Stores |
3 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
3 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
8 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
2 |
| Payroll Services |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
2 |
|
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
3 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
20 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
7 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
2 |
| Portfolio Management |
1 |
|
Poultry Processing |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
2 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
4 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
2 |
| Radio Stations |
8 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
8 |
|
Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
7 |
| Residential Remodelers |
5 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Rice Milling |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
5 |
| Sales Financing |
2 |
|
Savings Institutions |
4 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
8 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
2 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
2 |
| Shoe Stores |
11 |
| Siding Contractors |
3 |
|
Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
14 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
7 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
3 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
6 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
3 |
|
Tax Preparation Services |
9 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
6 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
2 |
| Tire Dealers |
9 |
|
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
3 |
| Tobacco Stores |
9 |
| Travel Agencies |
3 |
| Truck Trailer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
11 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
8 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
3 |
|
Veterinary Services |
7 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
6 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
4 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
12 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
4 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
13 |
|
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
2 |
| Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
2 |
Is Franchising a Better Option?
Visit the business district of Jonesboro and you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?
Our advice is to look into purchasing a franchise. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Benefits of Owning A Franchise. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can review hundreds of franchise opportunities by browing our Franchise Directory.
Representative franchise opportunities include Berryhill Baja Grill and Farmer Boys Restaurants. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Food and Drink Franchises and Insurance Franchises.
Note on Jonesboro Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Jonesboro.
What About Buying an Existing Jonesboro Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Arkansas. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in Jonesboro.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.
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 Jonesboro, it's imperative that you check now that your company name has not already been claimed by another Arkansas business.
Do You Need a Business Plan?
Having a business plan is critical to the health of your new business. Simply put, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.
Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Mistakes. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Arkansas.
Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills
Good entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
Given that you are starting a business in Jonesboro, Arkansas, you should get information on some of the learning programs at local Arkansas educational institutions. You should also check if there are any networking groups or organizations in which Jonesboro entrepreneurs get together to network and trade their business experiences.
Next Steps
Most new Jonesboro 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 Jonesboro and elsewhere to achieve real success. 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 Jonesboro, Arkansas
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Jonesboro.
- Resources for Jonesboro, Arkansas Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Jonesboro entrepreneurs.
- Arkansas Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Arkansas.
- Arkansas Small Business Development Center - The Arkansas Small Business Development Center (ASBDC) is a University-based economic development program which provides assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout Arkansas via a statewide network of seven offices.
- Jonesboro, Arkansas Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Jonesboro, Arkansas newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Jonesboro area.
- Jonesboro, Arkansas Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Jonesboro, Arkansas area radio stations.
- Jonesboro, Arkansas Payroll Services - This list includes Jonesboro, Arkansas payroll services, national payroll services for Jonesboro, and helpful information on choosing a Jonesboro payroll service.
- Jonesboro, Arkansas Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Jonesboro, Arkansas, such as business brokers in Jonesboro and other helpful information on how to buy a Jonesboro business.
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