Ohio Business Startup Guides

Opening a Business in Youngstown, Ohio

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

Are You Sure You Want to Do This?

An entrepreneurial life is difficult, much harder than working as an employee. Are you certain you are ready to take on this challenge?

Because entrepreneurship is not for everyone, we recommend you do the following to help you assess whether you should move forward with starting a business:

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Youngstown. 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.

Choosing the Right Company to Start

An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. If you are struggling with what type of business to start, read Finding Your Niche in Life.

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 How to Start an Office Furniture & Equipment Rental & Leasing Business guide or our How to Start a Travel Medicine Business guide.

Don't forget that you are opening your new business in Youngstown. Some businesses will do better in Youngstown than others. Make sure you fully understand Youngstown demographics before you lock in on your business idea.

Youngstown, Ohio Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
19848
5-9 Employees
9639
10-19 Employees
6345
20-49 Employees
4635
50-99 Employees
1566
100-249 Employees
882
250-499 Employees
153
500-999 Employees
27
1000+ Employees
18
All Youngstown Businesses
43113

As a new Youngstown entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Youngstown 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
4
Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing
1
Aluminum Extruded Product Manufacturing
3
Ambulance Services
3
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
4
Apprenticeship Training
2
Architectural Services
7
Armored Car Services
3
Art Dealers
1
Automobile Driving Schools
4
Automobile Manufacturing
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
5
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
34
Automotive Transmission Repair
3
Baked Goods Stores
3
Barber Shops
1
Beauty Salons
52
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
3
Boat Dealers
2
Book Stores
4
Books Printing
1
Bowling Centers
5
Building Inspection Services
1
Burial Casket Manufacturing
1
Business Associations
10
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Cafeterias
7
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
3
Canvas and Related Product Mills
4
Car Washes
16
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
8
Caterers
11
Child and Youth Services
4
Child Day Care Services
42
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
6
Civic and Social Organizations
31
Claims Adjusting
2
Clay Refractory Manufacturing
2
Clothing Accessories Stores
5
Collection Agencies
2
Commercial Bakeries
3
Commercial Lithographic Printing
9
Commercial Screen Printing
1
Community Food Services
3
Computer and Software Stores
3
Computer Systems Design Services
11
Confectionery and Nut Stores
5
Construction Machinery Manufacturing
1
Consumer Lending
8
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
5
Convenience Stores
25
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
3
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
2
Credit Unions
15
Curtain and Drapery Mills
3
Custom Computer Programming Services
17
Custom Roll Forming
2
Dental Laboratories
6
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
8
Digital Printing
1
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
7
Direct Mail Advertising
3
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
2
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
1
Discount Department Stores
6
Document Preparation Services
1
Drilling Oil and Gas Wells
2
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
54
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
13
Educational Support Services
3
Electric Power Distribution
3
Electrical Contractors
28
Electronic Shopping
4
Emergency and Other Relief Services
3
Employment Placement Agencies
9
Engineering Services
26
Envelope Manufacturing
1
Environmental Consulting Services
4
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
3
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
5
Family Clothing Stores
20
Family Planning Centers
3
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
1
Fine Arts Schools
9
Finish Carpentry Contractors
12
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
33
Floor Covering Stores
15
Florists
17
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
7
Food Service Contractors
11
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
1
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
5
Framing Contractors
5
Freight Transportation Arrangement
5
Full-Service Restaurants
121
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
18
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
4
Furniture Stores
22
General Automotive Repair
38
General Freight Trucking, Local
13
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
3
General Warehousing and Storage
5
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
21
Glass and Glazing Contractors
2
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
4
Grantmaking Foundations
6
Graphic Design Services
6
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
6
Heating Oil Dealers
1
HMO Medical Centers
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
9
Home Centers
2
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
5
Home Health Care Services
22
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Household Appliance Stores
6
Industrial Building Construction
2
Industrial Launderers
3
Industrial Mold Manufacturing
5
Industrial Pattern Manufacturing
1
Institutional Furniture Manufacturing
2
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
87
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
1
Internet Service Providers
2
Investigation Services
3
Investment Advice
11
Iron and Steel Forging
1
Iron and Steel Mills
2
Iron Foundries
2
Jewelry Stores
24
Junior Colleges
2
Kidney Dialysis Centers
3
Land Subdivision
1
Landscaping Services
45
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
2
Libraries and Archives
1
Limousine Service
2
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
3
Locksmiths
2
Machine Shops
14
Mail-Order Houses
3
Marketing Consulting Services
7
Masonry Contractors
14
Meat Processed from Carcasses
1
Medical Laboratories
8
Men's Clothing Stores
9
Metal Heat Treating
2
Metal Stamping
3
Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
1
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
3
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
12
Motion Picture and Video Distribution
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
2
Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping
1
Motor Vehicle Towing
7
Motorcycle Dealers
6
Museums
5
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
4
Nail Salons
5
Natural Gas Distribution
2
New Car Dealers
19
New Housing Operative Builders
2
News Dealers and Newsstands
2
Newspaper Publishers
5
Nursing Care Facilities
21
Office Administrative Services
22
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
11
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
9
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
42
Offices of Chiropractors
41
Offices of Dentists
97
Offices of Optometrists
13
Offices of Other Holding Companies
4
Offices of Podiatrists
26
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
7
Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing
4
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
1
Optical Goods Stores
12
Packaging and Labeling Services
1
Packaging Machinery Manufacturing
1
Packing and Crating
1
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
2
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
8
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
34
Parking Lots and Garages
5
Payroll Services
4
Periodical Publishers
3
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing
2
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
10
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
6
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
39
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas
1
Plate Work Manufacturing
3
Political Organizations
1
Portfolio Management
5
Powder Metallurgy Part Manufacturing
1
Power-Driven Handtool Manufacturing
1
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
1
Private Mail Centers
2
Professional Employer Organizations
7
Professional Organizations
10
Public Relations Agencies
2
Quick Printing
4
Radio Stations
9
Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing
1
Real Estate Credit
11
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
1
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
2
Remediation Services
1
Repossession Services
1
Residential Property Managers
8
Residential Remodelers
27
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
3
Rolled Steel Shape Manufacturing
1
Roofing Contractors
18
Rooming and Boarding Houses
2
Sales Financing
3
Satellite Telecommunications
1
Savings Institutions
20
Securities Brokerage
24
Security Guards and Patrol Services
4
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Shoe Stores
23
Siding Contractors
9
Sign Manufacturing
9
Site Preparation Contractors
20
Software Publishers
1
Solid Waste Collection
2
Special Needs Transportation
1
Sporting Goods Stores
18
Sports and Recreation Instruction
9
Sports Teams and Clubs
1
Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply
1
Taxi Service
1
Telecommunications Resellers
1
Telemarketing Bureaus
5
Telephone Answering Services
2
Television Broadcasting
3
Temporary Help Services
14
Temporary Shelters
3
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
5
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
1
Tire Dealers
12
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
10
Tobacco Stores
5
Tour Operators
1
Travel Agencies
6
Truss Manufacturing
2
Used Car Dealers
28
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
7
Used Merchandise Stores
20
Vending Machine Operators
4
Veterinary Services
12
Video Tape and Disc Rental
13
Voluntary Health Organizations
7
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
1
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
27
Window Treatment Stores
2
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
20
Women's Clothing Stores
32
Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing
1

Marketing Your New Venture

To rise above the crowd in Youngstown and build your business, you need a great marketing plan.

We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Yellow Pages Advertising Advice is an article that will generate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.

Building Up Your Sales

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

The key to selling is to set sales goals goals and monitor your progress towards those goals. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Compensating Sales People offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

Increase Your Entrepreneurial Knowledge

Good entrepreneurs know that they need to continually improve.

As an entrepreneur who lives in Youngstown, Ohio, you will want to take advantage of the learning programs at local Ohio educational institutions. It's also smart to see if there are any networking organizations for Youngstown entrepreneurs.

Next Steps

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

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Youngstown 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 Youngstown, Ohio

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

  • Resources for Youngstown, Ohio Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Youngstown entrepreneurs.
  • Ohio Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Ohio.
  • Ohio Small Business Development Center - Whether you're starting your business, expanding your business, or just looking to stay in business, the Small Business Development Centers of Ohio (SBDCs of Ohio) can help with professional guidance by connecting you with research, financing sources, and training opportunities.

More Business Startup Guides for Ohio

Starting a Business in Yellow Springs
Starting a Business in Zanesville

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Ohio
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