Are you starting a business in Davis, California? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Davis.
Are You Ready for Life as an Owner?
Before quitting your day job, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Talk to other entrepreneurs in Davis. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
- 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. Ask them directly: Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Listen carefully to their answer, as they presumably know your strengths and weaknesses.
Davis, California Demographic Information
Davis has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Davis demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Davis.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
9890 |
| 5-9 Employees |
3630 |
| 10-19 Employees |
2835 |
| 20-49 Employees |
1425 |
| 50-99 Employees |
525 |
| 100-249 Employees |
240 |
| 250-499 Employees |
45 |
| 500-999 Employees |
0 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Davis Businesses |
18590 |
As a new Davis entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Davis 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 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
7 |
| Art Dealers |
3 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
2 |
| Beauty Salons |
15 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
3 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Book Stores |
3 |
| Breweries |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
3 |
| Business Associations |
3 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
2 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
1 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Cheese Manufacturing |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
38 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
8 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
4 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Couriers |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
3 |
| Crop Harvesting, Primarily by Machine |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
18 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
2 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drafting Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
5 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
2 |
| Educational Support Services |
4 |
| Electrical Contractors |
5 |
| Electronic Computer Manufacturing |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
5 |
| Engineering Services |
26 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
8 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
2 |
| Facilities Support Services |
3 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
5 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
10 |
| Flooring Contractors |
1 |
| Florists |
3 |
| Food Service Contractors |
3 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
56 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
2 |
| Furniture Stores |
1 |
| General Automotive Repair |
16 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
6 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
4 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
3 |
| Graphic Design Services |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
3 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
4 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
2 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
19 |
| Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
8 |
| Janitorial Services |
6 |
| Jewelry Stores |
3 |
| Land Subdivision |
10 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
26 |
| Language Schools |
2 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
3 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
43 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
3 |
| Medical Laboratories |
2 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
3 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
2 |
| Museums |
2 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
7 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
1 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
5 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
2 |
| Office Administrative Services |
4 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
4 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
11 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
2 |
| Offices of Dentists |
37 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
21 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
5 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
2 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
4 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
2 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
8 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
3 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
4 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
7 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
3 |
| Private Mail Centers |
3 |
| Professional Organizations |
2 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
2 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
3 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
1 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
21 |
| Residential Remodelers |
9 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
1 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
1 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
7 |
| Shoe Stores |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
1 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
21 |
| Software Publishers |
3 |
| Software Reproducing |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
10 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
5 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
3 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
1 |
| Temporary Shelters |
2 |
| Testing Laboratories |
5 |
| Tire Dealers |
2 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
3 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
2 |
| Travel Agencies |
3 |
| Used Car Dealers |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
4 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
11 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
7 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
2 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
10 |
| Wineries |
2 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
1 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
4 |
Picking 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 need to be easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember.
For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Company.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are opening a business in Davis, it's very important that you make sure no other California company is using the business name you want to use.
Raising Money for Your New Venture
Getting your Davis business the capital it needs to succeed is a difficult chore. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
Take advantage of our many articles on raising capital, such as 504 Loans.
For Davis entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, we have assembled a List of California Angel Investors and our List of California Venture Capital Firms.
Building Up Your Sales
Being able to sell is essential to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Davis or are selling to customers throughout California, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.
The key to selling is to set sales goals goals and monitor your progress towards those goals. Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.
Tips on Customer Referrals is worth reading, as it may give you some good ideas on how to sell your products or services. We have many more good articles on selling that you may enjoy reading.
Increase Your Entrepreneurial Knowledge
Good entrepreneurs recognize that they need to continually improve.
With your business being located in Davis, 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 Davis networking organizations.
Never Give Up
You have a dream -- starting a business in Davis. 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.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Davis 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.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Davis, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Davis.
- Resources for Davis, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Davis 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.
- Davis, California Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Davis, California newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Davis area.
- Davis, California Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Davis, California area radio stations.
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