California Business Startup Guides
Start a Business in Ontario, California
Are you starting a business in Ontario, California? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Ontario.
Ontario, California Demographic Information
Ontario has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Ontario demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Ontario.
Businesses
As a new Ontario entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Ontario 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
Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
Browse the Yellow Pages for Ontario and it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. Evidently, there must be some significant advantages to purchasing a franchise.
Our advice is to evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Growth Trends in Franchising. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Papa John's International and A Place To Tan. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Restaurant Franchises and Modeling Franchises.
Note on Ontario Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Ontario, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.
Naming the Company
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.
Before you decide on a company name, run it by some prospective customers and see what they think. If they don't like it, it's probably a good idea to go back to the drawing board.
Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Branding Advice.
On a final note, given that you are planning on starting a business in Ontario, it's critical that you ensure that you will be the only California company using the business name you have chosen.
Forming a Company in Ontario, California
A critical step is ensuring 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 traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporating is a very popular way to form a business. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in California, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in California. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate in any state you would like to. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.
There are many nuances to forming a company. To learn the basics of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as ESOP Formation. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Ontario, California, our information on Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.
Don't Skip the Business Plan
Writing a business plan is critical in laying a solid foundation for your business success. In effect, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Failure to write a business plan will greatly reduce your chances of business success.
If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Find Sample Business Plans Online. You should also take advantage of face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in California.
Building Up Your Sales
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Ontario business, you need to focus on sales.
Not knowing how to sell can result in lost customers and minimal market share. The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.
How to Build and Motivate a Sales Team offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
Learning More About Entrepreneurship
Good entrepreneurs recognize that they need to continually improve.
With your business being located in Ontario, California, you will want to take advantage of the learning programs at local California educational institutions. We also recommend you look into networking groups or organizations in which Ontario entrepreneurs get together to network and trade their business experiences.
Now It's Up To You
As an entrepreneur in Ontario, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
We are here to help Ontario businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Ontario, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Ontario, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Ontario.
- Resources for Ontario, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Ontario 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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