Thinking about starting a business in Carmichael, California? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Carmichael.
Do You Have Entrepreneurial Drive and Passion?
Before you get too far along in the process, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
To determine whether you have what it takes to run a business, we recommend these three steps to help you decide:
- Speak with other entrepreneurs in Carmichael. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
- 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. A support network of family and friends can be a great sounding board for good advice before you decide for sure to go into business.
Carmichael, California Demographic Information
Carmichael has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Carmichael demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Carmichael.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
2045 |
| 5-9 Employees |
636 |
| 10-19 Employees |
363 |
| 20-49 Employees |
276 |
| 50-99 Employees |
60 |
| 100-249 Employees |
54 |
| 250-499 Employees |
6 |
| 500-999 Employees |
0 |
| 1000+ Employees |
3 |
| All Carmichael Businesses |
3443 |
As a new Carmichael entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Carmichael 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 |
2 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
2 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
4 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
10 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
6 |
| Book Stores |
1 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
4 |
| Business Associations |
1 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
3 |
| Car Washes |
1 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
2 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
18 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
4 |
| Coffee and Tea Manufacturing |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
13 |
| Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
3 |
| Convenience Stores |
3 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
2 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
2 |
| Credit Unions |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
8 |
| Dental Laboratories |
5 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
6 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
4 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
12 |
| Electronic Shopping |
2 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
9 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
6 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
2 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
2 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
1 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
3 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
7 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
1 |
| Flooring Contractors |
7 |
| Florists |
4 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
3 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
32 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
4 |
| Furniture Stores |
5 |
| General Automotive Repair |
19 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
2 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
5 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
3 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
4 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
1 |
| Home Centers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
5 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
10 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
3 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
36 |
| Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
10 |
| Jewelry Stores |
2 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
2 |
| Land Subdivision |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
15 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
36 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
5 |
| Masonry Contractors |
4 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
5 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
3 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
2 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
2 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
11 |
| Office Administrative Services |
4 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
3 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
6 |
| Offices of Dentists |
44 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
9 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
3 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
2 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
15 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
4 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
6 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
2 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
4 |
| Residential Property Managers |
10 |
| Residential Remodelers |
20 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
4 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| Securities Brokerage |
3 |
| Shoe Stores |
2 |
| Siding Contractors |
1 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
2 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
10 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
5 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
5 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
7 |
| Temporary Help Services |
3 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
2 |
| Tire Dealers |
3 |
| Tobacco Stores |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
2 |
| Used Car Dealers |
2 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
5 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
5 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
5 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
7 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
2 |
Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
As you drive around Carmichael, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Is there a franchise opportunity out there that makes sense for you?
Most business experts recommend that you evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. This site has dozens of articles on franchising, such as Franchising Mistakes. 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 Crabby Bob's Seafood and Great American Cookie Inc.. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Auto Rental Franchises and Modeling Franchises.
Note on Carmichael Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Carmichael.
Choosing a Company Name
A big decision when starting a company is choosing a company name. Believe it or not, choosing a good company name can be a big contributor to your business success.
Companies like Starbucks, Apple, Target, Microsoft and Intuit all have strong company names that are easy to remember and have become well-loved brands. Wouldn't it be nice if your new company name got on a similar track?
To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Naming a Business.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are starting a business in Carmichael, it's very important that you make sure no other California company is using the business name you want to use.
Promoting Your New Startup
Whether your goal is to attract Carmichael customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you need a solid marketing plan.
You can learn quite a bit about marketing on our site. Branding Advice is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities
Good entrepreneurs know that they don't know everything.
With your business being located in Carmichael, California, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby California universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also worthwhile to see if there are any Carmichael networking organizations.
Now It's Up To You
You have a dream -- starting a business in Carmichael. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Carmichael and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Carmichael, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Carmichael, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Carmichael.
- Resources for Carmichael, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Carmichael 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.
- Carmichael, California Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Carmichael, California newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Carmichael area.
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