Contemplating starting a business in Pensacola, Florida? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Pensacola.
Before quitting your day job, consider your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. We recommend that you read Finding Your Niche in Life.
Don't forget that your new startup will be located in Pensacola. Some businesses will do better in Pensacola than others. Study Pensacola demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.
Pensacola has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Pensacola demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Pensacola.
As a new Pensacola entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Pensacola 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
|
9 |
Aircraft Manufacturing
|
1 |
Ambulance Services
|
3 |
Amusement Arcades
|
1 |
Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering
|
1 |
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
|
6 |
Apprenticeship Training
|
1 |
Architectural Services
|
37 |
Armored Car Services
|
2 |
Art Dealers
|
3 |
Automobile Driving Schools
|
1 |
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
|
5 |
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
|
7 |
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
|
44 |
Automotive Transmission Repair
|
5 |
Baked Goods Stores
|
4 |
Beauty Salons
|
67 |
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
|
2 |
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
|
13 |
Blood and Organ Banks
|
3 |
Boat Building
|
1 |
Boat Dealers
|
14 |
Book Publishers
|
1 |
Book Stores
|
10 |
Books Printing
|
1 |
Bowling Centers
|
4 |
Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills
|
1 |
Building Inspection Services
|
8 |
Burial Casket Manufacturing
|
1 |
Business Associations
|
13 |
Business to Business Electronic Markets
|
1 |
Cable and Other Program Distribution
|
2 |
Cafeterias
|
14 |
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
|
2 |
Canvas and Related Product Mills
|
2 |
Car Washes
|
13 |
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
|
13 |
Caterers
|
4 |
Cemeteries and Crematories
|
4 |
Charter Bus Industry
|
2 |
Child and Youth Services
|
7 |
Child Day Care Services
|
63 |
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
|
5 |
Civic and Social Organizations
|
30 |
Claims Adjusting
|
5 |
Clothing Accessories Stores
|
5 |
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
|
9 |
Collection Agencies
|
5 |
Commercial Bakeries
|
2 |
Commercial Flexographic Printing
|
2 |
Commercial Lithographic Printing
|
8 |
Commercial Photography
|
1 |
Commercial Screen Printing
|
2 |
Community Food Services
|
4 |
Computer and Software Stores
|
12 |
Computer Facilities Management Services
|
3 |
Computer Systems Design Services
|
29 |
Computer Training
|
3 |
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing
|
2 |
Confectionery and Nut Stores
|
2 |
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
|
1 |
Consumer Lending
|
15 |
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
|
6 |
Convenience Stores
|
24 |
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
|
3 |
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
|
3 |
Couriers
|
8 |
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
|
5 |
Credit Bureaus
|
1 |
Credit Card Issuing
|
1 |
Credit Unions
|
30 |
Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins
|
1 |
Custom Computer Programming Services
|
26 |
Dental Laboratories
|
14 |
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
|
11 |
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
|
4 |
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
|
12 |
Direct Mail Advertising
|
3 |
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
|
11 |
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
|
1 |
Discount Department Stores
|
5 |
Display Advertising
|
4 |
Document Preparation Services
|
5 |
Drafting Services
|
3 |
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
|
53 |
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
|
39 |
Educational Support Services
|
4 |
Electric Power Distribution
|
16 |
Electrical Contractors
|
43 |
Electronic Shopping
|
1 |
Elementary and Secondary Schools
|
24 |
Emergency and Other Relief Services
|
3 |
Employment Placement Agencies
|
8 |
Engineering Services
|
64 |
Environmental Consulting Services
|
14 |
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
|
6 |
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
|
13 |
Facilities Support Services
|
4 |
Family Clothing Stores
|
28 |
Family Planning Centers
|
1 |
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
|
4 |
Fine Arts Schools
|
9 |
Finish Carpentry Contractors
|
36 |
Fish and Seafood Markets
|
2 |
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
|
4 |
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
|
22 |
Flight Training
|
2 |
Floor Covering Stores
|
20 |
Flooring Contractors
|
16 |
Florists
|
13 |
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
|
17 |
Food Service Contractors
|
11 |
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
|
2 |
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
|
4 |
Framing Contractors
|
18 |
Freight Transportation Arrangement
|
4 |
Fruit and Vegetable Canning
|
1 |
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
|
4 |
Full-Service Restaurants
|
151 |
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
|
13 |
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
|
5 |
Furniture Stores
|
29 |
General Automotive Repair
|
66 |
General Freight Trucking, Local
|
11 |
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
|
4 |
General Rental Centers
|
6 |
General Warehousing and Storage
|
7 |
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
|
22 |
Glass and Glazing Contractors
|
5 |
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
|
4 |
Grantmaking Foundations
|
5 |
Graphic Design Services
|
8 |
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
|
5 |
Hardware Stores
|
13 |
Heating Oil Dealers
|
1 |
HMO Medical Centers
|
1 |
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
|
10 |
Home Centers
|
4 |
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
|
6 |
Home Health Care Services
|
21 |
Home Health Equipment Rental
|
3 |
Homes for the Elderly
|
21 |
Household Appliance Stores
|
9 |
Ice Manufacturing
|
1 |
Industrial Building Construction
|
1 |
Industrial Launderers
|
4 |
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
|
109 |
Interior Design Services
|
7 |
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
|
2 |
Internet Service Providers
|
6 |
Investigation Services
|
6 |
Investment Advice
|
17 |
Iron and Steel Mills
|
1 |
Janitorial Services
|
44 |
Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing
|
1 |
Jewelry Stores
|
31 |
Junior Colleges
|
1 |
Kidney Dialysis Centers
|
5 |
Land Subdivision
|
10 |
Landscape Architectural Services
|
3 |
Landscaping Services
|
60 |
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
|
5 |
Limited-Service Restaurants
|
177 |
Limousine Service
|
1 |
Linen Supply
|
1 |
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
|
1 |
Locksmiths
|
3 |
Logging
|
2 |
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
|
2 |
Machine Shops
|
10 |
Mail-Order Houses
|
4 |
Manifold Business Forms Printing
|
1 |
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
|
4 |
Marinas
|
5 |
Marine Cargo Handling
|
2 |
Marketing Consulting Services
|
11 |
Marking Device Manufacturing
|
1 |
Masonry Contractors
|
24 |
Materials Recovery Facilities
|
2 |
Meat Markets
|
2 |
Media Representatives
|
2 |
Medical Laboratories
|
3 |
Men's Clothing Stores
|
11 |
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
|
3 |
Mineral Wool Manufacturing
|
2 |
Miscellaneous Intermediation
|
2 |
Mobile Food Services
|
3 |
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
|
14 |
Motion Picture and Video Production
|
5 |
Motor Vehicle Towing
|
2 |
Motorcycle Dealers
|
3 |
Museums
|
2 |
Music Publishers
|
1 |
Musical Groups and Artists
|
3 |
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
|
6 |
Nail Salons
|
2 |
Natural Gas Liquid Extraction
|
1 |
Navigational Services to Shipping
|
3 |
New Car Dealers
|
25 |
New Housing Operative Builders
|
16 |
Newspaper Publishers
|
3 |
Nonresidential Property Managers
|
9 |
Nursing Care Facilities
|
11 |
Office Administrative Services
|
17 |
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
|
9 |
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
|
11 |
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
|
1 |
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
|
51 |
Offices of Chiropractors
|
30 |
Offices of Dentists
|
105 |
Offices of Lawyers
|
182 |
Offices of Optometrists
|
14 |
Offices of Podiatrists
|
7 |
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
|
29 |
One-Hour Photofinishing
|
2 |
Optical Goods Stores
|
13 |
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
|
4 |
Packaging and Labeling Services
|
1 |
Packing and Crating
|
1 |
Paging
|
3 |
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
|
10 |
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
|
38 |
Parking Lots and Garages
|
4 |
Passenger Car Rental
|
21 |
Payroll Services
|
3 |
Periodical Publishers
|
1 |
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing
|
1 |
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
|
10 |
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
|
4 |
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
|
3 |
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
|
36 |
Photography Studios, Portrait
|
13 |
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas
|
1 |
Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing
|
1 |
Port and Harbor Operations
|
1 |
Portfolio Management
|
3 |
Poultry Processing
|
1 |
Prepress Services
|
1 |
Private Mail Centers
|
7 |
Professional Employer Organizations
|
6 |
Professional Organizations
|
5 |
Public Relations Agencies
|
1 |
Quick Printing
|
6 |
Racetracks
|
1 |
Radio Networks
|
1 |
Radio Stations
|
7 |
Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing
|
1 |
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
|
5 |
Real Estate Credit
|
27 |
Recreational Goods Rental
|
4 |
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
|
4 |
Remediation Services
|
3 |
Repossession Services
|
2 |
Residential Property Managers
|
24 |
Residential Remodelers
|
60 |
Retail Bakeries
|
5 |
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
|
6 |
Roofing Contractors
|
17 |
Rope, Cordage, and Twine Mills
|
1 |
Sales Financing
|
9 |
Savings Institutions
|
3 |
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
|
4 |
Securities Brokerage
|
27 |
Security Guards and Patrol Services
|
4 |
Septic Tank and Related Services
|
3 |
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
|
3 |
Shellfish Fishing
|
1 |
Ship Building and Repairing
|
1 |
Shoe Stores
|
27 |
Siding Contractors
|
16 |
Sign Manufacturing
|
4 |
Site Preparation Contractors
|
17 |
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
|
11 |
Software Publishers
|
6 |
Solid Waste Collection
|
2 |
Solid Waste Landfill
|
4 |
Sound Recording Studios
|
1 |
Special Needs Transportation
|
1 |
Sporting Goods Stores
|
29 |
Sports and Recreation Instruction
|
5 |
Support Activities for Forestry
|
1 |
Tax Preparation Services
|
21 |
Taxi Service
|
1 |
Telecommunications Resellers
|
4 |
Telemarketing Bureaus
|
3 |
Telephone Answering Services
|
1 |
Television Broadcasting
|
4 |
Temporary Help Services
|
21 |
Temporary Shelters
|
4 |
Testing Laboratories
|
3 |
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
|
1 |
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
|
22 |
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
|
2 |
Tire Dealers
|
30 |
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
|
15 |
Tobacco Stores
|
11 |
Toilet Preparation Manufacturing
|
1 |
Tour Operators
|
1 |
Translation and Interpretation Services
|
2 |
Travel Agencies
|
11 |
Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing
|
1 |
Truss Manufacturing
|
4 |
Used Car Dealers
|
43 |
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
|
21 |
Used Merchandise Stores
|
22 |
Vending Machine Operators
|
6 |
Veterinary Services
|
21 |
Video Tape and Disc Rental
|
14 |
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
|
12 |
Voluntary Health Organizations
|
4 |
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
|
5 |
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
|
2 |
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
|
26 |
Window Treatment Stores
|
1 |
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
|
22 |
Women's Clothing Stores
|
34 |
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
|
1 |
Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing
|
2 |
Wood Preservation
|
1 |
Zoos and Botanical Gardens
|
1 |
Visit the business district of Pensacola and you'll conclude that many business owners have opted to buy a franchise, rather than starting a business on their own. But is franchising the right option for you?
Our recommendation is that you look into purchasing a franchise. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Buying an Existing Franchise. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: How to Buy a Business.
Getting your Pensacola business the capital it needs to succeed is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as 504 Loans.
Good entrepreneurs recognize that they need to continually improve.
Given that you are starting a business in Pensacola, 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 Pensacola networking organizations.
You have a dream -- starting a business in Pensacola. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
We are here to help Pensacola businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Pensacola, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Pensacola.