California Business Startup Guides
Open a Business in Van Nuys, California
Need help starting a business in Van Nuys, California? We've got the information you need to open a business in Van Nuys.
Are You Sure You Want to Do This?
An entrepreneurial life is difficult, much harder than working as an employee. Are you certain you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?
To determine whether you have what it takes to run a business, we recommend these three steps to help you decide:
- Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Van Nuys. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
- Take a look at The Entrepreneurial Personality. It's a short article but it's a good reality check for those are about to jump into the world of entrepreneurship.
- Reach out to a trusted acquaintance. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.
Van Nuys, California Demographic Information
Van Nuys has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Van Nuys demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Van Nuys.
Businesses
As a new Van Nuys entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Van Nuys 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 Buying an Existing Van Nuys 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 Van Nuys.
If you are headed down the path of buying a business, you may want to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.
Company Formation in Van Nuys, California
It's very important 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 corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
Incorporation 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. Just because you are starting a business in California, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in California. As it turns out, you can incorporate in the state of your choosing. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.
There's a lot to know about forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Registered Agents. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Van Nuys, California, our information on Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.
Make Sure You Have a Business Plan
A business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read Reasons to Write a Business Plan. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in California.
Marketing Your New Venture
Whether your goal is to attract Van Nuys customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your doing well.
You can learn quite a bit about marketing on our site. Customer Loyalty Programs is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.
Next Steps
As an entrepreneur in Van Nuys, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Van Nuys and throughout the United States . We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Van Nuys 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 Van Nuys, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Van Nuys.
- Resources for Van Nuys, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Van Nuys 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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