Massachusetts Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Lexington, Massachusetts

Thinking about starting a business in Lexington, Massachusetts? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Lexington.

Lexington, Massachusetts Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
32814
5-9 Employees
8658
10-19 Employees
6372
20-49 Employees
4752
50-99 Employees
2214
100-249 Employees
1458
250-499 Employees
324
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
54
All Lexington Businesses
56646

As a new Lexington entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Lexington 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
Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing
1
Ambulance Services
1
Architectural Services
10
Art Dealers
1
Baked Goods Stores
2
Barber Shops
2
Beauty Salons
19
Blood and Organ Banks
1
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Cafeterias
1
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Car Washes
1
Child and Youth Services
3
Child Day Care Services
16
Civic and Social Organizations
5
Claims Adjusting
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
3
Commercial Lithographic Printing
1
Computer and Software Stores
1
Computer Systems Design Services
16
Computer Training
2
Confectionery and Nut Stores
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
2
Convenience Stores
2
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
2
Credit Unions
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
35
Dental Laboratories
2
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
1
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
2
Direct Mail Advertising
1
Document Preparation Services
1
Educational Support Services
4
Electronic Computer Manufacturing
1
Electronic Shopping
1
Elementary and Secondary Schools
6
Employment Placement Agencies
1
Engineering Services
18
Environmental Consulting Services
6
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
4
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
7
Floor Covering Stores
2
Flooring Contractors
2
Florists
4
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
1
Food Service Contractors
12
Full-Service Restaurants
18
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
3
General Freight Trucking, Local
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
7
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
6
Graphic Design Services
2
Hardware Stores
1
Heating Oil Dealers
1
Historical Sites
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
1
Home Health Care Services
2
Homes for the Elderly
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
15
Interior Design Services
5
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
1
Investigation Services
1
Investment Advice
11
Janitorial Services
3
Jewelry Stores
1
Land Subdivision
1
Landscape Architectural Services
3
Landscaping Services
10
Libraries and Archives
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
13
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
1
Marketing Consulting Services
14
Meat Markets
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
5
Mobile Food Services
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
4
Museums
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
New Car Dealers
1
New Housing Operative Builders
6
Newspaper Publishers
2
Nonresidential Property Managers
5
Nursing Care Facilities
4
Office Administrative Services
3
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
1
Offices of Chiropractors
4
Offices of Dentists
36
Offices of Lawyers
45
Offices of Other Holding Companies
2
Offices of Podiatrists
1
Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing
1
Optical Goods Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
8
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
5
Photography Studios, Portrait
1
Political Organizations
1
Portfolio Management
2
Professional Organizations
1
Public Relations Agencies
2
Radio Stations
1
Real Estate Credit
4
Residential Property Managers
3
Residential Remodelers
13
Retail Bakeries
1
Roofing Contractors
1
Sales Financing
1
School and Employee Bus Transportation
1
Securities Brokerage
5
Shoe Stores
4
Sign Manufacturing
1
Site Preparation Contractors
3
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
9
Software Publishers
10
Sporting Goods Stores
1
Sports and Recreation Instruction
3
Tax Preparation Services
2
Telecommunications Resellers
1
Temporary Help Services
6
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Travel Agencies
7
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
1
Used Merchandise Stores
2
Veterinary Services
2
Video Tape and Disc Rental
2
Voluntary Health Organizations
1
Web Search Portals
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
11
Women's Clothing Stores
3

Is Franchising a Better Option?

As you drive around Lexington, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. But is franchising the right option for you?

We highly recommend you investigate buying 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.

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

Sample franchise opportunities include SeaMaster Cruises and SuperGlass Windshield Repair. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Sports Franchises and Carpet Retail Franchises.

Note on Lexington Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Lexington, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.

Have You Considered Buying an Existing Lexington Business?

An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Massachusetts. Follow that link and you can review several good businesses for sale in Lexington.

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

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: Naming a Business.

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are planning on starting a business in Lexington, it's very important that you make sure you will be the only Massachusetts company using the business name you have chosen.

Don't Skip the Business Plan

A business plan is critical in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Business Plan Outsourcing. You can also get face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Massachusetts.

Startup Financing Basics

Finding the funds to fuel the growth of your Lexington business is a difficult chore. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.

Take advantage of our many articles on raising capital, such as SBIR Funding.

For Lexington entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, check out our List of Massachusetts Angel Investors and our List of Massachusetts Venture Capital Firms.

What's Next?

You have a dream -- starting a business in Lexington. 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.

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Lexington and elsewhere to achieve real success. 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 Lexington, Massachusetts

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

More Startup Articles for Massachusetts Cities

Starting a Business in Leominster
Starting a Business in Lowell

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Massachusetts
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary