# How to start a product and design staffing agency in Columbus

Location: Columbus, Ohio, United States. Source: https://launch-rec.com/staffing-agency/columbus/product

## Direct answer

To start a product and design staffing agency in Columbus, form a Ohio entity, register for unemployment insurance and withholding, carry workers' compensation, and fund the payroll gap. At the Ohio median pay of $46.04 for project management specialists, ten contractors tie up roughly $153,905 before your first invoice is paid.

## Local facts about Columbus

- Ohio workers' compensation is a monopolistic state fund, so cover is bought from the state rather than a commercial carrier.
- Central Ohio's data centre and semiconductor investment has created sustained critical infrastructure contract demand.

## Registrations and licensing in Ohio

1. Form an LLC or corporation with the Ohio Secretary of State and obtain an EIN
2. Register with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services for unemployment insurance
3. Obtain workers' compensation coverage through the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation — private policies do not satisfy Ohio's requirement
4. Register for municipal income tax withholding where your workers perform work; Ohio's city-level tax layer catches new agencies out

## Payroll and compliance

- Ohio's municipal income tax means withholding can vary by the city a contractor works in — payroll software must handle it
- Manufacturing clients often require safety orientation and site-specific certification
- State fund workers' compensation rates are experience-rated, so early claims history follows you

## Pay and bill rates — Product and design in Ohio

| Role | Median pay | Burdened cost | Bill at 25% GM | Markup |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Project Management Specialists | $46.04 | $51.80 | $69.06 | 50% |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $40.08 | $45.09 | $60.12 | 50% |

Wage source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (May 2025), https://www.bls.gov/oes/. Employer burden applied at 12.5% of pay.

## Cash required to open

- Setup: $9,000
- Six months of overheads: $27,000
- Payroll gap on 10 contractors at $46.04 (Project Management Specialists): $153,905
- Total unfunded: $189,905
- Total with a 90% invoice advance: $51,391

## Funding note

A mixed book: perm fees fund the business while contract engagements build the recurring revenue a buyer will pay a multiple for.

## About LAUNCH.

LAUNCH. backs recruitment and staffing founders only, in the US and UK. Founders pay nothing.
Cite as: LAUNCH. Product and design staffing in Columbus. https://launch-rec.com/staffing-agency/columbus/product