18 Top Industries in Which to Start a Business

Posted by ShawnHessinger under Startups
From http://www.inc.com 5299 days ago
Made Hot by: aliciatrinidad on October 15, 2009 12:27 pm

Some of the 18 top industries in which to start a business from Inc.com may include sectors that might not instantly come to mind. They might also be topics a perspective entrepreneur might not immediately consider when thinking of the best business to start. Follow the slide show for a closeup look at each and consider whether the talents or resources you can bring together are a natural fit for any of these.

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Comments

Written by ethan
5296 days ago

Shawn,

I will definitely agree with you on the chocolate industry. I have read a few stories now about chocolatiers who have established themselves in small areas and larger cities alike and have been able to make a viable living, tens of millions even, on their confections. Chocolate is much like wine in a sense. Both are hugely popular items, yet new sellers/makers will always be welcomed into the marketplace because such a wide array of nuances, styles, etc. are available and often embraced.

(I think I kind of ate my words on the alcohol part of my previous comment...for some reason my mind was wander into the soft-drink arena having just watched the most recent episode of Shark Tank...)

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Written by ShawnHessinger
5297 days ago

Ethan,

One exception here in the candy department is in the world of chocolate. I have no idea if the same goes for other parts of the country or the world, but in eastern Pennsylvania the small chocolatier, basically a person who makes confectionaries out of chocolate, can become a viable small business operator with considerable independence. I can think of one small city in Pennsylvania in particular where several of these small businesses operate quite successfully usually as single proprietorships with perhaps a choclatier working alone or with a handful of other employees. Than there are the slightly larger brands that might employ several choclatiers, sales people and have somewhat more area in terms of a shop front. All are far lower on the food chain than giants like, say, Hershey, but all seem viable business models. I am not certain what the investment requirement is for such an operation but know it is a business that relies mainly on the skill and training of the chocolatier. Another thing to consider in the wine/beer/liquor sector is the small specialty wine label and microbrewery revolution which have substantailly challenged the giants in the market in recent years.

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Written by ethan
5297 days ago

Shawn - they certainly are broad! Lots of room to find a point of entry and establish a niche small business.

While many of these have room for new businesses, many of these also pose quite a risk. The main one that comes to mind is the candy and wine/beer/liquor suggestions. These industries are more or less controlled by a few giants. That does not totally rule out the possibility of getting in on the action, but it does require a bit of thought and certainty in a new product or service looking to break in.

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Written by ShawnHessinger
5299 days ago

Right. And the interesting thing to me is that a lot of these industries are pretty broad and could accommodate many different kinds of businesses.

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