Contemplating starting a business in San Marcos, California? We walk you through the process of opening a business in San Marcos.
What Business Are You Starting?
Choosing a business that is right for you is very important. To stir your creative juices on what kind of business to start, take a look at Free Business Ideas.
To view an extensive list of business types, complete with startup instructions, spend some time in the Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our How to Start a Manufacturing Production Business guide or our How to Start a Soccer Business guide.
Don't forget that your new startup will be located in San Marcos. If San Marcos already has plenty of the kind of business you want to start, you might want to change your plans. Make sure you fully understand San Marcos demographics before you lock in on your business idea.
San Marcos, California Demographic Information
San Marcos has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for San Marcos demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in San Marcos.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
6322 |
| 5-9 Employees |
1998 |
| 10-19 Employees |
1656 |
| 20-49 Employees |
1170 |
| 50-99 Employees |
378 |
| 100-249 Employees |
192 |
| 250-499 Employees |
66 |
| 500-999 Employees |
18 |
| 1000+ Employees |
0 |
| All San Marcos Businesses |
11800 |
As a new San Marcos entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in San Marcos 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 |
| Adhesive Manufacturing |
1 |
| Advertising Agencies |
6 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
4 |
|
Architectural Services |
5 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Automobile Driving Schools |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
2 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
9 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
5 |
| Beauty Salons |
9 |
|
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
4 |
| Blind and Shade Manufacturing |
2 |
| Book Stores |
4 |
| Bowling Centers |
2 |
| Breweries |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business and Secretarial Schools |
1 |
|
Business Associations |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
1 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
2 |
| Car Washes |
4 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
3 |
| Caterers |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
16 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
7 |
|
Claims Adjusting |
1 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
3 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
3 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
2 |
| Commercial Gravure Printing |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
5 |
| Commercial Screen Printing |
4 |
|
Community Food Services |
4 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
8 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
5 |
| Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Construction Sand and Gravel Mining |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
1 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
2 |
|
Convenience Stores |
2 |
| Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Couriers |
2 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
3 |
| Crop Harvesting, Primarily by Machine |
1 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
2 |
|
Custom Computer Programming Services |
13 |
| Dance Companies |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
3 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
1 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
2 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
2 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
|
Document Preparation Services |
3 |
| Doll and Stuffed Toy Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
4 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
7 |
| Educational Support Services |
3 |
| Electrical Contractors |
25 |
| Electronic Connector Manufacturing |
1 |
| Electronic Shopping |
5 |
|
Elementary and Secondary Schools |
4 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
2 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
4 |
| Engineering Services |
21 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
4 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
9 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
|
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
22 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
4 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
12 |
| Flooring Contractors |
12 |
| Florists |
6 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
3 |
| Food Service Contractors |
3 |
| Framing Contractors |
5 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
50 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
2 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
25 |
|
General Automotive Repair |
37 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
4 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
3 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
7 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
3 |
|
Graphic Design Services |
3 |
| Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing |
2 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
8 |
| Hardware Stores |
1 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
1 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
6 |
| Home Health Care Services |
2 |
|
Homes for the Elderly |
5 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
1 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Gas Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
1 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
2 |
| Inorganic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
20 |
| Interior Design Services |
2 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
3 |
| Investigation Services |
1 |
| Investment Advice |
8 |
| Janitorial Services |
13 |
| Jewelry Stores |
4 |
|
Land Subdivision |
2 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
46 |
| Language Schools |
2 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
6 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
59 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
2 |
|
Locksmiths |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
16 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
6 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
2 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
8 |
| Marking Device Manufacturing |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
6 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
|
Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
| Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing |
2 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
1 |
| Metal Stamping |
1 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
1 |
| Mobile Food Services |
2 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
10 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
3 |
|
Motor and Generator Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
3 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
3 |
| Museums |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
3 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1 |
|
New Car Dealers |
2 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
3 |
| Office Administrative Services |
4 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
4 |
|
Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
5 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
13 |
| Offices of Dentists |
37 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
20 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
4 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
1 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
5 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Optical Goods Stores |
1 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
3 |
| Packaging and Labeling Services |
1 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
2 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
13 |
|
Payroll Services |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
3 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
2 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
5 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
6 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
|
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
2 |
| Private Mail Centers |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
2 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
10 |
|
Real Estate Investment Trusts |
3 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Repossession Services |
1 |
| Residential Property Managers |
2 |
| Residential Remodelers |
19 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
3 |
| Roofing Contractors |
5 |
| Sales Financing |
1 |
|
Savings Institutions |
5 |
| Securities Brokerage |
5 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
5 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
3 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
3 |
| Shoe Stores |
2 |
| Siding Contractors |
3 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
1 |
|
Site Preparation Contractors |
19 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
13 |
| Software Publishers |
3 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
3 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
6 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
6 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
6 |
|
Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
8 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Textile Bag Mills |
1 |
| Textile Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
7 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
|
Tire Dealers |
6 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Toilet Preparation Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tortilla Manufacturing |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
2 |
| Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing |
1 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
3 |
|
Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
5 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
2 |
| Veterinary Services |
15 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
3 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
4 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
9 |
|
Window Treatment Stores |
5 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
3 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing |
3 |
Have You Considered Franchising?
As you drive around San Marcos, 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?
Our advice is to investigate buying a franchise. On our site, you can read many articles about franchising, such as Multi-Unit Franchising. 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 Pop-a-Lock Franchise System and Tutorium, Inc.. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Embroidery Franchises and Meal Preparation Franchises.
Note on San Marcos Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in San Marcos.
Have You Considered Buying an Existing San Marcos 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 Marcos.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.
Picking a Company Name
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.
We strongly advocate that you make sure the ".com" domain name is available for your company name. Every business needs a strong Web presence these days, and having a non ".com" domain means somebody else may outrank you in the search results for your own company name.
To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Naming a Company.
As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in San Marcos, it's imperative that you check now that no other California company is using the business name you want to use.
Forming a Company in San Marcos, 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.
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. If 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 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 Offshore Company Formation. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. Finally, if you are starting a business in San Marcos, California, our information on Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.
The Art of Selling
Mastering the art of selling is essential if you want your new San Marcos business to do well.
Why should customers buy from you instead of buying from competitors? Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.
Sales Training is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.
What's Next?
Most new San Marcos businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in San Marcos and throughout the United States . We have a wealth of experience in business start-ups, financing, marketing, sales and more...and we've made all of our knowledge available to you.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in San Marcos, California
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in San Marcos.
- Resources for San Marcos, California Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist San Marcos 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 Marcos, California Newspaper Ad Rates - This is a nearly comprehensive list of advertising rates for San Marcos, California newspapers, including ad costs for newspapers serving the San Marcos area.
- San Marcos, California Radio Advertising Prices - To help you in your marketing efforts, we've gathered radio advertising rates for San Marcos, California area radio stations.
- San Marcos, California Payroll Services - This list includes San Marcos, California payroll services, national payroll services for San Marcos, and helpful information on choosing a San Marcos payroll service.
- San Marcos, California Businesses for Sale - This list includes resources for buying a business in San Marcos, California, such as business brokers in San Marcos and other helpful information on how to buy a San Marcos business.
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