Thinking about starting a business in Roseburg, Oregon? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Roseburg.
What Type of Business Should You Start?
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.
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 Starting an Upholstery Cleaning Equipment & Supplies Retailer guide or our Starting a Skiing Clothing, Equipment & Supplies Retail Business guide.
Don't forget that you are starting a business in Roseburg. Some businesses will do better in Roseburg than others. Don't forget to review Roseburg demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.
Roseburg, Oregon Demographic Information
Roseburg has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Roseburg demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Roseburg.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
2768 |
| 5-9 Employees |
1049 |
| 10-19 Employees |
675 |
| 20-49 Employees |
396 |
| 50-99 Employees |
105 |
| 100-249 Employees |
78 |
| 250-499 Employees |
12 |
| 500-999 Employees |
3 |
| 1000+ Employees |
3 |
| All Roseburg Businesses |
5089 |
As a new Roseburg entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Roseburg 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 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
4 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
3 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
11 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
3 |
| Beauty Salons |
9 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
2 |
| Boat Building |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
3 |
| Book Stores |
4 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Breweries |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
2 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
1 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Caterers |
3 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
5 |
| Child Day Care Services |
5 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
4 |
| Claims Adjusting |
2 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
4 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
4 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
2 |
| Community Food Services |
3 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
2 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
2 |
| Consumer Lending |
2 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
2 |
| Convenience Stores |
16 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Couriers |
2 |
| Credit Unions |
2 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
2 |
| Dental Laboratories |
5 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
2 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
10 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
8 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
2 |
| Electrical Contractors |
18 |
| Electronic Resistor Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
6 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
12 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
4 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
5 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
1 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
6 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
8 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
6 |
| Flooring Contractors |
6 |
| Florists |
4 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
2 |
| Food Service Contractors |
3 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
4 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
30 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
2 |
| Furniture Stores |
5 |
| General Automotive Repair |
20 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
3 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
8 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
3 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
4 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
6 |
| Home Centers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
2 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
12 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
6 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Ice Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Valve Manufacturing |
1 |
| Institutional Furniture Manufacturing |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
31 |
| Internet Service Providers |
2 |
| Investment Advice |
3 |
| Janitorial Services |
9 |
| Jewelry Stores |
7 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
2 |
| Land Subdivision |
6 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
14 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
8 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
44 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Logging |
35 |
| Machine Shops |
3 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
2 |
| Masonry Contractors |
2 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
2 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
4 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
8 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
3 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
3 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
5 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
2 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
3 |
| Office Administrative Services |
2 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
4 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
10 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
8 |
| Offices of Dentists |
33 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
34 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
5 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
3 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
1 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
3 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
3 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
9 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
3 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
6 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
4 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
2 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Networks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
2 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
5 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
3 |
| Residential Property Managers |
8 |
| Residential Remodelers |
14 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
6 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| Sawmills |
3 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
9 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
4 |
| Siding Contractors |
2 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
13 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
13 |
| Software Publishers |
2 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
2 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
2 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
9 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
4 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
8 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
4 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
2 |
| Television Broadcasting |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
10 |
| Temporary Shelters |
3 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
1 |
| Timber Tract Operations |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
4 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
3 |
| Tobacco Stores |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
3 |
| Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing |
2 |
| Truck Trailer Manufacturing |
2 |
| Used Car Dealers |
9 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
6 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
5 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
5 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wineries |
3 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
6 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
1 |
Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
As you drive around Roseburg, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?
We highly recommend you look into purchasing a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Five Franchise Opportunities To Watch. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Rodeway Inns and Tuffy Auto Service Centers. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Carpet Care Franchises and Deli Restaurant Franchises.
Note on Roseburg Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Roseburg, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Roseburg Business?
We've created a helpful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Oregon. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in Roseburg.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
A business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Contests. You can also get free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Oregon.
Bring in Revenues
Being able to sell is essential to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Roseburg or are selling to customers throughout Oregon, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.
Not knowing how to sell can result in lost customers and minimal market share. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Sales Training is worth reading, as it may give you some good ideas on how to sell your products or services. We have many more good articles on selling that you may enjoy reading.
How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities
Good entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
Given that you are starting a business in Roseburg, Oregon, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Oregon universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any Roseburg networking organizations.
Moving Forward
You have a dream -- starting a business in Roseburg. 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.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Roseburg and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Roseburg 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 Roseburg, Oregon
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Roseburg.
- Resources for Roseburg, Oregon Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Roseburg entrepreneurs.
- Oregon Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Oregon.
- Oregon Small Business Development Center - Oregon Small Business Development Centers use a client-centered approach to deliver counseling, training, information and technical assistance in all aspects of small business management. There is no fee for their assistance.
- Roseburg, Oregon Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Roseburg, Oregon newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Roseburg area.
- Roseburg, Oregon Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Roseburg, Oregon area radio stations.
- Roseburg, Oregon Payroll Services - This list includes Roseburg, Oregon payroll services, national payroll services for Roseburg, and helpful information on choosing a Roseburg payroll service.
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