Contemplating starting a business in San Fernando, California? We walk you through the process of opening a business in San Fernando.
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 How to Evaluate a Business Idea.
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 How to Start a Safety Clothing & Equipment Business guide or our Starting a Culverts Business guide.
Remember that starting a business in San Fernando has some implications. Some businesses will do better in San Fernando than others. A critical consideration is whether San Fernando demographics mesh well with your startup concept.
San Fernando, California Demographic Information
San Fernando has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for San Fernando demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in San Fernando.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
939 |
| 5-9 Employees |
440 |
| 10-19 Employees |
321 |
| 20-49 Employees |
258 |
| 50-99 Employees |
81 |
| 100-249 Employees |
45 |
| 250-499 Employees |
24 |
| 500-999 Employees |
3 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All San Fernando Businesses |
2111 |
As a new San Fernando entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in San Fernando 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 |
| Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting) |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
1 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
8 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
5 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
2 |
| Barber Shops |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
4 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
3 |
| Book Stores |
1 |
| Broom, Brush, and Mop Manufacturing |
1 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
1 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
1 |
| Car Washes |
4 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
1 |
| Child and Youth Services |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
6 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
3 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
4 |
| Commercial Flexographic Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
2 |
| Commercial Photography |
2 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
2 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
4 |
| Convenience Stores |
2 |
| Credit Unions |
2 |
| Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing |
1 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
3 |
| Electrical Contractors |
4 |
| Electronic Connector Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
4 |
| Engineering Services |
3 |
| Explosives Manufacturing |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
3 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
5 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
1 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
2 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
2 |
| Florists |
3 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
1 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
1 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
16 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
2 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
6 |
| Furniture Stores |
9 |
| General Automotive Repair |
17 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
4 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
3 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Graphic Design Services |
1 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Home Health Care Services |
1 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
1 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
5 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
2 |
| Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
3 |
| Jewelry Stores |
3 |
| Land Subdivision |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
6 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
2 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
33 |
| Machine Shops |
7 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
5 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
2 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Nail Salons |
1 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
| New Car Dealers |
4 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
1 |
| Office Administrative Services |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
5 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
3 |
| Offices of Dentists |
27 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
9 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
2 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
2 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
2 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
1 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
1 |
| Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
4 |
| Quick Printing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
4 |
| Residential Remodelers |
1 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
1 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
1 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
2 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
2 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
10 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
3 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
2 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
3 |
| Tire Dealers |
6 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
2 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
3 |
| Veterinary Services |
2 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
3 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
7 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
1 |
Is a Franchise Opportunity Right For You?
As you drive around San Fernando, you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. Would going with a franchise be a good idea for you?
Most business experts recommend that you look into purchasing a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as How to Find Financing for Franchises. Gain a solid understanding of franchising by scanning all of our Articles on Franchising.
You can find franchise opportunities by browsing our Franchise Opportunities Directory.
Representative franchise opportunities include MTO Cleaning Services and Grower Direct Fresh Cut Flowers. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Video and DVD Rental Franchises and Child Photos and Portraits Franchises.
Note on San Fernando Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in San Fernando.
Should You Buy an Existing San Fernando Business?
An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in California. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in San Fernando.
For anybody who wants to buy a business, we recommend reading this useful article: How to Buy a Business.
Company Formation in San Fernando, California
It's very important that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as 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. As it turns out, you can 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'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 Corporate Formalities. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in San Fernando, California, our web page covering Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.
The Role of the Business Plan
A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Indeed, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Starting a business without a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Mistakes. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in California.
Bring in Revenues
Mastering the art of selling is a must if you want your new San Fernando business to do well.
Not knowing how to sell can result in lost customers and minimal market share. Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.
Closing Sales offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.
Next Steps
Most new San Fernando businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help San Fernando businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new San Fernando 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 San Fernando, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in San Fernando.
- Resources for San Fernando, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist San Fernando 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.
- San Fernando, California Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for San Fernando, California newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the San Fernando area.
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