Are you starting a business in Lake Oswego, Oregon? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Lake Oswego.
Are You Ready for the Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur?
Most new companies don't make it, in part because the entrepreneur did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before you start your business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.
- Reach out to other entrepreneurs in Lake Oswego. Listen closely to their experiences and see if you think you too can be successful.
- Peruse Why Small Businesses Fail. This is one of our more popular articles for folks who want to go into business for themselves.
- Get feedback from somebody whom you trust. 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.
Lake Oswego, Oregon Demographic Information
Lake Oswego has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Lake Oswego demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Lake Oswego.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
3665 |
| 5-9 Employees |
879 |
| 10-19 Employees |
636 |
| 20-49 Employees |
420 |
| 50-99 Employees |
141 |
| 100-249 Employees |
72 |
| 250-499 Employees |
15 |
| 500-999 Employees |
0 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All Lake Oswego Businesses |
5828 |
As a new Lake Oswego entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Lake Oswego 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 |
14 |
| Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
7 |
| Art Dealers |
3 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
3 |
| Beauty Salons |
25 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
2 |
| Book Publishers |
3 |
| Book Stores |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
4 |
| Business Associations |
4 |
| Car Washes |
5 |
| Child and Youth Services |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
12 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
4 |
| Claims Adjusting |
4 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
3 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
1 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
32 |
| Computer Training |
3 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
2 |
| Convenience Stores |
4 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
2 |
| Credit Bureaus |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
16 |
| Dental Laboratories |
3 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
2 |
| Digital Printing |
1 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
7 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
6 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
3 |
| Drafting Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
3 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
2 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
1 |
| Electrical Contractors |
5 |
| Electronic Shopping |
4 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
5 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
5 |
| Engineering Services |
29 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
6 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
2 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
1 |
| Finfish Fishing |
1 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
4 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
12 |
| Flooring Contractors |
4 |
| Florists |
6 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
2 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
4 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
47 |
| Furniture Stores |
6 |
| General Automotive Repair |
10 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
7 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
8 |
| Graphic Design Services |
9 |
| Greeting Card Publishers |
1 |
| Hardware Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
2 |
| Home Centers |
1 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
3 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
8 |
| Industrial Design Services |
2 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
54 |
| Interior Design Services |
12 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
3 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
22 |
| Janitorial Services |
10 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Jewelry Stores |
5 |
| Land Subdivision |
6 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
17 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
33 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
2 |
| Machine Shops |
1 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
3 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
7 |
| Marking Device Manufacturing |
2 |
| Masonry Contractors |
2 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
4 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
27 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
2 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
3 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
5 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
6 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
1 |
| Office Administrative Services |
8 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
3 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
23 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
12 |
| Offices of Dentists |
41 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
59 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
4 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
3 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
8 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
1 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
4 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
7 |
| Payroll Services |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
4 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
3 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
5 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
4 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
6 |
| Portfolio Management |
12 |
| Private Mail Centers |
2 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
6 |
| Quick Printing |
3 |
| Radio Stations |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
40 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
8 |
| Reinsurance Carriers |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
17 |
| Residential Remodelers |
29 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
2 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
1 |
| Sales Financing |
7 |
| Savings Institutions |
14 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
22 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
1 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
12 |
| Software Publishers |
6 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
6 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
2 |
| Spring (Light Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Support Activities for Forestry |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
3 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
1 |
| Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
11 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
5 |
| Tire Dealers |
3 |
| Tour Operators |
2 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
9 |
| Used Car Dealers |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
3 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
7 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
4 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
52 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
2 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
9 |
Is Franchising a Better Option?
Examine a list of Lake Oswego businesses and it becomes clear that purchasing a franchise is a common way to get started as an entrepreneur. So, it probably makes sense for you to consider franchising too.
Our recommendation is that you investigate buying a franchise. On our site, you can read many articles about franchising, such as Common Franchisee Mistakes. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Representative franchise opportunities include Pet Butler and Sunchain Tanning Centers. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Retail Franchises and Party Supply Franchises.
Note on Lake Oswego Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Lake Oswego, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.
Naming the Business
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 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 starting a business in Lake Oswego, it's imperative that you check now that no Oregon company has already registered the company name you have selected.
Forming a Company in Lake Oswego, Oregon
It's essential that you are forming a legal entity that operates independently from you. Doing so will protect you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
When forming a company, you will decide among many company types, such as a traditional C-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S-corporation.
Incorporating is a very common way to legally create a business entity. Of course, you have to decide which type of corporation to form and where to incorporate. If you are starting a business in Oregon, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Oregon. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate wherever you want. However, if you do incorporate in another state, you'll have to register as a foreign corporation in your home state.
There are many nuances to forming a company. We recommend you read some of the educational articles about company formation that are availabe on our site, such as Pre-Incorporation Agreements. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Lake Oswego, Oregon, our web page covering Incorporating in Oregon may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Oregon.
Startup Financing Basics
Obtaining startup financing for your Lake Oswego business will be harder than you might expect. Bootstrapping, which means growing the business without outside funding, is the best alternative, but that's not a viable option for many startup plans.
Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Getting a Small Business Loan.
For Lake Oswego entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of Oregon Angel Investors and our List of Oregon Venture Capital Firms.
Marketing Your New Business
To rise above the crowd in Lake Oswego and build your business, you need a excellent marketing plan.
There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. PR Versus Advertising discusses marketing strategy and tactical marketing in a way that should get you thinking about how to creatively promote your business. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Never Give Up
Most new Lake Oswego businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Lake Oswego businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Lake Oswego, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Lake Oswego, Oregon
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Lake Oswego.
- Resources for Lake Oswego, Oregon Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Lake Oswego 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.
- Lake Oswego, Oregon Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Lake Oswego, Oregon newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Lake Oswego area.
- Lake Oswego, Oregon Payroll Services - This list includes Lake Oswego, Oregon payroll services, national payroll services for Lake Oswego, and helpful information on choosing a Lake Oswego payroll service.
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