Wisconsin Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Madison, Wisconsin

Are you starting a business in Madison, Wisconsin? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Madison.

What Business to Start

Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. You might get some good ideas about what kind of business to start by reading Free Business Ideas.

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 Grain Dryers & Equipment Service & Repair Business guide or our How to Start a Rollers Industrial Business guide.

Always keep in mind that you are starting a business in Madison. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Madison. Make sure you fully understand Madison demographics before you lock in on your business idea.

Madison, Wisconsin Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
239404
5-9 Employees
110286
10-19 Employees
86262
20-49 Employees
66396
50-99 Employees
25014
100-249 Employees
14520
250-499 Employees
3300
500-999 Employees
1518
1000+ Employees
660
All Madison Businesses
547360

As a new Madison entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Madison 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
32
Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting)
1
Ambulance Services
2
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
9
Apprenticeship Training
1
Architectural Services
40
Armored Car Services
2
Art Dealers
13
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
3
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
31
Automotive Transmission Repair
5
Baked Goods Stores
6
Barber Shops
10
Beauty Salons
112
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
3
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
2
Blind and Shade Manufacturing
1
Blood and Organ Banks
4
Boat Building
1
Boat Dealers
5
Book Publishers
8
Book Stores
24
Books Printing
2
Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills
1
Building Inspection Services
5
Business Associations
81
Business to Business Electronic Markets
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
8
Cafeterias
11
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
5
Car Washes
10
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
10
Caterers
9
Cemeteries and Crematories
3
Charter Bus Industry
3
Cheese Manufacturing
1
Child and Youth Services
24
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
10
Civic and Social Organizations
49
Claims Adjusting
9
Clothing Accessories Stores
9
Coffee and Tea Manufacturing
2
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
6
Collection Agencies
5
Commercial Flexographic Printing
2
Commercial Lithographic Printing
25
Commercial Photography
5
Commercial Screen Printing
7
Commodity Contracts Brokerage
1
Commodity Contracts Dealing
1
Community Food Services
2
Computer Facilities Management Services
4
Computer Storage Device Manufacturing
1
Computer Systems Design Services
43
Computer Training
2
Concrete Pipe Manufacturing
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
11
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
3
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
1
Consumer Lending
14
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
4
Convenience Stores
10
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
6
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
1
Copper Foundries (except Die-Casting)
1
Couriers
7
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
7
Creamery Butter Manufacturing
1
Credit Bureaus
2
Credit Unions
35
Curtain and Drapery Mills
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
92
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
5
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
8
Digital Printing
3
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
17
Direct Mail Advertising
1
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
6
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
3
Display Advertising
2
Document Preparation Services
11
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
110
Dry Pasta Manufacturing
1
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
18
Educational Support Services
8
Electric Power Distribution
3
Electronic Shopping
9
Elementary and Secondary Schools
16
Emergency and Other Relief Services
4
Employment Placement Agencies
6
Engineering Services
82
Environmental Consulting Services
15
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
8
Facilities Support Services
3
Family Clothing Stores
35
Family Planning Centers
3
Farm Management Services
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
3
Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing
1
Fine Arts Schools
19
Fish and Seafood Markets
3
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
34
Floor Covering Stores
18
Flooring Contractors
20
Florists
17
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
7
Food Product Machinery Manufacturing
1
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
1
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
9
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
1
Framing Contractors
10
Freight Transportation Arrangement
4
Fruit and Vegetable Canning
1
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
2
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
7
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
5
Furniture Stores
37
General Automotive Repair
67
General Freight Trucking, Local
10
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
4
General Rental Centers
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
54
Glass and Glazing Contractors
7
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
10
Grantmaking Foundations
24
Graphic Design Services
34
Hardware Manufacturing
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
8
Hat, Cap, and Millinery Manufacturing
1
Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal
1
Heating Oil Dealers
1
HMO Medical Centers
6
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
23
Home Centers
7
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
9
Home Health Equipment Rental
3
Homes for the Elderly
24
Household Appliance Stores
13
Human Rights Organizations
14
Ice Manufacturing
1
Industrial Design Services
1
Industrial Gas Manufacturing
1
Institutional Furniture Manufacturing
2
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
144
Interior Design Services
18
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
5
Internet Service Providers
6
Investigation Services
3
Investment Advice
28
Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing
1
Janitorial Services
75
Jewelry Stores
39
Land Subdivision
13
Landscape Architectural Services
12
Landscaping Services
59
Language Schools
2
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
5
Libraries and Archives
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
260
Limousine Service
4
Linen Supply
3
Livestock Merchant Wholesalers
2
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
6
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
1
Machine Shops
6
Mail-Order Houses
10
Manifold Business Forms Printing
2
Marinas
1
Marketing Consulting Services
32
Masonry Contractors
9
Mattress Manufacturing
1
Meat Markets
15
Meat Processed from Carcasses
3
Media Buying Agencies
1
Media Representatives
2
Medical Laboratories
3
Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
6
Mobile Food Services
4
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
24
Motion Picture and Video Distribution
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
14
Motor Vehicle Towing
4
Motorcycle Dealers
3
Musical Groups and Artists
14
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
8
Nail Salons
2
New Car Dealers
22
New Housing Operative Builders
15
News Dealers and Newsstands
1
News Syndicates
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
21
Nursing Care Facilities
10
Office Administrative Services
29
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
12
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
10
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
39
Offices of Dentists
95
Offices of Lawyers
185
Offices of Optometrists
19
Offices of Other Holding Companies
8
Offices of Podiatrists
3
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
26
One-Hour Photofinishing
7
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
2
Optical Goods Stores
16
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
3
Packaging and Labeling Services
1
Packaging Machinery Manufacturing
1
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
14
Paper Industry Machinery Manufacturing
1
Parking Lots and Garages
4
Passenger Car Leasing
2
Passenger Car Rental
5
Payroll Services
11
Pen and Mechanical Pencil Manufacturing
1
Periodical Publishers
20
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
12
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
7
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
37
Photography Studios, Portrait
22
Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing
1
Political Organizations
13
Prepress Services
5
Private Mail Centers
2
Professional Employer Organizations
8
Professional Organizations
37
Public Relations Agencies
25
Quick Printing
12
Radio Networks
2
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
3
Real Estate Credit
30
Real Estate Investment Trusts
1
Recreational Goods Rental
1
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
4
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
2
Reinsurance Carriers
1
Residential Property Managers
56
Residential Remodelers
50
Retail Bakeries
9
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
3
Roofing Contractors
25
Rooming and Boarding Houses
21
Sales Financing
7
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
7
School and Employee Bus Transportation
4
Securities Brokerage
57
Security Guards and Patrol Services
9
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Shoe Stores
34
Siding Contractors
12
Site Preparation Contractors
11
Skiing Facilities
2
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
65
Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing
3
Software Publishers
26
Software Reproducing
1
Solid Waste Collection
3
Sound Recording Studios
9
Special Needs Transportation
2
Sporting Goods Stores
40
Sports and Recreation Instruction
21
Support Activities for Forestry
1
Tax Preparation Services
19
Taxi Service
3
Telemarketing Bureaus
6
Telephone Answering Services
3
Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing
2
Television Broadcasting
6
Temporary Help Services
48
Temporary Shelters
4
Testing Laboratories
6
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
5
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
1
Tire Dealers
14
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
11
Tobacco Stores
2
Toilet Preparation Manufacturing
2
Tour Operators
3
Translation and Interpretation Services
3
Travel Agencies
18
Used Car Dealers
16
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
11
Used Merchandise Stores
31
Vending Machine Operators
7
Veterinary Services
29
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
26
Voluntary Health Organizations
12
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
36
Window Treatment Stores
2
Wineries
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
37
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1
Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing
1
Wood Preservation
1
Zoos and Botanical Gardens
1

Should You Franchise?

Examine a list of Madison businesses and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?

Most business experts recommend that you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchise Due Diligence. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

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

Sample franchise opportunities include eCommercials and Europcar Group Australia. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Candy and Chocolate Franchises and Fitness Franchises.

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

Have You Considered Buying an Existing Madison Business?

An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Wisconsin. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Madison.

Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.

Naming the Company

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.

Even if the name doesn't do it by itself, many naming experts believe there should be a story behind the name that ties into your company mission.

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

There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are opening a business in Madison, it's critical that you ensure that no other Wisconsin company is using the business name you want to use.

Forming a Company in Madison, Wisconsin

A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

The entity you form can be a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.

Incorporating is a very common way to legally create a business entity. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in Wisconsin, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Wisconsin. In fact, you can incorporate in the state of your choosing. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.

There are many nuances to forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as How to Incorporate. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Madison, Wisconsin, our information on Incorporating in Wisconsin may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Wisconsin.

Bring in Revenues

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Madison 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.

Closing Sales 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 Madison, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Madison 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 Madison, Wisconsin

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

More Business Startup Guides for Wisconsin

Starting a Business in Loyal
Starting a Business in Manitowoc

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

 

 

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