Are you starting a business in Morgantown, West Virginia? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Morgantown.
What Type of Business Should You Start?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Good Business Ideas.
If you still are not sure what type of business to start, peruse the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our How to Start a Photofinishing Retail Business guide or our Starting a Plastic Barrels & Drums Business guide.
Remember that your new startup will be located in Morgantown. Some businesses will do better in Morgantown than others. A critical consideration is whether Morgantown demographics mesh well with your startup concept.
Morgantown, West Virginia Demographic Information
Morgantown has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Morgantown demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Morgantown.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
8346 |
| 5-9 Employees |
3771 |
| 10-19 Employees |
2880 |
| 20-49 Employees |
1809 |
| 50-99 Employees |
531 |
| 100-249 Employees |
279 |
| 250-499 Employees |
63 |
| 500-999 Employees |
18 |
| 1000+ Employees |
27 |
| All Morgantown Businesses |
17724 |
As a new Morgantown entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Morgantown 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 |
2 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
2 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
3 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
8 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
2 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
26 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
1 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
4 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
4 |
| Bituminous Coal Underground Mining |
2 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
11 |
| Bowling Centers |
2 |
| Business Associations |
2 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
2 |
| Cafeterias |
1 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Car Washes |
4 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Caterers |
2 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
2 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
16 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
11 |
| Claims Adjusting |
1 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
3 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
2 |
| Community Food Services |
2 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
2 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
7 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Consumer Lending |
4 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
8 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
2 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
2 |
| Couriers |
1 |
| Credit Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
7 |
| Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
7 |
| Dental Laboratories |
1 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
3 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drilling Oil and Gas Wells |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
35 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
8 |
| Educational Support Services |
4 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
2 |
| Electrical Contractors |
22 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
5 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
27 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
6 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
2 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
1 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
10 |
| Family Planning Centers |
2 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
3 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
12 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
8 |
| Florists |
5 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
5 |
| Food Service Contractors |
3 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
1 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
59 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
4 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
8 |
| General Automotive Repair |
20 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
5 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
3 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
9 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
3 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
5 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
4 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
5 |
| Home Centers |
5 |
| Home Health Care Services |
9 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
3 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
3 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
2 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
28 |
| Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
2 |
| Janitorial Services |
12 |
| Jewelry Stores |
12 |
| Junior Colleges |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
17 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
8 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
67 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Logging |
9 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
11 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
4 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
6 |
| Medical Laboratories |
3 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
4 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
3 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
4 |
| Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
1 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
10 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
8 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
4 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
10 |
| Office Administrative Services |
9 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
5 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
13 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
5 |
| Offices of Dentists |
29 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
60 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
4 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
2 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
7 |
| Paging |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
6 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
3 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
5 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
9 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
5 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
2 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
2 |
| Radio Stations |
3 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
4 |
| Real Estate Credit |
6 |
| Remediation Services |
3 |
| Residential Property Managers |
7 |
| Residential Remodelers |
22 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
6 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
9 |
| Sawmills |
2 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
7 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
3 |
| Sewage Treatment Facilities |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
7 |
| Siding Contractors |
2 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
14 |
| Small Arms Manufacturing |
1 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
17 |
| Software Publishers |
2 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
11 |
| Support Activities for Coal Mining |
1 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
3 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
3 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
3 |
| Temporary Shelters |
3 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
2 |
| Tire Dealers |
6 |
| Tobacco Stores |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
2 |
| Used Car Dealers |
7 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
6 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
6 |
| Veterinary Services |
7 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
3 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
4 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
3 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
12 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
14 |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing |
1 |
Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
Examine a list of Morgantown businesses and it becomes clear that purchasing a franchise is a common way to get started as an entrepreneur. But is franchising the right option for you?
We highly recommend you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Buying an Existing Franchise. 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.
Representative franchise opportunities include Steam Brothers and Stone to Foam. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Auto Repair Franchises and Print and Sign Franchises.
Note on Morgantown Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Morgantown.
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Morgantown Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in West Virginia. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in Morgantown.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.
Naming the Business
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.
Pick a company name that isn't too generic. If you do a search engine search for your proposed name and a billion results come up, you may want to reconsider the name. It's much easier to come up in the search engines when your name is fairly unique.
To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Naming a Company.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are planning on starting a business in Morgantown, it's imperative that you check now that no other West Virginia company is using the business name you want to use.
Letting the World Know You Exist
Whether your goal is to attract Morgantown customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your business achieving its goals.
We have some useful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Phone Book Advertising Costs discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
The Art of Selling
Mastering the art of selling is priority one if you want your new Morgantown business to do well.
Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Mastering the Complex Sale offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
Moving Forward
Most new Morgantown businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Morgantown businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Morgantown 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 Morgantown, West Virginia
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Morgantown.
- Resources for Morgantown, West Virginia Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Morgantown 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.
- Morgantown, West Virginia Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Morgantown, West Virginia newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Morgantown area.
- Morgantown, West Virginia Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Morgantown, West Virginia area radio stations.
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