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Top Industries For Small Businesses (A)
Five major small business industries in the US that meet the defined research criteria are landscaping services, nursing and residential care facilities, chiropractors, fitness and recreational sports centers, and offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists.
LANDSCAPING SERVICES
Number of Firms & Revenue
- Number of firms with <500 employees: 102,290
- Preliminary receipts for businesses with <500 employees: $66.1 billion
Description
- "This industry comprises (1) establishments primarily engaged in providing landscape care and maintenance services and/or installing trees, shrubs, plants, lawns, or gardens and (2) establishments primarily engaged in providing these services along with the design of landscape plans and/or the construction (i.e., installation) of walkways, retaining walls, decks, fences, ponds, and similar structures." The landscaping services companies may retail landscaping equipment and tools such as mowers, shovels, rakes, fertilizers, safety equipment, etc.
NURSING AND RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITIES
Number of Firms & Revenue
- Number of firms with <500 employees: 38,555
- Preliminary receipts for businesses with <500 employees: $113.9 billion
Description
- "Industries in the Nursing and Residential Care Facilities subsector provide residential care combined with either nursing, supervisory, or other types of care as required by the residents. In this subsector, the facilities are a significant part of the production process, and the care provided is a mix of health and social services with the health services being largely some level of nursing services." The products sold to patients may include walkers, mobility devices such as wheelchairs, gait belts, alarms, exercisers, urinary bags, etc.
CHIROPRACTORS
Number of Firms & Revenue
- Number of firms with <500 employees: 38,685
- Preliminary receipts for businesses with <500 employees: $13.4 billion
Description
- "This industry comprises establishments of health practitioners having the degree of D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) primarily engaged in the independent practice of chiropractic. These practitioners provide diagnostic and therapeutic treatment of neuromusculoskeletal and related disorders through the manipulation and adjustment of the spinal column and extremities." Chiropractors sell back braces, splints, braces, pillows, massagers, etc.
FITNESS AND RECREATIONAL SPORTS CENTERS
Number of Firms & Revenue
- Businesses with <500 employees: 29,659
- Preliminary receipts for businesses with <500 employees: $18.4 billion
Description
- "This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating fitness and recreational sports facilities featuring exercise and other active physical fitness conditioning or recreational sports activities, such as swimming, skating, or racquet sports." The businesses in this industry also sell nutritional products and supplements, equipment, and apparel.
OFFICES OF PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL AND SPEECH THERAPISTS, AND AUDIOLOGISTS
Number of Firms & Revenue
- Businesses with <500 employees: 29,393
- Preliminary receipts for businesses with <500 employees: $19.3 billion
Description
- "This industry comprises establishments of independent health practitioners primarily engaged in one of the following: (1) providing physical therapy services to patients who have impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical functions and health status resulting from injury, disease or other causes, or who require prevention, wellness or fitness services; (2) planning and administering educational, recreational, and social activities designed to help patients or individuals with disabilities regain physical or mental functioning or adapt to their disabilities; and (3) diagnosing and treating speech, language, or hearing problems." The practitioners in this industry sell hearing aids, speech therapy devices, back braces, splints, braces, pillows, etc.
Additional Information
- Additional industries, excluding the ones mentioned in the brief, that meet the research criteria can be found in the attached spreadsheet. However, not all may derive a significant but small portion of their revenue from product sales.
Research Strategy
We searched the SUSB Small Establishments database for service-oriented businesses that match the defined criteria--number of firms (>5,000) and revenue (>$5B)--and shortlisted them in the attached spreadsheet. Then we identified the ones that derive a small but significant portion of its revenue from the sale of products. However, we were not able to determine the exact proportion of revenue derived from the sale of products (15%). We used the suggested industries such as prosthetics and orthotics, photographing services, etc as a reference to determine the top five industries. Small businesses have been defined as businesses with less than 500 employees in this report. We have kept the industry classifications per the US Census definitions.