The Entrepreneurial Startup Market:
A Readership Profile

Active owners per business start: 1.5

23% of new businesses begin with an employee other than the owner.

33% start as part-time ventures in first month.

$4,250 — Median investment to start business.

$18,000 — average investment to start business.

12% began with the active involvement of a family member. Most often a spouse or sibling.

16% — Serial entrepreneurs who have started three or more businesses.

85% — are starting a business for the first time.

64.9% are male.

35% are female.

73% are under the age of 44. 

10% are African American.

4.2% are Hispanic.

60.6% are married.

76% were employed 30 days before launch.

50.4% are high school graduates or have some college.

25% are college graduates

12.8% have Professional Degrees

48.4% have household income in excess of $60,000.

71.2% start as home based

10.8% — profitable in the first month.

11.4% — profitable in second month.

35.3% — profitable after the second month.

45.3% — Raised startup investment in one month.

28.2% — Raised investment in three months.

16.9% — Raised investment in four to 12 months.

*Sources: Wells Fargo / NFIB Series, Business Starts and Stops. 1999.
Small Business Administration. U.S. Census Bureau.