Arizona Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Flagstaff, Arizona

Need help starting a business in Flagstaff, Arizona? We've got the information you need to open a business in Flagstaff.

Will You Be a Successful Entrepreneur?

Running your own business is demanding, much harder than working as an employee. Are you positive 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:

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in Flagstaff. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
  • You should read The Entrepreneurial Personality. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
  • Reach out to a trusted acquaintance. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.

Flagstaff, Arizona Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
4469
5-9 Employees
1662
10-19 Employees
1104
20-49 Employees
720
50-99 Employees
210
100-249 Employees
87
250-499 Employees
18
500-999 Employees
3
1000+ Employees
6
All Flagstaff Businesses
8279

As a new Flagstaff entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Flagstaff 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 Traffic Control
1
Ambulance Services
1
Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
1
Apprenticeship Training
1
Architectural Services
7
Armored Car Services
2
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
2
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
4
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
13
Automotive Transmission Repair
4
Baked Goods Stores
1
Beauty Salons
25
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
4
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
5
Blood and Organ Banks
2
Boat Dealers
1
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
8
Books Printing
1
Bowling Centers
1
Building Inspection Services
1
Business and Secretarial Schools
1
Business Associations
4
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Cafeterias
2
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Car Washes
9
Caterers
3
Child and Youth Services
7
Child Day Care Services
13
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
1
Civic and Social Organizations
6
Claims Adjusting
3
Clothing Accessories Stores
2
Collection Agencies
1
Commercial Bakeries
1
Commercial Gravure Printing
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
3
Commercial Photography
3
Commodity Contracts Dealing
1
Community Food Services
2
Computer Facilities Management Services
1
Computer Systems Design Services
15
Computer Training
1
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
3
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
3
Consumer Lending
3
Convenience Stores
5
Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
1
Couriers
4
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
2
Credit Unions
5
Curtain and Drapery Mills
1
Dental Laboratories
3
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
2
Digital Printing
1
Dimension Stone Mining and Quarrying
1
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
2
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
6
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
2
Document Preparation Services
1
Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing
1
Drafting Services
3
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
18
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
9
Educational Support Services
8
Electrical Contractors
37
Elementary and Secondary Schools
9
Employment Placement Agencies
1
Engineering Services
25
Environmental Consulting Services
9
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
3
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
2
Family Clothing Stores
15
Fine Arts Schools
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
8
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
7
Floor Covering Stores
8
Flooring Contractors
4
Florists
7
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
4
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
1
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
1
Framing Contractors
8
Freight Transportation Arrangement
1
Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing
1
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
1
Full-Service Restaurants
92
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
2
Furniture Stores
10
General Automotive Repair
37
General Freight Trucking, Local
12
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
12
Glass and Glazing Contractors
4
Grantmaking Foundations
4
Graphic Design Services
3
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
3
Hardware Stores
4
Historical Sites
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
6
Home Centers
3
Home Health Care Services
5
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Homes for the Elderly
4
Household Appliance Stores
4
Industrial Building Construction
1
Industrial Launderers
1
Industrial Mold Manufacturing
1
Interior Design Services
4
Internet Service Providers
1
Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
1
Investigation Services
1
Investment Advice
2
Janitorial Services
31
Jewelry Stores
14
Kidney Dialysis Centers
2
Land Subdivision
8
Landscape Architectural Services
1
Landscaping Services
29
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
8
Limited-Service Restaurants
73
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
1
Logging
1
Machine Shops
3
Mail-Order Houses
1
Manifold Business Forms Printing
1
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
6
Marketing Consulting Services
2
Masonry Contractors
24
Medical Laboratories
5
Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing
1
Mobile Food Services
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
5
Motion Picture and Video Production
3
Motor Vehicle Towing
8
Motorcycle Dealers
3
Musical Groups and Artists
3
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
3
Nail Salons
1
Natural Gas Distribution
1
New Car Dealers
10
New Housing Operative Builders
6
Newspaper Publishers
2
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Office Administrative Services
6
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
3
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
5
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
36
Offices of Chiropractors
16
Offices of Dentists
46
Offices of Optometrists
9
Offices of Other Holding Companies
2
Offices of Podiatrists
3
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
9
One-Hour Photofinishing
2
Optical Goods Stores
8
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
1
Paging
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
4
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
28
Paper (except Newsprint) Mills
1
Passenger Car Leasing
1
Passenger Car Rental
9
Payroll Services
5
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
7
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
5
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
4
Photography Studios, Portrait
3
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas
2
Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing
1
Portfolio Management
1
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
1
Private Mail Centers
6
Professional Organizations
1
Public Relations Agencies
3
Quick Printing
3
Radio Stations
4
Real Estate Credit
9
Real Estate Investment Trusts
1
Recreational Goods Rental
1
Repossession Services
2
Residential Property Managers
8
Residential Remodelers
17
Retail Bakeries
2
Roofing Contractors
10
Rooming and Boarding Houses
1
Sales Financing
1
Sawmills
1
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
1
Securities Brokerage
13
Security Guards and Patrol Services
1
Sewage Treatment Facilities
1
Shoe Stores
7
Siding Contractors
4
Sign Manufacturing
3
Site Preparation Contractors
14
Skiing Facilities
2
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
11
Solid Waste Collection
2
Sound Recording Studios
1
Sporting Goods Stores
26
Sports and Recreation Instruction
3
Tax Preparation Services
7
Taxi Service
1
Telecommunications Resellers
3
Television Broadcasting
2
Temporary Help Services
10
Temporary Shelters
2
Testing Laboratories
2
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
2
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
5
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Tobacco Stores
1
Tortilla Manufacturing
1
Tour Operators
4
Travel Agencies
3
Used Car Dealers
5
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
3
Vending Machine Operators
2
Veterinary Services
13
Video Tape and Disc Rental
5
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
5
Voluntary Health Organizations
1
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
1
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
3
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
4
Women's Clothing Stores
4
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
3
Zoos and Botanical Gardens
1

Is Franchising a Better Option?

As you drive around Flagstaff, you'll see that franchises make up a large percentage of local businesses. Is there a franchise opportunity out there that makes sense for you?

Our recommendation is that you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as How Franchises Work. 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 Fun Bus and KID-FIT. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Asian Restaurant Franchises and Environmental Testing Franchises.

Note on Flagstaff Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Flagstaff.

Startup Financing Basics

Raising money to fund your new Flagstaff business is not an easy task. 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 Business Incubators.

For Flagstaff entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, browse our List of Arizona Angel Investors and our List of Arizona Venture Capital Firms.

Letting the World Know You Exist

To grow your Flagstaff business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.

We have some useful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Pricing and Positioning is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.

Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills

Good entrepreneurs recognize that they need to continually improve.

Given that you are starting a business in Flagstaff, Arizona, you should check out some of the learning programs at local Arizona educational institutions. You should also check if there are any networking organizations for Flagstaff entrepreneurs.

What's Next?

As an entrepreneur in Flagstaff, 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 Flagstaff businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Flagstaff 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 Flagstaff, Arizona

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

  • Resources for Flagstaff, Arizona Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Flagstaff entrepreneurs.
  • Arizona Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Arizona.
  • Arizona Small Business Development Center - Arizona�s Small Business Development Center Network is an innovative partnership between the state�s ten community college districts and the U.S. Small Business Administration. The network is the largest and most accessible source of assistance to Arizona businesses with fewer than 200 employees.

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