Contemplating starting a business in La Crosse, Wisconsin? We walk you through the process of opening a business in La Crosse.
La Crosse has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for La Crosse demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in La Crosse.
As a new La Crosse entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in La Crosse 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 |
|
Advertising Agencies
|
5 |
|
Ambulance Services
|
2 |
|
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
|
2 |
|
Architectural Services
|
9 |
|
Art Dealers
|
1 |
|
Automobile Driving Schools
|
1 |
|
Automobile Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
|
2 |
|
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
|
3 |
|
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
|
10 |
|
Automotive Transmission Repair
|
2 |
|
Baked Goods Stores
|
2 |
|
Beauty Salons
|
30 |
|
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
|
1 |
|
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
|
3 |
|
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
|
3 |
|
Blood and Organ Banks
|
1 |
|
Boat Building
|
1 |
|
Boat Dealers
|
2 |
|
Book Stores
|
4 |
|
Bowling Centers
|
4 |
|
Breweries
|
2 |
|
Broom, Brush, and Mop Manufacturing
|
2 |
|
Business Associations
|
6 |
|
Cafeterias
|
1 |
|
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
|
1 |
|
Canvas and Related Product Mills
|
2 |
|
Car Washes
|
2 |
|
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
|
2 |
|
Caterers
|
3 |
|
Cemeteries and Crematories
|
2 |
|
Cheese Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Child and Youth Services
|
6 |
|
Child Day Care Services
|
12 |
|
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
|
2 |
|
Civic and Social Organizations
|
17 |
|
Claims Adjusting
|
2 |
|
Clothing Accessories Stores
|
1 |
|
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
|
4 |
|
Collection Agencies
|
2 |
|
Commercial Bakeries
|
3 |
|
Commercial Gravure Printing
|
1 |
|
Commercial Lithographic Printing
|
5 |
|
Commercial Photography
|
5 |
|
Commercial Screen Printing
|
5 |
|
Commodity Contracts Brokerage
|
2 |
|
Community Food Services
|
2 |
|
Computer and Software Stores
|
2 |
|
Computer Systems Design Services
|
3 |
|
Consumer Lending
|
4 |
|
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
|
2 |
|
Convenience Stores
|
1 |
|
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
|
1 |
|
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
|
1 |
|
Couriers
|
6 |
|
Credit Bureaus
|
1 |
|
Credit Unions
|
12 |
|
Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins
|
1 |
|
Custom Computer Programming Services
|
10 |
|
Dental Laboratories
|
1 |
|
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
|
1 |
|
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
|
3 |
|
Digital Printing
|
1 |
|
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
|
1 |
|
Discount Department Stores
|
3 |
|
Display Advertising
|
1 |
|
Drafting Services
|
2 |
|
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
|
72 |
|
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
|
9 |
|
Electric Power Distribution
|
3 |
|
Electrical Contractors
|
17 |
|
Electronic Shopping
|
1 |
|
Elementary and Secondary Schools
|
12 |
|
Emergency and Other Relief Services
|
2 |
|
Engineering Services
|
10 |
|
Environmental Consulting Services
|
2 |
|
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
|
2 |
|
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
|
1 |
|
Family Clothing Stores
|
11 |
|
Family Planning Centers
|
1 |
|
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
|
2 |
|
Fine Arts Schools
|
1 |
|
Finish Carpentry Contractors
|
6 |
|
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
|
10 |
|
Flight Training
|
1 |
|
Floor Covering Stores
|
5 |
|
Flooring Contractors
|
9 |
|
Florists
|
5 |
|
Fluid Milk Manufacturing
|
2 |
|
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
|
4 |
|
Food Service Contractors
|
6 |
|
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
|
1 |
|
Footwear Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
|
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
|
2 |
|
Framing Contractors
|
2 |
|
Freight Transportation Arrangement
|
2 |
|
Full-Service Restaurants
|
51 |
|
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
|
4 |
|
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
|
Furniture Stores
|
11 |
|
General Automotive Repair
|
15 |
|
General Freight Trucking, Local
|
6 |
|
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
|
3 |
|
General Warehousing and Storage
|
10 |
|
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
|
15 |
|
Glass and Glazing Contractors
|
2 |
|
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
|
2 |
|
Grantmaking Foundations
|
6 |
|
Graphic Design Services
|
6 |
|
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
|
4 |
|
Hardware Stores
|
1 |
|
Historical Sites
|
2 |
|
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
|
5 |
|
Home Centers
|
3 |
|
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
|
3 |
|
Home Health Care Services
|
5 |
|
Homes for the Elderly
|
9 |
|
Household Appliance Stores
|
5 |
|
Human Rights Organizations
|
1 |
|
Industrial Launderers
|
1 |
|
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
|
36 |
|
Interior Design Services
|
3 |
|
Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
|
1 |
|
Iron Foundries
|
1 |
|
Janitorial Services
|
12 |
|
Jewelry Stores
|
11 |
|
Junior Colleges
|
2 |
|
Land Subdivision
|
3 |
|
Landscape Architectural Services
|
2 |
|
Landscaping Services
|
9 |
|
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
|
1 |
|
Limited-Service Restaurants
|
54 |
|
Limousine Service
|
1 |
|
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
|
4 |
|
Locksmiths
|
2 |
|
Machine Shops
|
6 |
|
Mail-Order Houses
|
1 |
|
Marinas
|
3 |
|
Marine Cargo Handling
|
1 |
|
Masonry Contractors
|
4 |
|
Materials Recovery Facilities
|
1 |
|
Meat Markets
|
2 |
|
Meat Processed from Carcasses
|
2 |
|
Men's Clothing Stores
|
2 |
|
Metal Can Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Mineral Wool Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Miscellaneous Intermediation
|
2 |
|
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
|
2 |
|
Motion Picture and Video Production
|
2 |
|
Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping
|
1 |
|
Motor Vehicle Towing
|
2 |
|
Motorcycle Dealers
|
2 |
|
Museums
|
2 |
|
Musical Groups and Artists
|
4 |
|
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
|
3 |
|
Nail Salons
|
3 |
|
Navigational Services to Shipping
|
1 |
|
New Car Dealers
|
8 |
|
New Housing Operative Builders
|
2 |
|
Newspaper Publishers
|
1 |
|
Nonresidential Property Managers
|
1 |
|
Nursing Care Facilities
|
4 |
|
Office Administrative Services
|
6 |
|
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
|
3 |
|
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
|
4 |
|
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
|
17 |
|
Offices of Chiropractors
|
14 |
|
Offices of Dentists
|
34 |
|
Offices of Lawyers
|
40 |
|
Offices of Optometrists
|
2 |
|
Offices of Other Holding Companies
|
3 |
|
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
|
3 |
|
Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
|
Optical Goods Stores
|
4 |
|
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
|
3 |
|
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
|
1 |
|
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
|
11 |
|
Parking Lots and Garages
|
1 |
|
Passenger Car Rental
|
3 |
|
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
|
1 |
|
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
|
1 |
|
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
|
1 |
|
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
|
7 |
|
Photography Studios, Portrait
|
7 |
|
Plate Work Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Political Organizations
|
2 |
|
Portfolio Management
|
2 |
|
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Prepress Services
|
1 |
|
Private Mail Centers
|
2 |
|
Professional Employer Organizations
|
2 |
|
Professional Organizations
|
1 |
|
Public Relations Agencies
|
4 |
|
Quick Printing
|
5 |
|
Radio Stations
|
1 |
|
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
|
3 |
|
Real Estate Credit
|
1 |
|
Remediation Services
|
1 |
|
Repossession Services
|
1 |
|
Residential Property Managers
|
12 |
|
Residential Remodelers
|
17 |
|
Retail Bakeries
|
4 |
|
Roofing Contractors
|
6 |
|
Scheduled Freight Air Transportation
|
1 |
|
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
|
3 |
|
School and Employee Bus Transportation
|
2 |
|
Securities Brokerage
|
16 |
|
Security Guards and Patrol Services
|
3 |
|
Septic Tank and Related Services
|
1 |
|
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
|
2 |
|
Ship Building and Repairing
|
1 |
|
Shoe Stores
|
12 |
|
Siding Contractors
|
2 |
|
Sign Manufacturing
|
2 |
|
Site Preparation Contractors
|
6 |
|
Skiing Facilities
|
1 |
|
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
|
10 |
|
Soft Drink Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Software Publishers
|
3 |
|
Solid Waste Collection
|
3 |
|
Sound Recording Studios
|
2 |
|
Special Needs Transportation
|
1 |
|
Spice and Extract Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Sporting Goods Stores
|
14 |
|
Sports and Recreation Instruction
|
2 |
|
Sports Teams and Clubs
|
1 |
|
Tax Preparation Services
|
7 |
|
Telecommunications Resellers
|
1 |
|
Telemarketing Bureaus
|
2 |
|
Telephone Answering Services
|
1 |
|
Television Broadcasting
|
3 |
|
Temporary Help Services
|
9 |
|
Temporary Shelters
|
1 |
|
Testing Laboratories
|
4 |
|
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
|
1 |
|
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
|
1 |
|
Tire Dealers
|
4 |
|
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
|
2 |
|
Toilet Preparation Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Tour Operators
|
1 |
|
Travel Agencies
|
5 |
|
Used Car Dealers
|
8 |
|
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
|
2 |
|
Used Merchandise Stores
|
9 |
|
Vending Machine Operators
|
3 |
|
Veterinary Services
|
3 |
|
Video Tape and Disc Rental
|
5 |
|
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
|
3 |
|
Voluntary Health Organizations
|
1 |
|
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
|
1 |
|
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
|
4 |
|
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
|
3 |
|
Women's Clothing Stores
|
12 |
|
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
|
1 |
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.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are planning on starting a business in La Crosse, it's very important that you make sure no other Wisconsin company is using the business name you want to use.
A business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Getting your La Crosse business the capital it needs to succeed requires strong organization skills and perseverance. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Getting a Small Business Loan.
To grow your La Crosse business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Billboard Advertising Best Practices is a good read to get your marketing thoughts flowing. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
The best entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.
As an entrepreneur who lives in La Crosse, Wisconsin, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Wisconsin universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also smart to see if there are any networking organizations for La Crosse entrepreneurs.
You have a dream -- starting a business in La Crosse. 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 La Crosse businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new La Crosse entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in La Crosse.
