Florida Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Largo, Florida

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

Which Business to Choose?

Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at 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 Starting a Volleyball Courts Business guide or our How to Start a Pipe Locating Service & Equipment Business guide.

Remember that starting a business in Largo has some implications. Some businesses will do better in Largo than others. Don't forget to review Largo demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.

Largo, Florida Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
11172
5-9 Employees
2958
10-19 Employees
2052
20-49 Employees
1128
50-99 Employees
342
100-249 Employees
306
250-499 Employees
78
500-999 Employees
36
1000+ Employees
12
All Largo Businesses
18084

As a new Largo entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Largo 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
Ambulance Services
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
9
Apprenticeship Training
1
Architectural Services
5
Art Dealers
1
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
8
Automotive Transmission Repair
5
Baked Goods Stores
1
Barber Shops
1
Beauty Salons
50
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
1
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
2
Blind and Shade Manufacturing
3
Blood and Organ Banks
1
Boat Building
3
Boat Dealers
10
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
1
Bowling Centers
1
Building Inspection Services
1
Business and Secretarial Schools
1
Business Associations
2
Business to Business Electronic Markets
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Cafeterias
2
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Car Washes
6
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
8
Casinos (except Casino Hotels)
1
Caterers
1
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Charter Bus Industry
2
Child and Youth Services
8
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
4
Civic and Social Organizations
12
Claims Adjusting
2
Clothing Accessories Stores
2
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
3
Collection Agencies
3
Commercial Bakeries
2
Commercial Photography
1
Commercial Screen Printing
5
Community Food Services
1
Computer and Software Stores
5
Computer Systems Design Services
12
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing
1
Concrete Pipe Manufacturing
1
Consumer Lending
11
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
4
Convenience Stores
24
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
4
Couriers
2
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
2
Credit Card Issuing
1
Curtain and Drapery Mills
1
Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
9
Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing
1
Dental Laboratories
4
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
7
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
2
Direct Mail Advertising
3
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
5
Discount Department Stores
3
Document Preparation Services
6
Drafting Services
2
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
23
Educational Support Services
1
Electrical Contractors
27
Electronic Capacitor Manufacturing
1
Electronic Shopping
8
Elementary and Secondary Schools
5
Employment Placement Agencies
5
Engineering Services
14
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
20
Family Clothing Stores
5
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
1
Fine Arts Schools
3
Finish Carpentry Contractors
24
Fish and Seafood Markets
1
Floor Covering Stores
5
Flooring Contractors
10
Florists
7
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
9
Food Service Contractors
6
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
1
Footwear Merchant Wholesalers
1
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
2
Framing Contractors
4
Freight Transportation Arrangement
4
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
3
Full-Service Restaurants
82
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
3
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
1
General Automotive Repair
45
General Freight Trucking, Local
13
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
3
General Rental Centers
2
General Warehousing and Storage
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
13
Glass and Glazing Contractors
1
Grantmaking Foundations
1
Graphic Design Services
14
Hardware Manufacturing
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
4
Hardware Stores
7
Heavy Duty Truck Manufacturing
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
2
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
3
Home Health Care Services
14
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Homes for the Elderly
9
Household Appliance Stores
3
Hunting and Trapping
1
Industrial Gas Manufacturing
1
Industrial Pattern Manufacturing
1
Institutional Furniture Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
46
Interior Design Services
9
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
1
Internet Service Providers
3
Investigation Services
3
Janitorial Services
20
Jewelry Stores
10
Kidney Dialysis Centers
2
Land Subdivision
4
Landscaping Services
41
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
13
Libraries and Archives
2
Limousine Service
2
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
4
Locksmiths
2
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
1
Luggage Manufacturing
1
Machine Shops
14
Mail-Order Houses
3
Marinas
5
Marketing Consulting Services
19
Marking Device Manufacturing
1
Masonry Contractors
12
Materials Recovery Facilities
1
Mattress Manufacturing
2
Meat Markets
2
Medical Laboratories
1
Men's Clothing Stores
3
Metal Stamping
1
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
3
Miscellaneous Intermediation
2
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
9
Motion Picture and Video Production
3
Motorcycle Dealers
2
Museums
1
Musical Groups and Artists
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
Nail Salons
8
New Car Dealers
8
New Housing Operative Builders
3
Newspaper Publishers
2
Nonresidential Property Managers
3
Nursing Care Facilities
12
Office Administrative Services
10
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
2
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
4
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
22
Offices of Dentists
53
Offices of Lawyers
53
Offices of Optometrists
8
Offices of Other Holding Companies
2
Offices of Podiatrists
5
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
5
Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing
3
Optical Goods Stores
10
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
1
Packaging and Labeling Services
3
Packing and Crating
5
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
4
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
22
Passenger Car Rental
2
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
4
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
6
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
21
Photography Studios, Portrait
3
Portfolio Management
6
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
4
Private Mail Centers
3
Professional Organizations
2
Quick Printing
7
Radio Networks
2
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
2
Real Estate Credit
19
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
5
Remediation Services
2
Residential Property Managers
23
Residential Remodelers
18
Retail Bakeries
1
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
3
Roofing Contractors
13
Sales Financing
1
Savings Institutions
3
Securities Brokerage
12
Security Guards and Patrol Services
1
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Shoe Stores
7
Siding Contractors
8
Sign Manufacturing
6
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
5
Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing
2
Software Publishers
3
Solid Waste Collection
1
Sporting Goods Stores
9
Sports and Recreation Instruction
3
Sports Teams and Clubs
1
Telemarketing Bureaus
5
Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing
1
Television Broadcasting
2
Temporary Help Services
9
Testing Laboratories
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
10
Tire Dealers
6
Tour Operators
3
Tradebinding and Related Work
1
Travel Agencies
5
Used Car Dealers
17
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
4
Used Merchandise Stores
9
Vending Machine Operators
3
Video Tape and Disc Rental
5
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
4
Voluntary Health Organizations
1
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
23
Window Treatment Stores
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
4
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
2
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
1
Zoos and Botanical Gardens
1

Should You Franchise?

Visit the business district of Largo and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. Is franchising maybe a better way for you to start your business?

Most business experts recommend that you evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as How to Get More Franchisees. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.

To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include Bally Fitness Franchising, Inc. and City Rewards Network. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Bookstore Franchises and Personal Services Franchises.

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

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.

We strongly advocate that you make sure the ".com" domain name is available for your company name. Every business needs a strong Web presence these days, and having a non ".com" domain means somebody else may outrank you in the search results for your own company name.

To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Branding Advice.

On a final note, given that you are opening a business in Largo, it's critical that you ensure that no other Florida company is using the business name you want to use.

Make Sure You Have a Business Plan

Having a business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Simply put, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Starting a business without a business plan makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.

If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Florida.

Marketing Your New Business

Whether your goal is to attract Largo customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.

You can learn all about marketing on our site. When to Get a Toll Free Number is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

The Art of Selling

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Largo business, you need to focus on sales.

Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Compensating Sales People 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.

Now It's Up To You

As an entrepreneur in Largo, 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.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Largo and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Largo 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 Largo, Florida

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

  • Resources for Largo, Florida Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Largo entrepreneurs.
  • Florida Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Florida.
  • Florida Small Business Development Center - The Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) is a statewide economic development partnership between higher education and other stakeholder organizations dedicated to providing entrepreneurs and established businesses with the assistance needed to start, grow and succeed, contributing to the Florida economy.

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