Firspring Capital, a small-business funding broker in Sioux City, Iowa, works with four sectors its lending partners have confirmed: construction, restaurants, medical and dental practices, and retail. In Woodbury County in 2023 there were 247 construction, 191 restaurant, 197 ambulatory health care and 388 retail employer establishments (Census CBP). Partners decide every request.
| Construction | 247 establishments, 2,756 employees (CBP 2023) |
|---|---|
| Restaurants | 191 establishments, 3,853 employees (CBP 2023) |
| Ambulatory health care | 197 establishments, about $289.5 million payroll (CBP 2023) |
| Retail trade | 388 establishments, 7,138 employees (CBP 2023) |
| Not covered | Agriculture and trucking |
The four sectors in Woodbury County, IA
| Sector (NAICS 2017) | Establishments | Paid employees | Annual payroll | Under 5 employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction (23) | 247 | 2,756 | $202.0 million | 55.9% |
| Restaurants and eating places, NAICS 7225 | 191 | 3,853 | $73.6 million | 22.5% |
| Ambulatory health care (621) | 197 | 3,969 | $289.5 million | 47.2% |
| Retail trade (44-45) | 388 | 7,138 | $217.8 million | 34.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. Retail had the most employer establishments of any sector in the county; health care and social assistance as a whole had the largest payroll, about $542.7 million.
Construction and the trades
Of the county's 247 construction employers, 175 were specialty trade contractors (electricians, plumbers, roofers, concrete crews and the like) and 59 built buildings. More than half of all construction employers had fewer than five people. A further 737 construction businesses reported no paid employees in 2024 (Nonemployer Statistics 2024, a separate survey).
Contractors pay for materials and labor before a job pays them. Lines of credit cover that overlap; equipment financing covers skid steers, trailers and vans. Residential building permits in the county rose from 163 units in 2023 to 172 in 2024 and 238 in 2025 (Census Building Permits Survey). Our post on small construction business loans in Siouxland covers what to line up first.
Restaurants and food service
Woodbury County had 238 food service and drinking place employers in 2023, 191 of them restaurants and other eating places, employing 3,853 people. Only 22.5 percent of restaurants had fewer than five employees, so most carry a real payroll every week.
Restaurants usually ask about working capital for payroll and food costs, equipment financing for coolers, ranges and POS systems, and term loans for remodels. Card-heavy restaurants also get merchant cash advance offers; an advance is not a loan, and its total cost needs checking first.
Medical and dental practices
Ambulatory health care in the county counted 197 employer establishments in 2023, including 46 physician offices and 34 dental offices, with about $289.5 million in payroll. Health care and social assistance overall was the county's largest payroll sector.
Practices finance imaging, chairs, sterilization and software, and new or expanding practices finance build-outs. Our clinic and practice financing post works through those decisions for Woodbury County, IA providers.
Retail and wholesale
The county's 388 retail employers had 7,138 paid employees in 2023, and 163 wholesale employers had 2,441. Another 523 retail businesses reported no paid employees in 2024 (Nonemployer Statistics 2024).
Retail cash sits on shelves. Inventory financing funds stock ahead of sales and is paid down as it sells; equipment financing covers shelving, cases and checkout systems.
Which structure fits which sector
| Need | Construction | Restaurants | Medical and dental | Retail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridge to the next payment | Line of credit | Working capital | Working capital | Line of credit |
| Equipment | Equipment loan or EFA | Equipment loan or lease | Equipment lease or loan | POS and fixtures financing |
| Expansion | Term loan | Term loan | Term loan | Term loan |
| Stock | Materials on a line | Food costs on a line | Supplies on a line | Inventory financing |
What partners ask each sector for
- Construction: contracts or bids in hand, receivables aging, equipment quotes.
- Restaurants: card processing statements, lease terms, equipment quotes.
- Medical and dental: practice ownership details, equipment quotes, collections history.
- Retail: sales by category, inventory list, supplier invoices.
Businesses outside these four sectors
Our partners do not fund agriculture or trucking. Other businesses can still call, but we will say plainly if no partner fits. More county figures are on the Siouxland business picture page.
By Firspring Capital · Updated