California Business Startup Guides

Start a Business in Los Altos, California

Are you starting a business in Los Altos, California? This article discusses the most important things to consider when opening a business in Los Altos.

Choosing the Right Company to Start

An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at Free Business Ideas.

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 Starting a Nailing Machinery Business guide or our Starting a Fertilizer Handling Equipment Business guide.

Always keep in mind that your new startup will be located in Los Altos. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Los Altos. A critical consideration is whether Los Altos demographics mesh well with your startup concept.

Los Altos, California Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
2642
5-9 Employees
612
10-19 Employees
357
20-49 Employees
183
50-99 Employees
63
100-249 Employees
33
250-499 Employees
0
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Los Altos Businesses
3890

As a new Los Altos entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Los Altos 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
Amusement Arcades
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
1
Architectural Services
11
Beauty Salons
15
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
1
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
2
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
2
Car Washes
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
2
Caterers
2
Child and Youth Services
2
Child Day Care Services
13
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
2
Clothing Accessories Stores
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
1
Computer and Software Stores
2
Computer Facilities Management Services
2
Computer Systems Design Services
28
Computer Training
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
2
Consumer Lending
2
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
45
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
1
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
2
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
6
Educational Support Services
4
Electrical Contractors
5
Electronic Computer Manufacturing
1
Electronic Shopping
1
Elementary and Secondary Schools
6
Engineering Services
28
Environmental Consulting Services
1
Family Planning Centers
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
1
Fine Arts Schools
2
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
11
Flooring Contractors
2
Florists
4
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
1
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
1
Framing Contractors
2
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
2
Full-Service Restaurants
33
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
1
Furniture Stores
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
4
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Grantmaking Foundations
7
Graphic Design Services
5
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
1
Hardware Stores
3
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
3
Homes for the Elderly
2
Household Appliance Stores
1
Industrial Design Services
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
16
Interior Design Services
8
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
2
Internet Service Providers
4
Janitorial Services
3
Jewelry Stores
8
Land Subdivision
4
Landscape Architectural Services
2
Landscaping Services
16
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
7
Libraries and Archives
1
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
1
Mail-Order Houses
2
Marketing Consulting Services
18
Media Representatives
1
Medical Laboratories
1
Men's Clothing Stores
2
Miscellaneous Intermediation
5
Motion Picture and Video Production
2
Museums
2
Musical Groups and Artists
1
Nail Salons
3
New Housing Operative Builders
2
Newspaper Publishers
2
Nonresidential Property Managers
3
Office Administrative Services
5
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
1
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
2
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
14
Offices of Chiropractors
6
Offices of Dentists
33
Offices of Lawyers
30
Offices of Other Holding Companies
2
Offices of Podiatrists
2
Optical Goods Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
2
Payroll Services
1
Periodical Publishers
4
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
6
Photography Studios, Portrait
3
Portfolio Management
11
Private Mail Centers
2
Professional Employer Organizations
1
Professional Organizations
2
Public Relations Agencies
1
Radio Stations
2
Real Estate Credit
4
Residential Property Managers
18
Residential Remodelers
15
Retail Bakeries
2
Sales Financing
2
Savings Institutions
4
Securities Brokerage
9
Security Guards and Patrol Services
1
Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing
1
Shoe Stores
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
10
Software Publishers
13
Solid Waste Collection
1
Sports and Recreation Instruction
3
Tax Preparation Services
7
Telecommunications Resellers
1
Telephone Answering Services
1
Temporary Help Services
5
Testing Laboratories
2
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
3
Translation and Interpretation Services
1
Travel Agencies
5
Used Merchandise Stores
6
Veterinary Services
5
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
1
Voluntary Health Organizations
1
Web Search Portals
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
12
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
3
Women's Clothing Stores
8

Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?

As you drive around Los Altos, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. Is it perhaps smarter to franchise a business instead of doing it from scratch.

We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Benefits of Owning A Franchise. 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 Atlantic Windshield and Church's Chicken. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Soccer Franchises and Payday Loan Franchises.

Note on Los Altos Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Los Altos, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.

Have You Considered Buying an Existing Los Altos Business?

We've created a handy website page for those who want to Buy a Business in California. Follow that link and you might discover several good businesses for sale in Los Altos.

Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.

The Art of Selling

Being able to sell is essential to your business success. Whether you are focused on selling local customers in Los Altos or are selling to customers throughout California, the United States or even the world, you have to be able to sell.

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.

Tips on Customer Referrals is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.

Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills

Good business owners recognize that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.

Given that you are starting a business in Los Altos, 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 Los Altos networking organizations.

Moving Forward

You have a dream -- starting a business in Los Altos. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.

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 Los Altos and elsewhere to achieve real success. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Los Altos, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Los Altos, California

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

More Startup Articles for California Cities

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Starting a Business in Los Altos Hills

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