District of Columbia Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Washington, District of Columbia

Need help starting a business in Washington, District of Columbia? We've got the information you need to open a business in Washington.

Are You Sure You Want to Do This?

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

While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Washington. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
  • We recommend reading Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.

Washington, District of Columbia Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
547596
5-9 Employees
210924
10-19 Employees
150912
20-49 Employees
113778
50-99 Employees
41472
100-249 Employees
29052
250-499 Employees
7560
500-999 Employees
3294
1000+ Employees
1512
All Washington Businesses
1106100

As a new Washington entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Washington 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
35
Aircraft Manufacturing
1
Ambulance Services
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
1
Apprenticeship Training
9
Armored Car Services
2
Art Dealers
42
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing
1
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
2
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
16
Automotive Transmission Repair
3
Barber Shops
20
Beauty Salons
177
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
11
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
5
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
170
Boat Dealers
1
Book Publishers
31
Books Printing
1
Breweries
1
Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills
1
Building Inspection Services
4
Business Associations
486
Business to Business Electronic Markets
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
10
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
18
Canvas and Related Product Mills
1
Car Washes
14
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Caterers
31
Cemeteries and Crematories
6
Charter Bus Industry
3
Child Day Care Services
191
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
12
Civic and Social Organizations
224
Claims Adjusting
2
Clothing Accessories Stores
26
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
28
Collection Agencies
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
24
Commercial Photography
13
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Commodity Contracts Dealing
11
Community Food Services
16
Computer and Software Stores
7
Computer Facilities Management Services
56
Computer Training
18
Confectionery and Nut Stores
4
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
1
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
1
Consumer Lending
11
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
7
Convenience Stores
95
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
8
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
3
Couriers
22
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
17
Credit Bureaus
2
Credit Card Issuing
1
Credit Unions
92
Custom Computer Programming Services
167
Dance Companies
4
Deep Sea Freight Transportation
1
Dental Laboratories
2
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
6
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
6
Digital Printing
5
Direct Mail Advertising
6
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
9
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
9
Discount Department Stores
2
Display Advertising
2
Document Preparation Services
26
Drafting Services
1
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
6
Educational Support Services
106
Electric Power Distribution
27
Electrical Contractors
27
Electronic Shopping
8
Elementary and Secondary Schools
124
Emergency and Other Relief Services
22
Engineering Services
145
Environmental Consulting Services
44
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
33
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
7
Facilities Support Services
27
Family Clothing Stores
53
Family Planning Centers
7
Fine Arts Schools
25
Finish Carpentry Contractors
8
Fish and Seafood Markets
6
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
4
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
74
Floor Covering Stores
15
Flooring Contractors
10
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
12
Food Service Contractors
225
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
4
Footwear Merchant Wholesalers
1
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
3
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
2
Framing Contractors
5
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
2
Full-Service Restaurants
621
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
22
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
26
Furniture Stores
56
General Automotive Repair
58
General Freight Trucking, Local
2
General Rental Centers
2
General Warehousing and Storage
7
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
115
Glass and Glazing Contractors
4
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
6
Grantmaking Foundations
210
Graphic Design Services
86
Hardware Stores
16
Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal
1
Heating Oil Dealers
2
Historical Sites
9
HMO Medical Centers
4
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
5
Home Centers
1
Home Health Care Services
20
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Homes for the Elderly
19
Household Appliance Stores
2
Human Rights Organizations
186
Hunting and Trapping
1
Industrial Building Construction
3
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
101
Interior Design Services
52
International Trade Financing
5
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
24
Internet Service Providers
11
Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
2
Investigation Services
12
Janitorial Services
95
Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing
2
Jewelry Stores
52
Junior Colleges
1
Kidney Dialysis Centers
17
Land Subdivision
20
Landscape Architectural Services
17
Language Schools
18
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
4
Libraries and Archives
5
Limited-Service Restaurants
694
Limousine Service
11
Linen Supply
1
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
14
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
9
Machine Shops
1
Mail-Order Houses
14
Marinas
4
Marketing Consulting Services
109
Marking Device Manufacturing
1
Masonry Contractors
8
Meat Markets
12
Media Buying Agencies
3
Media Representatives
4
Medical Laboratories
8
Men's Clothing Stores
34
Miscellaneous Intermediation
19
Mobile Food Services
2
Motion Picture and Video Distribution
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
89
Motor Vehicle Towing
11
Museums
29
Music Publishers
1
Musical Groups and Artists
21
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
5
Natural Gas Liquid Extraction
1
Navigational Services to Shipping
1
New Car Dealers
4
New Housing Operative Builders
8
News Dealers and Newsstands
19
News Syndicates
39
Newspaper Publishers
46
Nursing Care Facilities
16
Office Administrative Services
91
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
56
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
20
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
6
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
100
Offices of Chiropractors
17
Offices of Lawyers
1,338
Offices of Optometrists
25
Offices of Other Holding Companies
35
Offices of Podiatrists
27
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
11
One-Hour Photofinishing
7
Open-End Investment Funds
2
Optical Goods Stores
37
Packaging and Labeling Services
3
Paging
2
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
8
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
19
Parking Lots and Garages
395
Payroll Services
21
Periodical Publishers
80
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
8
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
12
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
84
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas
5
Political Organizations
149
Portfolio Management
93
Prepress Services
3
Private Mail Centers
9
Professional Employer Organizations
9
Professional Organizations
319
Quick Printing
25
Racetracks
1
Radio Networks
6
Radio Stations
20
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
4
Real Estate Credit
30
Real Estate Investment Trusts
10
Reinsurance Carriers
1
Remediation Services
3
Repossession Services
1
Residential Property Managers
115
Residential Remodelers
75
Retail Bakeries
7
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
8
Rooming and Boarding Houses
3
Sales Financing
10
Satellite Telecommunications
14
Savings Institutions
44
Scheduled Freight Air Transportation
3
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
53
School and Employee Bus Transportation
3
Securities and Commodity Exchanges
1
Securities Brokerage
53
Security Guards and Patrol Services
66
Setup Paperboard Box Manufacturing
1
Shoe Stores
65
Sign Manufacturing
4
Site Preparation Contractors
6
Software Publishers
31
Software Reproducing
1
Solid Waste Collection
18
Solid Waste Landfill
1
Sound Recording Studios
2
Special Needs Transportation
7
Sporting Goods Stores
16
Sports Teams and Clubs
3
Tax Preparation Services
36
Taxi Service
12
Telecommunications Resellers
8
Telemarketing Bureaus
4
Telephone Answering Services
6
Television Broadcasting
20
Temporary Shelters
26
Testing Laboratories
2
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
17
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
1
Tire Dealers
4
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
21
Tobacco Stores
7
Tour Operators
16
Tradebinding and Related Work
2
Translation and Interpretation Services
12
Travel Agencies
145
Uranium-Radium-Vanadium Ore Mining
1
Used Car Dealers
10
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
14
Vending Machine Operators
3
Veterinary Services
13
Video Tape and Disc Rental
20
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
53
Voluntary Health Organizations
80
Web Search Portals
7
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
30
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
112
Women's Clothing Stores
85

Should You Franchise?

Browse the Yellow Pages for Washington and you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. But is franchising the right option for you?

We highly recommend you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Buying a Franchise. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.

To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include Jet City Pizza and Coffee News. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Golf Franchises and Landscaping Franchises.

Note on Washington Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Washington.

Company Formation in Washington, District of Columbia

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.

When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

Incorporating 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. Just because you are starting a business in District of Columbia, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in District of Columbia. In fact, 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's a lot to know about forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Pre-Incorporation Agreements. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Washington, District of Columbia, our web page covering Incorporating in District of Columbia may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in District of Columbia.

Don't Skip the Business Plan

Writing a business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan will greatly reduce your chances of business success.

To learn more about business plans, read The Art of the Executive Summary. You can also get face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in District of Columbia.

Getting Money to Start a Business

Raising money to fund your new Washington business is a difficult chore. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.

Take advantage of our many articles on raising capital, such as 504 Loans.

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

Some Interesting Washington Entrepreneurs

Here, we'll keep a running list of interviews we've had with Washington entrepreneurs.

Next Steps

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

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Washington and throughout the United States . 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 Washington, District of Columbia

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

More Business Startup Guides for District of Columbia


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