Contemplating starting a business in Nampa, Idaho? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Nampa.
What Business Are You Starting?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. You might get some good ideas about what kind of business to start by reading 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 How to Start a Kosher Restaurant guide or our Starting an Auto Covers Business guide.
Don't forget that starting a business in Nampa has some implications. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Nampa. Make sure you fully understand Nampa demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Nampa, Idaho Demographic Information
Nampa has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Nampa demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Nampa.
Business Size | # of Businesses |
1-4 Employees |
4020 |
5-9 Employees |
1257 |
10-19 Employees |
786 |
20-49 Employees |
459 |
50-99 Employees |
171 |
100-249 Employees |
90 |
250-499 Employees |
36 |
500-999 Employees |
12 |
1000+ Employees |
0 |
All Nampa Businesses |
6831 |
As a new Nampa entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Nampa 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 |
Aircraft Manufacturing
|
1 |
Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering
|
3 |
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
|
1 |
Apprenticeship Training
|
1 |
Architectural Services
|
6 |
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
|
5 |
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
|
9 |
Automotive Transmission Repair
|
3 |
Baked Goods Stores
|
2 |
Barber Shops
|
2 |
Beauty Salons
|
12 |
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
|
2 |
Beet Sugar Manufacturing
|
1 |
Boat Dealers
|
2 |
Book Publishers
|
1 |
Book Stores
|
3 |
Bowling Centers
|
3 |
Building Inspection Services
|
2 |
Business Associations
|
3 |
Canvas and Related Product Mills
|
1 |
Car Washes
|
9 |
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
|
3 |
Caterers
|
4 |
Cheese Manufacturing
|
1 |
Child and Youth Services
|
2 |
Child Day Care Services
|
15 |
Civic and Social Organizations
|
6 |
Clothing Accessories Stores
|
4 |
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
|
2 |
Collection Agencies
|
2 |
Commercial Bakeries
|
1 |
Computer and Software Stores
|
3 |
Computer Systems Design Services
|
4 |
Concrete Pipe Manufacturing
|
1 |
Confectionery and Nut Stores
|
1 |
Construction Machinery Manufacturing
|
1 |
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
|
4 |
Consumer Lending
|
11 |
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
|
3 |
Convenience Stores
|
4 |
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
|
1 |
Couriers
|
4 |
Credit Unions
|
9 |
Curtain and Drapery Mills
|
1 |
Custom Computer Programming Services
|
4 |
Custom Roll Forming
|
1 |
Dental Laboratories
|
3 |
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
|
1 |
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
|
1 |
Dimension Stone Mining and Quarrying
|
1 |
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
|
2 |
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
|
2 |
Discount Department Stores
|
2 |
Display Advertising
|
1 |
Document Preparation Services
|
2 |
Drafting Services
|
4 |
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells
|
1 |
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
|
12 |
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
|
54 |
Educational Support Services
|
1 |
Electric Power Distribution
|
1 |
Electrical Contractors
|
33 |
Electronic Computer Manufacturing
|
1 |
Electronic Shopping
|
2 |
Elementary and Secondary Schools
|
6 |
Engineering Services
|
11 |
Environmental Consulting Services
|
1 |
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
|
2 |
Family Clothing Stores
|
3 |
Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders
|
2 |
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
|
13 |
Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing
|
1 |
Fine Arts Schools
|
3 |
Finfish Fishing
|
1 |
Finish Carpentry Contractors
|
25 |
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
|
3 |
Floor Covering Stores
|
5 |
Flooring Contractors
|
12 |
Florists
|
5 |
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
|
4 |
Food Service Contractors
|
3 |
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
|
2 |
Framing Contractors
|
55 |
Freight Transportation Arrangement
|
6 |
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
|
3 |
Full-Service Restaurants
|
40 |
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
|
5 |
Furniture Stores
|
5 |
General Automotive Repair
|
21 |
General Freight Trucking, Local
|
6 |
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
|
1 |
General Warehousing and Storage
|
6 |
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
|
5 |
Glass and Glazing Contractors
|
4 |
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
|
1 |
Graphic Design Services
|
2 |
Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing
|
1 |
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
Hardware Stores
|
1 |
Heating Oil Dealers
|
2 |
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
|
5 |
Home Centers
|
4 |
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
|
2 |
Home Health Care Services
|
3 |
Homes for the Elderly
|
9 |
Household Appliance Stores
|
5 |
Industrial Gas Manufacturing
|
2 |
Industrial Launderers
|
3 |
Industrial Mold Manufacturing
|
2 |
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
|
37 |
Interior Design Services
|
2 |
Investigation Services
|
1 |
Investment Advice
|
10 |
Janitorial Services
|
27 |
Jewelry Stores
|
5 |
Kidney Dialysis Centers
|
1 |
Land Subdivision
|
5 |
Landscaping Services
|
53 |
Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing
|
1 |
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
|
3 |
Limited-Service Restaurants
|
42 |
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
|
2 |
Locksmiths
|
3 |
Machine Shops
|
3 |
Mail-Order Houses
|
2 |
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
|
4 |
Marketing Consulting Services
|
3 |
Masonry Contractors
|
19 |
Mattress Manufacturing
|
1 |
Men's Clothing Stores
|
3 |
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
|
2 |
Mobile Food Services
|
3 |
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
|
8 |
Motor and Generator Manufacturing
|
1 |
Motor Vehicle Towing
|
3 |
Motorcycle Dealers
|
1 |
Museums
|
2 |
Music Publishers
|
1 |
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
|
1 |
Natural Gas Distribution
|
1 |
New Car Dealers
|
7 |
New Housing Operative Builders
|
14 |
Newspaper Publishers
|
1 |
Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing
|
1 |
Nonresidential Property Managers
|
1 |
Nursing Care Facilities
|
4 |
Office Administrative Services
|
2 |
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
|
3 |
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
|
9 |
Offices of Chiropractors
|
14 |
Offices of Dentists
|
32 |
Offices of Lawyers
|
25 |
Offices of Optometrists
|
8 |
Offices of Other Holding Companies
|
1 |
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
|
9 |
Optical Goods Stores
|
1 |
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
|
2 |
Packing and Crating
|
1 |
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
|
5 |
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
|
29 |
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
|
2 |
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
|
4 |
Photography Studios, Portrait
|
5 |
Plastics Bottle Manufacturing
|
1 |
Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing
|
1 |
Portfolio Management
|
2 |
Prepress Services
|
1 |
Private Mail Centers
|
2 |
Professional Employer Organizations
|
3 |
Quick Printing
|
3 |
Radio Stations
|
2 |
Real Estate Credit
|
8 |
Real Estate Investment Trusts
|
1 |
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
|
4 |
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
|
2 |
Residential Property Managers
|
7 |
Residential Remodelers
|
20 |
Retail Bakeries
|
3 |
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
|
1 |
Roofing Contractors
|
12 |
Savings Institutions
|
9 |
School and Employee Bus Transportation
|
1 |
Securities Brokerage
|
6 |
Security Guards and Patrol Services
|
3 |
Septic Tank and Related Services
|
1 |
Sewage Treatment Facilities
|
1 |
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
|
3 |
Shoe Stores
|
5 |
Siding Contractors
|
25 |
Sign Manufacturing
|
3 |
Site Preparation Contractors
|
21 |
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
|
12 |
Software Publishers
|
1 |
Solid Waste Collection
|
3 |
Sporting Goods Stores
|
9 |
Sports and Recreation Instruction
|
1 |
Steel Wire Drawing
|
1 |
Support Activities for Forestry
|
1 |
Tax Preparation Services
|
2 |
Telemarketing Bureaus
|
1 |
Television Broadcasting
|
2 |
Temporary Help Services
|
10 |
Temporary Shelters
|
1 |
Testing Laboratories
|
3 |
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
|
1 |
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
|
16 |
Tire Dealers
|
10 |
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
|
3 |
Tobacco Stores
|
2 |
Translation and Interpretation Services
|
1 |
Travel Agencies
|
2 |
Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing
|
4 |
Truss Manufacturing
|
3 |
Used Car Dealers
|
11 |
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
|
1 |
Used Merchandise Stores
|
9 |
Vending Machine Operators
|
1 |
Veterinary Services
|
10 |
Video Tape and Disc Rental
|
4 |
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
|
2 |
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
|
2 |
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
|
1 |
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
|
10 |
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
|
2 |
Women's Clothing Stores
|
3 |
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
|
3 |
Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing
|
1 |
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
|
1 |
Naming the Company
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.
Companies like Starbucks, Apple, Target, Microsoft and Intuit all have strong company names that are easy to remember and have become well-loved brands. Wouldn't it be nice if your new company name got on a similar track?
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 planning on starting a business in Nampa, it's critical that you ensure that you will be the only Idaho company using the business name you have chosen.
Forming a Company in Nampa, Idaho
A critical step is ensuring that you choose the right legal structure for your new entity. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporating 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 Idaho, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Idaho. In fact, you can incorporate in any state you would like to. 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 Getting an EIN. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Nampa, Idaho, our information on Incorporating in Idaho may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Idaho.
Raising Money for Your New Venture
Finding the funds to fuel the growth of your Nampa business is not an easy task. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled 504 Loans.
For Nampa entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, check out our List of Idaho Angel Investors and our List of Idaho Venture Capital Firms.
Marketing Your New Business
To rise above the crowd in Nampa and build your business, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your beating the competition.
There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Advertising on Buses is an article that will generate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Now It's Up To You
As an entrepreneur in Nampa, 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.
We are here to help Nampa businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Nampa 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 Nampa, Idaho
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Nampa.