Maryland Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Takoma Park, Maryland

Are you starting a business in Takoma Park, Maryland? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Takoma Park.

Takoma Park, Maryland Demographic Information

Takoma Park has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.

To give you a better feel for Takoma Park demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Takoma Park.

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
829
5-9 Employees
237
10-19 Employees
144
20-49 Employees
75
50-99 Employees
12
100-249 Employees
12
250-499 Employees
3
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
3
All Takoma Park Businesses
1315

As a new Takoma Park entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Takoma Park 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
Architectural Services
6
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
3
Beauty Salons
3
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
3
Book Stores
1
Building Inspection Services
2
Car Washes
1
Child and Youth Services
1
Child Day Care Services
8
Civic and Social Organizations
1
Clothing Accessories Stores
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
2
Commercial Photography
1
Computer and Software Stores
1
Computer Systems Design Services
3
Computer Training
1
Convenience Stores
4
Custom Computer Programming Services
4
Display Advertising
1
Document Preparation Services
1
Educational Support Services
1
Elementary and Secondary Schools
3
Engineering Services
1
Environmental Consulting Services
4
Family Clothing Stores
1
Fine Arts Schools
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
2
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
2
Floor Covering Stores
2
Flooring Contractors
2
Florists
1
Food Service Contractors
3
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
1
Framing Contractors
1
Full-Service Restaurants
11
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
1
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
7
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
2
Graphic Design Services
5
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
1
Home Health Care Services
4
Homes for the Elderly
2
Human Rights Organizations
2
Industrial Design Services
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
5
Janitorial Services
1
Jewelry Stores
2
Landscape Architectural Services
1
Landscaping Services
7
Limited-Service Restaurants
16
Marketing Consulting Services
1
Masonry Contractors
2
Media Representatives
1
Men's Clothing Stores
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
3
Motor Vehicle Towing
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
Nail Salons
2
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Office Administrative Services
2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
5
Offices of Chiropractors
2
Offices of Dentists
10
Offices of Lawyers
8
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
7
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
1
Political Organizations
1
Professional Organizations
2
Residential Property Managers
7
Residential Remodelers
19
Retail Bakeries
1
Roofing Contractors
3
Shoe Stores
2
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
2
Sports and Recreation Instruction
1
Tax Preparation Services
5
Temporary Help Services
2
Temporary Shelters
2
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
1
Travel Agencies
1
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
1
Used Merchandise Stores
2
Veterinary Services
1
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1
Women's Clothing Stores
1

Should You Franchise?

As you drive around Takoma Park, you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?

Most business experts recommend that you look into purchasing a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchise Versus Business Opportunity. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.

To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include ABS Systems and Dent Clinic. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Home Inspection Franchises and Print and Sign Franchises.

Note on Takoma Park Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Takoma Park, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.

Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan

A business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Outsourcing. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Maryland.

Getting Money to Start a Business

Finding the funds to fuel the growth of your Takoma Park business is a difficult chore. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled 504 Loans.

For Takoma Park entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of Maryland Angel Investors and our List of Maryland Venture Capital Firms.

The Art of Selling

Mastering the art of selling is a must if you want your new Takoma Park business to do well.

Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.

Closing Sales offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities

Successful entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.

As an entrepreneur who lives in Takoma Park, Maryland, you will want to take advantage of the learning programs at local Maryland educational institutions. We also recommend you look into Takoma Park networking organizations.

Next Steps

Most new Takoma Park businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

We are here to help Takoma Park businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Takoma Park 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 Takoma Park, Maryland

Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Takoma Park.

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Maryland

Starting a Business in Stevensville
Starting a Business in Towson

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Maryland
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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