Are you starting a business in Leesburg, Florida? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Leesburg.
Are You Sure You Want to Do This?
Most new businesses do not succeed, 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.
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Speak with other entrepreneurs in Leesburg. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
- You should read Business Failure. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
- Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.
Which Business to Choose?
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at How to Evaluate a Business Idea.
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 How to Start a Birth Announcement Services Business guide or our How to Start a Sweeping Compounds Business guide.
Remember that Leesburg is the place where you are starting a business. Some businesses will do better in Leesburg than others. Make sure you fully understand Leesburg demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Leesburg, Florida Demographic Information
Leesburg has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Leesburg demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Leesburg.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
13140 |
| 5-9 Employees |
5256 |
| 10-19 Employees |
2880 |
| 20-49 Employees |
2142 |
| 50-99 Employees |
576 |
| 100-249 Employees |
558 |
| 250-499 Employees |
72 |
| 500-999 Employees |
0 |
| 1000+ Employees |
18 |
| All Leesburg Businesses |
24642 |
As a new Leesburg entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Leesburg 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 |
2 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
5 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
2 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
9 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
4 |
| Beauty Salons |
24 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
4 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
2 |
| Book Stores |
3 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
3 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
2 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
5 |
| Caterers |
1 |
| Cement Manufacturing |
1 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
2 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
9 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
6 |
| Claims Adjusting |
3 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Collection Agencies |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
3 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
3 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
3 |
| Convenience Stores |
7 |
| Couriers |
3 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
2 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
3 |
| Dental Laboratories |
2 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
1 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Drafting Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
3 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
3 |
| Electrical Contractors |
8 |
| Electronic Shopping |
2 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
3 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
11 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
12 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
7 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
7 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
4 |
| Flooring Contractors |
2 |
| Florists |
3 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
5 |
| Food Service Contractors |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
3 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
34 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
10 |
| General Automotive Repair |
15 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
3 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
2 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
7 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
1 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
6 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
3 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
5 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
36 |
| Interior Design Services |
2 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
8 |
| Jewelry Stores |
8 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
2 |
| Land Subdivision |
6 |
| Landscaping Services |
24 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
13 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
37 |
| Locksmiths |
2 |
| Logging |
1 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
1 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
4 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
2 |
| Masonry Contractors |
6 |
| Meat Markets |
2 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
3 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
2 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
10 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
10 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
3 |
| Office Administrative Services |
2 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
3 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
11 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
8 |
| Offices of Dentists |
22 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
23 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
4 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
3 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
5 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
2 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
6 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
3 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
8 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
4 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
2 |
| Radio Stations |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
3 |
| Real Estate Credit |
6 |
| Record Production |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
3 |
| Residential Property Managers |
3 |
| Residential Remodelers |
9 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
1 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
4 |
| Securities Brokerage |
5 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
2 |
| Shoe Stores |
7 |
| Siding Contractors |
2 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
4 |
| Small Arms Ammunition Manufacturing |
1 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
5 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
2 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
7 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
3 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Testing Laboratories |
2 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
4 |
| Tire Dealers |
8 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
| Tobacco Stores |
2 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
6 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
4 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
6 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
6 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
8 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
4 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
What About Buying an Existing Leesburg Business?
We've created a useful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Florida. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Leesburg.
If you are going to be buying a business, you may want to read this article: How to Buy a Business.
Picking 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.
Pick a company name that isn't too generic. If you do a search engine search for your proposed name and a billion results come up, you may want to reconsider the name. It's much easier to come up in the search engines when your name is fairly unique.
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Company.
On a final note, given that you are opening a business in Leesburg, it's imperative that you check now that no other Florida company is using the business name you want to use.
Forming a Company in Leesburg, Florida
A critical step is ensuring that you choose the right legal structure for your new entity. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.
The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporation 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 Florida, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Florida. As it turns out, you are allowed to incorporate wherever you want. 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. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Incorporating Online. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Leesburg, Florida, our information on Incorporating in Florida may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Florida.
Learning More About Entrepreneurship
The best entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
With your business being located in Leesburg, Florida, you will want to take advantage of the learning programs at local Florida educational institutions. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any Leesburg networking organizations.
Next Steps
Most new Leesburg businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Leesburg and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Leesburg 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 Leesburg, Florida
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Leesburg.
- Resources for Leesburg, Florida Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Leesburg 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.
- Leesburg, Florida Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Leesburg, Florida newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Leesburg area.
- Leesburg, Florida Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Leesburg, Florida area radio stations.
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