California Business Startup Guides
Starting a Business in Alameda, California
Thinking about starting a business in Alameda, California? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Alameda.
Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?
Before you get too far along in the process, take inventory of your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
Before you move forward with starting a business, be sure to do these three things:
- Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Alameda. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
- Take a look at Starting a Company. It's a short article but it's a good reality check for those are about to jump into the world of entrepreneurship.
- Talk it over with a close friend or partner. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.
Alameda, California Demographic Information
Alameda has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Alameda demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Alameda.
Businesses
As a new Alameda entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Alameda for each business category. By looking at this chart, you can get a general sense for how much competition there is in the business niche that you are pursuing.
Businesses
Choosing a Business Name
A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.
Companies like Starbucks, Apple, Target, Microsoft and Intuit all have strong company names that are easy to remember and have become well-loved brands. Wouldn't it be nice if your new company name got on a similar track?
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Company.
On a final note, given that you are planning on starting a business in Alameda, it's very important that you make sure no other California company is using the business name you want to use.
Company Formation in Alameda, California
It's essential that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.
The entity you form can be a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
Incorporation is a very popular way to form a business. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. Just because you are starting a business in California, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in California. In fact, you can incorporate in any state you would like to. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.
There's a lot to know about forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as C Corp Versus S Corp. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Alameda, California, our information on Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.
Getting Money to Start a Business
Getting your Alameda business the capital it needs to succeed is a difficult chore. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.
Take advantage of our many articles on raising money, such as Business Credit Evaluation.
For Alameda entrepreneurs on the hunt for startup funding, you'll want to take a look at our List of California Angel Investors and our List of California Venture Capital Firms.
Getting the Word Out About Your New Company
Whether your goal is to attract Alameda customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Typical Direct Mail Response Rates is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.
Some Interesting Alameda Entrepreneurs
Here, we'll keep a running list of interviews we've had with Alameda entrepreneurs.
Moving Forward
You have a dream -- starting a business in Alameda. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
If you choose the right business and love what you do, you will greatly increase your odds of success.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Alameda and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Alameda, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Alameda, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Alameda.
- Resources for Alameda, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Alameda entrepreneurs.
- California Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in California.
- Fresno, California Small Business Development Center - The UC Merced SBDC Regional Network assists Central California entrepreneurs and small business owners through counseling, training and business information.
- Los Angeles, California Small Business Development Center - The Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Center Network (LA SBDC Network) is part of the national, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) effort to provide free one-on-one customized consulting services and low-cost training workshops to growing businesses and start-up businesses.
- Sacramento, California Small Business Development Center - As Northern California continues to grow demographically and economically, the Northeastern California Small Business Development Center (NECSBDC) at CSU, Chico is committed to helping communities prepare and plan for future growth.
- San Diego, California Small Business Development Center - The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Southwestern College serves entrepreneurs and small businesses in San Diego and Imperial Counties. The SBDC provides no-cost business assistance to start-up & existing businesses.
- San Francisco, California Small Business Development Center - The Northern California Network of Small Business Development Centers helps individuals start, manage and grow their businesses.
- Orange County Small Business Development Center - The Orange County SBDC is a leader in providing consulting, training, and technical assistance to the small business community.
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