Industry Specific Business Guides

These industry specific business guides focus on industries where small businesses account for much of the activity. The guides are designed to help in start-up business planning.

Although these reports were prepared with Missouri businesses in mind, some issues, opportunities, and challenges may apply to businesses in other states as well.

Two types of report are available:

Business Profiles

Industry Focus

These business briefs were originally prepared by the Missouri Department of Economic Development's Business Assistance Center. Each profile discusses required licenses, legal structure, hiring employees, tax requirements, and include general and specific business resources.

Agricultural businesses
Antique shop
Auto sales
Automotive repair collision and mechanical
Beauty salon and barber shop
Bed and breakfast
Catering
Cleaning services
Computer sales, service and consulting
Commercial construction company
Consultant
Convenience store
Counseling services
Crafts - manufacture and sales
Day care, adult
Day care, child
Eating and drinking establishments
Elder care/long-term care
Food processing business
Franchises
General contractors
Gift shop
Grocery store
Home health care agency
Home inspectors
Insurance companies
Interior design
Internet services
Janitorial service
Landscaping and lawn care
Lodging establishments
Mail order
Massage therapy
Manufacturing business, miscellaneous
Medical billing
Mortgage brokers
Nursery and greenhouse management
Payday loan company
Photography
Private investigator
Real estate
Remodeling
Retail store
Savings and loan companies
Service business, miscellaneous
Security guards
Tattooing
Time shares
Trucking company
Vending machines
Wholesale business, miscellaneous

Industry focus reports are authored by the MO SBTDC's University Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship for the Columbia Business Times. Although the details of these reports and lists are specific to the 10-county mid-Missouri region, overall information is relevant for others.

Accounting
Advertising
Architecture and engineering services
Communications technology
Continuing education
Home health care
Human resources
Marketing/public relations service
Manufacturing and distribution
Security system service
Yard and garden (landscaping services/landscaping architecture)