Are you starting a business in Gresham, Oregon? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Gresham.
What Business Are You Starting?
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
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 Opening an Invention Marketing Services Business guide or our How to Start a Linoleum Retail Business guide.
Remember that you are starting a business in Gresham. Some businesses will do better in Gresham than others. Only by spending some time analyzing Gresham demographics can you decide if there will be strong demand for your business idea.
Gresham, Oregon Demographic Information
Gresham has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Gresham demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Gresham.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
8424 |
| 5-9 Employees |
2592 |
| 10-19 Employees |
1962 |
| 20-49 Employees |
1089 |
| 50-99 Employees |
333 |
| 100-249 Employees |
180 |
| 250-499 Employees |
27 |
| 500-999 Employees |
18 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Gresham Businesses |
14625 |
As a new Gresham entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Gresham 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 |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
2 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
2 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
10 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
2 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
|
Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
18 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
2 |
| Boat Building |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
4 |
| Business Associations |
5 |
|
Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
3 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
5 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
6 |
| Caterers |
1 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
3 |
|
Child Day Care Services |
21 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
4 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
1 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
2 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
|
Computer and Software Stores |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
7 |
| Computer Training |
2 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
1 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
5 |
| Convenience Stores |
11 |
| Credit Unions |
3 |
|
Custom Computer Programming Services |
2 |
| Dental Laboratories |
5 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
2 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
5 |
| Discount Department Stores |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
17 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
8 |
|
Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
20 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
2 |
| Engineering Services |
9 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
2 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
4 |
|
Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
8 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
11 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
3 |
| Flooring Contractors |
12 |
| Florists |
2 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
|
Food Service Contractors |
4 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
11 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
47 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
3 |
| Furniture Stores |
6 |
| General Automotive Repair |
22 |
|
General Freight Trucking, Local |
4 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
7 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
4 |
| Graphic Design Services |
4 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
|
Heating Oil Dealers |
1 |
| HMO Medical Centers |
2 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
4 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
22 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
3 |
| Industrial Launderers |
1 |
|
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
30 |
| Interior Design Services |
1 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
3 |
| Investment Advice |
7 |
| Janitorial Services |
20 |
| Jewelry Stores |
2 |
|
Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
22 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
3 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
61 |
| Locksmiths |
1 |
| Logging |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
8 |
|
Mail-Order Houses |
2 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
7 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
11 |
|
Motion Picture and Video Production |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
3 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
2 |
| Museums |
2 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
1 |
|
New Car Dealers |
12 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
2 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
5 |
| Office Administrative Services |
3 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
4 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
10 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
12 |
|
Offices of Dentists |
47 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
21 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
7 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
2 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
6 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
|
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
21 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
2 |
| Payroll Services |
1 |
| Pen and Mechanical Pencil Manufacturing |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
4 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
6 |
|
Photography Studios, Portrait |
5 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
3 |
| Real Estate Credit |
3 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
1 |
| Repossession Services |
1 |
|
Residential Property Managers |
5 |
| Residential Remodelers |
16 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
4 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
4 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
1 |
|
Shoe Stores |
3 |
| Siding Contractors |
4 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
13 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
19 |
| Software Publishers |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
3 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
8 |
|
Sports and Recreation Instruction |
4 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
5 |
| Television Broadcasting |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
6 |
| Textile Bag Mills |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
3 |
| Tire Dealers |
6 |
| Tobacco Stores |
2 |
|
Translation and Interpretation Services |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
3 |
| Used Car Dealers |
5 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
2 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
6 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
7 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
8 |
|
Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
2 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
2 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
9 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
7 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
10 |
What About Franchising Opportunities?
As you drive around Gresham, you'll see that franchises make up a large percentage of local businesses. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?
Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including Franchising My Business. 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 P.B. Loco Peanutbutterlicious Cafes and Bear Rock Cafe. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Vending Franchises and eBay Franchises.
Note on Gresham Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Gresham.
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Gresham Business?
We've created a helpful website page for those who want to Buy a Business in Oregon. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Gresham.
If you are intent on buying a business, you may want to read this article: How to Buy a Business.
Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan
A business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Simply put, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Failure to write a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
To learn more about business plans, read Business Plan Contests. You should also take advantage of free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in Oregon.
The Art of Selling
Do you know how to sell? In order to attract customers to your new Gresham business, you need to focus on sales.
Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.
Selling on the Phone 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.
Moving Forward
As an entrepreneur in Gresham, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
We are here to help Gresham businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Gresham 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 Gresham, Oregon
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Gresham.
- Resources for Gresham, Oregon Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Gresham entrepreneurs.
- Oregon Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Oregon.
- Oregon Small Business Development Center - Oregon Small Business Development Centers use a client-centered approach to deliver counseling, training, information and technical assistance in all aspects of small business management. There is no fee for their assistance.
- Gresham, Oregon Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Gresham, Oregon newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Gresham area.
- Gresham, Oregon Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for Gresham, Oregon area radio stations.
- Gresham, Oregon Payroll Services - This list includes Gresham, Oregon payroll services, national payroll services for Gresham, and helpful information on choosing a Gresham payroll service.
- Gresham, Oregon Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Gresham, Oregon, such as business brokers in Gresham and other helpful information on how to buy a Gresham business.
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