California Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Berkeley, California

Thinking about starting a business in Berkeley, California? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Berkeley.

Berkeley, California Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
19179
5-9 Employees
6372
10-19 Employees
4158
20-49 Employees
2952
50-99 Employees
864
100-249 Employees
351
250-499 Employees
63
500-999 Employees
18
1000+ Employees
18
All Berkeley Businesses
33975

As a new Berkeley entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Berkeley 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
Advertising Agencies
5
Amusement and Theme Parks
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
1
Apprenticeship Training
2
Architectural Services
65
Art Dealers
4
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing
3
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
10
Automotive Transmission Repair
1
Baked Goods Stores
9
Beauty Salons
25
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
15
Boat Dealers
1
Book Publishers
13
Book Stores
21
Books Printing
2
Breweries
1
Building Inspection Services
1
Business Associations
9
Cafeterias
5
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
5
Car Washes
4
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
2
Caterers
11
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Cheese Manufacturing
1
Child Day Care Services
61
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
3
Civic and Social Organizations
22
Claims Adjusting
1
Clothing Accessories Stores
2
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
5
Collection Agencies
1
Commercial Gravure Printing
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
7
Commercial Photography
4
Commercial Screen Printing
2
Commodity Contracts Dealing
1
Community Food Services
2
Computer and Software Stores
9
Computer Training
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
2
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
2
Construction Machinery Manufacturing
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Convenience Stores
7
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
2
Copper Foundries (except Die-Casting)
1
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
1
Credit Bureaus
1
Credit Unions
6
Custom Computer Programming Services
63
Dance Companies
2
Dental Laboratories
3
Digital Printing
1
Direct Mail Advertising
2
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
2
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
1
Discount Department Stores
1
Display Advertising
3
Document Preparation Services
4
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
1
Educational Support Services
14
Electrical Contractors
17
Electronic Auctions
1
Electronic Computer Manufacturing
1
Electronic Shopping
5
Elementary and Secondary Schools
20
Engineering Services
33
Environmental Consulting Services
10
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
6
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
1
Facilities Support Services
2
Family Clothing Stores
9
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
1
Finish Carpentry Contractors
5
Fish and Seafood Markets
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
9
Floor Covering Stores
7
Flooring Contractors
1
Florists
9
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
7
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
3
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
1
Framing Contractors
5
Freight Transportation Arrangement
1
Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing
1
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
2
Full-Service Restaurants
141
Fur and Leather Apparel Manufacturing
1
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
1
Furniture Stores
22
General Automotive Repair
47
General Freight Trucking, Local
2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
1
Glass and Glazing Contractors
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Grantmaking Foundations
23
Graphic Design Services
32
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
2
Hardware Stores
8
Hat, Cap, and Millinery Manufacturing
2
HMO Medical Centers
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
8
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
5
Home Health Care Services
5
Homes for the Elderly
10
Household Appliance Stores
5
Human Rights Organizations
3
Industrial Valve Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
20
Interior Design Services
4
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
6
Internet Service Providers
2
Investigation Services
3
Investment Advice
12
Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing
1
Janitorial Services
10
Jewelry Stores
11
Junior Colleges
1
Kidney Dialysis Centers
4
Land Subdivision
4
Landscape Architectural Services
22
Language Schools
3
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
1
Libraries and Archives
3
Limited-Service Restaurants
102
Linen Supply
1
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
5
Locksmiths
2
Luggage Manufacturing
1
Machine Shops
3
Mail-Order Houses
12
Marinas
2
Marketing Consulting Services
11
Marking Device Manufacturing
1
Masonry Contractors
1
Meat Markets
1
Media Buying Agencies
2
Media Representatives
1
Medical Laboratories
6
Men's Clothing Stores
2
Metal Household Furniture Manufacturing
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
5
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
8
Motion Picture and Video Distribution
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
25
Motor Vehicle Towing
1
Motorcycle Dealers
1
Museums
4
Musical Groups and Artists
7
Musical Instrument Manufacturing
1
Nail Salons
6
New Car Dealers
5
New Housing Operative Builders
4
News Dealers and Newsstands
2
News Syndicates
1
Newspaper Publishers
4
Nursing Care Facilities
6
Office Administrative Services
6
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
2
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
9
Offices of Bank Holding Companies
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
12
Offices of Chiropractors
16
Offices of Lawyers
84
Offices of Optometrists
9
Offices of Other Holding Companies
1
Offices of Podiatrists
4
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
4
One-Hour Photofinishing
3
Optical Goods Stores
6
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
21
Parking Lots and Garages
29
Passenger Car Rental
6
Payroll Services
1
Periodical Publishers
11
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing
2
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
6
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
25
Photography Studios, Portrait
6
Political Organizations
1
Portfolio Management
16
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
2
Prepress Services
4
Professional Organizations
8
Public Relations Agencies
2
Quick Printing
4
Radio Stations
2
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
2
Remediation Services
2
Residential Property Managers
19
Retail Bakeries
6
Roofing Contractors
6
Rooming and Boarding Houses
30
Sales Financing
1
Savings Institutions
4
Securities Brokerage
11
Security Guards and Patrol Services
2
Shoe Stores
9
Siding Contractors
1
Sign Manufacturing
1
Silverware and Hollowware Manufacturing
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
44
Software Publishers
15
Solid Waste Collection
3
Sporting Goods Stores
19
Sports and Recreation Instruction
8
Steel Foundries (except Investment)
1
Tax Preparation Services
8
Telecommunications Resellers
2
Telemarketing Bureaus
3
Telephone Answering Services
1
Temporary Help Services
6
Temporary Shelters
6
Testing Laboratories
4
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
5
Tire Dealers
3
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
2
Tobacco Stores
1
Tour Operators
2
Translation and Interpretation Services
5
Travel Agencies
10
Used Car Dealers
2
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
2
Used Merchandise Stores
25
Veterinary Services
10
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
10
Voluntary Health Organizations
6
Watch, Clock, and Part Manufacturing
1
Web Search Portals
3
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
13
Window Treatment Stores
1
Wineries
3
Women's Clothing Stores
24
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
1

Have You Considered Buying an Existing Berkeley Business?

An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in California. Follow that link and you can assess several good businesses for sale in Berkeley.

If you are serious about buying a business, you may want to read this article: Buying a Business.

Naming the Business

A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.

Even if the name doesn't do it by itself, many naming experts believe there should be a story behind the name that ties into your company mission.

To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Branding Advice.

On a final note, given that you are opening a business in Berkeley, it's critical that you ensure that no other California company is using the business name you want to use.

Forming a Company in Berkeley, California

It's very important that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

The entity you form can be a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.

Incorporation is a very common way to legally create a business entity. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in California, you don't necessarily have 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 are many nuances to forming a company. To learn the fundamentals of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Getting an EIN. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Berkeley, California, our information on Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.

Do You Need a Business Plan?

Having a business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. In effect, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Failure to write a business plan makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.

If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Business Presentations. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in California.

How to Sell

Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Berkeley business, you need to focus on sales.

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.

Effective Sales Presentations offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

What's Next?

As an entrepreneur in Berkeley, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

We are here to help Berkeley businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Berkeley 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 Berkeley, California

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in California

Starting a Business in Benicia
Starting a Business in Bermuda Dunes

Browse All Business Startup Guides for California
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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