Contemplating starting a business in Louisville, Kentucky? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Louisville.
Running your own business 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:
Louisville has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Louisville demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Louisville.
As a new Louisville entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Louisville 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 |
| Adhesive Manufacturing |
3 |
| Advertising Agencies |
67 |
| Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing |
3 |
| Aluminum Extruded Product Manufacturing |
2 |
|
Ambulance Services |
5 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
6 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
2 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
12 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
5 |
| Architectural Services |
60 |
| Armored Car Services |
1 |
|
Art Dealers |
16 |
| Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
5 |
| Automobile Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
8 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
27 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
98 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
28 |
|
Baked Goods Stores |
12 |
| Barber Shops |
11 |
| Beauty Salons |
190 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
3 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
108 |
| Blind and Shade Manufacturing |
1 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
9 |
|
Boat Dealers |
8 |
| Book Publishers |
7 |
| Book Stores |
40 |
| Books Printing |
2 |
| Bottled Water Manufacturing |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
10 |
| Breweries |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
2 |
|
Broom, Brush, and Mop Manufacturing |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
20 |
| Business Associations |
55 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
2 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
5 |
| Cafeterias |
29 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
5 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
3 |
|
Car Washes |
38 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
16 |
| Caterers |
25 |
| Cement Manufacturing |
1 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
13 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
4 |
| Child and Youth Services |
29 |
| Child Day Care Services |
210 |
|
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
22 |
| Cigarette Manufacturing |
1 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
88 |
| Claims Adjusting |
25 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
21 |
| Coffee and Tea Manufacturing |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
36 |
| Collection Agencies |
26 |
|
Commercial Bakeries |
4 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
3 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
5 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
51 |
| Commercial Photography |
8 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
8 |
| Community Food Services |
8 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
31 |
|
Computer Facilities Management Services |
7 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
105 |
| Computer Training |
9 |
| Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing |
1 |
| Concrete Pipe Manufacturing |
2 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
10 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
7 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
2 |
| Consumer Lending |
35 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
9 |
| Convenience Stores |
50 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
24 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing |
1 |
| Copper Foundries (except Die-Casting) |
1 |
|
Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
9 |
| Couriers |
73 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
12 |
| Credit Bureaus |
4 |
| Credit Card Issuing |
3 |
| Credit Unions |
52 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
3 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
95 |
|
Custom Roll Forming |
1 |
| Dance Companies |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
14 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
13 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
9 |
| Digital Printing |
5 |
| Dimension Stone Mining and Quarrying |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
43 |
|
Direct Mail Advertising |
14 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
13 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
15 |
| Discount Department Stores |
21 |
| Display Advertising |
9 |
| Distilleries |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
21 |
| Drafting Services |
7 |
|
Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
127 |
| Drive-In Motion Picture Theaters |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
52 |
| Educational Support Services |
23 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
16 |
| Electrical Contractors |
174 |
| Electronic Computer Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Electronic Shopping |
14 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
78 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
7 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
19 |
| Engineering Services |
142 |
| Envelope Manufacturing |
2 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
24 |
| Ethyl Alcohol Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
9 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
30 |
| Fabric Coating Mills |
1 |
| Facilities Support Services |
9 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
51 |
| Family Planning Centers |
4 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
13 |
| Fats and Oils Refining and Blending |
2 |
|
Fine Arts Schools |
29 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
78 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
72 |
| Flat Glass Manufacturing |
1 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
43 |
|
Flooring Contractors |
41 |
| Florists |
37 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
1 |
| Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
19 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
2 |
| Food Service Contractors |
57 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
4 |
|
Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
8 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation |
5 |
| Framing Contractors |
36 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
41 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
3 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
5 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
12 |
|
Full-Service Restaurants |
485 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
42 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
15 |
| Furniture Stores |
74 |
| General Automotive Repair |
174 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
52 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
11 |
| General Rental Centers |
18 |
|
General Warehousing and Storage |
54 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
77 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
14 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
27 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
28 |
| Graphic Design Services |
56 |
| Gypsum Product Manufacturing |
2 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
4 |
|
Hardware Manufacturing |
3 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
20 |
| Hardware Stores |
33 |
| Hat, Cap, and Millinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hazardous Waste Collection |
2 |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal |
3 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
26 |
|
Home Centers |
11 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
24 |
| Home Health Care Services |
27 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
10 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
18 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
29 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
16 |
| Hunting and Trapping |
1 |
|
Hydroelectric Power Generation |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
3 |
| Industrial Design Services |
5 |
| Industrial Gas Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
13 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
5 |
| Inland Water Freight Transportation |
2 |
| Institutional Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
403 |
| Interior Design Services |
38 |
| International Trade Financing |
1 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
12 |
| Internet Service Providers |
8 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
2 |
| Investigation Services |
13 |
| Investment Advice |
32 |
|
Iron and Steel Forging |
2 |
| Iron and Steel Mills |
2 |
| Janitorial Services |
185 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
3 |
| Jewelry Stores |
80 |
| Junior Colleges |
4 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
11 |
| Land Subdivision |
26 |
|
Landscape Architectural Services |
13 |
| Landscaping Services |
203 |
| Language Schools |
2 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
17 |
| Libraries and Archives |
2 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
609 |
| Limousine Service |
6 |
| Linen Supply |
1 |
|
Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
17 |
| Locksmiths |
8 |
| Logging |
1 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
3 |
| Machine Shops |
45 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
26 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
2 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
5 |
|
Marinas |
2 |
| Marine Cargo Handling |
2 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
58 |
| Marking Device Manufacturing |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
44 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
4 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
2 |
| Meat Markets |
7 |
|
Meat Processed from Carcasses |
1 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
10 |
| Medical Laboratories |
22 |
| Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing |
1 |
| Men's and Boys' Neckwear Manufacturing |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
26 |
| Metal Heat Treating |
1 |
|
Metal Household Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Metal Stamping |
5 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
5 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
7 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
11 |
| Mobile Food Services |
6 |
| Monetary Authorities-Central Bank |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
61 |
|
Motion Picture and Video Distribution |
3 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
15 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
11 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
10 |
| Museums |
14 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
13 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
14 |
|
Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
4 |
| Nail Salons |
11 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| Navigational Services to Shipping |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
53 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
48 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| News Syndicates |
2 |
|
Newspaper Publishers |
14 |
| Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing |
2 |
| Nonclay Refractory Manufacturing |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
39 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
56 |
| Office Administrative Services |
80 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
33 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
22 |
|
Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
154 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
109 |
| Offices of Dentists |
398 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
486 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
27 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
32 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
14 |
|
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
45 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
8 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
2 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
6 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
35 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
10 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
8 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
6 |
|
Packing and Crating |
4 |
| Paging |
5 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
14 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
29 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
104 |
| Paperboard Mills |
1 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
59 |
| Passenger Car Leasing |
3 |
|
Passenger Car Rental |
21 |
| Payroll Services |
18 |
| Periodical Publishers |
28 |
| Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
27 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
29 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
15 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
89 |
|
Photography Studios, Portrait |
42 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
2 |
| Plastics Bag Manufacturing |
1 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
1 |
| Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing |
2 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
4 |
| Political Organizations |
8 |
| Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Port and Harbor Operations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
57 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
2 |
| Prepress Services |
4 |
| Primary Battery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Printing Ink Manufacturing |
5 |
| Private Mail Centers |
11 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
10 |
|
Professional Organizations |
24 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
19 |
| Quick Printing |
25 |
| Racetracks |
2 |
| Radio Networks |
2 |
| Radio Stations |
26 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
11 |
| Real Estate Credit |
104 |
|
Real Estate Investment Trusts |
3 |
| Recreational Goods Rental |
3 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
6 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
5 |
| Reinsurance Carriers |
2 |
| Remediation Services |
7 |
| Repossession Services |
4 |
| Residential Property Managers |
66 |
|
Residential Remodelers |
139 |
| Retail Bakeries |
18 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
11 |
| Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
41 |
| Sales Financing |
21 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
4 |
| Savings Institutions |
7 |
|
Saw Blade and Handsaw Manufacturing |
1 |
| Scheduled Freight Air Transportation |
4 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
14 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
8 |
| Securities Brokerage |
82 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
19 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
5 |
| Setup Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Sewage Treatment Facilities |
2 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
13 |
| Shoe Stores |
75 |
| Siding Contractors |
21 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
20 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
56 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
70 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Soft Drink Manufacturing |
1 |
| Software Publishers |
8 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
15 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
1 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
11 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
6 |
| Spice and Extract Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
63 |
|
Sports and Recreation Instruction |
33 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
1 |
| Spring (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Steel Wire Drawing |
2 |
| Support Activities for Coal Mining |
1 |
| Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing |
3 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
73 |
| Taxi Service |
3 |
|
Telecommunications Resellers |
14 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
8 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
6 |
| Television Broadcasting |
7 |
| Temporary Help Services |
114 |
| Temporary Shelters |
14 |
| Testing Laboratories |
18 |
| Textile Bag Mills |
1 |
|
Textile Machinery Manufacturing |
2 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
11 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
31 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
8 |
| Tire Dealers |
48 |
| Tire Manufacturing (except Retreading) |
1 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
48 |
| Tobacco Stores |
42 |
|
Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
3 |
| Tortilla Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
5 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
3 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
3 |
| Travel Agencies |
26 |
| Truck Trailer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Used Car Dealers |
78 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
30 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
53 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
26 |
| Veterinary Services |
74 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
46 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
24 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
30 |
|
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
10 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Web Search Portals |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
156 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
7 |
| Wineries |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
51 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
84 |
|
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
9 |
| Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing |
3 |
| Wood Preservation |
2 |
A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.
Company names should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are starting a business in Louisville, it's critical that you ensure that no other Kentucky company is using the business name you want to use.
It's essential that you form your business as a legal structure. Doing so will insulate you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporating 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 Kentucky, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Kentucky. In fact, you can 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. 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. Finally, if you are starting a business in Louisville, Kentucky, our information on Incorporating in Kentucky may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Kentucky.
A business plan is critical in laying a solid foundation for your business success. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Getting your Louisville business the capital it needs to succeed is not an easy task. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Business Credit Evaluation.
Good entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
As an entrepreneur who lives in Louisville, Kentucky, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Kentucky universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also wise to see if there are any networking organizations for Louisville entrepreneurs.
As an entrepreneur in Louisville, 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.
We are here to help Louisville businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Louisville entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Louisville.
