Contemplating starting a business in Martinsburg, West Virginia? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Martinsburg.
Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?
Before quitting your day job, consider your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
To determine whether you have what it takes to run a business, we recommend these three steps to help you decide:
- Speak with other entrepreneurs in Martinsburg. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
- You should read Starting a Company. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
- Talk it over with a close friend or partner. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.
Martinsburg, West Virginia Demographic Information
Martinsburg has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Martinsburg demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Martinsburg.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
10578 |
| 5-9 Employees |
4728 |
| 10-19 Employees |
3294 |
| 20-49 Employees |
1710 |
| 50-99 Employees |
648 |
| 100-249 Employees |
306 |
| 250-499 Employees |
54 |
| 500-999 Employees |
90 |
| 1000+ Employees |
18 |
| All Martinsburg Businesses |
21426 |
As a new Martinsburg entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Martinsburg 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 |
1 |
| Advertising Agencies |
2 |
|
Aircraft Manufacturing |
2 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
2 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
|
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
9 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
18 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Book Stores |
2 |
| Books Printing |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Business and Secretarial Schools |
1 |
|
Business Associations |
3 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
1 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
3 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
2 |
| Caterers |
1 |
| Cement Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Cemeteries and Crematories |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
4 |
| Child Day Care Services |
9 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
9 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
|
Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
4 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
4 |
| Consumer Lending |
2 |
| Convenience Stores |
8 |
| Couriers |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
2 |
|
Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Drilling Oil and Gas Wells |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
18 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
12 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
1 |
|
Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
8 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
2 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
3 |
|
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
3 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
3 |
| Florists |
5 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
3 |
| Food Service Contractors |
6 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
5 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
2 |
|
Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
31 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
2 |
| Furniture Stores |
6 |
| General Automotive Repair |
14 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
4 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
|
General Warehousing and Storage |
2 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
4 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
3 |
| Gum and Wood Chemical Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
2 |
|
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
2 |
| Home Centers |
1 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
2 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
2 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
3 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Industrial Launderers |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
19 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
11 |
| Jewelry Stores |
8 |
| Junior Colleges |
1 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
|
Land Subdivision |
4 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
8 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
3 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
41 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Locksmiths |
2 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
1 |
|
Mail-Order Houses |
2 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
5 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
4 |
| Masonry Contractors |
3 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Metal Can Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
2 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
5 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
6 |
|
Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
3 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
3 |
| Office Administrative Services |
2 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
8 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
7 |
| Offices of Dentists |
21 |
|
Offices of Lawyers |
42 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
3 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
3 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
2 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
6 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
2 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
3 |
|
Passenger Car Rental |
2 |
| Periodical Publishers |
2 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
4 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
7 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
5 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
|
Quick Printing |
3 |
| Radio Stations |
2 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
8 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
6 |
| Residential Remodelers |
11 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
|
Roofing Contractors |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
3 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
1 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
6 |
| Siding Contractors |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
9 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
8 |
|
Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Software Publishers |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
2 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
4 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
|
Telecommunications Resellers |
2 |
| Television Broadcasting |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
9 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
1 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
6 |
|
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
2 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
10 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
2 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
3 |
|
Veterinary Services |
3 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
5 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
2 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
2 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
14 |
|
Women's Clothing Stores |
4 |
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Martinsburg Business?
We've created a handy website page for those who want to Buy a Business in West Virginia. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Martinsburg.
If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.
Forming a Company in Martinsburg, West Virginia
It's essential that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Without a legal structure for the business, you can be held personally liable for the actions, debts and obligations of your company.
The entity you form can be a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
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 West Virginia, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in West Virginia. In fact, you can incorporate wherever you want. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.
There are many nuances to forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Getting an EIN. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Martinsburg, West Virginia, our information on Incorporating in West Virginia may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in West Virginia.
Marketing Your New Venture
To grow your Martinsburg business, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your business achieving its goals.
You can learn quite a bit about marketing on our site. Toll Free Numbers 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.
The Art of Selling
Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Martinsburg or are selling to customers throughout West Virginia, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.
So what does it take to bring in more prospects and close more business? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Closing Sales offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
Learning More About Entrepreneurship
The best entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.
With your business being located in Martinsburg, West Virginia, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby West Virginia universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also beneficial to see if there are any networking organizations for Martinsburg entrepreneurs.
Moving Forward
You have a dream -- starting a business in Martinsburg. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Martinsburg and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Martinsburg 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 Martinsburg, West Virginia
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Martinsburg.
- Resources for Martinsburg, West Virginia Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Martinsburg entrepreneurs.
- West Virginia Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in West Virginia.
- Wisconsin Small Business Development Center - Wisconsin Small Business Development Centers offer a variety of educational services to small-businesses. The low-cost courses, seminars, and workshops cover both basic and complex topics, from marketing to management techniques to business plan development.
- Martinsburg, West Virginia Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Martinsburg, West Virginia newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Martinsburg area.
- Martinsburg, West Virginia Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Martinsburg, West Virginia area radio stations.
- Martinsburg, West Virginia Payroll Services - This list includes Martinsburg, West Virginia payroll services, national payroll services for Martinsburg, and helpful information on choosing a Martinsburg payroll service.
- Martinsburg, West Virginia Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Martinsburg, West Virginia, such as business brokers in Martinsburg and other helpful information on how to buy a Martinsburg business.
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