Missouri Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Jefferson City, Missouri

Need help starting a business in Jefferson City, Missouri? We've got the information you need to open a business in Jefferson City.

Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?

Before quitting your day job, consider your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in Jefferson City. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
  • You should read Business Failure. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
  • Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.

Jefferson City, Missouri Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
9732
5-9 Employees
3948
10-19 Employees
2835
20-49 Employees
1728
50-99 Employees
729
100-249 Employees
351
250-499 Employees
54
500-999 Employees
36
1000+ Employees
36
All Jefferson City Businesses
19449

As a new Jefferson City entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Jefferson City 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
Aluminum Die-Casting Foundries
1
Amusement Arcades
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
3
Architectural Services
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
2
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
12
Baked Goods Stores
2
Beauty Salons
29
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
1
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
2
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
2
Blood and Organ Banks
1
Boat Dealers
3
Book Stores
4
Books Printing
2
Bowling Centers
2
Business and Secretarial Schools
1
Business Associations
41
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Cafeterias
2
Car Washes
4
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Caterers
2
Cemeteries and Crematories
4
Child and Youth Services
2
Child Day Care Services
40
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
1
Clothing Accessories Stores
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Collection Agencies
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
7
Commercial Photography
1
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Computer and Software Stores
5
Computer Systems Design Services
10
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing
3
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
1
Consumer Lending
10
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
2
Convenience Stores
6
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
1
Couriers
3
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
1
Credit Bureaus
2
Credit Unions
13
Custom Computer Programming Services
10
Dental Laboratories
2
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
3
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
3
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
1
Discount Department Stores
2
Display Advertising
2
Document Preparation Services
2
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
14
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
7
Electric Power Distribution
4
Electrical Contractors
22
Elementary and Secondary Schools
7
Emergency and Other Relief Services
1
Employment Placement Agencies
2
Engineering Services
18
Environmental Consulting Services
4
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
3
Facilities Support Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
8
Family Planning Centers
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
1
Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing
1
Fine Arts Schools
5
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
9
Floor Covering Stores
8
Flooring Contractors
8
Florists
4
Fluid Milk Manufacturing
1
Food Service Contractors
4
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
1
Framing Contractors
3
Freight Transportation Arrangement
1
Fruit and Vegetable Canning
1
Full-Service Restaurants
44
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
7
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
3
Furniture Stores
6
General Freight Trucking, Local
1
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
2
General Warehousing and Storage
3
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
11
Glass and Glazing Contractors
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Grantmaking Foundations
3
Hardware Stores
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
4
Home Centers
4
Home Health Care Services
4
Home Health Equipment Rental
2
Homes for the Elderly
3
Household Appliance Stores
4
Industrial Launderers
2
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
59
Interior Design Services
3
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
1
Investigation Services
2
Janitorial Services
17
Jewelry Stores
7
Land Subdivision
5
Landscape Architectural Services
2
Landscaping Services
26
Limited-Service Restaurants
54
Limousine Service
1
Livestock Merchant Wholesalers
1
Locksmiths
1
Mail-Order Houses
3
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
2
Marketing Consulting Services
4
Masonry Contractors
10
Meat Markets
1
Medical Laboratories
3
Mobile Food Services
2
Motorcycle Dealers
3
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
3
Nail Salons
3
New Car Dealers
8
New Housing Operative Builders
7
Newspaper Publishers
2
Nursing Care Facilities
9
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
8
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
6
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
22
Offices of Chiropractors
6
Offices of Dentists
30
Offices of Lawyers
58
Offices of Podiatrists
1
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
4
One-Hour Photofinishing
1
Optical Goods Stores
8
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
4
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
2
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
9
Payroll Services
2
Periodical Publishers
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
3
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
2
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
6
Photography Studios, Portrait
3
Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing
2
Political Organizations
10
Portfolio Management
1
Private Mail Centers
1
Professional Organizations
29
Public Relations Agencies
17
Racetracks
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
3
Real Estate Credit
4
Reinsurance Carriers
1
Repossession Services
1
Residential Property Managers
2
Residential Remodelers
8
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
2
Sales Financing
1
Savings Institutions
1
Sawmills
1
School and Employee Bus Transportation
6
Securities Brokerage
10
Security Guards and Patrol Services
3
Septic Tank and Related Services
2
Shoe Stores
9
Siding Contractors
3
Sign Manufacturing
4
Site Preparation Contractors
9
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
4
Software Publishers
2
Solid Waste Collection
1
Sporting Goods Stores
14
Sports and Recreation Instruction
4
Tax Preparation Services
5
Telephone Answering Services
2
Temporary Help Services
8
Temporary Shelters
1
Testing Laboratories
1
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
1
Tire Dealers
7
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Toilet Preparation Manufacturing
1
Tradebinding and Related Work
1
Travel Agencies
4
Truss Manufacturing
1
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
3
Used Merchandise Stores
8
Vending Machine Operators
6
Veterinary Services
8
Video Tape and Disc Rental
4
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
5
Voluntary Health Organizations
1
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
3
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
5
Wineries
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
6
Women's Clothing Stores
9
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1

What About Franchising Opportunities?

Visit the business district of Jefferson City and you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Is there a franchise opportunity out there that makes sense for you?

Most business experts recommend that you look into purchasing a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Growth Trends in Franchising. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.

You can review hundreds of franchise opportunities by browing our Franchise Directory.

Representative franchise opportunities include Padgett Business Services and Tubby's Sub Shops. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Retail Franchises and Party Supply Franchises.

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

What About Buying an Existing Jefferson City Business?

We've created a handy website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Missouri. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Jefferson City.

Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.

Naming the Business

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.

Before you decide on a company name, run it by some prospective customers and see what they think. If they don't like it, it's probably a good idea to go back to the drawing board.

For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Company.

There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are planning on starting a business in Jefferson City, it's very important that you make sure you will be the only Missouri company using the business name you have chosen.

Getting the Word Out About Your New Startup

To rise above the crowd in Jefferson City and build your business, you need a solid marketing plan.

We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Conducting Sweepstakes and Contests is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Bring in Revenues

Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Jefferson City or are selling to customers throughout Missouri, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

So what does it take to bring in more prospects and close more business? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Selling Products on eBay 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.

Moving Forward

You have a dream -- starting a business in Jefferson City. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

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

We are here to help Jefferson City 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 Jefferson City, Missouri

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Missouri

Starting a Business in Jamesport
Starting a Business in Joplin

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Missouri
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