Nebraska Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Omaha, Nebraska

Need help starting a business in Omaha, Nebraska? We've got the information you need to open a business in Omaha.

Are You Ready for Entrepreneurship?

Before announcing to the world that you are going to start your own business, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in Omaha. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
  • You should read Business Failure. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
  • Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.

Omaha, Nebraska Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
88988
5-9 Employees
31556
10-19 Employees
24036
20-49 Employees
18072
50-99 Employees
7080
100-249 Employees
4236
250-499 Employees
984
500-999 Employees
468
1000+ Employees
288
All Omaha Businesses
175708

As a new Omaha entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Omaha 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
Adhesive Manufacturing
1
Advertising Agencies
50
Ambulance Services
2
Amusement and Theme Parks
1
Amusement Arcades
3
Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering
9
Apprenticeship Training
9
Architectural Services
51
Armored Car Services
3
Art Dealers
21
Automobile Driving Schools
2
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
3
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
17
Automotive Transmission Repair
15
Baked Goods Stores
7
Barber Shops
9
Beauty Salons
178
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
1
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
3
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
28
Blood and Organ Banks
3
Boat Dealers
6
Book Publishers
2
Book Stores
31
Books Printing
1
Bottled Water Manufacturing
1
Bowling Centers
10
Breweries
1
Broadwoven Fabric Mills
1
Broom, Brush, and Mop Manufacturing
2
Building Inspection Services
11
Business Associations
25
Business to Business Electronic Markets
4
Cable and Other Program Distribution
2
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
2
Canvas and Related Product Mills
4
Car Washes
42
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
28
Casinos (except Casino Hotels)
1
Caterers
16
Cemeteries and Crematories
10
Child and Youth Services
31
Child Day Care Services
175
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
13
Civic and Social Organizations
60
Claims Adjusting
11
Clothing Accessories Stores
20
Coffee and Tea Manufacturing
1
Collection Agencies
16
Commercial Bakeries
5
Commercial Flexographic Printing
4
Commercial Lithographic Printing
37
Commercial Photography
8
Commercial Screen Printing
17
Commodity Contracts Brokerage
4
Computer and Software Stores
21
Computer Facilities Management Services
4
Computer Systems Design Services
118
Computer Training
4
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
7
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
3
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
4
Convenience Stores
13
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
11
Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing
1
Copper Foundries (except Die-Casting)
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
4
Couriers
28
Credit Bureaus
1
Credit Card Issuing
1
Credit Unions
43
Curtain and Drapery Mills
2
Custom Computer Programming Services
137
Custom Roll Forming
1
Dental Laboratories
21
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
9
Digital Printing
4
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
46
Direct Mail Advertising
13
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
9
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
10
Discount Department Stores
14
Document Preparation Services
12
Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing
1
Drafting Services
7
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
199
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
68
Educational Support Services
8
Electric Power Distribution
2
Electronic Auctions
2
Electronic Shopping
14
Elementary and Secondary Schools
42
Emergency and Other Relief Services
3
Employment Placement Agencies
20
Engineering Services
87
Environmental Consulting Services
5
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
20
Fabric Coating Mills
1
Facilities Support Services
9
Family Clothing Stores
44
Family Planning Centers
5
Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders
1
Farm Management Services
2
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
10
Fats and Oils Refining and Blending
1
Fine Arts Schools
28
Finish Carpentry Contractors
93
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
3
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
77
Floor Covering Stores
20
Florists
24
Flour Milling
3
Fluid Milk Manufacturing
2
Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing
2
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
21
Food Product Machinery Manufacturing
2
Food Service Contractors
40
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
9
Framing Contractors
70
Freight Transportation Arrangement
30
Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing
2
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
3
Full-Service Restaurants
363
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
19
Furniture Stores
31
General Automotive Repair
136
General Freight Trucking, Local
89
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
9
General Rental Centers
12
General Warehousing and Storage
21
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
59
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
18
Grantmaking Foundations
20
Graphic Design Services
30
Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
24
Hardware Stores
17
Heating Oil Dealers
2
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
24
Home Centers
8
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
14
Home Health Care Services
36
Home Health Equipment Rental
4
Homes for the Elderly
14
Household Appliance Stores
7
Ice Manufacturing
1
Industrial Building Construction
1
Industrial Design Services
3
Industrial Launderers
13
Industrial Mold Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
380
Interior Design Services
30
Internet Service Providers
9
Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
1
Investigation Services
15
Investment Advice
48
Iron and Steel Mills
1
Iron Foundries
2
Janitorial Services
179
Jewelry Stores
47
Junior Colleges
2
Kidney Dialysis Centers
8
Land Subdivision
10
Landscape Architectural Services
12
Landscaping Services
206
Language Schools
1
Libraries and Archives
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
377
Limousine Service
4
Linen Supply
3
Livestock Merchant Wholesalers
3
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
28
Locksmiths
8
Luggage Manufacturing
1
Machine Shops
17
Mail-Order Houses
22
Manifold Business Forms Printing
5
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
5
Marinas
3
Marketing Consulting Services
48
Masonry Contractors
57
Mattress Manufacturing
2
Meat Markets
14
Meat Processed from Carcasses
8
Media Representatives
8
Medical Laboratories
10
Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing
1
Metal Can Manufacturing
1
Metal Heat Treating
1
Metal Household Furniture Manufacturing
1
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
2
Miscellaneous Intermediation
11
Mobile Food Services
4
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
15
Motor Vehicle Towing
13
Motorcycle Dealers
10
Museums
6
Musical Groups and Artists
7
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
13
Nail Salons
6
New Car Dealers
40
New Housing Operative Builders
30
News Syndicates
2
Newspaper Publishers
11
Nonresidential Property Managers
46
Nursing Care Facilities
27
Office Administrative Services
52
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
17
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
12
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
105
Offices of Chiropractors
73
Offices of Dentists
261
Offices of Lawyers
307
Offices of Optometrists
37
Offices of Podiatrists
13
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
26
One-Hour Photofinishing
3
Open-End Investment Funds
1
Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing
5
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
7
Optical Goods Stores
35
Packaging and Labeling Services
2
Packaging Machinery Manufacturing
2
Packing and Crating
5
Paging
2
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
21
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
127
Passenger Car Leasing
4
Passenger Car Rental
10
Payroll Services
14
Periodical Publishers
12
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing
4
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
23
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
15
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
55
Photography Studios, Portrait
42
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas
2
Plate Work Manufacturing
4
Political Organizations
17
Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing
2
Port and Harbor Operations
2
Poultry Processing
2
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
4
Prepress Services
2
Printing Ink Manufacturing
1
Private Mail Centers
9
Professional Employer Organizations
5
Professional Organizations
13
Quick Printing
22
Racetracks
1
Radio Networks
3
Radio Stations
17
Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing
2
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
7
Real Estate Credit
44
Record Production
1
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
2
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
7
Reinsurance Carriers
1
Remediation Services
3
Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing
6
Repossession Services
2
Residential Remodelers
138
Retail Bakeries
11
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
9
Roofing Contractors
34
Sales Financing
13
Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing
1
Satellite Telecommunications
1
Sawmills
1
Scheduled Freight Air Transportation
3
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
8
School and Employee Bus Transportation
5
Secondary Market Financing
1
Securities Brokerage
94
Security Guards and Patrol Services
21
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Shoe Stores
54
Siding Contractors
37
Sign Manufacturing
9
Silverware and Hollowware Manufacturing
2
Site Preparation Contractors
51
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
97
Software Publishers
21
Software Reproducing
2
Solid Waste Collection
10
Sound Recording Studios
3
Special Needs Transportation
3
Sporting Goods Stores
52
Sports and Recreation Instruction
25
Spring (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
1
Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply
1
Steel Foundries (except Investment)
1
Support Activities for Forestry
1
Surface Active Agent Manufacturing
1
Surface-Coated Paperboard Manufacturing
1
Tax Preparation Services
41
Telecommunications Resellers
7
Telemarketing Bureaus
27
Telephone Answering Services
5
Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing
1
Television Broadcasting
6
Temporary Help Services
73
Temporary Shelters
8
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
9
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
18
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
5
Tire Dealers
39
Tire Retreading
2
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
26
Tobacco Stores
15
Tortilla Manufacturing
1
Tour Operators
3
Tradebinding and Related Work
4
Translation and Interpretation Services
2
Travel Agencies
48
Truck Trailer Manufacturing
1
Used Car Dealers
66
Used Merchandise Stores
47
Vending Machine Operators
20
Veterinary Services
45
Video Tape and Disc Rental
26
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
15
Voluntary Health Organizations
22
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
5
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
116
Window Treatment Stores
6
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
70
Women's Clothing Stores
78
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1
Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing
3
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
3

Picking a Business 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 should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.

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

On a final note, given that you are opening a business in Omaha, it's very important that you make sure you will be the only Nebraska company using the business name you have chosen.

Forming a Company in Omaha, Nebraska

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 traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

Incorporation 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 Nebraska, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Nebraska. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate wherever you want. 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. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Company Formation. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Omaha, Nebraska, our information on Incorporating in Nebraska may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Nebraska.

Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan

A business plan is critical 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.

If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Find Sample Business Plans Online. You can also get face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Nebraska.

Raising Money for Your New Venture

Finding the funds to fuel the growth of your Omaha business requires strong organization skills and perseverance. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.

Recognizing this challenge, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Find Start-Up Capital.

For Omaha entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, you'll want to take a look at our List of Nebraska Angel Investors and our List of Nebraska Venture Capital Firms.

Never Give Up

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

If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Omaha and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Omaha, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Omaha, Nebraska

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Nebraska

Starting a Business in Ogallala
Starting a Business in Oneill

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

 

 

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