Virginia Business Startup Guides

Opening a Business in Newport News, Virginia

Contemplating starting a business in Newport News, Virginia? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Newport News.

Choosing the Right Company 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 Good Business Ideas.

For step-by-step instructions on starting a variety of business types, visit the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our How to Start a Washing Machines & Dryers Service & Repair Business guide or our How to Start a Freight Bill Auditing Business guide.

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

Newport News, Virginia Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
5435
5-9 Employees
2483
10-19 Employees
1719
20-49 Employees
1182
50-99 Employees
444
100-249 Employees
243
250-499 Employees
45
500-999 Employees
36
1000+ Employees
9
All Newport News Businesses
11596

As a new Newport News entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Newport News 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
1
Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing
1
Amusement Arcades
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
4
Apprenticeship Training
2
Architectural Services
8
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
6
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
26
Automotive Transmission Repair
9
Baked Goods Stores
3
Barber Shops
4
Beauty Salons
52
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
2
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
9
Blind and Shade Manufacturing
2
Book Stores
7
Bowling Centers
4
Building Inspection Services
1
Business Associations
3
Cafeterias
5
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
2
Car Washes
7
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
4
Caterers
3
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Child and Youth Services
3
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
4
Civic and Social Organizations
13
Claims Adjusting
1
Clothing Accessories Stores
5
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
11
Collection Agencies
5
Commercial Bakeries
1
Commercial Photography
3
Community Food Services
2
Computer and Software Stores
9
Computer Facilities Management Services
4
Computer Storage Device Manufacturing
1
Computer Systems Design Services
16
Computer Training
3
Consumer Lending
5
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
3
Convenience Stores
43
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
2
Couriers
5
Credit Unions
13
Curtain and Drapery Mills
3
Deep Sea Freight Transportation
2
Dental Laboratories
7
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
2
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
2
Digital Printing
1
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
6
Direct Mail Advertising
1
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
1
Discount Department Stores
3
Display Advertising
1
Drafting Services
3
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
9
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
8
Educational Support Services
3
Electronic Shopping
2
Elementary and Secondary Schools
12
Emergency and Other Relief Services
3
Employment Placement Agencies
4
Engineering Services
33
Environmental Consulting Services
3
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
5
Facilities Support Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
17
Fine Arts Schools
4
Finish Carpentry Contractors
27
Fish and Seafood Markets
2
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
4
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
25
Floor Covering Stores
11
Flooring Contractors
23
Florists
13
Fluid Milk Manufacturing
1
Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing
1
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
6
Food Service Contractors
6
Framing Contractors
13
Freight Transportation Arrangement
2
Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing
2
Full-Service Restaurants
123
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
8
Furniture Stores
23
General Automotive Repair
53
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
3
General Rental Centers
2
General Warehousing and Storage
3
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
19
Glass and Glazing Contractors
2
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
3
Grantmaking Foundations
3
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
6
Hardware Stores
1
Hat, Cap, and Millinery Manufacturing
1
Heating Oil Dealers
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
8
Home Centers
4
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
6
Homes for the Elderly
10
Household Appliance Stores
7
Human Rights Organizations
2
Industrial Design Services
2
Industrial Launderers
3
Industrial Mold Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
88
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
2
Internet Service Providers
2
Investigation Services
5
Investment Advice
6
Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing
2
Janitorial Services
51
Jewelry Stores
20
Kidney Dialysis Centers
3
Land Subdivision
5
Landscape Architectural Services
1
Landscaping Services
55
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
6
Limited-Service Restaurants
137
Limousine Service
1
Locksmiths
4
Machine Shops
5
Mail-Order Houses
1
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
2
Marinas
2
Marine Cargo Handling
4
Marketing Consulting Services
4
Meat Markets
1
Meat Processed from Carcasses
1
Media Representatives
2
Medical Laboratories
2
Men's Clothing Stores
11
Mobile Food Services
2
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
6
Motor Vehicle Towing
11
Motorcycle Dealers
2
Museums
3
Musical Groups and Artists
2
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
2
Nail Salons
9
Natural Gas Distribution
1
New Housing Operative Builders
4
News Dealers and Newsstands
3
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
7
Nursing Care Facilities
7
Office Administrative Services
8
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
25
Offices of Chiropractors
14
Offices of Dentists
77
Offices of Lawyers
78
Offices of Optometrists
4
Offices of Other Holding Companies
2
Offices of Podiatrists
2
One-Hour Photofinishing
2
Optical Goods Stores
14
Packaging and Labeling Services
1
Packing and Crating
1
Paging
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
7
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
39
Parking Lots and Garages
16
Passenger Car Rental
5
Payroll Services
4
Periodical Publishers
2
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
3
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
3
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
18
Photography Studios, Portrait
5
Plate Work Manufacturing
1
Political Organizations
2
Port and Harbor Operations
2
Portfolio Management
5
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
1
Private Mail Centers
2
Professional Employer Organizations
1
Professional Organizations
1
Quick Printing
2
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
3
Real Estate Credit
25
Real Estate Investment Trusts
4
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
3
Remediation Services
1
Residential Property Managers
28
Residential Remodelers
47
Retail Bakeries
3
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
7
Roofing Contractors
6
Savings Institutions
1
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
3
School and Employee Bus Transportation
1
Securities Brokerage
11
Security Guards and Patrol Services
7
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
2
Ship Building and Repairing
2
Shoe Stores
23
Siding Contractors
10
Sign Manufacturing
5
Site Preparation Contractors
3
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
16
Soft Drink Manufacturing
1
Solid Waste Collection
1
Special Needs Transportation
2
Sporting Goods Stores
14
Sports and Recreation Instruction
3
Sports Teams and Clubs
1
Tax Preparation Services
17
Taxi Service
4
Telephone Answering Services
2
Temporary Help Services
32
Temporary Shelters
3
Testing Laboratories
4
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
4
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
10
Translation and Interpretation Services
1
Travel Agencies
8
Truck Trailer Manufacturing
1
Truss Manufacturing
1
Used Car Dealers
29
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
13
Vending Machine Operators
3
Veterinary Services
10
Video Tape and Disc Rental
14
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
4
Voluntary Health Organizations
2
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
3
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
15
Women's Clothing Stores
22
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1

Should You Franchise?

As you drive around Newport News, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. So, it probably makes sense for you to consider franchising too.

We highly recommend you investigate buying a franchise. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including Evaluating Franchise Opportunities. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

A comprehensive list of franchisors is available via our List of Franchise Opportunities.

Sample franchise opportunities include Skyline Chili, Inc. and Mister Transmission International. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Auto Parts and Tools Franchises and Landscaping Franchises.

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

Is Buying an Existing Newport News Business a Good Strategy?

We've created a handy website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Virginia. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Newport News.

If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Buying a Business.

Getting Money to Start a Business

Getting your Newport News business the capital it needs to succeed is a difficult chore. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Getting a Small Business Loan.

For Newport News entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of Virginia Angel Investors and our List of Virginia Venture Capital Firms.

Letting the World Know You Exist

To rise above the crowd in Newport News and build your business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.

We have some great resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Effective Direct Mail Campaigns is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Now It's Up To You

You have a dream -- starting a business in Newport News. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Newport News and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Newport News, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Newport News, Virginia

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

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