Massachusetts Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Northampton, Massachusetts

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

Northampton, Massachusetts Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
3408
5-9 Employees
1737
10-19 Employees
1287
20-49 Employees
900
50-99 Employees
153
100-249 Employees
144
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
18
All Northampton Businesses
7647

As a new Northampton entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Northampton 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
3
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
1
Architectural Services
3
Art Dealers
3
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
2
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
5
Barber Shops
3
Beauty Salons
15
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
7
Boat Dealers
1
Book Publishers
2
Book Stores
4
Bowling Centers
1
Business Associations
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Car Washes
1
Caterers
2
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Child and Youth Services
5
Civic and Social Organizations
5
Clothing Accessories Stores
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
2
Commercial Lithographic Printing
1
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Community Food Services
1
Computer and Software Stores
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
3
Convenience Stores
3
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
2
Custom Computer Programming Services
7
Dance Companies
1
Dental Laboratories
1
Discount Department Stores
1
Document Preparation Services
2
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
4
Educational Support Services
3
Electric Power Distribution
2
Electrical Contractors
4
Electronic Shopping
1
Emergency and Other Relief Services
1
Employment Placement Agencies
1
Engineering Services
4
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
2
Family Planning Centers
1
Fish and Seafood Markets
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
6
Flight Training
1
Florists
5
Food Service Contractors
1
Full-Service Restaurants
44
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
2
General Automotive Repair
9
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
5
Grantmaking Foundations
4
Graphic Design Services
2
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
1
Heating Oil Dealers
1
Historical Sites
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
3
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
1
Home Health Care Services
5
Homes for the Elderly
4
Household Appliance Stores
2
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
1
Internet Service Providers
1
Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
1
Investment Advice
5
Jewelry Stores
7
Landscape Architectural Services
2
Landscaping Services
8
Limited-Service Restaurants
22
Limousine Service
1
Locksmiths
1
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
1
Mail-Order Houses
1
Marketing Consulting Services
3
Masonry Contractors
1
Mobile Food Services
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
4
Motor Vehicle Towing
2
Motorcycle Dealers
1
Museums
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
Nail Salons
1
New Car Dealers
11
New Housing Operative Builders
1
News Dealers and Newsstands
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
2
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Office Administrative Services
2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
5
Offices of Chiropractors
8
Offices of Dentists
19
Offices of Lawyers
42
Offices of Optometrists
4
Offices of Other Holding Companies
1
Offices of Podiatrists
1
Optical Goods Stores
1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
2
Packing and Crating
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
4
Periodical Publishers
3
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
1
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
6
Political Organizations
1
Portfolio Management
2
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
1
Professional Organizations
2
Quick Printing
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Real Estate Credit
3
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
1
Residential Property Managers
1
Residential Remodelers
8
Retail Bakeries
1
Roofing Contractors
1
Securities Brokerage
3
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Shoe Stores
3
Siding Contractors
1
Site Preparation Contractors
3
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
11
Soft Drink Manufacturing
1
Sporting Goods Stores
5
Sports and Recreation Instruction
5
Tax Preparation Services
3
Telecommunications Resellers
1
Temporary Help Services
1
Temporary Shelters
3
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
1
Tobacco Stores
1
Translation and Interpretation Services
1
Travel Agencies
3
Used Car Dealers
1
Used Merchandise Stores
3
Veterinary Services
4
Video Tape and Disc Rental
3
Window Treatment Stores
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
2
Women's Clothing Stores
13

Have You Considered Buying an Existing Northampton Business?

We've created a helpful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Massachusetts. Follow that link and you can assess several good businesses for sale in Northampton.

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

Naming the Business

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.

Before you decide on a company name, run it by some prospective customers and see what they think. If they don't like it, it's probably a good idea to go back to the drawing board.

For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.

On a final note, given that you are starting a business in Northampton, it's critical that you ensure that no other Massachusetts company is using the business name you want to use.

Don't Skip the Business Plan

A business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, 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.

Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Massachusetts.

Getting Money to Start a Business

Getting your Northampton business the capital it needs to succeed is a difficult chore. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Realistic Debt Financing Options.

For Northampton entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, check out our List of Massachusetts Angel Investors and our List of Massachusetts Venture Capital Firms.

The Art of Selling

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Northampton business, you need to focus on sales.

Not knowing how to sell can result in lost customers and minimal market share. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Closing Sales is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.

What's Next?

As an entrepreneur in Northampton, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

We are here to help Northampton businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Northampton, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Northampton, Massachusetts

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Massachusetts

Starting a Business in North Reading
Starting a Business in Norton

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

 

 

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