California Business Startup Guides
Starting a Business in Stanford, California
Thinking about starting a business in Stanford, California? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Stanford.
Will You Be a Good Entrepreneur?
Most new ventures fail, in part because the business owner did not have the perseverance and abilities that are necessary to succeed. So, before you start your business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
Because entrepreneurship is not for everyone, we recommend you do the following to help you assess whether you should move forward with starting a business:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Stanford. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
- We recommend reading Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.
What Business to Start
There are many businesses that you can start. How do you know which type of business is right for you? We recommend that you read Evaluating Your Idea.
For in-depth how-to guides on how to start specific businesses, browse our Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our How to Start a China & Glassware Rental Business guide or our Opening a Metal Slitting & Shearing Business guide.
Don't forget that your new startup will be located in Stanford. Some businesses will do better in Stanford than others. Make sure you fully understand Stanford demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
Stanford, California Demographic Information
Stanford has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Stanford demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Stanford.
Businesses
As a new Stanford entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Stanford 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?
As you drive around Stanford, you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?
We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Buying an Existing Franchise. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Sparkling Image and Back Yard Burgers, Inc.. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Tanning Franchises and Healthcare Services Franchises.
Note on Stanford Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Stanford.
Where to Get Money to Start a Company
Finding the funds to fuel the growth of your Stanford business is not an easy task. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
Take advantage of our many articles on raising money, such as 504 Loans.
For Stanford entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, check out our List of California Angel Investors and our List of California Venture Capital Firms.
Learning More About Entrepreneurship
Successful entrepreneurs recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
As an entrepreneur who lives in Stanford, California, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby California universities, colleges and community colleges. We also recommend you look into networking organizations for Stanford entrepreneurs.
What's Next?
Most new Stanford businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Stanford and elsewhere to achieve real success. We have a wealth of experience in business start-ups, financing, marketing, sales and more...and we've made all of our knowledge available to you.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Stanford, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Stanford.
- Resources for Stanford, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Stanford 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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