Are you starting a business in Kissimmee, Florida? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Kissimmee.
Do You Have What It Takes?
Being an entrepreneur is difficult, much harder than working as an employee. Are you positive you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?
Because entrepreneurship is not for everyone, we recommend you do the following to help you assess whether you should move forward with starting a business:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Kissimmee. 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.
Kissimmee, Florida Demographic Information
Kissimmee has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Kissimmee demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Kissimmee.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
7417 |
| 5-9 Employees |
1731 |
| 10-19 Employees |
1230 |
| 20-49 Employees |
849 |
| 50-99 Employees |
369 |
| 100-249 Employees |
186 |
| 250-499 Employees |
36 |
| 500-999 Employees |
24 |
| 1000+ Employees |
6 |
| All Kissimmee Businesses |
11848 |
As a new Kissimmee entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Kissimmee 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 |
| Air Traffic Control |
1 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
6 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
7 |
| Architectural Services |
13 |
| Art Dealers |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
4 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
23 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
2 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
3 |
| Beauty Salons |
31 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
11 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
2 |
| Book Stores |
4 |
| Bowling Centers |
2 |
| Building Inspection Services |
5 |
| Business Associations |
6 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
9 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
5 |
| Car Washes |
10 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
13 |
| Caterers |
4 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
2 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
18 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
14 |
| Claims Adjusting |
1 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
5 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
3 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
3 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
4 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
10 |
| Computer Training |
2 |
| Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing |
1 |
| Concrete Pipe Manufacturing |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
3 |
| Consumer Lending |
4 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
16 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
2 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
2 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
14 |
| Dental Laboratories |
4 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
6 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
5 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
10 |
| Discount Department Stores |
4 |
| Document Preparation Services |
1 |
| Drafting Services |
1 |
| Drilling Oil and Gas Wells |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
15 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
71 |
| Educational Support Services |
6 |
| Electrical Contractors |
39 |
| Electronic Shopping |
6 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
6 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
2 |
| Engineering Services |
12 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
2 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
4 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
16 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
20 |
| Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders |
1 |
| Farm Product Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
49 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
6 |
| Flight Training |
3 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
7 |
| Flooring Contractors |
20 |
| Florists |
5 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
11 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
7 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
21 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
5 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
164 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
5 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
4 |
| Furniture Stores |
12 |
| General Automotive Repair |
48 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
22 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Rental Centers |
3 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
2 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
60 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
12 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
4 |
| Graphic Design Services |
5 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| HMO Medical Centers |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
6 |
| Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
9 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
1 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
1 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
45 |
| Interior Design Services |
14 |
| Internet Service Providers |
2 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
5 |
| Investment Advice |
17 |
| Janitorial Services |
64 |
| Jewelry Stores |
22 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
3 |
| Land Subdivision |
9 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
64 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
15 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
118 |
| Limousine Service |
2 |
| Linen Supply |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
4 |
| Locksmiths |
3 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
2 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
5 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
3 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
30 |
| Masonry Contractors |
18 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
2 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
5 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
2 |
| Mobile Food Services |
5 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
23 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
7 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
2 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
6 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
3 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Nail Salons |
7 |
| New Car Dealers |
16 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
13 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| News Syndicates |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
17 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
6 |
| Office Administrative Services |
17 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
3 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
23 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
18 |
| Offices of Dentists |
44 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
53 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
6 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
11 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
4 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
7 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
34 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
13 |
| Payroll Services |
3 |
| Periodical Publishers |
3 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
7 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
22 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
9 |
| Portfolio Management |
4 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
3 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
3 |
| Real Estate Credit |
18 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
3 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Reinsurance Carriers |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
81 |
| Residential Remodelers |
42 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
10 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
5 |
| Scheduled Freight Air Transportation |
1 |
| Secondary Market Financing |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
3 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
8 |
| Sewage Treatment Facilities |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
16 |
| Siding Contractors |
8 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
19 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
10 |
| Soft Drink Manufacturing |
1 |
| Software Publishers |
2 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
11 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
6 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
15 |
| Taxi Service |
5 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
4 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
3 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
6 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
2 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
25 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Tire Dealers |
14 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
9 |
| Tour Operators |
4 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
17 |
| Used Car Dealers |
17 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
4 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
4 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
6 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
11 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
5 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
3 |
| Web Search Portals |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
23 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
13 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
10 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
Is Franchising a Better Option?
Examine a list of Kissimmee businesses and you'll see that franchises make up a large percentage of local businesses. But is franchising the right option for you?
We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to consider franchising as an option. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Franchising My Business. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.
Representative franchise opportunities include Van Houtte Café and Altratouch Systems. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Children Arts Programs Franchises and Coffee Shop Franchises.
Note on Kissimmee Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Kissimmee.
Company Formation in Kissimmee, Florida
It's very important that you form your business as a legal structure. Doing so will protect you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as 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. Just because you are starting a business in Florida, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Florida. As it turns out, you can incorporate in any state you would like to. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.
There's a lot to know about forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Dissolving a Corporation. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Kissimmee, Florida, our web page covering Incorporating in Florida may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Florida.
Do You Need a Business Plan?
Creating a business plan is vital to the health of your new business. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Failure to write a business plan
To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Software. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Florida.
Promoting Your New Business
To rise above the crowd in Kissimmee and build your business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Marketing Versus Sales is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset
Successful entrepreneurs know that they don't know everything.
With your business being located in Kissimmee, Florida, you should check out some of the many programs available at nearby Florida universities, colleges and community colleges. Another way to keep up on your learning is to investigate Kissimmee networking organizations.
Now It's Up To You
As an entrepreneur in Kissimmee, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Kissimmee and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Kissimmee entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Kissimmee, Florida
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Kissimmee.
- Resources for Kissimmee, Florida Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Kissimmee entrepreneurs.
- Florida Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Florida.
- Florida Small Business Development Center - The Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) is a statewide economic development partnership between higher education and other stakeholder organizations dedicated to providing entrepreneurs and established businesses with the assistance needed to start, grow and succeed, contributing to the Florida economy.
- Kissimmee, Florida Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Kissimmee, Florida newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Kissimmee area.
- Kissimmee, Florida Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Kissimmee, Florida area radio stations.
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