Need help starting a business in Lawrence, Kansas? We've got the information you need to open a business in Lawrence.
Lawrence, Kansas Demographic Information
Lawrence has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Lawrence demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Lawrence.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
22386 |
| 5-9 Employees |
8766 |
| 10-19 Employees |
5922 |
| 20-49 Employees |
4428 |
| 50-99 Employees |
1296 |
| 100-249 Employees |
684 |
| 250-499 Employees |
180 |
| 500-999 Employees |
54 |
| 1000+ Employees |
36 |
| All Lawrence Businesses |
43752 |
As a new Lawrence entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Lawrence 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
|
4 |
|
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
|
2 |
|
Apprenticeship Training
|
1 |
|
Architectural Services
|
12 |
|
Art Dealers
|
5 |
|
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
|
2 |
|
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
|
3 |
|
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
|
16 |
|
Automotive Transmission Repair
|
2 |
|
Baked Goods Stores
|
1 |
|
Barber Shops
|
2 |
|
Beauty Salons
|
28 |
|
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
|
2 |
|
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
|
2 |
|
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
|
29 |
|
Blind and Shade Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Blood and Organ Banks
|
1 |
|
Boat Dealers
|
1 |
|
Book Publishers
|
3 |
|
Book Stores
|
6 |
|
Bowling Centers
|
4 |
|
Building Inspection Services
|
1 |
|
Business and Secretarial Schools
|
1 |
|
Business Associations
|
8 |
|
Cable and Other Program Distribution
|
1 |
|
Cafeterias
|
8 |
|
Car Washes
|
7 |
|
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
|
4 |
|
Caterers
|
8 |
|
Cemeteries and Crematories
|
2 |
|
Charter Bus Industry
|
1 |
|
Child and Youth Services
|
5 |
|
Child Day Care Services
|
37 |
|
Civic and Social Organizations
|
14 |
|
Claims Adjusting
|
1 |
|
Clothing Accessories Stores
|
5 |
|
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
|
1 |
|
Collection Agencies
|
1 |
|
Commercial Lithographic Printing
|
5 |
|
Commercial Photography
|
1 |
|
Commercial Screen Printing
|
3 |
|
Community Food Services
|
1 |
|
Computer and Software Stores
|
2 |
|
Computer Facilities Management Services
|
2 |
|
Computer Systems Design Services
|
18 |
|
Confectionery and Nut Stores
|
1 |
|
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
|
1 |
|
Consumer Lending
|
3 |
|
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
|
1 |
|
Convenience Stores
|
2 |
|
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
|
2 |
|
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
|
1 |
|
Copper Foundries (except Die-Casting)
|
1 |
|
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
|
2 |
|
Couriers
|
3 |
|
Credit Unions
|
5 |
|
Curtain and Drapery Mills
|
2 |
|
Custom Computer Programming Services
|
6 |
|
Dental Laboratories
|
2 |
|
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
|
1 |
|
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
|
1 |
|
Direct Mail Advertising
|
1 |
|
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
|
1 |
|
Discount Department Stores
|
2 |
|
Display Advertising
|
1 |
|
Document Preparation Services
|
1 |
|
Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Drafting Services
|
1 |
|
Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
|
30 |
|
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
|
8 |
|
Educational Support Services
|
4 |
|
Electric Power Distribution
|
4 |
|
Electrical Contractors
|
15 |
|
Electronic Shopping
|
1 |
|
Elementary and Secondary Schools
|
6 |
|
Emergency and Other Relief Services
|
1 |
|
Employment Placement Agencies
|
1 |
|
Engineering Services
|
21 |
|
Environmental Consulting Services
|
3 |
|
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
|
3 |
|
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
|
6 |
|
Facilities Support Services
|
1 |
|
Family Clothing Stores
|
9 |
|
Family Planning Centers
|
1 |
|
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
|
Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Fine Arts Schools
|
6 |
|
Finish Carpentry Contractors
|
13 |
|
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
|
7 |
|
Floor Covering Stores
|
7 |
|
Flooring Contractors
|
5 |
|
Florists
|
7 |
|
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
|
1 |
|
Food Product Machinery Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Food Service Contractors
|
1 |
|
Framing Contractors
|
12 |
|
Freight Transportation Arrangement
|
3 |
|
Fruit and Vegetable Canning
|
1 |
|
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
|
1 |
|
Full-Service Restaurants
|
83 |
|
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
|
4 |
|
Furniture Stores
|
9 |
|
General Automotive Repair
|
23 |
|
General Freight Trucking, Local
|
1 |
|
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
|
1 |
|
General Rental Centers
|
1 |
|
General Warehousing and Storage
|
2 |
|
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
|
15 |
|
Glass and Glazing Contractors
|
2 |
|
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
|
5 |
|
Grantmaking Foundations
|
6 |
|
Graphic Design Services
|
8 |
|
Greeting Card Publishers
|
1 |
|
Gypsum Product Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Hardware Stores
|
4 |
|
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
|
7 |
|
Home Centers
|
2 |
|
Home Health Care Services
|
7 |
|
Home Health Equipment Rental
|
2 |
|
Homes for the Elderly
|
6 |
|
Household Appliance Stores
|
4 |
|
Human Rights Organizations
|
2 |
|
Hydroelectric Power Generation
|
1 |
|
Ice Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Industrial Design Services
|
2 |
|
Industrial Gas Manufacturing
|
2 |
|
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
|
37 |
|
Interior Design Services
|
6 |
|
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
|
1 |
|
Investigation Services
|
2 |
|
Investment Advice
|
7 |
|
Janitorial Services
|
14 |
|
Jewelry Stores
|
4 |
|
Kidney Dialysis Centers
|
1 |
|
Land Subdivision
|
4 |
|
Landscape Architectural Services
|
2 |
|
Landscaping Services
|
37 |
|
Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing
|
1 |
|
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
|
1 |
|
Limited-Service Restaurants
|
56 |
|
Limousine Service
|
3 |
|
Locksmiths
|
2 |
|
Machine Shops
|
3 |
|
Mail-Order Houses
|
3 |
|
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
|
3 |
|
Marinas
|
1 |
|
Marketing Consulting Services
|
5 |
|
Masonry Contractors
|
5 |
|
Media Buying Agencies
|
1 |
|
Media Representatives
|
1 |
|
Medical Laboratories
|
1 |
|
Men's Clothing Stores
|
1 |
|
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Miscellaneous Intermediation
|
2 |
|
Mobile Food Services
|
2 |
|
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
|
7 |
|
Motion Picture and Video Production
|
3 |
|
Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Motor Vehicle Towing
|
5 |
|
Museums
|
2 |
|
Musical Groups and Artists
|
3 |
|
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
|
2 |
|
Musical Instrument Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Nail Salons
|
2 |
|
New Car Dealers
|
7 |
|
New Housing Operative Builders
|
7 |
|
News Syndicates
|
1 |
|
Newspaper Publishers
|
1 |
|
Nonresidential Property Managers
|
6 |
|
Nursing Care Facilities
|
4 |
|
Office Administrative Services
|
6 |
|
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
|
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
|
3 |
|
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
|
11 |
|
Offices of Chiropractors
|
17 |
|
Offices of Dentists
|
38 |
|
Offices of Lawyers
|
44 |
|
Offices of Optometrists
|
11 |
|
Offices of Podiatrists
|
4 |
|
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
|
11 |
|
One-Hour Photofinishing
|
1 |
|
Optical Goods Stores
|
4 |
|
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
|
1 |
|
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
|
4 |
|
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
|
20 |
|
Passenger Car Rental
|
2 |
|
Payroll Services
|
1 |
|
Periodical Publishers
|
3 |
|
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
|
4 |
|
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
|
4 |
|
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
|
9 |
|
Photography Studios, Portrait
|
9 |
|
Portfolio Management
|
4 |
|
Prepress Services
|
2 |
|
Private Mail Centers
|
3 |
|
Professional Organizations
|
8 |
|
Public Relations Agencies
|
5 |
|
Quick Printing
|
2 |
|
Radio Stations
|
2 |
|
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Real Estate Credit
|
8 |
|
Real Estate Investment Trusts
|
1 |
|
Residential Property Managers
|
27 |
|
Residential Remodelers
|
30 |
|
Retail Bakeries
|
2 |
|
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
|
1 |
|
Roofing Contractors
|
9 |
|
Rooming and Boarding Houses
|
26 |
|
Satellite Telecommunications
|
1 |
|
Savings Institutions
|
7 |
|
School and Employee Bus Transportation
|
1 |
|
Securities Brokerage
|
18 |
|
Security Guards and Patrol Services
|
3 |
|
Shoe Stores
|
6 |
|
Siding Contractors
|
2 |
|
Sign Manufacturing
|
3 |
|
Site Preparation Contractors
|
13 |
|
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
|
16 |
|
Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Software Publishers
|
4 |
|
Special Needs Transportation
|
1 |
|
Sporting Goods Stores
|
9 |
|
Sports and Recreation Instruction
|
13 |
|
Tax Preparation Services
|
5 |
|
Telecommunications Resellers
|
1 |
|
Telemarketing Bureaus
|
2 |
|
Telephone Answering Services
|
1 |
|
Television Broadcasting
|
1 |
|
Temporary Help Services
|
7 |
|
Temporary Shelters
|
1 |
|
Testing Laboratories
|
1 |
|
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
|
1 |
|
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
|
1 |
|
Tire Dealers
|
6 |
|
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
|
2 |
|
Tobacco Stores
|
1 |
|
Tour Operators
|
1 |
|
Travel Agencies
|
4 |
|
Truck Trailer Manufacturing
|
1 |
|
Used Car Dealers
|
6 |
|
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
|
3 |
|
Used Merchandise Stores
|
16 |
|
Vending Machine Operators
|
3 |
|
Veterinary Services
|
12 |
|
Video Tape and Disc Rental
|
7 |
|
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
|
4 |
|
Voluntary Health Organizations
|
1 |
|
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
|
1 |
|
Web Search Portals
|
1 |
|
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
|
10 |
|
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
|
4 |
|
Women's Clothing Stores
|
8 |
What About Buying an Existing Lawrence Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Kansas. Follow that link and you can assess several good businesses for sale in Lawrence.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: How to Buy a Business.
Picking a Company Name
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.
Company names need to be easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember.
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 Lawrence, it's critical that you ensure that your company name has not already been claimed by another Kansas business.
Forming a Company in Lawrence, Kansas
It's very important that you form your business as a legal structure. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
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. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. If you are starting a business in Kansas, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Kansas. As it turns out, you can incorporate wherever you want. 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. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles 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 Lawrence, Kansas, our web page covering Incorporating in Kansas may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Kansas.
Do You Need a Business Plan?
A business plan is critical 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. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read The Art of the Executive Summary. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Kansas.
How to Sell
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Lawrence business, you need to focus on sales.
Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Sales Training 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
As an entrepreneur in Lawrence, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Lawrence and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Lawrence, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Lawrence, Kansas
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Lawrence.
