California Business Startup Guides
Open a Business in Palo Alto, California
Need help starting a business in Palo Alto, California? We've got the information you need to open a business in Palo Alto.
What Business to Start
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. We recommend that you read Free Business Ideas.
If you still are not sure what type of business to start, peruse the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Opening a Distilled Water Wholesale Business guide or our How to Start an Oncology Physicians & Surgeons Business guide.
Don't forget that starting a business in Palo Alto has some implications. The business you want to start may already be well-represented in Palo Alto. Only by spending some time analyzing Palo Alto demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.
Palo Alto, California Demographic Information
Palo Alto has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Palo Alto demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Palo Alto.
Businesses
As a new Palo Alto entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Palo Alto 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
What About Franchising Opportunities?
As you drive around Palo Alto, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. So, it probably makes sense for you to consider franchising too.
We highly recommend you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchisees Versus Licensees. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Representative franchise opportunities include TravelCenters of America, Inc. and Great American Cookie Inc.. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Accounting Franchises and Textile Repair Franchises.
Note on Palo Alto Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Palo Alto, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.
Choosing a Company 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.
Even if the name doesn't do it by itself, many naming experts believe there should be a story behind the name that ties into your company mission.
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Branding Advice.
On a final note, given that you are planning on starting a business in Palo Alto, it's critical that you ensure that no other California company is using the business name you want to use.
Promoting Your New Business
To grow your Palo Alto business, you need a great marketing plan.
You can learn a ton about marketing on our site. National TV Spot Advertising Rates is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Increase Your Entrepreneurial Knowledge
The best business owners know that they don't know everything.
Given that you are starting a business in Palo Alto, California, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby California universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any networking groups or organizations in which Palo Alto entrepreneurs get together to network and trade their business experiences.
Never Give Up
As an entrepreneur in Palo Alto, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
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 Palo Alto and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Palo Alto entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Palo Alto, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Palo Alto.
- Resources for Palo Alto, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Palo Alto 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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