Are you starting a business in Livermore, California? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Livermore.
Will You Be a Good Entrepreneur?
Before announcing to the world that you are going to start your own business, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.
While entrepreneurship has become a popular career choice, we recommend you do the following before you take the plunge:
- Grab a meal or cofee with other entrepreneurs in Livermore. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
- Take a look at Starting a Company. It's a short article but it's a good reality check for those are about to jump into the world of entrepreneurship.
- Talk it over with a close friend or partner. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.
What Business to Start
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. You might get some good ideas about what kind of business to start by reading Business Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
For step-by-step instructions on starting a variety of business types, visit the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Opening an Elastic Hosiery Retailer guide or our Starting a Dermatology Pediatrics Physicians & Surgeons Business guide.
Always keep in mind that you are starting a business in Livermore. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Livermore. Study Livermore demographics and do a competitive analysis as part of your startup planning process.
Livermore, California Demographic Information
Livermore has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Livermore demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Livermore.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
9432 |
| 5-9 Employees |
3357 |
| 10-19 Employees |
2628 |
| 20-49 Employees |
2034 |
| 50-99 Employees |
837 |
| 100-249 Employees |
396 |
| 250-499 Employees |
126 |
| 500-999 Employees |
90 |
| 1000+ Employees |
9 |
| All Livermore Businesses |
18909 |
As a new Livermore entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Livermore 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 |
| Amusement Arcades |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
1 |
| Architectural Services |
3 |
| Art Dealers |
2 |
| Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
|
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
3 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
9 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
2 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
19 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
3 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
9 |
| Boat Dealers |
2 |
|
Book Stores |
2 |
| Bottled Water Manufacturing |
2 |
| Bowling Centers |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
3 |
| Business Associations |
6 |
| Business to Business Electronic Markets |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
3 |
| Car Washes |
5 |
|
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
2 |
| Caterers |
3 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
3 |
| Child and Youth Services |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
25 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
5 |
| Claims Adjusting |
1 |
| Coffee and Tea Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Collection Agencies |
4 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
6 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
2 |
| Commodity Contracts Dealing |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
4 |
|
Computer Facilities Management Services |
1 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
22 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Convenience Stores |
5 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Credit Card Issuing |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
4 |
|
Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
20 |
| Dental Laboratories |
3 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
1 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
5 |
| Discount Department Stores |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Drafting Services |
1 |
|
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
9 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
12 |
| Educational Support Services |
3 |
| Electrical Contractors |
40 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
3 |
| Engineering Services |
24 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
3 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
4 |
|
Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
1 |
| Fabric Coating Mills |
1 |
| Facilities Support Services |
2 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
8 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
11 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
|
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
8 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Flooring Contractors |
22 |
| Florists |
5 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
4 |
| Food Service Contractors |
8 |
| Framing Contractors |
7 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
|
Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
54 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
1 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Furniture Stores |
8 |
| General Automotive Repair |
28 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
4 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
1 |
|
General Rental Centers |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
3 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
8 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
5 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
2 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
4 |
| Graphic Design Services |
2 |
| Hardware Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
2 |
| Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Home Health Care Services |
5 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
9 |
|
Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
2 |
| Industrial Design Services |
3 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
19 |
| Interior Design Services |
2 |
| Internet Service Providers |
3 |
| Investigation Services |
3 |
|
Investment Advice |
3 |
| Iron Foundries |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
8 |
| Jewelry Stores |
4 |
| Land Subdivision |
5 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
46 |
| Lead Pencil and Art Good Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
2 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
54 |
| Limousine Service |
2 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
1 |
| Locksmiths |
2 |
| Luggage Manufacturing |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
21 |
|
Mail-Order Houses |
2 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
2 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
5 |
| Masonry Contractors |
8 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Miscellaneous Intermediation |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
7 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
4 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
4 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Nail Salons |
5 |
| 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 |
9 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
5 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
2 |
|
Offices of Chiropractors |
10 |
| Offices of Dentists |
50 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
13 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
7 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
5 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
1 |
|
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paging |
1 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
17 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
3 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
|
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
6 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
6 |
| Plastics Bag Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
2 |
| Portfolio Management |
1 |
| Power-Driven Handtool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
2 |
|
Prepress Services |
1 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
10 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
3 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
1 |
|
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage |
2 |
| Remediation Services |
1 |
| Repossession Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
8 |
| Residential Remodelers |
28 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
12 |
|
Savings Institutions |
4 |
| Securities Brokerage |
5 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
2 |
| Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing |
5 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
8 |
| Shoe Stores |
1 |
| Siding Contractors |
1 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
|
Site Preparation Contractors |
19 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
15 |
| Software Publishers |
10 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
5 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
2 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
8 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
4 |
| Surface-Coated Paperboard Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Tax Preparation Services |
9 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
2 |
| Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
3 |
| Temporary Shelters |
3 |
| Testing Laboratories |
3 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
|
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
10 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Tire Dealers |
7 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Tobacco Stores |
1 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
1 |
|
Travel Agencies |
6 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
7 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
3 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
1 |
| Veterinary Services |
8 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
4 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
|
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
29 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wineries |
14 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
5 |
Selecting a Name For Your Venture
A good company name can give a big boost to a new startup. It might seem like an easy thing to do, but there are many things to consider when naming a business.
Pick a company name that isn't too generic. If you do a search engine search for your proposed name and a billion results come up, you may want to reconsider the name. It's much easier to come up in the search engines when your name is fairly unique.
Numerous company naming issues are discussed in more detail in this article: Naming a Business.
There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are planning on starting a business in Livermore, it's very important that you make sure no other California company is using the business name you want to use.
Company Formation in Livermore, California
It's essential that you choose the right legal structure for your new entity. 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. 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 are allowed to incorporate in any state you would like to. 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. To learn the basics of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Company Formation. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. Finally, if you are starting a business in Livermore, California, our information on Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.
Bring in Revenues
Being able to sell is critical to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Livermore or are selling to customers throughout California, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.
Clever sales techniques can transform any business from good to great. The good news is we can help you to make selling a big competitve advantage for your new firm.
Sales Training 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.
How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities
The best business owners know that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.
With your business being located in Livermore, California, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby California universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also beneficial to see if there are any networking organizations for Livermore entrepreneurs.
What's Next?
You have a dream -- starting a business in Livermore. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Livermore and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Livermore, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Livermore, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Livermore.
- Resources for Livermore, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Livermore 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.
- Livermore, California Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for Livermore, California newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the Livermore area.
- Livermore, California Payroll Services - This list includes Livermore, California payroll services, national payroll services for Livermore, and helpful information on choosing a Livermore payroll service.
- Livermore, California Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in Livermore, California, such as business brokers in Livermore and other helpful information on how to buy a Livermore business.
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