Contemplating starting a business in Lafayette, Louisiana? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Lafayette.
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? To help you decide on a business type, we encourage you to read Free Business Ideas.
Always keep in mind that your new startup will be located in Lafayette. Some businesses will do better in Lafayette than others. Only by spending some time analyzing Lafayette demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.
Lafayette has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Lafayette demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Lafayette.
As a new Lafayette entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Lafayette 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
|
12 |
Ambulance Services
|
3 |
Amusement Arcades
|
2 |
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
|
5 |
Apprenticeship Training
|
1 |
Architectural Services
|
28 |
Armored Car Services
|
2 |
Art Dealers
|
4 |
Automobile Driving Schools
|
1 |
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
|
2 |
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
|
5 |
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
|
30 |
Automotive Transmission Repair
|
6 |
Baked Goods Stores
|
2 |
Barber Shops
|
2 |
Beauty Salons
|
58 |
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
|
1 |
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
|
2 |
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
|
6 |
Blood and Organ Banks
|
4 |
Boat Dealers
|
3 |
Book Publishers
|
1 |
Book Stores
|
10 |
Books Printing
|
1 |
Bowling Centers
|
2 |
Building Inspection Services
|
2 |
Business Associations
|
7 |
Business to Business Electronic Markets
|
1 |
Cable and Other Program Distribution
|
4 |
Cafeterias
|
16 |
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
|
1 |
Canvas and Related Product Mills
|
1 |
Car Washes
|
13 |
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
|
7 |
Caterers
|
5 |
Cemeteries and Crematories
|
4 |
Charter Bus Industry
|
1 |
Child and Youth Services
|
6 |
Child Day Care Services
|
55 |
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
|
9 |
Civic and Social Organizations
|
10 |
Claims Adjusting
|
13 |
Clothing Accessories Stores
|
10 |
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
|
4 |
Collection Agencies
|
5 |
Commercial Bakeries
|
4 |
Commercial Gravure Printing
|
1 |
Commercial Lithographic Printing
|
4 |
Commercial Photography
|
3 |
Commercial Screen Printing
|
2 |
Commodity Contracts Brokerage
|
1 |
Commodity Contracts Dealing
|
3 |
Community Food Services
|
3 |
Computer and Software Stores
|
11 |
Computer Facilities Management Services
|
1 |
Computer Systems Design Services
|
23 |
Computer Training
|
2 |
Confectionery and Nut Stores
|
3 |
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
Consumer Lending
|
30 |
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
|
4 |
Convenience Stores
|
17 |
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
|
1 |
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
|
1 |
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
|
3 |
Couriers
|
6 |
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
|
5 |
Credit Unions
|
15 |
Curtain and Drapery Mills
|
1 |
Custom Computer Programming Services
|
26 |
Deep Sea Freight Transportation
|
1 |
Dental Laboratories
|
4 |
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
|
15 |
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
|
2 |
Digital Printing
|
1 |
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
|
8 |
Direct Mail Advertising
|
2 |
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
|
1 |
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
|
4 |
Display Advertising
|
1 |
Document Preparation Services
|
3 |
Drafting Services
|
5 |
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells
|
17 |
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
|
31 |
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
|
11 |
Educational Support Services
|
1 |
Electric Power Distribution
|
5 |
Electrical Contractors
|
37 |
Electronic Auctions
|
1 |
Electronic Shopping
|
3 |
Elementary and Secondary Schools
|
8 |
Employment Placement Agencies
|
4 |
Engineering Services
|
91 |
Environmental Consulting Services
|
24 |
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
|
5 |
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
|
10 |
Facilities Support Services
|
7 |
Family Clothing Stores
|
31 |
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
Fine Arts Schools
|
11 |
Finish Carpentry Contractors
|
8 |
Fish and Seafood Markets
|
2 |
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
|
15 |
Floor Covering Stores
|
10 |
Flooring Contractors
|
6 |
Florists
|
13 |
Fluid Milk Manufacturing
|
1 |
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
|
9 |
Food Service Contractors
|
14 |
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
|
1 |
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
|
4 |
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
|
1 |
Framing Contractors
|
5 |
Freight Transportation Arrangement
|
4 |
Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing
|
1 |
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
|
2 |
Full-Service Restaurants
|
122 |
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
|
9 |
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
|
2 |
Furniture Stores
|
28 |
General Automotive Repair
|
37 |
General Freight Trucking, Local
|
9 |
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
|
10 |
General Rental Centers
|
8 |
General Warehousing and Storage
|
4 |
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
|
34 |
Glass and Glazing Contractors
|
5 |
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
|
2 |
Grantmaking Foundations
|
8 |
Graphic Design Services
|
10 |
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
|
2 |
Hardware Stores
|
6 |
Hazardous Waste Collection
|
2 |
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
|
6 |
Home Centers
|
4 |
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
|
3 |
Home Health Care Services
|
26 |
Home Health Equipment Rental
|
3 |
Homes for the Elderly
|
5 |
Household Appliance Stores
|
8 |
Human Rights Organizations
|
1 |
Industrial Building Construction
|
4 |
Industrial Launderers
|
3 |
Industrial Mold Manufacturing
|
1 |
Industrial Valve Manufacturing
|
1 |
Inland Water Passenger Transportation
|
1 |
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
|
126 |
Interior Design Services
|
9 |
Internet Service Providers
|
1 |
Investigation Services
|
7 |
Investment Advice
|
27 |
Janitorial Services
|
25 |
Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing
|
1 |
Jewelry Stores
|
25 |
Kidney Dialysis Centers
|
2 |
Land Subdivision
|
6 |
Landscape Architectural Services
|
4 |
Landscaping Services
|
35 |
Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing
|
1 |
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
|
14 |
Libraries and Archives
|
1 |
Limited-Service Restaurants
|
128 |
Limousine Service
|
2 |
Linen Supply
|
1 |
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
|
2 |
Locksmiths
|
9 |
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
|
1 |
Machine Shops
|
15 |
Mail-Order Houses
|
1 |
Manifold Business Forms Printing
|
1 |
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
|
5 |
Marinas
|
1 |
Marketing Consulting Services
|
10 |
Marking Device Manufacturing
|
2 |
Masonry Contractors
|
9 |
Materials Recovery Facilities
|
1 |
Meat Markets
|
3 |
Media Representatives
|
2 |
Medical Laboratories
|
8 |
Men's Clothing Stores
|
11 |
Metal Heat Treating
|
2 |
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
|
3 |
Miscellaneous Intermediation
|
16 |
Mobile Food Services
|
1 |
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
|
23 |
Motion Picture and Video Production
|
3 |
Motor Vehicle Towing
|
5 |
Motorcycle Dealers
|
6 |
Museums
|
4 |
Musical Groups and Artists
|
2 |
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
|
6 |
Musical Instrument Manufacturing
|
2 |
Nail Salons
|
8 |
Natural Gas Distribution
|
1 |
Natural Gas Liquid Extraction
|
1 |
Navigational Services to Shipping
|
1 |
New Car Dealers
|
18 |
New Housing Operative Builders
|
12 |
Newspaper Publishers
|
4 |
Nonresidential Property Managers
|
17 |
Nursing Care Facilities
|
13 |
Office Administrative Services
|
38 |
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
|
13 |
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
|
7 |
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
|
1 |
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
|
76 |
Offices of Chiropractors
|
27 |
Offices of Dentists
|
93 |
Offices of Lawyers
|
333 |
Offices of Optometrists
|
8 |
Offices of Other Holding Companies
|
2 |
Offices of Podiatrists
|
2 |
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
|
8 |
One-Hour Photofinishing
|
1 |
Optical Goods Stores
|
14 |
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
|
5 |
Packaging and Labeling Services
|
1 |
Paging
|
3 |
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
|
7 |
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
|
15 |
Parking Lots and Garages
|
1 |
Passenger Car Leasing
|
2 |
Passenger Car Rental
|
12 |
Payroll Services
|
7 |
Periodical Publishers
|
2 |
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing
|
2 |
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
|
9 |
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
|
5 |
Petrochemical Manufacturing
|
1 |
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
|
5 |
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
|
32 |
Photography Studios, Portrait
|
12 |
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil
|
1 |
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas
|
6 |
Plastics Bag Manufacturing
|
1 |
Political Organizations
|
2 |
Portfolio Management
|
8 |
Powder Metallurgy Part Manufacturing
|
2 |
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
|
1 |
Private Mail Centers
|
2 |
Professional Employer Organizations
|
7 |
Professional Organizations
|
5 |
Public Relations Agencies
|
2 |
Quick Printing
|
4 |
Radio Stations
|
2 |
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
|
4 |
Real Estate Credit
|
13 |
Real Estate Investment Trusts
|
1 |
Recreational Goods Rental
|
1 |
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
|
3 |
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
|
1 |
Reinsurance Carriers
|
1 |
Remediation Services
|
3 |
Repossession Services
|
1 |
Residential Property Managers
|
18 |
Residential Remodelers
|
16 |
Retail Bakeries
|
5 |
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
|
1 |
Roofing Contractors
|
7 |
Rope, Cordage, and Twine Mills
|
1 |
Sales Financing
|
1 |
Satellite Telecommunications
|
2 |
Savings Institutions
|
7 |
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
|
3 |
Securities Brokerage
|
46 |
Security Guards and Patrol Services
|
3 |
Septic Tank and Related Services
|
1 |
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
|
2 |
Shoe Stores
|
28 |
Siding Contractors
|
7 |
Sign Manufacturing
|
3 |
Site Preparation Contractors
|
10 |
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
|
28 |
Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing
|
3 |
Soft Drink Manufacturing
|
1 |
Solid Waste Collection
|
1 |
Special Needs Transportation
|
1 |
Spice and Extract Manufacturing
|
2 |
Sporting Goods Stores
|
16 |
Sports and Recreation Instruction
|
5 |
Support Activities for Coal Mining
|
1 |
Tax Preparation Services
|
16 |
Taxi Service
|
1 |
Telephone Answering Services
|
6 |
Television Broadcasting
|
4 |
Temporary Help Services
|
26 |
Temporary Shelters
|
3 |
Testing Laboratories
|
13 |
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
|
2 |
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
|
4 |
Timber Tract Operations
|
1 |
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
Tire Dealers
|
22 |
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
|
14 |
Tobacco Stores
|
10 |
Toilet Preparation Manufacturing
|
1 |
Tour Operators
|
1 |
Travel Agencies
|
7 |
Used Car Dealers
|
16 |
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
|
5 |
Used Merchandise Stores
|
13 |
Vending Machine Operators
|
2 |
Veterinary Services
|
20 |
Video Tape and Disc Rental
|
11 |
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
|
16 |
Voluntary Health Organizations
|
9 |
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
|
5 |
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
|
2 |
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
|
10 |
Window Treatment Stores
|
4 |
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
|
14 |
Women's Clothing Stores
|
37 |
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
|
1 |
As you drive around Lafayette, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?
We highly recommend you investigate buying a franchise. On our site, you can read many articles about franchising, such as Franchisees Versus Licensees. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
A big decision when starting a company is choosing a company name. Believe it or not, choosing a good company name can be a big contributor to your business success.
Pick a company name that isn't too generic. If you do a search engine search for your proposed name and a billion results come up, you may want to reconsider the name. It's much easier to come up in the search engines when your name is fairly unique.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in Lafayette, it's critical that you ensure that your company name has not already been claimed by another Louisiana business.
A critical step is ensuring that you choose the right legal structure for your new entity. Without a legal structure for the business, you can be held personally liable for the actions, debts and obligations of your company.
When forming a company, you will select one of many company types, such as a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporation is a very popular way to form a business. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in Louisiana, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Louisiana. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate in the state of your choosing. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.
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 How to Incorporate. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Lafayette, Louisiana, our web page covering Incorporating in Louisiana may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Louisiana.
Raising money to fund your new Lafayette business is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
As an entrepreneur in Lafayette, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Lafayette 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.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Lafayette.