Thinking about starting a business in Bellevue, Washington? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Bellevue.
Bellevue has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Bellevue demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Bellevue.
As a new Bellevue entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Bellevue 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 |
| Abrasive Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Adhesive Manufacturing |
1 |
| Advertising Agencies |
9 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
3 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
44 |
| Art Dealers |
3 |
| Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
2 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
5 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
13 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
4 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
2 |
| Barber Shops |
3 |
| Beauty Salons |
63 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
12 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
3 |
| Boat Building |
1 |
| Boat Dealers |
4 |
| Book Publishers |
4 |
| Book Stores |
11 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
3 |
| Business Associations |
14 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
4 |
| Cafeterias |
4 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
5 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
1 |
| Car Washes |
10 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
10 |
| Caterers |
9 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
7 |
| Child Day Care Services |
79 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
13 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
13 |
| Claims Adjusting |
10 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
9 |
| Coffee and Tea Manufacturing |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
3 |
| Collection Agencies |
4 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
8 |
| Commercial Photography |
2 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
19 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
6 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
69 |
| Computer Training |
7 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
3 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
7 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
5 |
| Convenience Stores |
11 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
4 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
2 |
| Couriers |
8 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
3 |
| Credit Bureaus |
3 |
| Credit Unions |
3 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
135 |
| Dance Companies |
1 |
| Deep Sea Passenger Transportation |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
17 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
8 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
5 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
19 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
11 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
11 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
5 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Display Advertising |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
4 |
| Drafting Services |
3 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
8 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
3 |
| Educational Support Services |
8 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
4 |
| Electrical Contractors |
36 |
| Electronic Shopping |
12 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
29 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
11 |
| Engineering Services |
129 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
6 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
21 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
2 |
| Facilities Support Services |
5 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
25 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
13 |
| Finfish Fishing |
4 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
21 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
10 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
32 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
18 |
| Flooring Contractors |
3 |
| Florists |
12 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
8 |
| Food Service Contractors |
14 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
4 |
| Framing Contractors |
4 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
12 |
| Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing |
2 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
130 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
3 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
11 |
| Furniture Stores |
24 |
| General Automotive Repair |
36 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
2 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
5 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
22 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
3 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
8 |
| Graphic Design Services |
17 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
4 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| HMO Medical Centers |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
13 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
8 |
| Home Health Care Services |
9 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
28 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
6 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
6 |
| Industrial Design Services |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
152 |
| Interior Design Services |
15 |
| International Trade Financing |
1 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
9 |
| Internet Service Providers |
8 |
| Investigation Services |
2 |
| Investment Advice |
48 |
| Janitorial Services |
39 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
4 |
| Jewelry Stores |
27 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
2 |
| Land Subdivision |
23 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
6 |
| Landscaping Services |
38 |
| Language Schools |
5 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
7 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
120 |
| Limousine Service |
3 |
| Linen Supply |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
6 |
| Locksmiths |
2 |
| Logging |
1 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
3 |
| Machine Shops |
1 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
5 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
1 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
54 |
| Masonry Contractors |
5 |
| Meat Markets |
5 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
3 |
| Medical Laboratories |
9 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
6 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
10 |
| Mobile Food Services |
4 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
83 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
8 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
4 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
3 |
| Museums |
3 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
5 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
6 |
| Nail Salons |
10 |
| New Car Dealers |
24 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
23 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| News Syndicates |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
2 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
29 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
7 |
| Office Administrative Services |
25 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
17 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
6 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
117 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
42 |
| Offices of Dentists |
176 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
220 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
21 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
6 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
6 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
30 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
14 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Packing and Crating |
2 |
| Paging |
5 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
9 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
22 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
22 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
6 |
| Payroll Services |
11 |
| Periodical Publishers |
6 |
| Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing |
2 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
8 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
4 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
17 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
9 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
8 |
| Portfolio Management |
38 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
10 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
6 |
| Professional Organizations |
9 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
8 |
| Quick Printing |
8 |
| Radio Networks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
6 |
| Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
90 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
15 |
| Record Production |
1 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Repossession Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
59 |
| Residential Remodelers |
59 |
| Retail Bakeries |
4 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
4 |
| Roofing Contractors |
5 |
| Sales Financing |
13 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
25 |
| Securities Brokerage |
56 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
6 |
| Shellfish Fishing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
21 |
| Siding Contractors |
4 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
5 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
44 |
| Soft Drink Manufacturing |
2 |
| Software Publishers |
83 |
| Software Reproducing |
2 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
3 |
| Spice and Extract Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
33 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
25 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
1 |
| Support Activities for Metal Mining |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
14 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
4 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
2 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
70 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Testing Laboratories |
2 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
5 |
| Tire Dealers |
7 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
3 |
| Tobacco Stores |
3 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
3 |
| Tour Operators |
3 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
7 |
| Travel Agencies |
21 |
| Used Car Dealers |
8 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
7 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
14 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
5 |
| Veterinary Services |
14 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
6 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
4 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
4 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
97 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
4 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
27 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
34 |
As you drive around Bellevue, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?
Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Buying an Existing Franchise. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: Buying a Business.
A critical step is ensuring that you choose the right legal structure for your new entity. The principal advantage of forming your new business as a legal entity is that it separates your business liabilities from your personal liabilities.
The entity you form can be 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 Washington, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in Washington. In fact, you can incorporate in the state of your choosing. 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. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Where to Incorporate. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Bellevue, Washington, our information on Incorporating in Washington may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Washington.
Getting your Bellevue business the capital it needs to succeed is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.
The good news is this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled 504 Loans.
Being able to sell is a key enabler to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Bellevue or are selling to customers throughout Washington, 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.
You have a dream -- starting a business in Bellevue. 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.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Bellevue and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Bellevue, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Bellevue.