California Business Startup Guides
Open a Business in South Lake Tahoe, California
Need help starting a business in South Lake Tahoe, California? We've got the information you need to open a business in South Lake Tahoe.
Will You Be a Successful Entrepreneur?
Most new companies fail, in part because the founder did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before jumping into the world of entrepreneurship, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in South Lake Tahoe. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
- We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Have a candid conversation with friends and family. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.
What Business to Start
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. We recommend that you read How to Evaluate a Business Idea.
For step-by-step instructions on starting a variety of business types, visit the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Starting a Chemical Spraying Services Business guide or our How to Start a Textile Mill Equipment & Supplies Business guide.
Always keep in mind that starting a business in South Lake Tahoe has some implications. Some businesses will do better in South Lake Tahoe than others. A critical consideration is whether South Lake Tahoe demographics mesh well with your startup concept.
South Lake Tahoe, California Demographic Information
South Lake Tahoe has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for South Lake Tahoe demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in South Lake Tahoe.
Businesses
As a new South Lake Tahoe entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe and it becomes clear that purchasing a franchise is a common way to get started as an entrepreneur. But is franchising the right option for you?
Most business experts recommend that you investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Understanding Franchise Contracts. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Blimpie Subs & Salads and Futurekids Inc. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Specialty Foods Franchises and Health and Beauty Franchises.
Note on South Lake Tahoe Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in South Lake Tahoe.
Should You Buy an Existing South Lake Tahoe Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in California. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in South Lake Tahoe.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.
The Role of the Business Plan
Writing a business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Failure to write a business plan will greatly reduce your chances of business success.
If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Reasons to Write a Business Plan. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in California.
Marketing Your New Venture
To grow your South Lake Tahoe business, you'll need to have a good marketing plan.
We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. National TV Spot Advertising Rates discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
What's Next?
Most new South Lake Tahoe businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in South Lake Tahoe and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in South Lake Tahoe.
- Resources for South Lake Tahoe, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist South Lake Tahoe 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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