Florida Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Panama City, Florida

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

What Business Are You Starting?

Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read 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 an Air Conditioning Parts & Supplies Wholesale & Manufacturers Business guide or our How to Start a Rust Preventives & Removers Business guide.

Always keep in mind that starting a business in Panama City has some implications. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Panama City. Only by spending some time analyzing Panama City demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.

Panama City, Florida Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
5381
5-9 Employees
2210
10-19 Employees
1317
20-49 Employees
855
50-99 Employees
264
100-249 Employees
171
250-499 Employees
15
500-999 Employees
12
1000+ Employees
6
All Panama City Businesses
10231

As a new Panama City entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Panama City 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
Air Traffic Control
1
Aircraft Manufacturing
2
Ambulance Services
3
Amusement Arcades
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
8
Architectural Services
7
Armored Car Services
2
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
4
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
29
Automotive Transmission Repair
6
Baked Goods Stores
2
Barber Shops
1
Beauty Salons
26
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
3
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
11
Blind and Shade Manufacturing
2
Boat Building
4
Boat Dealers
14
Book Publishers
2
Book Stores
5
Bowling Centers
2
Building Inspection Services
5
Business Associations
4
Cable and Other Program Distribution
3
Cafeterias
3
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
2
Canvas and Related Product Mills
2
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
9
Cemeteries and Crematories
3
Child and Youth Services
3
Child Day Care Services
32
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
2
Civic and Social Organizations
9
Claims Adjusting
4
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
8
Collection Agencies
2
Commercial Gravure Printing
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
5
Commercial Photography
1
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Commodity Contracts Dealing
1
Computer Facilities Management Services
1
Computer Systems Design Services
11
Computer Training
1
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
1
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
1
Consumer Lending
8
Convenience Stores
12
Couriers
3
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
5
Credit Unions
14
Curtain and Drapery Mills
2
Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
9
Deep Sea Freight Transportation
1
Dental Laboratories
4
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
4
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
4
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
3
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
10
Discount Department Stores
4
Document Preparation Services
1
Drafting Services
2
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
23
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
19
Educational Support Services
2
Electric Power Distribution
3
Electronic Shopping
3
Elementary and Secondary Schools
10
Emergency and Other Relief Services
1
Employment Placement Agencies
3
Engineering Services
26
Environmental Consulting Services
2
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
3
Facilities Support Services
7
Family Clothing Stores
14
Fine Arts Schools
4
Finfish Fishing
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
18
Fish and Seafood Markets
9
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
4
Flight Training
2
Floor Covering Stores
12
Flooring Contractors
9
Florists
6
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
9
Food Service Contractors
8
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
1
Freight Transportation Arrangement
3
Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing
2
Full-Service Restaurants
96
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
6
Furniture Stores
24
General Automotive Repair
41
General Freight Trucking, Local
5
General Rental Centers
3
General Warehousing and Storage
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
17
Glass and Glazing Contractors
5
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Grantmaking Foundations
2
Graphic Design Services
2
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
3
Hardware Stores
6
Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal
2
HMO Medical Centers
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
5
Home Centers
2
Home Health Care Services
9
Homes for the Elderly
7
Household Appliance Stores
4
Human Rights Organizations
1
Industrial Building Construction
1
Industrial Design Services
2
Industrial Launderers
1
Inland Water Passenger Transportation
3
Interior Design Services
3
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
1
Internet Service Providers
3
Investigation Services
2
Investment Advice
4
Janitorial Services
23
Jewelry Stores
13
Land Subdivision
8
Landscape Architectural Services
2
Landscaping Services
22
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
8
Libraries and Archives
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
87
Limousine Service
1
Locksmiths
3
Logging
4
Machine Shops
6
Mail-Order Houses
1
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
8
Marinas
6
Marine Cargo Handling
3
Masonry Contractors
10
Meat Markets
2
Media Buying Agencies
1
Media Representatives
1
Medical Laboratories
3
Men's Clothing Stores
1
Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
1
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
2
Motion Picture and Video Production
2
Motor Vehicle Towing
3
Motorcycle Dealers
2
Museums
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
5
Natural Gas Distribution
1
Navigational Services to Shipping
2
New Car Dealers
14
New Housing Operative Builders
9
News Dealers and Newsstands
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
9
Office Administrative Services
11
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
5
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
4
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
17
Offices of Chiropractors
11
Offices of Dentists
40
Offices of Optometrists
5
Offices of Other Holding Companies
2
Offices of Podiatrists
6
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
18
Optical Goods Stores
6
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
3
Packing and Crating
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
6
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
18
Paperboard Mills
1
Parking Lots and Garages
1
Passenger Car Rental
8
Payroll Services
2
Periodical Publishers
2
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
5
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
16
Photography Studios, Portrait
3
Portfolio Management
3
Prepress Services
1
Private Mail Centers
4
Professional Organizations
5
Public Relations Agencies
1
Quick Printing
4
Radio Stations
8
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
7
Real Estate Credit
12
Recreational Goods Rental
7
Repossession Services
1
Residential Property Managers
12
Residential Remodelers
22
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
3
Roofing Contractors
12
Rooming and Boarding Houses
1
Sales Financing
1
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
2
School and Employee Bus Transportation
1
Secondary Market Financing
1
Securities Brokerage
10
Security Guards and Patrol Services
3
Shellfish Fishing
1
Ship Building and Repairing
3
Siding Contractors
4
Sign Manufacturing
4
Site Preparation Contractors
16
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
15
Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing
1
Solid Waste Collection
9
Solid Waste Landfill
1
Sports and Recreation Instruction
5
Tax Preparation Services
8
Taxi Service
1
Telecommunications Resellers
2
Television Broadcasting
3
Temporary Help Services
11
Temporary Shelters
4
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
9
Tire Dealers
13
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
7
Tobacco Stores
2
Tradebinding and Related Work
1
Travel Agencies
5
Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing
3
Used Car Dealers
23
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
8
Used Merchandise Stores
18
Vending Machine Operators
2
Veterinary Services
9
Video Tape and Disc Rental
10
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
1
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
2
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Web Search Portals
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
13
Window Treatment Stores
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
6
Women's Clothing Stores
13
Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing
1

Raising Money for Your New Venture

Getting your Panama City business the capital it needs to succeed is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.

Take advantage of our many articles on raising capital, such as Business Incubators.

For Panama City entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, check out our List of Florida Angel Investors and our List of Florida Venture Capital Firms.

Marketing Your New Venture

To rise above the crowd in Panama City and build your business, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your doing well.

We have some great resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Media Kits 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.

The Art of Selling

Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Panama City or are selling to customers throughout Florida, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

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.

Landing Big Customers offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities

The best business owners know that they don't know everything.

Given that you are starting a business in Panama City, Florida, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Florida universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any networking organizations for Panama City entrepreneurs.

Now It's Up To You

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

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

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

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Panama City, Florida

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

  • Resources for Panama City, Florida Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Panama City entrepreneurs.
  • Florida Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Florida.
  • Florida Small Business Development Center - The Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) is a statewide economic development partnership between higher education and other stakeholder organizations dedicated to providing entrepreneurs and established businesses with the assistance needed to start, grow and succeed, contributing to the Florida economy.

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Florida

Starting a Business in Palmetto
Starting a Business in Panama City Beach

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

 

 

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