Are you starting a business in Chico, California? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Chico.
Being an entrepreneur is demanding, much harder than working as an employee. Are you positive you have the stamina and skills to succeed on your own?
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
Chico has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Chico demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Chico.
As a new Chico entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Chico 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 |
| Air Traffic Control |
1 |
| Aircraft Manufacturing |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
2 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
8 |
| Architectural Services |
9 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
2 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
5 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
18 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
7 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
30 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
12 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Boat Building |
2 |
| Book Publishers |
2 |
| Book Stores |
11 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Breweries |
3 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
4 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
2 |
| Car Washes |
2 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
9 |
| Caterers |
3 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
2 |
| Child and Youth Services |
10 |
| Child Day Care Services |
42 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
8 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
4 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Collection Agencies |
3 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
4 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
2 |
| Community Food Services |
2 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
7 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
13 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
5 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
3 |
| Convenience Stores |
6 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
2 |
| Couriers |
3 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
18 |
| Dance Companies |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
5 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
5 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
2 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
3 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
2 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
2 |
| Discount Department Stores |
3 |
| Display Advertising |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
3 |
| Drafting Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
19 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
9 |
| Educational Support Services |
3 |
| Electrical Contractors |
25 |
| Electronic Connector Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
6 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
5 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
1 |
| Engineering Services |
29 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
6 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
10 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
15 |
| Family Planning Centers |
2 |
| Farm Management Services |
2 |
| Farm Product Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
6 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
4 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
9 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
15 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
6 |
| Flooring Contractors |
5 |
| Florists |
8 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
2 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
4 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
4 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
92 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
4 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
19 |
| General Automotive Repair |
44 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
6 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Rental Centers |
3 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
18 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
3 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
3 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
4 |
| Graphic Design Services |
8 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Hardware Stores |
8 |
| Hazardous Waste Collection |
2 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
8 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
8 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
3 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
7 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
2 |
| Hunting and Trapping |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
3 |
| Industrial Launderers |
2 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
48 |
| Interior Design Services |
6 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
7 |
| Investment Advice |
4 |
| Janitorial Services |
15 |
| Jewelry Stores |
12 |
| Junior Colleges |
1 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
3 |
| Land Subdivision |
7 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
46 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
8 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
90 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Linen Supply |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Locksmiths |
3 |
| Machine Shops |
3 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
4 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
5 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
7 |
| Marking Device Manufacturing |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
6 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
2 |
| Medical Laboratories |
3 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Metal Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
7 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
5 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
5 |
| Museums |
2 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Nail Salons |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
11 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
7 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
2 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
2 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
5 |
| Office Administrative Services |
7 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
9 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
5 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
31 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
24 |
| Offices of Dentists |
64 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
97 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
9 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
5 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
8 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
5 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paging |
1 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
2 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
19 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
5 |
| Payroll Services |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
3 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
4 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
1 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
12 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
5 |
| Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
4 |
| Private Mail Centers |
2 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
6 |
| Quick Printing |
4 |
| Radio Networks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
7 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
14 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
2 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
16 |
| Residential Remodelers |
19 |
| Retail Bakeries |
4 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
11 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
2 |
| Saw Blade and Handsaw Manufacturing |
1 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
16 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
2 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
2 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
11 |
| Siding Contractors |
3 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
15 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
32 |
| Software Publishers |
3 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
3 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
30 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
5 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
4 |
| Surface-Coated Paperboard Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
9 |
| Taxi Service |
4 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
4 |
| Temporary Help Services |
14 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Testing Laboratories |
2 |
| Textile Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
5 |
| Tire Dealers |
8 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Tobacco Stores |
3 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
7 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
7 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
5 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
10 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
10 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
13 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
16 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
2 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
9 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
8 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
16 |
| Women's Handbag and Purse Manufacturing |
1 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
1 |
As you drive around Chico, it's apparent that franchising has become a very popular way to start a business. Is there a franchise opportunity out there that makes sense for you?
We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Selling A Franchise. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
Obtaining startup financing for your Chico business is a difficult chore. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.
To learn about raising money, we recommend you read the fundraising articles on our site, such as Business Credit Evaluation.
To rise above the crowd in Chico and build your business, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your beating the competition.
We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Creating a Web Presence is an article that will generate 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.
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Chico business, you need to focus on sales.
Clever sales techniques can transform any business from good to great. Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.
As an entrepreneur in Chico, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
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 Chico and throughout the United States . 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.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Chico.
