North Carolina Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Raleigh, North Carolina

Thinking about starting a business in Raleigh, North Carolina? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Raleigh.

Raleigh, North Carolina Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
66885
5-9 Employees
23442
10-19 Employees
16431
20-49 Employees
12231
50-99 Employees
4329
100-249 Employees
2214
250-499 Employees
576
500-999 Employees
135
1000+ Employees
99
All Raleigh Businesses
126342

As a new Raleigh entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Raleigh 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
4
Amusement and Theme Parks
2
Amusement Arcades
3
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
9
Architectural Services
84
Art Dealers
9
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing
1
Automobile Driving Schools
2
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
5
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
13
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
55
Automotive Transmission Repair
11
Barber Shops
8
Beauty Salons
138
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
1
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
2
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
20
Bituminous Coal Underground Mining
1
Blood and Organ Banks
5
Book Publishers
7
Book Stores
27
Bowling Centers
6
Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills
3
Building Inspection Services
23
Business Associations
59
Business to Business Electronic Markets
4
Cafeterias
15
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
9
Canvas and Related Product Mills
1
Car Washes
19
Carpet and Rug Mills
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
21
Caterers
13
Charter Bus Industry
1
Child and Youth Services
26
Child Day Care Services
121
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
18
Civic and Social Organizations
47
Claims Adjusting
24
Clothing Accessories Stores
13
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
14
Collection Agencies
5
Commercial Bakeries
2
Commercial Flexographic Printing
1
Commercial Gravure Printing
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
35
Commercial Photography
12
Community Food Services
8
Computer and Software Stores
31
Computer Facilities Management Services
4
Computer Systems Design Services
167
Computer Training
13
Concrete Pipe Manufacturing
2
Confectionery and Nut Stores
2
Consumer Lending
17
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
5
Convenience Stores
39
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
20
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
3
Couriers
25
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
9
Credit Unions
33
Curtain and Drapery Mills
2
Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
179
Dance Companies
4
Dental Laboratories
12
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
10
Digital Printing
3
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
37
Direct Mail Advertising
9
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
10
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
2
Discount Department Stores
14
Display Advertising
6
Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing
2
Drafting Services
9
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells
2
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
44
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
25
Educational Support Services
23
Electric Power Distribution
5
Electronic Computer Manufacturing
2
Electronic Resistor Manufacturing
1
Electronic Shopping
21
Elementary and Secondary Schools
42
Emergency and Other Relief Services
1
Employment Placement Agencies
40
Engineering Services
210
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
10
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
24
Facilities Support Services
11
Family Clothing Stores
52
Family Planning Centers
4
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
4
Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturing
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
65
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
3
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
59
Flight Training
2
Floor Covering Stores
23
Flooring Contractors
39
Florists
29
Food Product Machinery Manufacturing
2
Food Service Contractors
31
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
2
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
8
Framing Contractors
26
Freight Transportation Arrangement
20
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
7
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
12
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
9
Furniture Stores
74
General Automotive Repair
134
General Freight Trucking, Local
20
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
4
General Rental Centers
7
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
46
Glass and Glazing Contractors
5
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
13
Grantmaking Foundations
27
Graphic Design Services
54
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
16
Hardware Stores
21
Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal
1
Heating Oil Dealers
1
Historical Sites
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
14
Home Centers
6
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
14
Home Health Care Services
45
Homes for the Elderly
20
Household Appliance Stores
13
Human Rights Organizations
12
Ice Manufacturing
1
Industrial Building Construction
4
Industrial Design Services
8
Industrial Launderers
3
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
276
Interior Design Services
37
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
8
Internet Service Providers
11
Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
2
Investigation Services
16
Investment Advice
38
Janitorial Services
153
Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing
2
Jewelry Stores
65
Junior Colleges
5
Kidney Dialysis Centers
3
Land Subdivision
49
Landscape Architectural Services
26
Language Schools
7
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
13
Libraries and Archives
3
Limited-Service Restaurants
344
Limousine Service
5
Linen Supply
3
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
3
Logging
2
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
3
Machine Shops
7
Mail-Order Houses
12
Manifold Business Forms Printing
1
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
4
Marinas
2
Marking Device Manufacturing
1
Masonry Contractors
41
Mattress Manufacturing
1
Meat Markets
3
Media Buying Agencies
1
Media Representatives
3
Medical Laboratories
12
Men's Clothing Stores
22
Metal Heat Treating
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
8
Mobile Food Services
4
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
64
Motion Picture and Video Production
20
Motor Vehicle Towing
8
Museums
12
Music Publishers
1
Musical Groups and Artists
7
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
15
Musical Instrument Manufacturing
3
Nail Salons
8
Natural Gas Distribution
3
New Car Dealers
28
New Housing Operative Builders
60
News Syndicates
2
Newspaper Publishers
5
Nonresidential Property Managers
33
Nursing Care Facilities
13
Office Administrative Services
65
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
23
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
128
Offices of Chiropractors
48
Offices of Dentists
200
Offices of Lawyers
403
Offices of Optometrists
33
Offices of Podiatrists
6
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
45
One-Hour Photofinishing
4
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
3
Optical Goods Stores
16
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
2
Outerwear Knitting Mills
1
Packaging Machinery Manufacturing
3
Packing and Crating
1
Paging
1
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
13
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
84
Paper (except Newsprint) Mills
1
Parking Lots and Garages
21
Passenger Car Rental
25
Payroll Services
15
Periodical Publishers
16
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
14
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
19
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
50
Photography Studios, Portrait
35
Plate Work Manufacturing
1
Political Organizations
16
Portfolio Management
24
Prepress Services
4
Primary Battery Manufacturing
1
Professional Employer Organizations
15
Professional Organizations
41
Public Relations Agencies
40
Quick Printing
13
Radio Stations
16
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
6
Real Estate Credit
92
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
1
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
2
Reinsurance Carriers
1
Remediation Services
9
Repossession Services
1
Residential Property Managers
104
Residential Remodelers
151
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
14
Roofing Contractors
26
Rooming and Boarding Houses
4
Sales Financing
10
Satellite Telecommunications
1
Savings Institutions
9
Sawmills
1
School and Employee Bus Transportation
2
Securities Brokerage
71
Security Guards and Patrol Services
23
Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing
1
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
11
Shoe Stores
63
Sign Manufacturing
8
Site Preparation Contractors
49
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
71
Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing
1
Software Publishers
27
Software Reproducing
2
Solid Waste Collection
10
Sound Recording Studios
5
Soybean Processing
1
Special Needs Transportation
5
Sporting Goods Stores
37
Sports and Recreation Instruction
18
Sports Teams and Clubs
1
Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply
1
Tax Preparation Services
31
Taxi Service
8
Telecommunications Resellers
5
Telemarketing Bureaus
7
Telephone Answering Services
5
Television Broadcasting
8
Temporary Help Services
110
Testing Laboratories
17
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
7
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
21
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
5
Tire Dealers
32
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
17
Tobacco Stores
4
Tour Operators
3
Tradebinding and Related Work
3
Translation and Interpretation Services
3
Travel Agencies
32
Truss Manufacturing
2
Used Car Dealers
43
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
15
Vending Machine Operators
9
Veterinary Services
46
Video Tape and Disc Rental
27
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
12
Voluntary Health Organizations
12
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
5
Watch, Clock, and Part Manufacturing
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
111
Window Treatment Stores
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
50
Women's Clothing Stores
82
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1
Wood Preservation
1
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
1

Should You Buy an Existing Raleigh Business?

We've created a useful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in North Carolina. Follow that link and you can assess several good businesses for sale in Raleigh.

For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: Buying a Business.

Naming the Business

A big decision when starting a company is choosing a company name. Believe it or not, choosing a good company name can be a big contributor to your business success.

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 Business.

There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are starting a business in Raleigh, it's very important that you make sure no other North Carolina company is using the business name you want to use.

Forming a Company in Raleigh, North Carolina

It's very important that you form your business as a legal structure. Doing so will protect 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.

Incorporating is a very popular way to form a business. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. If you are starting a business in North Carolina, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in North Carolina. As it turns out, you can 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 Raleigh, North Carolina, our information on Incorporating in North Carolina may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in North Carolina.

Raising Money for Your New Venture

Getting your Raleigh business the capital it needs to succeed is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.

To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as 504 Loans.

For Raleigh entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, check out our List of North Carolina Angel Investors and our List of North Carolina Venture Capital Firms.

Promoting Your New Business

To grow your Raleigh business, you need a solid marketing plan.

There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Print Advertising Costs is a good read to get your marketing creativity flowing. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Bring in Revenues

Being able to sell is a key enabler to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Raleigh or are selling to customers throughout North Carolina, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

So what does it take to bring in more prospects and close more business? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Hiring Telemarketing Firms to Generate Sales Leads is worth reading, as it may give you some good ideas on how to sell your products or services. We have many more good articles on selling that you may enjoy reading.

Now It's Up To You

You have a dream -- starting a business in Raleigh. 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 Raleigh and elsewhere to achieve real success. We have a wealth of experience in business start-ups, financing, marketing, sales and more...and we've made all of our knowledge available to you.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Raleigh, North Carolina

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

More Business Startup Guides for North Carolina

Starting a Business in Raeford
Starting a Business in Red Springs

Browse All Business Startup Guides for North Carolina
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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