Starting a business by industry: the figures, rules and risks per sector

Every industry has its own numbers and rules

Starting a business by industry means starting with different money, margins and rules. A consultant can open with a laptop, an insurance policy and a network. A restaurant owner signs a lease, fits out a kitchen and hires staff before the first guest walks in. The general route is the same everywhere and is set out in the eight steps to start a business. What changes per industry is the investment, how much of each euro of revenue you keep, which licences apply and where things go wrong.

The cost structures show how far apart these businesses are. In the EU average for food and beverage service activities, staff costs take 32.3% of revenue, against 11.9% in retail trade (source: Firmfocus, October 2026). A restaurant with a quiet month still pays its kitchen team; a shop with a quiet month mainly buys less stock.

Survival differs too, and not always in the direction people expect. Of the US establishments opened in the year to March 2015, 44.2% in retail trade, 42.6% in construction, 41.6% in accommodation and food services and 34.3% in professional, scientific and technical services were still operating ten years later (source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, December 2025). Low start-up costs make it easy to enter, and just as easy for the next competitor.

Guides for starting a business by industry

Four industries at a glance

Four industries compared on the points a lender asks about first, with EU averages from Eurostat as shown on the Firmfocus industry pages.

Operating result before depreciation is the gross operating surplus; averages refer to 2020 unless stated otherwise (source: Firmfocus, October 2026). For a sole trader, the owner's own work is not in staff costs, so the margin also has to pay you.

From industry figure to your own plan

An industry average is a benchmark, not a target. It mixes small and large firms and good and bad years. Use it to test your plan on three points.

1. 01

   Does your gross margin fit?

   A clearly higher margin than comparable businesses needs a reason: better purchasing terms, a premium product or a niche with less price pressure. Without one, the bank assumes the average.

2. 02

   Are staff and premises costs realistic?

   Compare staff costs and rent as a share of revenue with the industry. A plan far below the average has usually left someone out, often the owner.

3. 03

   How much revenue do you need?

   Calculate the revenue that covers your fixed costs and the revenue that also pays you, then ask whether your location and capacity can deliver it.

The industry figures show cost structure, margins and trends per EU sector. With the profit and cost benchmark you put your own forecast or results next to them. The guides on the profit and loss forecast and break-even take you through the calculation.

Licences: check your country and your town

One principle holds almost everywhere: the more an activity touches food, alcohol, safety, health or other people's money, the more likely you need a permit before you open. In the US, states regulate a broader range of activities than the federal government, and restaurants, retail and construction are commonly regulated locally (source: US Small Business Administration, October 2026).

• National portal: the SBA, GOV.UK, Your Europe, business.gov.au, or BizPaL in Canada.
• Local authority: zoning, signs, terraces and opening hours.
• Industry regulator: food safety, contractor licensing or financial supervision.

Rules change, so check before you sign a lease. The step on business name and licences explains how, and the overview Start a business covers everything around the industry-specific part.