New York Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Lockport, New York

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

Will You Be a Successful Entrepreneur?

Being an entrepreneur is difficult, much more challenging than working as an employee. Are you sure 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.

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Lockport. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
  • We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Have a candid conversation with friends and family. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.

What Business Are You Starting?

An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. We recommend that you read Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.

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 Opening an Acupuncture & Acupressure Specialists Business guide or our How to Start a Pumping Contractors & Services Business guide.

Always keep in mind that you are starting a business in Lockport. Some businesses will do better in Lockport than others. Don't forget to review Lockport demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.

Lockport, New York Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
5163
5-9 Employees
2205
10-19 Employees
1584
20-49 Employees
846
50-99 Employees
297
100-249 Employees
144
250-499 Employees
54
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
9
All Lockport Businesses
10302

As a new Lockport entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Lockport 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
Abrasive Product Manufacturing
1
Advertising Agencies
1
Ambulance Services
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
1
Architectural Services
1
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
6
Automotive Transmission Repair
1
Baked Goods Stores
3
Beauty Salons
17
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
4
Book Stores
2
Bowling Centers
2
Business Associations
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
2
Cafeterias
1
Car Washes
2
Cemeteries and Crematories
3
Charter Bus Industry
1
Child and Youth Services
2
Civic and Social Organizations
6
Claims Adjusting
1
Clothing Accessories Stores
2
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
2
Collection Agencies
1
Commercial Flexographic Printing
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
1
Community Food Services
1
Computer and Software Stores
2
Computer Systems Design Services
1
Computer Training
2
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
1
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
1
Consumer Lending
4
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
1
Couriers
1
Credit Unions
6
Curtain and Drapery Mills
1
Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins
1
Dental Laboratories
3
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
2
Document Preparation Services
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
15
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
6
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
13
Electronic Shopping
1
Elementary and Secondary Schools
3
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
1
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
1
Facilities Support Services
1
Family Planning Centers
2
Fine Arts Schools
3
Finish Carpentry Contractors
9
Flight Training
1
Flooring Contractors
2
Florists
2
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
1
Food Service Contractors
7
Framing Contractors
1
Freight Transportation Arrangement
1
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
2
Furniture Stores
1
General Automotive Repair
19
General Freight Trucking, Local
4
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
2
General Warehousing and Storage
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
4
Grantmaking Foundations
1
Graphic Design Services
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
1
Hardware Stores
4
Heating Oil Dealers
2
Historical Sites
1
Home Health Care Services
2
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Homes for the Elderly
4
Household Appliance Stores
3
Industrial Design Services
1
Industrial Gas Manufacturing
1
Industrial Valve Manufacturing
1
Investment Advice
1
Janitorial Services
7
Jewelry Stores
6
Landscape Architectural Services
1
Landscaping Services
30
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
2
Libraries and Archives
1
Limousine Service
2
Machine Shops
8
Mail-Order Houses
1
Masonry Contractors
4
Mattress Manufacturing
1
Meat Markets
2
Metal Heat Treating
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
2
Motion Picture and Video Production
1
Motorcycle Dealers
2
Museums
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
New Car Dealers
9
New Housing Operative Builders
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Office Administrative Services
1
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
1
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
7
Offices of Chiropractors
7
Offices of Lawyers
38
Offices of Optometrists
3
Offices of Podiatrists
2
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
1
Optical Goods Stores
3
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
4
Packaging Machinery Manufacturing
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
4
Paper Industry Machinery Manufacturing
3
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
1
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
3
Petrochemical Manufacturing
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
8
Photography Studios, Portrait
1
Plastics Bag Manufacturing
1
Plate Work Manufacturing
1
Portfolio Management
2
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
1
Private Mail Centers
1
Professional Organizations
1
Quick Printing
1
Real Estate Credit
2
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
1
Remediation Services
1
Residential Property Managers
2
Residential Remodelers
14
Retail Bakeries
1
Roofing Contractors
1
Savings Institutions
3
School and Employee Bus Transportation
2
Securities Brokerage
6
Shoe Stores
2
Siding Contractors
6
Sign Manufacturing
1
Site Preparation Contractors
10
Sporting Goods Stores
8
Sports and Recreation Instruction
2
Tax Preparation Services
7
Taxi Service
3
Television Broadcasting
1
Temporary Help Services
2
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
1
Tire Dealers
4
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Tradebinding and Related Work
1
Travel Agencies
1
Truss Manufacturing
1
Used Car Dealers
5
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
1
Video Tape and Disc Rental
4
Voluntary Health Organizations
2
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
5
Window Treatment Stores
1
Wineries
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
5

Should You Franchise?

Visit the business district of Lockport and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. But is franchising the right option for you?

Most business experts recommend that you evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. We have many articles on franchises, such as Costs of Franchise Ownership. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

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

Sample franchise opportunities include PrideStaff Staffing and Chester's International, LLC. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Seafood Restaurant Franchises and Employment and Staffing Franchises.

Note on Lockport Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Lockport, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.

Getting Money to Start a Business

Finding the funds to fuel the growth of your Lockport business is a difficult chore. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.

Take advantage of our many articles on raising capital, such as Getting a Small Business Loan.

For Lockport entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of New York Angel Investors and our List of New York Venture Capital Firms.

Letting the World Know You Exist

Whether your goal is to attract Lockport customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your business achieving its goals.

There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Billboard Advertising Costs is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

What's Next?

As an entrepreneur in Lockport, 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.

We are here to help Lockport businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Lockport, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Lockport, New York

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in New York

Starting a Business in Little Valley
Starting a Business in Locust Valley

Browse All Business Startup Guides for New York
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

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