North Dakota Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Fargo, North Dakota

Are you starting a business in Fargo, North Dakota? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Fargo.

Do You Have What It Takes?

Running your own business is demanding, much harder than working as an employee. Are you certain you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?

With so much at stake when you start a business, we strongly recommend you do the following before you proceed:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Fargo. 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.

What Business Are You Starting?

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 How to Start a Paper Towels Business guide or our Starting a Tent Repair Business guide.

Remember that your new startup will be located in Fargo. Some businesses will do better in Fargo than others. Study Fargo demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.

Fargo, North Dakota Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
20692
5-9 Employees
8616
10-19 Employees
6684
20-49 Employees
5376
50-99 Employees
1896
100-249 Employees
1188
250-499 Employees
300
500-999 Employees
84
1000+ Employees
36
All Fargo Businesses
44872

As a new Fargo entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Fargo 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
Ambulance Services
2
Amusement Arcades
2
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
2
Apprenticeship Training
1
Architectural Services
19
Armored Car Services
2
Art Dealers
2
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
2
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
5
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
22
Automotive Transmission Repair
2
Baked Goods Stores
2
Beauty Salons
54
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
2
Blood and Organ Banks
4
Boat Dealers
2
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
5
Bowling Centers
3
Building Inspection Services
2
Business Associations
13
Cable and Other Program Distribution
2
Cafeterias
5
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Canvas and Related Product Mills
1
Car Washes
10
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
8
Caterers
6
Child and Youth Services
2
Child Day Care Services
44
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
5
Civic and Social Organizations
25
Claims Adjusting
3
Clothing Accessories Stores
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
7
Commercial Bakeries
3
Commercial Lithographic Printing
8
Commercial Photography
1
Commercial Screen Printing
5
Commodity Contracts Brokerage
2
Community Food Services
4
Computer and Software Stores
15
Concrete Pipe Manufacturing
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
2
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
2
Construction Machinery Manufacturing
1
Consumer Lending
2
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Convenience Stores
1
Copper Wire (except Mechanical) Drawing
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
2
Couriers
10
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
6
Credit Bureaus
2
Credit Unions
15
Curtain and Drapery Mills
1
Dental Laboratories
3
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
1
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
3
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
12
Direct Mail Advertising
3
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
2
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
3
Display Advertising
5
Document Preparation Services
2
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
25
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
13
Educational Support Services
2
Electric Power Distribution
2
Electrical Contractors
32
Elementary and Secondary Schools
6
Employment Placement Agencies
3
Engineering Services
23
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
1
Facilities Support Services
1
Family Planning Centers
3
Farm Management Services
1
Farm Product Warehousing and Storage
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
6
Fine Arts Schools
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
15
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
9
Floor Covering Stores
8
Flooring Contractors
11
Florists
5
Flour Milling
3
Fluid Milk Manufacturing
1
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
2
Food Service Contractors
9
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
1
Framing Contractors
18
Freight Transportation Arrangement
7
Full-Service Restaurants
74
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
3
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
3
Furniture Stores
13
General Freight Trucking, Local
14
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
3
General Rental Centers
3
General Warehousing and Storage
5
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
22
Glass and Glazing Contractors
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
2
Graphic Design Services
8
Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
5
Hardware Stores
6
Heating Oil Dealers
2
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
8
Home Centers
2
Home Health Care Services
6
Home Health Equipment Rental
2
Homes for the Elderly
4
Household Appliance Stores
7
Human Rights Organizations
4
Industrial Building Construction
3
Industrial Launderers
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
116
Interior Design Services
9
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
2
Internet Service Providers
1
Investigation Services
2
Investment Advice
18
Janitorial Services
34
Jewelry Stores
15
Land Subdivision
5
Landscape Architectural Services
3
Landscaping Services
46
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
6
Limited-Service Restaurants
75
Limousine Service
2
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
5
Locksmiths
2
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
1
Machine Shops
3
Mail-Order Houses
4
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
2
Marketing Consulting Services
5
Meat Markets
1
Media Buying Agencies
1
Media Representatives
1
Medical Laboratories
2
Men's Clothing Stores
4
Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
1
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
10
Motion Picture and Video Production
2
Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing
2
Motor Vehicle Towing
2
Motorcycle Dealers
5
Museums
3
Musical Groups and Artists
2
Musical Instrument Manufacturing
1
Nail Salons
3
New Car Dealers
15
New Housing Operative Builders
8
News Dealers and Newsstands
1
News Syndicates
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nonwoven Fabric Mills
1
Nursing Care Facilities
5
Office Administrative Services
11
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
7
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
5
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
29
Offices of Chiropractors
23
Offices of Lawyers
63
Offices of Optometrists
12
Offices of Other Holding Companies
3
Offices of Podiatrists
2
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
10
One-Hour Photofinishing
1
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
1
Packaging and Labeling Services
1
Packing and Crating
2
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
5
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
21
Parking Lots and Garages
11
Passenger Car Rental
1
Payroll Services
3
Periodical Publishers
4
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
5
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
6
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
21
Plate Work Manufacturing
1
Portfolio Management
5
Professional Employer Organizations
1
Professional Organizations
1
Public Relations Agencies
3
Quick Printing
6
Racetracks
1
Radio Stations
10
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
2
Real Estate Credit
10
Recreational Goods Rental
2
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
1
Remediation Services
1
Residential Property Managers
33
Retail Bakeries
5
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
3
Roofing Contractors
11
Rooming and Boarding Houses
7
Sales Financing
5
Satellite Telecommunications
1
Savings Institutions
8
School and Employee Bus Transportation
2
Securities Brokerage
33
Security Guards and Patrol Services
5
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Shoe Stores
14
Siding Contractors
10
Sign Manufacturing
4
Site Preparation Contractors
6
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
20
Soft Drink Manufacturing
1
Software Publishers
13
Solid Waste Collection
2
Special Needs Transportation
2
Sporting Goods Stores
15
Sports Teams and Clubs
1
Tax Preparation Services
13
Taxi Service
3
Telemarketing Bureaus
5
Telephone Answering Services
1
Television Broadcasting
5
Temporary Help Services
21
Testing Laboratories
5
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
5
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
3
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
3
Tire Dealers
11
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Tobacco Stores
4
Translation and Interpretation Services
1
Travel Agencies
3
Truck Trailer Manufacturing
1
Truss Manufacturing
1
Used Car Dealers
10
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
10
Used Merchandise Stores
10
Veterinary Services
6
Video Tape and Disc Rental
7
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
3
Voluntary Health Organizations
5
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
15
Window Treatment Stores
2
Women's Clothing Stores
17
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
3
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
2
Zoos and Botanical Gardens
1

Forming a Company in Fargo, North Dakota

A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will separate you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

The entity you form can be a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.

Incorporation is a very popular way to form a business. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. If you are starting a business in North Dakota, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in North Dakota. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate in any state you would like to. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.

There are many nuances to forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Company Formation. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Fargo, North Dakota, our information on Incorporating in North Dakota may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in North Dakota.

Where to Get Money to Start a Company

Finding the funds to fuel the growth of your Fargo business will be harder than you might expect. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled How Equity Dilution Works.

For Fargo entrepreneurs who need startup capital, browse our List of North Dakota Angel Investors and our List of North Dakota Venture Capital Firms.

Promoting Your New Company

To grow your Fargo business, you need a great marketing plan.

You can learn plenty about marketing on our site. Working with an Advertising Agency is an article that will generate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

How to Sell

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Fargo business, you need to focus on sales.

Clever sales techniques can transform any business from good to great. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

The Art of Customer Referrals 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.

Now It's Up To You

As an entrepreneur in Fargo, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.

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

We are here to help Fargo businesses to be successful. 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 Fargo, North Dakota

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in North Dakota

Starting a Business in Ellendale
Starting a Business in Finley

Browse All Business Startup Guides for North Dakota
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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