Thinking about starting a business in Upper Marlboro, Maryland? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Upper Marlboro.
Will You Be a Successful Entrepreneur?
Running your own business is hard work, much more challenging than working as an employee. Are you sure you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?
Before you move forward with starting a business, be sure to do these three things:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Upper Marlboro. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
- We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Have a candid conversation with friends and family. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.
Upper Marlboro, Maryland Demographic Information
Upper Marlboro has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Upper Marlboro demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Upper Marlboro.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
2005 |
| 5-9 Employees |
720 |
| 10-19 Employees |
576 |
| 20-49 Employees |
462 |
| 50-99 Employees |
168 |
| 100-249 Employees |
114 |
| 250-499 Employees |
27 |
| 500-999 Employees |
3 |
| 1000+ Employees |
3 |
| All Upper Marlboro Businesses |
4078 |
As a new Upper Marlboro entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Upper Marlboro 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 |
1 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
1 |
| Armored Car Services |
1 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
5 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
11 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
12 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
3 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Business Associations |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
3 |
| Cafeterias |
1 |
| Car Washes |
3 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
6 |
| Caterers |
5 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
4 |
| Child Day Care Services |
14 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
3 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
9 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
2 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
5 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
25 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
7 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
6 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
10 |
| Dental Laboratories |
1 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
1 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
5 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
3 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
5 |
| Educational Support Services |
2 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
20 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
5 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
3 |
| Engineering Services |
10 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
3 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
4 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
2 |
| Facilities Support Services |
2 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
4 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
7 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
4 |
| Flooring Contractors |
2 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
5 |
| Framing Contractors |
1 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
20 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Furniture Stores |
1 |
| General Automotive Repair |
5 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
10 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
4 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
2 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
3 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
3 |
| Graphic Design Services |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
4 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
3 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
1 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
17 |
| Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
2 |
| Investment Advice |
3 |
| Janitorial Services |
26 |
| Jewelry Stores |
1 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
2 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
14 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
2 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
38 |
| Limousine Service |
2 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
3 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
3 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
3 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
3 |
| Masonry Contractors |
8 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Mineral Wool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
9 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
6 |
| Nail Salons |
5 |
| New Car Dealers |
4 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
2 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
2 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
2 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
2 |
| Office Administrative Services |
9 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
4 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
13 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
2 |
| Offices of Dentists |
23 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
60 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
4 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
4 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
3 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
9 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
1 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
5 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
2 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
2 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
16 |
| Residential Property Managers |
9 |
| Residential Remodelers |
20 |
| Roofing Contractors |
3 |
| Sales Financing |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
4 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
2 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
7 |
| Siding Contractors |
1 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
2 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
3 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
7 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
2 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
3 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
3 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
4 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
4 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
3 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
27 |
| Travel Agencies |
3 |
| Used Car Dealers |
3 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
4 |
| Veterinary Services |
6 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
5 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
6 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
6 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
9 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
5 |
| Wood Preservation |
1 |
Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
Browse the Yellow Pages for Upper Marlboro and you'll see that franchises make up a large percentage of local businesses. Would going with a franchise be a good idea for you?
Our recommendation is that you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchising Mistakes. 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 Navis Pack and Ship Centers and Genghis Grill. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Dating Service Franchises and Mail and Shipping Services Franchises.
Note on Upper Marlboro Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Upper Marlboro.
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Upper Marlboro Business?
We've created a useful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Maryland. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in Upper Marlboro.
If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Buying a Business.
Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan
Writing a business plan is essential in laying a solid foundation for your business success. In effect, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Starting a business without a business plan will greatly reduce your chances of business success.
To learn more about business plans, read Business Presentations. You should also take advantage of face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Maryland.
Where to Get Money to Start a Company
Getting your Upper Marlboro business the capital it needs to succeed is a difficult chore. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.
Take advantage of our many articles on raising capital, such as Business Line of Credit.
For Upper Marlboro entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, check out our List of Maryland Angel Investors and our List of Maryland Venture Capital Firms.
What's Next?
As an entrepreneur in Upper Marlboro, 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.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Upper Marlboro and throughout the United States . 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 Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Upper Marlboro.
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