Open a Business in Bakersfield, California

Contemplating starting a business in Bakersfield, California? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Bakersfield.

Bakersfield, California Demographic Information

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

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

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

Have You Considered Franchising?

As you drive around Bakersfield, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Is franchising maybe a better way for you to start your business?

We highly recommend you investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Credit and Franchise Purchasing. 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.

Sample franchise opportunities include Successories and Handyman Network. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Apparel Franchises and Healthcare Franchises.

Note on Bakersfield Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Bakersfield, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.

Company Formation in Bakersfield, California

A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will insulate you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

When forming a company, you will decide among many company types, such as a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

Incorporating 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, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in California. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate wherever you want. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.

There's a lot to know about forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Company Formation. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Bakersfield, California, our web page covering Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.

Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan

A business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Simply put, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Expert Advice on Business Plans. You can also get free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in California.

Raising Money for Your New Venture

Raising money to fund your new Bakersfield business requires strong organization skills and perseverance. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Business Cash Advances.

For Bakersfield entrepreneurs who need startup capital, we have assembled a List of California Angel Investors and our List of California Venture Capital Firms.

The Art of Selling

Being able to sell is essential to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Bakersfield or are selling to customers throughout California, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Why Salespeople Fail is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.

Moving Forward

You have a dream -- starting a business in Bakersfield. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

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 Bakersfield 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 Bakersfield, California

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

• Resources for Bakersfield, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Bakersfield 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 & International Trade Center (SBDITC) at Southwestern College is part of the California SBDC San Diego and Imperial Regional Network. The SBDITC 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.
• Santa Ana, California Small Business Development Center - The Tri-County Lead Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in the Santa Ana District provides oversight and support for SBDCs located in the Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The Santa Ana SBDC Network is a leader in providing consulting, training, and technical assistance to the small business community.
• Bakersfield, California Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Bakersfield, California newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Bakersfield area.
• Bakersfield, California Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Bakersfield, California area radio stations.