New York Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Kingston, New York

Are you starting a business in Kingston, New York? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Kingston.

Are You Ready for the Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur?

Before quitting your day job, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

Before you move forward with starting a business, be sure to do these three things:

  • Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Kingston. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
  • Take a look at Starting a Company. It's a short article but it's a good reality check for those are about to jump into the world of entrepreneurship.
  • Talk it over with a close friend or partner. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.

Kingston, New York Demographic Information

Kingston has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.

To give you a better feel for Kingston demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Kingston.

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
41208
5-9 Employees
15300
10-19 Employees
9282
20-49 Employees
6987
50-99 Employees
2193
100-249 Employees
1530
250-499 Employees
102
500-999 Employees
102
1000+ Employees
102
All Kingston Businesses
76806

As a new Kingston entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Kingston 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
1
Amusement Arcades
2
Art Dealers
2
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
2
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
2
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
19
Automotive Transmission Repair
2
Baked Goods Stores
5
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
7
Boat Building
1
Boat Dealers
2
Book Stores
5
Books Printing
1
Bowling Centers
2
Building Inspection Services
1
Business and Secretarial Schools
1
Business Associations
1
Cafeterias
1
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
3
Canvas and Related Product Mills
1
Car Washes
3
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Caterers
3
Cemeteries and Crematories
2
Child and Youth Services
4
Child Day Care Services
10
Civic and Social Organizations
8
Claims Adjusting
1
Coffee and Tea Manufacturing
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
6
Commercial Bakeries
1
Commercial Photography
1
Commercial Screen Printing
3
Computer and Software Stores
2
Computer Systems Design Services
4
Confectionery and Nut Stores
1
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
1
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
2
Consumer Lending
3
Convenience Stores
5
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
2
Couriers
2
Credit Card Issuing
2
Credit Unions
3
Curtain and Drapery Mills
2
Custom Computer Programming Services
8
Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing
1
Dental Laboratories
4
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
1
Dimension Stone Mining and Quarrying
1
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
1
Direct Mail Advertising
1
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
1
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
1
Discount Department Stores
1
Display Advertising
2
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
10
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
10
Electronic Auctions
1
Electronic Connector Manufacturing
1
Electronic Shopping
2
Elementary and Secondary Schools
5
Employment Placement Agencies
1
Engineering Services
4
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
6
Facilities Support Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
11
Fine Arts Schools
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
6
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
6
Floor Covering Stores
1
Florists
6
Fluid Milk Manufacturing
1
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
5
Framing Contractors
1
Freight Transportation Arrangement
1
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
2
Full-Service Restaurants
70
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
5
Furniture Stores
8
General Automotive Repair
14
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
2
General Rental Centers
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
7
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
4
Graphic Design Services
2
Hardware Manufacturing
1
Hardware Stores
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
5
Home Centers
5
Home Health Care Services
7
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Homes for the Elderly
2
Household Appliance Stores
2
Human Rights Organizations
1
Industrial Building Construction
1
Industrial Launderers
2
Industrial Pattern Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
25
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
1
Internet Service Providers
1
Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
1
Janitorial Services
6
Jewelry Stores
12
Land Subdivision
1
Landscape Architectural Services
1
Landscaping Services
13
Lead Pencil and Art Good Manufacturing
1
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
46
Limousine Service
1
Linen Supply
2
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
1
Luggage Manufacturing
1
Machine Shops
3
Marinas
3
Masonry Contractors
7
Meat Markets
1
Medical Laboratories
6
Men's Clothing Stores
1
Metal Stamping
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
2
Motorcycle Dealers
2
Museums
3
Music Publishers
1
Musical Groups and Artists
2
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
Nail Salons
2
New Car Dealers
11
News Dealers and Newsstands
1
Newspaper Publishers
2
Nonresidential Property Managers
3
Office Administrative Services
7
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
3
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
14
Offices of Chiropractors
9
Offices of Lawyers
65
Offices of Optometrists
4
Offices of Other Holding Companies
2
Offices of Podiatrists
2
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
6
One-Hour Photofinishing
1
Optical Goods Stores
7
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
6
Passenger Car Rental
1
Payroll Services
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
2
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
6
Photography Studios, Portrait
4
Portfolio Management
1
Power-Driven Handtool Manufacturing
1
Private Mail Centers
1
Professional Organizations
1
Public Relations Agencies
1
Quick Printing
1
Radio Networks
1
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
1
Residential Property Managers
1
Residential Remodelers
14
Retail Bakeries
3
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
1
Roofing Contractors
5
Rooming and Boarding Houses
1
Savings Institutions
6
School and Employee Bus Transportation
2
Securities Brokerage
7
Security Guards and Patrol Services
1
Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing
1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
2
Shoe Stores
6
Site Preparation Contractors
4
Skiing Facilities
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
17
Solid Waste Collection
1
Sporting Goods Stores
6
Sports and Recreation Instruction
1
Tax Preparation Services
7
Telephone Answering Services
1
Temporary Help Services
4
Temporary Shelters
2
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
1
Tire Dealers
3
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
5
Tobacco Stores
1
Travel Agencies
3
Truss Manufacturing
1
Used Car Dealers
7
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
1
Used Merchandise Stores
6
Veterinary Services
3
Video Tape and Disc Rental
6
Voluntary Health Organizations
1
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
2
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
2
Window Treatment Stores
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
6
Women's Clothing Stores
13

Choosing a Business Name

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?

To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Naming a Company.

There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are opening a business in Kingston, it's very important that you make sure your company name has not already been claimed by another New York business.

Don't Skip the Business Plan

A business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Indeed, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

To learn more about business plans, read The Art of the Executive Summary. You can also get face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in New York.

Where to Get Money to Start a Company

Raising money to fund your new Kingston business is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.

Take advantage of our many articles on raising capital, such as 504 Loans.

For Kingston entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of New York Angel Investors and our List of New York Venture Capital Firms.

Marketing Your New Venture

Whether your goal is to attract Kingston customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.

We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Newspaper Advertising Costs is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Never Give Up

You have a dream -- starting a business in Kingston. 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 Kingston businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Kingston, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Kingston, New York

Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Kingston.

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in New York

Starting a Business in Jamestown
Starting a Business in Lackawanna

Browse All Business Startup Guides for New York
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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