Oregon Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in The Dalles, Oregon

Are you starting a business in The Dalles, Oregon? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in The Dalles.

Is Becoming a Business Owner Right for You?

Most new businesses don't make it, in part because the business owner did not have the perseverance and abilities that are necessary to succeed. So, before you open a business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.

Before you move forward with starting a business, be sure to do these three things:

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in The Dalles. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
  • You should read Business Failure. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
  • Involve a spouse, family member or trusted friend in the decision. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.

What Business Are You Starting?

Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. We recommend that you read Finding Your Niche in Life.

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 Starting a Dance Club guide or our Starting a Tatoo Parlor guide.

Remember that starting a business in The Dalles has some implications. Some businesses will do better in The Dalles than others. Don't forget to review The Dalles demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.

The Dalles, Oregon Demographic Information

The Dalles has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.

To give you a better feel for The Dalles demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in The Dalles.

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
950
5-9 Employees
417
10-19 Employees
255
20-49 Employees
132
50-99 Employees
33
100-249 Employees
12
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
3
1000+ Employees
0
All The Dalles Businesses
1802

As a new The Dalles entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in The Dalles 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.

Business Type
# of
Businesses
Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
3
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
4
Automotive Transmission Repair
1
Baked Goods Stores
1
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
2
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
1
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
1
Building Inspection Services
1
Business Associations
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
3
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Child and Youth Services
1
Child Day Care Services
1
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
1
Civic and Social Organizations
6
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
3
Computer and Software Stores
1
Computer Systems Design Services
1
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
1
Consumer Lending
1
Convenience Stores
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
1
Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing
1
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
1
Discount Department Stores
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
4
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
2
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
7
Engineering Services
2
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
2
Farm Management Services
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
2
Florists
2
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
1
Food Product Machinery Manufacturing
1
Food Service Contractors
1
Framing Contractors
1
Full-Service Restaurants
26
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
General Automotive Repair
5
General Freight Trucking, Local
2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
2
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Hardware Stores
3
Home Centers
1
Homes for the Elderly
5
Household Appliance Stores
3
Ice Manufacturing
1
Industrial Launderers
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
21
Internet Service Providers
1
Janitorial Services
5
Jewelry Stores
2
Landscaping Services
6
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
3
Limited-Service Restaurants
18
Livestock Merchant Wholesalers
1
Locksmiths
1
Mail-Order Houses
1
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
6
Marketing Consulting Services
1
Masonry Contractors
1
Medical Laboratories
2
Men's Clothing Stores
1
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
1
Motor Vehicle Towing
2
Motorcycle Dealers
1
Museums
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
Natural Gas Distribution
1
New Car Dealers
4
New Housing Operative Builders
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
1
Nursing Care Facilities
3
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
1
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
6
Offices of Chiropractors
4
Offices of Dentists
14
Offices of Optometrists
1
Offices of Other Holding Companies
1
Offices of Podiatrists
1
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
2
Optical Goods Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
2
Payroll Services
1
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
2
Photography Studios, Portrait
2
Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing
1
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
1
Quick Printing
2
Radio Stations
3
Residential Property Managers
3
Residential Remodelers
4
Roofing Contractors
2
Securities Brokerage
2
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Shoe Stores
3
Siding Contractors
1
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
4
Solid Waste Landfill
1
Sporting Goods Stores
2
Sports and Recreation Instruction
2
Tax Preparation Services
2
Temporary Help Services
1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Travel Agencies
1
Used Car Dealers
4
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
1
Used Merchandise Stores
3
Vending Machine Operators
1
Veterinary Services
3
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
1
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
2
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
1
Wineries
1
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
3
Women's Clothing Stores
2
Wood Preservation
1

Should You Franchise?

Browse the Yellow Pages for The Dalles and you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. Is there a franchise opportunity out there that makes sense for you?

We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Questions to Ask Franchisors. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.

You can review hundreds of franchise opportunities by browing our Franchise Directory.

Sample franchise opportunities include Subway Franchises and Starbucks Franchises. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Accounting Franchises and Moving Franchises.

Note on The Dalles Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in The Dalles.

How to Sell

Mastering the art of selling is essential if you want your new The Dalles business to do well.

Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Closing Sales 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

The best entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.

As an entrepreneur who lives in The Dalles, Oregon, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Oregon universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also beneficial to see if there are any The Dalles networking organizations.

Moving Forward

Most new The Dalles businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

We are here to help The Dalles businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in The Dalles, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in The Dalles, Oregon

Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in The Dalles.

More Business Startup Guides for Oregon

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