California Business Startup Guides

Opening a Business in Kentfield, California

Contemplating starting a business in Kentfield, California? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Kentfield.

Kentfield, California Demographic Information

Kentfield has an active business community that includes small businesses, mid-sized businesses and large businesses.

To give you a better feel for Kentfield demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Kentfield.

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
27
5-9 Employees
9
10-19 Employees
0
20-49 Employees
0
50-99 Employees
0
100-249 Employees
0
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Kentfield Businesses
36

As a new Kentfield entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Kentfield 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
Custom Computer Programming Services
1
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Fine Arts Schools
1
Landscaping Services
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
1
Siding Contractors
1
Voluntary Health Organizations
1

What About Franchising Opportunities?

As you drive around Kentfield, you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?

Our advice is to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchise Versus Business Opportunity. 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 Swimtastic and Build-A-Bear Workshop. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Retail Franchises and Frozen Yogurt Franchises.

Note on Kentfield Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Kentfield.

Company Formation in Kentfield, California

It's very important that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will protect you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.

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. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will 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 Where to Incorporate. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Kentfield, California, our information on Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.

Raising Money for Your Venture

Getting your Kentfield business the capital it needs to succeed is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. To obtain business financing, you will need to hear a lot of rejections before you finally find a funding solution that works for you.

The good news is this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled 504 Loans.

For Kentfield entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, check out our List of California Angel Investors and our List of California Venture Capital Firms.

The Art of Selling

Mastering the art of selling is essential if you want your new Kentfield business to do well.

So what does it take to bring in more prospects and close more business? Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Sales Forecasting 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.

Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills

The best entrepreneurs know that they don't know everything.

With your business being located in Kentfield, 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 networking organizations for Kentfield entrepreneurs.

Next Steps

Most new Kentfield 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.

This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Kentfield and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Kentfield 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 Kentfield, California

Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Kentfield.

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