Contemplating starting a business in Gulfport, Mississippi? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Gulfport.
Are You Ready for Life as an Owner?
Most new companies fail, in part because the founder did not have the entrepreneurial skills and traits needed to succeed. So, before you start your business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
To determine whether you have what it takes to run a business, we recommend these three steps to help you decide:
- Reach out to other entrepreneurs in Gulfport. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
- Peruse Why Small Businesses Fail. This is one of our more popular articles for folks who want to go into business for themselves.
- Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.
Which Business to Choose?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
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 Teleconferencing Equipment & Systems Business guide or our How to Start a Trailer Equipment & Parts Wholesale & Manufacturers Business guide.
Always keep in mind that your new startup will be located in Gulfport. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Gulfport. Study Gulfport demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.
Gulfport, Mississippi Demographic Information
Gulfport has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Gulfport demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Gulfport.
Business Size | # of Businesses |
1-4 Employees |
6480 |
5-9 Employees |
2694 |
10-19 Employees |
2004 |
20-49 Employees |
1398 |
50-99 Employees |
468 |
100-249 Employees |
228 |
250-499 Employees |
48 |
500-999 Employees |
12 |
1000+ Employees |
6 |
All Gulfport Businesses |
13338 |
As a new Gulfport entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Gulfport 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 |
Adhesive Manufacturing
|
1 |
Advertising Agencies
|
4 |
Aluminum Extruded Product Manufacturing
|
1 |
Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting)
|
1 |
Ambulance Services
|
1 |
Amusement and Theme Parks
|
2 |
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
|
3 |
Architectural Services
|
4 |
Armored Car Services
|
1 |
Art Dealers
|
3 |
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
|
2 |
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
|
5 |
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
|
21 |
Automotive Transmission Repair
|
4 |
Baked Goods Stores
|
2 |
Beauty Salons
|
17 |
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
|
2 |
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
|
10 |
Boat Building
|
1 |
Boat Dealers
|
10 |
Book Stores
|
6 |
Bowling Centers
|
1 |
Business Associations
|
6 |
Cable and Other Program Distribution
|
2 |
Cafeterias
|
4 |
Car Washes
|
5 |
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
|
5 |
Caterers
|
4 |
Charter Bus Industry
|
1 |
Child and Youth Services
|
3 |
Child Day Care Services
|
28 |
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
|
8 |
Civic and Social Organizations
|
14 |
Claims Adjusting
|
3 |
Clothing Accessories Stores
|
3 |
Collection Agencies
|
2 |
Commercial Lithographic Printing
|
3 |
Commercial Screen Printing
|
1 |
Computer and Software Stores
|
2 |
Computer Systems Design Services
|
5 |
Concrete Pipe Manufacturing
|
1 |
Consumer Lending
|
16 |
Convenience Stores
|
2 |
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
|
1 |
Couriers
|
4 |
Credit Unions
|
8 |
Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins
|
1 |
Custom Computer Programming Services
|
1 |
Custom Roll Forming
|
1 |
Deep Sea Freight Transportation
|
2 |
Dental Laboratories
|
3 |
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
|
2 |
Digital Printing
|
1 |
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
|
6 |
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
|
1 |
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
|
1 |
Discount Department Stores
|
2 |
Display Advertising
|
2 |
Document Preparation Services
|
3 |
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
|
17 |
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
|
6 |
Electric Power Distribution
|
18 |
Electrical Contractors
|
13 |
Electronic Shopping
|
1 |
Elementary and Secondary Schools
|
11 |
Emergency and Other Relief Services
|
2 |
Employment Placement Agencies
|
1 |
Engineering Services
|
9 |
Environmental Consulting Services
|
3 |
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
|
1 |
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
|
4 |
Family Clothing Stores
|
22 |
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
Fine Arts Schools
|
2 |
Finish Carpentry Contractors
|
5 |
Fish and Seafood Markets
|
1 |
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
|
7 |
Floor Covering Stores
|
7 |
Flooring Contractors
|
1 |
Florists
|
11 |
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
|
4 |
Food Service Contractors
|
4 |
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
|
1 |
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
|
1 |
Framing Contractors
|
1 |
Freight Transportation Arrangement
|
8 |
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
|
1 |
Full-Service Restaurants
|
64 |
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
|
6 |
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
Furniture Stores
|
16 |
General Automotive Repair
|
26 |
General Freight Trucking, Local
|
2 |
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
|
2 |
General Rental Centers
|
2 |
General Warehousing and Storage
|
8 |
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
|
10 |
Glass and Glazing Contractors
|
4 |
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
|
4 |
Grantmaking Foundations
|
3 |
Graphic Design Services
|
1 |
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
|
2 |
Hardware Stores
|
3 |
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
|
4 |
Home Centers
|
4 |
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
Home Health Care Services
|
5 |
Home Health Equipment Rental
|
2 |
Homes for the Elderly
|
1 |
Household Appliance Stores
|
3 |
Industrial Launderers
|
1 |
Inland Water Freight Transportation
|
1 |
Institutional Furniture Manufacturing
|
1 |
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
|
40 |
Interior Design Services
|
1 |
Investigation Services
|
1 |
Iron and Steel Mills
|
2 |
Janitorial Services
|
12 |
Jewelry Stores
|
6 |
Kidney Dialysis Centers
|
2 |
Land Subdivision
|
6 |
Landscaping Services
|
17 |
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
|
5 |
Limited-Service Restaurants
|
77 |
Linen Supply
|
2 |
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
|
4 |
Locksmiths
|
3 |
Machine Shops
|
4 |
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
|
2 |
Marinas
|
1 |
Marine Cargo Handling
|
2 |
Masonry Contractors
|
5 |
Materials Recovery Facilities
|
1 |
Meat Markets
|
1 |
Medical Laboratories
|
2 |
Men's Clothing Stores
|
7 |
Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
|
2 |
Mineral Wool Manufacturing
|
1 |
Miscellaneous Intermediation
|
2 |
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
|
5 |
Motion Picture and Video Production
|
1 |
Motor Vehicle Towing
|
2 |
Motorcycle Dealers
|
2 |
Museums
|
2 |
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
|
4 |
Narrow Fabric Mills
|
1 |
Navigational Services to Shipping
|
1 |
New Car Dealers
|
11 |
New Housing Operative Builders
|
1 |
Newspaper Publishers
|
1 |
Nonresidential Property Managers
|
3 |
Nursing Care Facilities
|
6 |
Office Administrative Services
|
4 |
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
|
4 |
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
|
5 |
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
|
12 |
Offices of Chiropractors
|
10 |
Offices of Dentists
|
37 |
Offices of Lawyers
|
92 |
Offices of Optometrists
|
9 |
Offices of Other Holding Companies
|
2 |
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
|
6 |
Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing
|
1 |
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
Optical Goods Stores
|
6 |
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
|
1 |
Packing and Crating
|
1 |
Paging
|
1 |
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
|
5 |
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
|
8 |
Parking Lots and Garages
|
2 |
Passenger Car Rental
|
3 |
Periodical Publishers
|
2 |
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
|
2 |
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
|
2 |
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
|
13 |
Photography Studios, Portrait
|
2 |
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas
|
1 |
Portfolio Management
|
2 |
Private Mail Centers
|
1 |
Professional Employer Organizations
|
1 |
Quick Printing
|
3 |
Racetracks
|
1 |
Radio Networks
|
1 |
Radio Stations
|
3 |
Real Estate Credit
|
10 |
Recreational Goods Rental
|
1 |
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
|
2 |
Remediation Services
|
2 |
Residential Property Managers
|
7 |
Residential Remodelers
|
10 |
Retail Bakeries
|
1 |
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
|
1 |
Roofing Contractors
|
5 |
Sales Financing
|
3 |
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
|
4 |
School and Employee Bus Transportation
|
1 |
Securities Brokerage
|
12 |
Security Guards and Patrol Services
|
4 |
Septic Tank and Related Services
|
2 |
Sewage Treatment Facilities
|
2 |
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
|
1 |
Shoe Stores
|
11 |
Siding Contractors
|
2 |
Sign Manufacturing
|
3 |
Site Preparation Contractors
|
3 |
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
|
5 |
Software Publishers
|
1 |
Solid Waste Collection
|
2 |
Solid Waste Landfill
|
2 |
Sporting Goods Stores
|
7 |
Sports and Recreation Instruction
|
1 |
Support Activities for Forestry
|
1 |
Tax Preparation Services
|
7 |
Telecommunications Resellers
|
2 |
Telephone Answering Services
|
1 |
Television Broadcasting
|
1 |
Temporary Help Services
|
15 |
Testing Laboratories
|
4 |
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
|
2 |
Timber Tract Operations
|
1 |
Tire Dealers
|
12 |
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
|
2 |
Tobacco Stores
|
4 |
Travel Agencies
|
5 |
Used Car Dealers
|
12 |
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
|
4 |
Used Merchandise Stores
|
6 |
Vending Machine Operators
|
1 |
Veterinary Services
|
9 |
Video Tape and Disc Rental
|
7 |
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
|
8 |
Voluntary Health Organizations
|
1 |
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
|
2 |
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
|
2 |
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
|
1 |
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
|
8 |
Women's Clothing Stores
|
14 |
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
|
1 |
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Gulfport Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Mississippi. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Gulfport.
If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.
Selecting a Name For Your Startup
A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.
Even if the name doesn't do it by itself, many naming experts believe there should be a story behind the name that ties into your company mission.
To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Naming a Company.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in Gulfport, it's imperative that you check now that your company name has not already been claimed by another Mississippi business.
Company Formation in Gulfport, Mississippi
It's essential that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will protect you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
Incorporating is a very common way to legally create a business entity. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. Just because you are starting a business in Mississippi, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Mississippi. In fact, you can incorporate wherever you want. 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's a lot to know about forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as C Corp Versus S Corp. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Gulfport, Mississippi, our web page covering Incorporating in Mississippi may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Mississippi.
Never Give Up
Most new Gulfport businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Gulfport and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Gulfport, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Gulfport, Mississippi
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Gulfport.