Maryland Business Startup Guides

Opening a Business in Westminster, Maryland

Contemplating starting a business in Westminster, Maryland? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Westminster.

Is Becoming a Business Owner Right for You?

Being an entrepreneur is demanding, much harder than working as an employee. Are you positive you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?

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

  • Reach out to other entrepreneurs in Westminster. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
  • Peruse Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. This is one of our more popular articles for folks who want to go into business for themselves.
  • Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.

Westminster, Maryland Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
20237
5-9 Employees
7581
10-19 Employees
4683
20-49 Employees
3171
50-99 Employees
819
100-249 Employees
525
250-499 Employees
105
500-999 Employees
21
1000+ Employees
42
All Westminster Businesses
37184

As a new Westminster entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Westminster 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
1
Ambulance Services
1
Amusement Arcades
1
Architectural Services
3
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing
1
Automobile Driving Schools
2
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
3
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
6
Automotive Transmission Repair
3
Barber Shops
1
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
2
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
10
Boat Building
1
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
4
Building Inspection Services
4
Business Associations
2
Cafeterias
1
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
2
Car Washes
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
3
Caterers
5
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Child and Youth Services
1
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
1
Civic and Social Organizations
6
Clothing Accessories Stores
1
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Collection Agencies
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
6
Commodity Contracts Brokerage
1
Computer and Software Stores
2
Computer Facilities Management Services
1
Computer Systems Design Services
21
Confectionery and Nut Stores
1
Consumer Lending
2
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
2
Convenience Stores
10
Credit Unions
1
Curtain and Drapery Mills
2
Custom Computer Programming Services
6
Dental Laboratories
1
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
3
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
1
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
1
Discount Department Stores
4
Display Advertising
1
Document Preparation Services
3
Drafting Services
1
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
7
Educational Support Services
1
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electronic Shopping
2
Elementary and Secondary Schools
4
Engineering Services
12
Environmental Consulting Services
4
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
2
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
4
Family Clothing Stores
2
Fine Arts Schools
3
Finish Carpentry Contractors
12
Fish and Seafood Markets
2
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
16
Floor Covering Stores
3
Flooring Contractors
2
Florists
6
Food Service Contractors
3
Framing Contractors
7
Freight Transportation Arrangement
1
Full-Service Restaurants
44
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
4
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
1
Furniture Stores
6
General Freight Trucking, Local
9
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Warehousing and Storage
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
9
Glass and Glazing Contractors
4
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
4
Grantmaking Foundations
3
Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
2
Hardware Stores
2
Heating Oil Dealers
1
Historical Sites
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
3
Home Centers
3
Home Health Care Services
3
Home Health Equipment Rental
3
Homes for the Elderly
5
Household Appliance Stores
2
Human Rights Organizations
2
Industrial Design Services
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
34
Internet Service Providers
1
Investigation Services
1
Investment Advice
1
Janitorial Services
17
Jewelry Stores
8
Kidney Dialysis Centers
1
Land Subdivision
2
Libraries and Archives
1
Limited-Service Restaurants
43
Limousine Service
2
Locksmiths
1
Luggage Manufacturing
1
Machine Shops
9
Mail-Order Houses
2
Masonry Contractors
13
Meat Markets
1
Meat Processed from Carcasses
1
Medical Laboratories
1
Men's Clothing Stores
2
Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
2
Miscellaneous Intermediation
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
9
Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping
1
Motor Vehicle Towing
6
Motorcycle Dealers
1
Museums
1
Musical Groups and Artists
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
New Car Dealers
10
New Housing Operative Builders
4
Newspaper Publishers
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
3
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Office Administrative Services
5
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
3
Offices of Chiropractors
7
Offices of Dentists
28
Offices of Lawyers
35
Offices of Optometrists
2
Offices of Podiatrists
4
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
10
One-Hour Photofinishing
2
Optical Goods Stores
8
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
2
Packaging Machinery Manufacturing
1
Packing and Crating
2
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
2
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
11
Parking Lots and Garages
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
1
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
1
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
8
Photography Studios, Portrait
2
Portfolio Management
1
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
1
Professional Organizations
5
Quick Printing
1
Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Real Estate Credit
6
Real Estate Investment Trusts
1
Remediation Services
3
Residential Remodelers
59
Retail Bakeries
1
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
3
Roofing Contractors
6
Sales Financing
1
Savings Institutions
2
School and Employee Bus Transportation
18
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Shoe Stores
4
Siding Contractors
6
Sign Manufacturing
1
Site Preparation Contractors
14
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
7
Solid Waste Collection
1
Special Needs Transportation
2
Sporting Goods Stores
5
Sports and Recreation Instruction
3
Tax Preparation Services
4
Telephone Answering Services
1
Temporary Help Services
1
Temporary Shelters
3
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
1
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
1
Tire Dealers
7
Tire Retreading
1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
10
Tobacco Stores
2
Travel Agencies
3
Used Car Dealers
5
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
1
Used Merchandise Stores
5
Vending Machine Operators
1
Veterinary Services
8
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
3
Voluntary Health Organizations
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
3
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
7
Women's Clothing Stores
6
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1

What About Buying an Existing Westminster Business?

We've created a helpful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Maryland. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Westminster.

If you are going to be buying a business, you may want to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.

Naming the Company

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 Company.

On a final note, given that you are planning on starting a business in Westminster, it's critical that you ensure that no other Maryland company is using the business name you want to use.

Letting the World Know You Exist

To grow your Westminster business, you need a great marketing plan.

We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. How to Get Started with Advertsing is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Bring in Revenues

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Westminster business, you need to focus on sales.

Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

The Art of Customer Referrals offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

Moving Forward

As an entrepreneur in Westminster, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Westminster and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Westminster entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Westminster, Maryland

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Maryland

Starting a Business in Waldorf

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

 

 

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary