Are you starting a business in Lincoln, Nebraska? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Lincoln.
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Evaluating Your Idea.
Remember that starting a business in Lincoln has some implications. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Lincoln. Make sure you fully understand Lincoln demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Lincoln has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Lincoln demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Lincoln.
As a new Lincoln entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Lincoln 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 |
19 |
| Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing |
1 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
2 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
5 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
35 |
| Armored Car Services |
1 |
| Art Dealers |
4 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
4 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
9 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
28 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
6 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
3 |
| Barber Shops |
4 |
| Beauty Salons |
124 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
2 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
20 |
| Blind and Shade Manufacturing |
1 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
2 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
2 |
| Book Stores |
12 |
| Books Printing |
2 |
| Bowling Centers |
4 |
| Breakfast Cereal Manufacturing |
1 |
| Breweries |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
4 |
| Business Associations |
47 |
| Cafeterias |
9 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
1 |
| Car Washes |
19 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
11 |
| Caterers |
6 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
4 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
2 |
| Child and Youth Services |
16 |
| Child Day Care Services |
72 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
6 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
51 |
| Claims Adjusting |
6 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
8 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
8 |
| Collection Agencies |
6 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
3 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
15 |
| Commercial Photography |
5 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
4 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
3 |
| Community Food Services |
3 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
9 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
37 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing |
2 |
| Concrete Pipe Manufacturing |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
5 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Consumer Lending |
4 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
6 |
| Convenience Stores |
2 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
2 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
2 |
| Couriers |
11 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
7 |
| Credit Bureaus |
4 |
| Credit Card Issuing |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
21 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
60 |
| Dance Companies |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
9 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
4 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
8 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
23 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
7 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
3 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
6 |
| Discount Department Stores |
8 |
| Display Advertising |
5 |
| Document Preparation Services |
5 |
| Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drafting Services |
6 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
66 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
34 |
| Educational Support Services |
8 |
| Electrical Contractors |
63 |
| Electronic Auctions |
1 |
| Electronic Computer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
12 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
16 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
5 |
| Engineering Services |
55 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
7 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
8 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
12 |
| Facilities Support Services |
3 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
25 |
| Family Planning Centers |
2 |
| Farm Management Services |
1 |
| Farm Product Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
16 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
49 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
37 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
13 |
| Flooring Contractors |
25 |
| Florists |
17 |
| Flour Milling |
1 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
1 |
| Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
13 |
| Food Service Contractors |
9 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
2 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
4 |
| Framing Contractors |
41 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
7 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
145 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
4 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
16 |
| General Automotive Repair |
65 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
16 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
4 |
| General Rental Centers |
4 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
5 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
38 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
12 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
22 |
| Graphic Design Services |
10 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
7 |
| Hardware Stores |
14 |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal |
1 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
12 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
13 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
4 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
12 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
8 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
7 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
4 |
| Industrial Design Services |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
193 |
| Interior Design Services |
12 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
3 |
| Investigation Services |
4 |
| Investment Advice |
23 |
| Iron Foundries |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
92 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Jewelry Stores |
28 |
| Junior Colleges |
1 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
4 |
| Land Subdivision |
9 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
4 |
| Landscaping Services |
79 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
11 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
218 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Linen Supply |
2 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
11 |
| Locksmiths |
5 |
| Machine Shops |
12 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
9 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
4 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
27 |
| Masonry Contractors |
27 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
3 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
4 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
4 |
| Medical Laboratories |
10 |
| Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
9 |
| Metal Household Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
6 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
16 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
8 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
8 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
4 |
| Museums |
6 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
4 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
7 |
| Nail Salons |
5 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
27 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
20 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
3 |
| Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
3 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
8 |
| Office Administrative Services |
15 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
7 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
9 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
40 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
51 |
| Offices of Dentists |
132 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
142 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
16 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
10 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
6 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
23 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
3 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
19 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
4 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
2 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
13 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
70 |
| Paper (except Newsprint) Mills |
1 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
3 |
| Passenger Car Leasing |
2 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
8 |
| Payroll Services |
4 |
| Periodical Publishers |
10 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
10 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
11 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
5 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
35 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
18 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
3 |
| Political Organizations |
7 |
| Portfolio Management |
15 |
| Poultry Processing |
1 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Prepress Services |
4 |
| Private Mail Centers |
6 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
3 |
| Professional Organizations |
23 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
11 |
| Quick Printing |
10 |
| Racetracks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
9 |
| Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing |
2 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
6 |
| Real Estate Credit |
18 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
1 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
3 |
| Reinsurance Carriers |
1 |
| Remediation Services |
2 |
| Repossession Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
28 |
| Residential Remodelers |
74 |
| Retail Bakeries |
3 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
5 |
| Roofing Contractors |
19 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
33 |
| Sales Financing |
4 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
25 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
2 |
| Secondary Market Financing |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
58 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
10 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
22 |
| Siding Contractors |
33 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
6 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
21 |
| Small Arms Manufacturing |
1 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
41 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Software Publishers |
10 |
| Software Reproducing |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
28 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
4 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
2 |
| Soybean Processing |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
2 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
29 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
19 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
2 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
17 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
6 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
32 |
| Temporary Shelters |
3 |
| Testing Laboratories |
4 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
5 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
16 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Tire Dealers |
24 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
| Tobacco Stores |
9 |
| Tour Operators |
3 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
2 |
| Travel Agencies |
10 |
| Truck Trailer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
32 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
5 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
31 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
5 |
| Veterinary Services |
26 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
17 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
14 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
7 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
3 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
34 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
2 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
21 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
31 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
3 |
| Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing |
2 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
1 |
As you drive around Lincoln, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Is it perhaps smarter to franchise a business instead of doing it from scratch.
Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchising My Business. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
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.
Before you decide on a company name, run it by some prospective customers and see what they think. If they don't like it, it's probably a good idea to go back to the drawing board.
To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Naming a Company.
On a final note, given that you are planning on starting a business in Lincoln, it's very important that you make sure no Nebraska company has already registered the company name you have selected.
A business plan is vital to the health of your new business. Simply put, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Whether your goal is to attract Lincoln customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your beating the competition.
Successful business owners recognize that they don't know everything.
Given that you are starting a business in Lincoln, Nebraska, you should get information on some of the many programs available at nearby Nebraska universities, colleges and community colleges. Another way to keep up on your learning is to investigate Lincoln networking organizations.
You have a dream -- starting a business in Lincoln. 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 Lincoln businesses to be successful. 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.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Lincoln.
