Are you starting a business in Culver City, California? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Culver City.
Are You Sure You Want to Do This?
Most new companies don't make it, in part because the entrepreneur did not have the entrepreneurial skills and traits needed to succeed. So, before you start your business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Culver City. Ask them candidly what it's like to run a business.
- We recommend reading Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
- Seek the advice of somebody who knows you well. The people who know you best are often in the best position to tell you bluntly whether you will be a good entrepreneur.
Culver City, California Demographic Information
Culver City has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Culver City demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Culver City.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
3832 |
| 5-9 Employees |
1164 |
| 10-19 Employees |
882 |
| 20-49 Employees |
666 |
| 50-99 Employees |
255 |
| 100-249 Employees |
156 |
| 250-499 Employees |
30 |
| 500-999 Employees |
24 |
| 1000+ Employees |
3 |
| All Culver City Businesses |
7012 |
As a new Culver City entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Culver City 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 |
19 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
21 |
| Art Dealers |
4 |
| Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
6 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
3 |
| Beauty Salons |
12 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
5 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
6 |
| Book Stores |
6 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
1 |
| Business Associations |
3 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
2 |
| Cafeterias |
2 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Car Washes |
1 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
1 |
| Caterers |
8 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
6 |
| Child Day Care Services |
12 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
4 |
| Claims Adjusting |
1 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
2 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
3 |
| Commercial Photography |
10 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
2 |
| Community Food Services |
2 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
8 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
9 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
2 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Consumer Lending |
3 |
| Convenience Stores |
4 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
6 |
| Couriers |
5 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
2 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
33 |
| Dental Laboratories |
2 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
1 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
5 |
| Digital Printing |
2 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
4 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Display Advertising |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
4 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
6 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
4 |
| Educational Support Services |
2 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
2 |
| Electrical Contractors |
20 |
| Electronic Resistor Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
7 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
10 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
6 |
| Engineering Services |
16 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
2 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
6 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
10 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
3 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
3 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
7 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
3 |
| Flooring Contractors |
5 |
| Florists |
6 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
6 |
| Food Service Contractors |
6 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
49 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
2 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
7 |
| Furniture Stores |
13 |
| General Automotive Repair |
26 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
2 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
5 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
3 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
6 |
| Graphic Design Services |
18 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
4 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
7 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
3 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
3 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
2 |
| Industrial Design Services |
2 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Valve Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
22 |
| Interior Design Services |
10 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
2 |
| Investment Advice |
8 |
| Janitorial Services |
10 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
2 |
| Jewelry Stores |
8 |
| Junior Colleges |
1 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
3 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
19 |
| Language Schools |
1 |
| Lead Pencil and Art Good Manufacturing |
1 |
| Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing |
1 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
73 |
| Limousine Service |
8 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
5 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
5 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
10 |
| Meat Markets |
2 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
3 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
12 |
| Metal Stamping |
2 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
2 |
| Mixed Mode Transit Systems |
1 |
| Mobile Food Services |
2 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
5 |
| Motion Picture and Video Distribution |
2 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
99 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
3 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
2 |
| Music Publishers |
1 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
5 |
| Nail Salons |
7 |
| New Car Dealers |
8 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
2 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
5 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
3 |
| Office Administrative Services |
14 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
4 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
21 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
7 |
| Offices of Dentists |
34 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
37 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
7 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
3 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
2 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
2 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
2 |
| Outerwear Knitting Mills |
1 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
2 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
5 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
8 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
18 |
| Passenger Car Leasing |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
3 |
| Payroll Services |
2 |
| Periodical Publishers |
5 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
5 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
3 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
12 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
7 |
| Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
3 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Prepress Services |
2 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
8 |
| Quick Printing |
6 |
| Radio Stations |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
10 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
1 |
| Record Production |
2 |
| Reinsurance Carriers |
2 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
9 |
| Residential Remodelers |
18 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
7 |
| Roofing Contractors |
3 |
| Sales Financing |
3 |
| Satellite Telecommunications |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
5 |
| Secondary Market Financing |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
2 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
7 |
| Shoe Stores |
17 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
16 |
| Software Publishers |
4 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
6 |
| Specialty Canning |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
5 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
6 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
8 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
2 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
24 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Testing Laboratories |
2 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
4 |
| Tire Dealers |
4 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
3 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
1 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
6 |
| Underwear and Nightwear Knitting Mills |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
2 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
5 |
| Veterinary Services |
5 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
1 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
7 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
3 |
| Watch, Clock, and Part Manufacturing |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Web Search Portals |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
10 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
4 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
20 |
Have You Considered Franchising?
As you drive around Culver City, it becomes clear that purchasing a franchise is a common way to get started as an entrepreneur. But is franchising the right option for you?
Most business experts recommend that you consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchise Law. 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.
Representative franchise opportunities include BurritoVille and JerkQ'zine. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Video and Photography Franchises and Florist Franchises.
Note on Culver City Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Culver City.
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Culver City Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in California. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in Culver City.
If you are headed down the path of buying a business, you may want to read this article: How to Buy a Business.
Choosing a Company Name
Making the right decision when choosing a company name is very important. There are many decisions you'll make now that you can change later, but changing a company name years down the road is not very easy. So, choose a good company name at the outset.
Company names should be fun to say, and they should help people to understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself in the market.
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 opening a business in Culver City, it's imperative that you check now that no other California company is using the business name you want to use.
Company Formation in Culver City, California
A critical step is ensuring that you form your business as a legal structure. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your 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 California, you don't necessarily have to incorporate in California. 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. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Dissolving a Corporation. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in Culver City, California, our information on Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.
Next Steps
Most new Culver City businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Culver City businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Culver City 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 Culver City, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Culver City.
- Resources for Culver City, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Culver City 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.
- Culver City, California Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Culver City, California newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Culver City area.
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