Colorado Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Aurora, Colorado

Thinking about starting a business in Aurora, Colorado? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Aurora.

Do You Have What It Takes?

Most new businesses fail, in part because the founder did not have the perseverance and abilities that are necessary to succeed. So, before you start your business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.

While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Aurora. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
  • We recommend reading Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. A support network of family and friends can be a great sounding board for good advice before you decide for sure to go into business.

Aurora, Colorado Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
172455
5-9 Employees
49905
10-19 Employees
30780
20-49 Employees
22680
50-99 Employees
8865
100-249 Employees
5490
250-499 Employees
1215
500-999 Employees
180
1000+ Employees
135
All Aurora Businesses
291705

As a new Aurora entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Aurora 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
Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing
1
Aircraft Manufacturing
1
Ambulance Services
4
Amusement and Theme Parks
2
Amusement Arcades
7
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
6
Architectural Services
7
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
11
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
26
Automotive Transmission Repair
8
Baked Goods Stores
5
Barber Shops
7
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
65
Blood and Organ Banks
3
Book Publishers
2
Book Stores
6
Bowling Centers
4
Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills
1
Broom, Brush, and Mop Manufacturing
1
Business and Secretarial Schools
1
Business Associations
11
Business to Business Electronic Markets
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
3
Cafeterias
10
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
4
Canvas and Related Product Mills
2
Carpet and Rug Mills
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
14
Caterers
5
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Charter Bus Industry
2
Child and Youth Services
7
Child Day Care Services
72
Civic and Social Organizations
13
Claims Adjusting
3
Clothing Accessories Stores
9
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
9
Collection Agencies
12
Commercial Bakeries
2
Commercial Lithographic Printing
8
Commercial Screen Printing
2
Commodity Contracts Brokerage
1
Community Food Services
1
Computer and Software Stores
18
Computer Facilities Management Services
2
Computer Systems Design Services
92
Computer Training
1
Construction Machinery Manufacturing
1
Consumer Lending
13
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Convenience Stores
19
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
7
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
2
Couriers
12
Credit Bureaus
1
Credit Unions
19
Curtain and Drapery Mills
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
57
Dental Laboratories
12
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
4
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
6
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
7
Direct Mail Advertising
2
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
9
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
4
Discount Department Stores
7
Display Advertising
2
Document Preparation Services
9
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
35
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
35
Educational Support Services
13
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
60
Electronic Auctions
1
Electronic Shopping
18
Employment Placement Agencies
8
Engineering Services
58
Envelope Manufacturing
1
Environmental Consulting Services
3
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
3
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
1
Facilities Support Services
3
Family Planning Centers
2
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
2
Fine Arts Schools
6
Finish Carpentry Contractors
52
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
25
Flight Training
1
Floor Covering Stores
11
Florists
8
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
12
Food Service Contractors
3
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
1
Footwear Merchant Wholesalers
1
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
2
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
1
Freight Transportation Arrangement
27
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
1
Full-Service Restaurants
182
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
3
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
6
Furniture Stores
13
General Automotive Repair
78
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
4
General Warehousing and Storage
8
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
20
Glass and Glazing Contractors
2
Gold Ore Mining
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
2
Graphic Design Services
15
Gypsum Product Manufacturing
2
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
6
Hardware Stores
5
HMO Medical Centers
3
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
13
Home Centers
5
Home Health Care Services
21
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Homes for the Elderly
10
Household Appliance Stores
8
Human Rights Organizations
3
Industrial Launderers
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
162
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
1
Internet Service Providers
1
Investigation Services
4
Investment Advice
18
Iron and Steel Mills
1
Janitorial Services
86
Jewelry Stores
20
Kidney Dialysis Centers
2
Land Subdivision
6
Landscape Architectural Services
5
Landscaping Services
83
Language Schools
3
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
8
Libraries and Archives
1
Limousine Service
4
Linen Supply
1
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
9
Locksmiths
3
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
1
Machine Shops
2
Mail-Order Houses
4
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
2
Marinas
1
Marketing Consulting Services
17
Masonry Contractors
10
Materials Recovery Facilities
1
Mattress Manufacturing
2
Meat Markets
10
Media Representatives
2
Medical Laboratories
10
Men's Clothing Stores
7
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
2
Mineral Wool Manufacturing
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
4
Mobile Food Services
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
8
Motor Vehicle Towing
6
Motorcycle Dealers
4
Museums
1
Musical Groups and Artists
3
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
4
Nail Salons
16
Natural Gas Liquid Extraction
1
New Car Dealers
15
New Housing Operative Builders
6
News Dealers and Newsstands
2
News Syndicates
2
Newspaper Publishers
5
Nonferrous Forging
1
Nursing Care Facilities
8
Office Administrative Services
19
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
3
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
6
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
40
Offices of Chiropractors
48
Offices of Lawyers
49
Offices of Optometrists
19
Offices of Other Holding Companies
4
Offices of Podiatrists
5
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
30
One-Hour Photofinishing
1
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
3
Packaging and Labeling Services
1
Packing and Crating
7
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
6
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
52
Parking Lots and Garages
3
Passenger Car Rental
9
Payroll Services
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
11
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
13
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
20
Photography Studios, Portrait
20
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas
1
Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing
1
Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing
1
Portfolio Management
9
Prepress Services
1
Primary Battery Manufacturing
1
Private Mail Centers
6
Professional Employer Organizations
2
Professional Organizations
8
Quick Printing
8
Racetracks
1
Radio Stations
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
5
Real Estate Credit
37
Real Estate Investment Trusts
4
Recreational Goods Rental
3
Reinsurance Carriers
2
Remediation Services
5
Residential Property Managers
35
Residential Remodelers
66
Retail Bakeries
3
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
3
Roofing Contractors
24
Sales Financing
5
Savings Institutions
11
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
2
Securities Brokerage
23
Security Guards and Patrol Services
12
Septic Tank and Related Services
2
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Shoe Stores
26
Siding Contractors
15
Sign Manufacturing
1
Site Preparation Contractors
18
Small Arms Ammunition Manufacturing
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
45
Software Publishers
7
Solid Waste Landfill
2
Special Needs Transportation
2
Sporting Goods Stores
23
Sports and Recreation Instruction
17
Storage Battery Manufacturing
1
Tax Preparation Services
50
Telecommunications Resellers
3
Telephone Answering Services
3
Temporary Help Services
32
Temporary Shelters
3
Testing Laboratories
2
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
20
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
1
Tire Dealers
18
Tobacco Stores
8
Tour Operators
3
Tradebinding and Related Work
2
Translation and Interpretation Services
5
Travel Agencies
14
Truss Manufacturing
2
Used Car Dealers
13
Used Merchandise Stores
19
Vending Machine Operators
7
Veterinary Services
21
Video Tape and Disc Rental
19
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
2
Voluntary Health Organizations
4
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
6
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
70
Window Treatment Stores
5
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
25
Women's Clothing Stores
22

Should You Franchise?

As you drive around Aurora, you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?

Our recommendation is that you consider franchising as an option. 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 Chicken Delight and Global Leaderboard. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Embroidery Franchises and Meal Preparation Franchises.

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

Have You Considered Buying an Existing Aurora Business?

An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Colorado. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Aurora.

For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: Buying a Business.

Marketing Your New Venture

Whether your goal is to attract Aurora customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you need a excellent marketing plan.

There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Sponsoring Local Events discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills

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 Aurora, Colorado, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Colorado universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also beneficial to see if there are any networking groups or organizations in which Aurora entrepreneurs get together to network and trade their business experiences.

Now It's Up To You

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

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 Aurora and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Aurora, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Aurora, Colorado

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

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Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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