Are you starting a business in Garden Grove, California? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Garden Grove.
What Type of Business Should You Start?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. We recommend that you read Good Business Ideas.
For in-depth how-to guides on how to start specific businesses, browse our Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Starting an Art Distributors & Publisher guide or our Opening a Barbershop guide.
Remember that you are opening your new business in Garden Grove. Some businesses will do better in Garden Grove than others. Don't forget to review Garden Grove demographics to see if there's a market for what you want to sell.
Garden Grove, California Demographic Information
Garden Grove has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Garden Grove demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Garden Grove.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
11402 |
| 5-9 Employees |
3348 |
| 10-19 Employees |
2146 |
| 20-49 Employees |
1578 |
| 50-99 Employees |
564 |
| 100-249 Employees |
348 |
| 250-499 Employees |
84 |
| 500-999 Employees |
12 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Garden Grove Businesses |
19482 |
As a new Garden Grove entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Garden Grove 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 |
| Adhesive Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Advertising Agencies |
2 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
3 |
| Architectural Services |
2 |
| Armored Car Services |
1 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
|
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
3 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
3 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
4 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
23 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
4 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
4 |
| Barber Shops |
2 |
|
Beauty Salons |
33 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
13 |
| Blind and Shade Manufacturing |
1 |
| Boat Building |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
2 |
| Book Stores |
4 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
1 |
|
Broadwoven Fabric Mills |
2 |
| Building Inspection Services |
6 |
| Business Associations |
4 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
3 |
| Cafeterias |
6 |
| Car Washes |
10 |
| Carpet and Rug Mills |
1 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
|
Caterers |
5 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
24 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
12 |
| Claims Adjusting |
1 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
|
Collection Agencies |
2 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
2 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
7 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
6 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
12 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
13 |
|
Computer Training |
2 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
1 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
2 |
| Convenience Stores |
9 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
4 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
3 |
| Couriers |
5 |
|
Credit Bureaus |
2 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
3 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
17 |
| Custom Roll Forming |
1 |
| Dance Companies |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
13 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
2 |
|
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
2 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
5 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
1 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
3 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
|
Document Preparation Services |
5 |
| Drafting Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
8 |
| Dry Pasta Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
13 |
| Educational Support Services |
2 |
| Electrical Contractors |
32 |
| Electronic Connector Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
7 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
2 |
| Engineering Services |
14 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
3 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
5 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
4 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
|
Family Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
1 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
12 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
9 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
9 |
| Flooring Contractors |
10 |
|
Florists |
3 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
7 |
| Food Service Contractors |
4 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Framing Contractors |
5 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
11 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Canning |
1 |
|
Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
148 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
1 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
7 |
| General Automotive Repair |
60 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
7 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
|
General Rental Centers |
3 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
5 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
12 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
5 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
2 |
| Graphic Design Services |
7 |
| Gypsum Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
7 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| HMO Medical Centers |
3 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
5 |
| Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Home Health Care Services |
14 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
|
Homes for the Elderly |
8 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
6 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
2 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
3 |
| Industrial Launderers |
2 |
| Industrial Pattern Manufacturing |
1 |
| Institutional Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
41 |
|
Interior Design Services |
3 |
| International Trade Financing |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
3 |
| Investment Advice |
8 |
| Janitorial Services |
28 |
| Jewelry Stores |
3 |
| Junior Colleges |
1 |
|
Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
31 |
| Language Schools |
2 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
6 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
116 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Livestock Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
|
Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
4 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
23 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
11 |
| Masonry Contractors |
8 |
| Meat Markets |
4 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
|
Medical Laboratories |
4 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Metal Can Manufacturing |
1 |
| Metal Heat Treating |
1 |
| Metal Stamping |
2 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Mixed Mode Transit Systems |
1 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
|
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
13 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
4 |
| Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
5 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
2 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Nail Salons |
13 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
|
New Car Dealers |
12 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
1 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
3 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
4 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
8 |
| Office Administrative Services |
10 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
3 |
|
Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
18 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
27 |
| Offices of Dentists |
119 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
29 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
20 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
4 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
5 |
|
One-Hour Photofinishing |
3 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
2 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
2 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
36 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
3 |
|
Passenger Car Rental |
6 |
| Periodical Publishers |
5 |
| Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
3 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
31 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
3 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Political Organizations |
1 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
2 |
| Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
4 |
| Real Estate Credit |
8 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
1 |
|
Repossession Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
9 |
| Residential Remodelers |
18 |
| Retail Bakeries |
4 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
13 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
5 |
|
Securities Brokerage |
4 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
7 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
10 |
| Shoe Stores |
3 |
| Siding Contractors |
3 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
4 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
14 |
|
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
24 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Soft Drink Manufacturing |
1 |
| Software Publishers |
2 |
| Software Reproducing |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
2 |
|
Sports and Recreation Instruction |
4 |
| Steel Wire Drawing |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
9 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
3 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
8 |
|
Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Testing Laboratories |
4 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Thread Mills |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
5 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Tire Dealers |
12 |
| Tire Retreading |
1 |
|
Tobacco Stores |
3 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
3 |
| Tortilla Manufacturing |
1 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
3 |
| Travel Agencies |
9 |
| Used Car Dealers |
15 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
11 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
5 |
|
Veterinary Services |
8 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
10 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
2 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Web Search Portals |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
25 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
2 |
|
Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
6 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
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.
Company names need to be easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember.
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 Garden Grove, it's imperative that you check now that your company name has not already been claimed by another California business.
Company Formation in Garden Grove, California
It's very important that you choose the right legal structure for your new entity. Among other things, forming a legal entity for the business limits your liabilities.
When forming a company, you will choose from many company types, such as 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 ESOP Formation. You should also consider getting professional assistance from your business lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Garden Grove, California, our web page covering Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.
Make Sure You Have a Business Plan
A business plan is essential to the health of your new business. Simply put, a business plan is a written description of the future you envision for your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read The Art of the Executive Summary. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in California.
Marketing Your New Company
To rise above the crowd in Garden Grove and build your business, you need a excellent marketing plan.
We have some helpful resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Advertising in Magazines discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.
The Art of Selling
Mastering the art of selling is a must if you want your new Garden Grove business to do well.
Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.
Closing Sales offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
Now It's Up To You
Most new Garden Grove businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
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 Garden Grove 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 Garden Grove, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Garden Grove.
- Resources for Garden Grove, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Garden Grove 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.
- Garden Grove, California Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Garden Grove, California newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Garden Grove area.
- Garden Grove, California Payroll Services - This list includes Garden Grove, California payroll services, national payroll services for Garden Grove, and helpful information on choosing a Garden Grove payroll service.
- Garden Grove, California Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Garden Grove, California, such as business brokers in Garden Grove and other helpful information on how to buy a Garden Grove business.
More Startup Articles for California Cities
Starting a Business in Galt
Starting a Business in Gardena
Browse All
Business Startup Guides for California
Starting a Business
Guides for Other States
