Contemplating starting a business in Miami, Florida? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Miami.
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. You might get some good ideas about what kind of business to start by reading Free Business Ideas.
Always keep in mind that you are starting a business in Miami. If Miami already has plenty of the kind of business you want to start, you might want to change your plans. Make sure you fully understand Miami demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Miami has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Miami demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Miami.
As a new Miami entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Miami 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 |
198 |
| Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing |
1 |
| Aircraft Manufacturing |
3 |
| Aluminum Extruded Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
13 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
3 |
| Amusement Arcades |
12 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
5 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
49 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
5 |
| Architectural Services |
353 |
| Armored Car Services |
11 |
| Art Dealers |
67 |
| Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing |
3 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
17 |
| Automobile Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
16 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
47 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
235 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
42 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
42 |
| Barber Shops |
32 |
| Beauty Salons |
583 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
3 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
14 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
117 |
| Blind and Shade Manufacturing |
12 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
10 |
| Boat Building |
20 |
| Boat Dealers |
63 |
| Book Publishers |
17 |
| Book Stores |
62 |
| Books Printing |
5 |
| Bowling Centers |
8 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
7 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Mills |
6 |
| Building Inspection Services |
45 |
| Burial Casket Manufacturing |
1 |
| Business and Secretarial Schools |
4 |
| Business Associations |
77 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
26 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
32 |
| Cafeterias |
154 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
15 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
14 |
| Car Washes |
59 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
31 |
| Casinos (except Casino Hotels) |
1 |
| Caterers |
80 |
| Cement Manufacturing |
3 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
19 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
7 |
| Cheese Manufacturing |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
48 |
| Child Day Care Services |
400 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
81 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
86 |
| Claims Adjusting |
61 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
78 |
| Coffee and Tea Manufacturing |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
107 |
| Collection Agencies |
36 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
38 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
6 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
86 |
| Commercial Photography |
38 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
30 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
16 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
37 |
| Community Food Services |
9 |
| Commuter Rail Systems |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
117 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
14 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
293 |
| Computer Training |
15 |
| Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing |
7 |
| Concrete Pipe Manufacturing |
2 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
14 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
23 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
78 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
17 |
| Convenience Stores |
180 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
36 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
5 |
| Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing |
3 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
7 |
| Couriers |
141 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
49 |
| Credit Bureaus |
12 |
| Credit Card Issuing |
4 |
| Credit Unions |
52 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
17 |
| Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins |
2 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
282 |
| Custom Roll Forming |
1 |
| Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing |
2 |
| Dance Companies |
4 |
| Deep Sea Freight Transportation |
25 |
| Deep Sea Passenger Transportation |
9 |
| Dental Laboratories |
57 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
129 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
24 |
| Digital Printing |
13 |
| Dimension Stone Mining and Quarrying |
4 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
43 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
18 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
55 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
7 |
| Discount Department Stores |
20 |
| Display Advertising |
24 |
| Document Preparation Services |
78 |
| Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drafting Services |
18 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
110 |
| Dry Pasta Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
109 |
| Educational Support Services |
55 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
4 |
| Electrical Contractors |
416 |
| Electronic Auctions |
2 |
| Electronic Computer Manufacturing |
3 |
| Electronic Shopping |
82 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
122 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
9 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
48 |
| Engineering Services |
402 |
| Envelope Manufacturing |
3 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
59 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
62 |
| Explosives Manufacturing |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
95 |
| Facilities Support Services |
14 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
192 |
| Family Planning Centers |
11 |
| Farm Management Services |
3 |
| Farm Product Warehousing and Storage |
4 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
27 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
66 |
| Finfish Fishing |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
134 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
26 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
63 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
158 |
| Flat Glass Manufacturing |
4 |
| Flight Training |
19 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
91 |
| Flooring Contractors |
80 |
| Florists |
121 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
2 |
| Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
2 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
119 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
114 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
13 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
102 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
22 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
31 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
847 |
| Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing |
4 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
2 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
6 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
25 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
1,022 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
41 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
82 |
| Furniture Stores |
223 |
| General Automotive Repair |
474 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
195 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
23 |
| General Rental Centers |
28 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
71 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
159 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
40 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
10 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
68 |
| Graphic Design Services |
184 |
| Hardware Manufacturing |
3 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
65 |
| Hardware Stores |
54 |
| Hat, Cap, and Millinery Manufacturing |
3 |
| Hazardous Waste Collection |
2 |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal |
1 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
2 |
| Historical Sites |
3 |
| HMO Medical Centers |
5 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
46 |
| Home Centers |
28 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
108 |
| Home Health Care Services |
260 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
25 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
79 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
42 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
29 |
| Hunting and Trapping |
1 |
| Hydroelectric Power Generation |
2 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
12 |
| Industrial Design Services |
23 |
| Industrial Gas Manufacturing |
2 |
| Industrial Launderers |
14 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
2 |
| Inland Water Freight Transportation |
1 |
| Inland Water Passenger Transportation |
2 |
| Institutional Furniture Manufacturing |
5 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
908 |
| Interior Design Services |
214 |
| International Trade Financing |
30 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
20 |
| Internet Service Providers |
55 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
5 |
| Investigation Services |
71 |
| Investment Advice |
264 |
| Iron and Steel Forging |
1 |
| Iron and Steel Mills |
4 |
| Iron Foundries |
1 |
| Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
279 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
32 |
| Jewelry Stores |
383 |
| Junior Colleges |
9 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
23 |
| Land Subdivision |
173 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
43 |
| Landscaping Services |
284 |
| Language Schools |
20 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
46 |
| Libraries and Archives |
4 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
967 |
| Limousine Service |
24 |
| Linen Supply |
9 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
108 |
| Locksmiths |
47 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
27 |
| Luggage Manufacturing |
3 |
| Machine Shops |
34 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
52 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
3 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
1 |
| Marinas |
30 |
| Marine Cargo Handling |
13 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
326 |
| Marking Device Manufacturing |
2 |
| Masonry Contractors |
66 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
6 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
6 |
| Meat Markets |
36 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
9 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
14 |
| Media Representatives |
39 |
| Medical Laboratories |
43 |
| Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing |
7 |
| Men's and Boys' Neckwear Manufacturing |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
105 |
| Metal Heat Treating |
1 |
| Metal Household Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Metal Stamping |
2 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
2 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
19 |
| Mineral Wool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
90 |
| Mixed Mode Transit Systems |
1 |
| Mobile Food Services |
15 |
| Monetary Authorities-Central Bank |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
308 |
| Motion Picture and Video Distribution |
9 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
157 |
| Motor and Generator Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
40 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
24 |
| Museums |
18 |
| Music Publishers |
11 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
51 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
21 |
| Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
43 |
| Narrow Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
3 |
| Natural Gas Liquid Extraction |
1 |
| Navigational Services to Shipping |
25 |
| New Car Dealers |
127 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
89 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
13 |
| News Syndicates |
7 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
41 |
| Nonferrous Forging |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
164 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
64 |
| Office Administrative Services |
336 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
72 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
61 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
5 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
635 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
156 |
| Offices of Dentists |
801 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
3,047 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
106 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
62 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
66 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
143 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
10 |
| Open-End Investment Funds |
2 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
2 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
49 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
133 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
14 |
| Outerwear Knitting Mills |
1 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
14 |
| Packing and Crating |
26 |
| Paging |
9 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
6 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
32 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
182 |
| Paper Industry Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
160 |
| Passenger Car Leasing |
5 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
61 |
| Payroll Services |
29 |
| Pen and Mechanical Pencil Manufacturing |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
62 |
| Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
58 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
47 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
23 |
| Petroleum Refineries |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
340 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
94 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
1 |
| Plastics Bag Manufacturing |
3 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
1 |
| Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing |
3 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
2 |
| Political Organizations |
10 |
| Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
2 |
| Port and Harbor Operations |
7 |
| Portfolio Management |
112 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
2 |
| Prepress Services |
14 |
| Private Mail Centers |
40 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
27 |
| Professional Organizations |
51 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
108 |
| Quick Printing |
66 |
| Racetracks |
1 |
| Radio Networks |
9 |
| Radio Stations |
39 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
21 |
| Real Estate Credit |
336 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
15 |
| Record Production |
5 |
| Recreational Goods Rental |
9 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
1 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
15 |
| Reinsurance Carriers |
9 |
| Remediation Services |
6 |
| Repossession Services |
4 |
| Residential Property Managers |
250 |
| Residential Remodelers |
224 |
| Retail Bakeries |
103 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
37 |
| Rice Milling |
1 |
| Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
84 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
5 |
| Rope, Cordage, and Twine Mills |
2 |
| Sales Financing |
65 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
19 |
| Savings Institutions |
107 |
| Scheduled Freight Air Transportation |
36 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
76 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
20 |
| Seafood Canning |
1 |
| Secondary Market Financing |
5 |
| Securities and Commodity Exchanges |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
162 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
155 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
10 |
| Sewage Treatment Facilities |
2 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
13 |
| Ship Building and Repairing |
6 |
| Shoe Stores |
314 |
| Siding Contractors |
9 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
26 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
74 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
191 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
8 |
| Soft Drink Manufacturing |
6 |
| Software Publishers |
44 |
| Software Reproducing |
2 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
19 |
| Solid Waste Combustors and Incinerators |
1 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
3 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
19 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
26 |
| Specialty Canning |
1 |
| Spice and Extract Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
105 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
75 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
7 |
| Spring (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply |
1 |
| Steel Wire Drawing |
1 |
| Storage Battery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sugarcane Mills |
1 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
114 |
| Taxi Service |
24 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
39 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
44 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
20 |
| Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
25 |
| Temporary Help Services |
100 |
| Temporary Shelters |
10 |
| Testing Laboratories |
21 |
| Textile Bag Mills |
1 |
| Textile Machinery Manufacturing |
3 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
17 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
108 |
| Timber Tract Operations |
1 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
33 |
| Tire Dealers |
138 |
| Tire Manufacturing (except Retreading) |
1 |
| Tire Retreading |
7 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
161 |
| Tobacco Stores |
32 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
15 |
| Tortilla Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
60 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
6 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
52 |
| Travel Agencies |
331 |
| Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing |
3 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
5 |
| Used Car Dealers |
187 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
64 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
99 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
30 |
| Veterinary Services |
118 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
74 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
36 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
22 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
7 |
| Watch, Clock, and Part Manufacturing |
3 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
4 |
| Web Search Portals |
4 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
687 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
25 |
| Wineries |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
167 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
364 |
| Women's Handbag and Purse Manufacturing |
2 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
7 |
| Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
6 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
8 |
Visit the business district of Miami and you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Is franchising maybe a better way for you to start your business?
A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. 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 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 Florida, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Florida. 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 Corporate Formalities. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Miami, Florida, our information on Incorporating in Florida may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Florida.
Having a business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.
Getting your Miami business the capital it needs to succeed is not an easy task. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.
Good entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.
Given that you are starting a business in Miami, Florida, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Florida universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any Miami networking organizations.
You have a dream -- starting a business in Miami. 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 Miami and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Miami, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Miami.
