Thinking about starting a business in Meridian, Mississippi? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Meridian.
Choosing the Right Company to Start
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 Free Business Ideas.
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 Opening a Rustic Furniture Business guide or our Opening a Snorkeling Business guide.
Always keep in mind that you are starting a business in Meridian. Some businesses will do better in Meridian than others. Don't forget to review Meridian demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.
Meridian, Mississippi Demographic Information
Meridian has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Meridian demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Meridian.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
21952 |
| 5-9 Employees |
10560 |
| 10-19 Employees |
6264 |
| 20-49 Employees |
4344 |
| 50-99 Employees |
1848 |
| 100-249 Employees |
816 |
| 250-499 Employees |
72 |
| 500-999 Employees |
72 |
| 1000+ Employees |
72 |
| All Meridian Businesses |
46000 |
As a new Meridian entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Meridian 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 |
| Amusement Arcades |
2 |
|
Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
4 |
| Armored Car Services |
1 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
3 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
21 |
|
Automotive Transmission Repair |
4 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
2 |
| Barber Shops |
3 |
| Beauty Salons |
14 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
11 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Book Stores |
5 |
|
Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
3 |
| Business and Secretarial Schools |
1 |
| Business Associations |
4 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
2 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
|
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Caterers |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
18 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
13 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
6 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
|
Collection Agencies |
2 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
3 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
2 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
3 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
3 |
|
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
20 |
| Convenience Stores |
13 |
| Couriers |
6 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
1 |
| Credit Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
8 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
|
Custom Computer Programming Services |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
5 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
9 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
1 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
2 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
|
Drafting Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
2 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
1 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
6 |
| Electrical Contractors |
16 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
6 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
|
Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
9 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
7 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
12 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Farm Product Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
|
Fine Arts Schools |
1 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
2 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
6 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
8 |
| Flooring Contractors |
1 |
| Florists |
7 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
3 |
|
Food Service Contractors |
10 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
40 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
6 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
11 |
|
General Automotive Repair |
25 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
3 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
3 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
5 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
8 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
|
Grantmaking Foundations |
6 |
| Gypsum Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
4 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
2 |
| Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
6 |
|
Home Health Equipment Rental |
6 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
3 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
5 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
3 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
51 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
2 |
|
Investment Advice |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
17 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Jewelry Stores |
10 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
2 |
| Landscaping Services |
13 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
1 |
|
Limited-Service Restaurants |
64 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Locksmiths |
2 |
| Logging |
9 |
| Machine Shops |
5 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
|
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
6 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
2 |
| Masonry Contractors |
4 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
8 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
6 |
| Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
2 |
|
Miscellaneous Intermediation |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
3 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
2 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
2 |
| Museums |
4 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Nail Salons |
3 |
|
Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
11 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
5 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
2 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
8 |
| Office Administrative Services |
5 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
|
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
17 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
3 |
| Offices of Dentists |
30 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
34 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
2 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
1 |
|
Optical Goods Stores |
8 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Paging |
1 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
3 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
6 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
4 |
| Payroll Services |
2 |
|
Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
7 |
| Petroleum Refineries |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
13 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
7 |
| Private Mail Centers |
2 |
|
Professional Employer Organizations |
2 |
| Quick Printing |
2 |
| Radio Stations |
13 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
2 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
3 |
|
Residential Remodelers |
9 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
3 |
| Roofing Contractors |
6 |
| Sales Financing |
2 |
| Sawmills |
1 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
7 |
|
Security Guards and Patrol Services |
5 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
15 |
| Siding Contractors |
1 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
6 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
6 |
| Soft Drink Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Solid Waste Collection |
2 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
9 |
| Steel Foundries (except Investment) |
1 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
5 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
5 |
| Taxi Service |
2 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
1 |
|
Television Broadcasting |
3 |
| Temporary Help Services |
6 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
3 |
| Timber Tract Operations |
4 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
14 |
|
Tobacco Stores |
6 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
3 |
| Used Car Dealers |
12 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
4 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
|
Veterinary Services |
5 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
5 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
3 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
6 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
3 |
|
Women's Clothing Stores |
15 |
Should You Franchise?
Visit the business district of Meridian and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?
We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to consider franchising as an option. On our site, you can read many articles about franchising, such as Costs of Franchise Ownership. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Scotts Lawn Service and Party Personnel Franchise Systems. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Candy and Chocolate Franchises and Fitness Franchises.
Note on Meridian Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Meridian.
Picking a Company Name
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 need to be easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember.
Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Naming a Business.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are opening a business in Meridian, it's critical that you ensure that your company name has not already been claimed by another Mississippi business.
Forming a Company in Meridian, Mississippi
It's essential that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. 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 corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
Incorporating is a very common way to legally create a business entity. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in Mississippi, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Mississippi. In fact, you can incorporate in any state you would like to. 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. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Getting an EIN. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Meridian, Mississippi, our web page covering Incorporating in Mississippi may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Mississippi.
Getting Money to Start a Business
Raising money to fund your new Meridian business is a difficult chore. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Business Incubators.
For Meridian entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, check out our List of Mississippi Angel Investors and our List of Mississippi Venture Capital Firms.
Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills
The best entrepreneurs recognize that they need to continually improve.
With your business being located in Meridian, Mississippi, you should investigate some of the many programs available at nearby Mississippi universities, colleges and community colleges. You should also check if there are any networking organizations for Meridian entrepreneurs.
What's Next?
As an entrepreneur in Meridian, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
We are here to help Meridian 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.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Meridian, Mississippi
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Meridian.
- Resources for Meridian, Mississippi Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Meridian entrepreneurs.
- Mississippi Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Mississippi.
- Mississippi Small Business Development Center - The Mississippi Small Business Development Centers (MSBDC) is dedicated to helping build and grow businesses in Mississippi. For new entrepreneurs, this is an excellent resource.
- Meridian, Mississippi Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Meridian, Mississippi newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Meridian area.
- Meridian, Mississippi Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Meridian, Mississippi area radio stations.
- Meridian, Mississippi Payroll Services - This list includes Meridian, Mississippi payroll services, national payroll services for Meridian, and helpful information on choosing a Meridian payroll service.
- Meridian, Mississippi Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Meridian, Mississippi, such as business brokers in Meridian and other helpful information on how to buy a Meridian business.
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