Washington Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Bellingham, Washington

Thinking about starting a business in Bellingham, Washington? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Bellingham.

Bellingham, Washington Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
19647
5-9 Employees
6891
10-19 Employees
4599
20-49 Employees
2889
50-99 Employees
972
100-249 Employees
495
250-499 Employees
90
500-999 Employees
54
1000+ Employees
9
All Bellingham Businesses
35646

As a new Bellingham entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Bellingham 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
Air Traffic Control
1
Aircraft Manufacturing
1
Amusement Arcades
2
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
5
Architectural Services
13
Art Dealers
8
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
15
Automotive Transmission Repair
4
Baked Goods Stores
1
Barber Shops
1
Beauty Salons
41
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
3
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
1
Blood and Organ Banks
2
Boat Building
11
Boat Dealers
14
Book Publishers
2
Book Stores
13
Books Printing
1
Bowling Centers
2
Building Inspection Services
7
Business Associations
8
Business to Business Electronic Markets
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
3
Cafeterias
2
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
3
Canvas and Related Product Mills
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
3
Caterers
6
Cement Manufacturing
2
Charter Bus Industry
1
Child and Youth Services
9
Child Day Care Services
28
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
2
Claims Adjusting
4
Clothing Accessories Stores
3
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
8
Collection Agencies
2
Commercial Lithographic Printing
3
Commercial Photography
4
Community Food Services
3
Computer Systems Design Services
14
Computer Training
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
2
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
2
Construction Machinery Manufacturing
1
Consumer Lending
4
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
1
Couriers
2
Credit Unions
8
Curtain and Drapery Mills
2
Custom Computer Programming Services
24
Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing
2
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
3
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
3
Digital Printing
2
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
4
Direct Mail Advertising
2
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
3
Discount Department Stores
3
Drafting Services
5
Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
13
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
15
Educational Support Services
7
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
44
Elementary and Secondary Schools
19
Emergency and Other Relief Services
2
Employment Placement Agencies
1
Engineering Services
39
Environmental Consulting Services
11
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
3
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
2
Family Clothing Stores
17
Family Planning Centers
1
Farm Product Warehousing and Storage
1
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
2
Fine Arts Schools
4
Finfish Fishing
14
Finish Carpentry Contractors
27
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
8
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
12
Flight Training
1
Floor Covering Stores
6
Flooring Contractors
8
Florists
6
Flour Milling
1
Food Product Machinery Manufacturing
2
Food Service Contractors
4
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
1
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
1
Framing Contractors
21
Freight Transportation Arrangement
4
Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing
11
Fruit and Vegetable Markets
2
Full-Service Restaurants
123
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
3
Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
3
Furniture Stores
15
General Automotive Repair
45
General Freight Trucking, Local
5
General Warehousing and Storage
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
20
Glass and Glazing Contractors
1
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
4
Grantmaking Foundations
6
Graphic Design Services
7
Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
2
Hardware Stores
6
Hat, Cap, and Millinery Manufacturing
1
Heating Oil Dealers
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
11
Home Centers
3
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
5
Home Health Equipment Rental
2
Homes for the Elderly
14
Household Appliance Stores
3
Human Rights Organizations
2
Hydroelectric Power Generation
1
Industrial Building Construction
1
Industrial Gas Manufacturing
1
Industrial Mold Manufacturing
3
Inland Water Passenger Transportation
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
54
Interior Design Services
7
Internet Service Providers
2
Investigation Services
2
Investment Advice
8
Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing
1
Jewelry Stores
14
Junior Colleges
1
Kidney Dialysis Centers
1
Land Subdivision
12
Landscape Architectural Services
2
Landscaping Services
40
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
3
Limited-Service Restaurants
87
Limousine Service
1
Linen Supply
2
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
2
Locksmiths
5
Logging
6
Mail-Order Houses
9
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
1
Marinas
4
Marine Cargo Handling
2
Marketing Consulting Services
13
Masonry Contractors
9
Materials Recovery Facilities
2
Medical Laboratories
2
Men's Clothing Stores
2
Miscellaneous Intermediation
5
Mobile Food Services
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
12
Motion Picture and Video Production
3
Motor Vehicle Towing
3
Museums
5
Musical Groups and Artists
3
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
6
Nail Salons
2
Natural Gas Distribution
1
New Car Dealers
12
New Housing Operative Builders
15
Newspaper Publishers
5
Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
5
Nursing Care Facilities
7
Office Administrative Services
5
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
3
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
4
Offices of Chiropractors
34
Offices of Dentists
70
Offices of Lawyers
110
Offices of Optometrists
16
Offices of Other Holding Companies
3
Offices of Podiatrists
4
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
9
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
3
Packaging and Labeling Services
2
Paging
1
Paint and Coating Manufacturing
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
5
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
38
Paper (except Newsprint) Mills
1
Passenger Car Leasing
1
Passenger Car Rental
3
Payroll Services
1
Periodical Publishers
5
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
7
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
6
Petroleum Refineries
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
13
Photography Studios, Portrait
7
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil
1
Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing
1
Plate Work Manufacturing
1
Portfolio Management
4
Private Mail Centers
6
Professional Employer Organizations
2
Professional Organizations
4
Public Relations Agencies
4
Quick Printing
3
Radio Stations
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Real Estate Investment Trusts
1
Recreational Goods Rental
1
Recreational Vehicle Dealers
3
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
1
Remediation Services
1
Repossession Services
2
Residential Property Managers
24
Retail Bakeries
4
Roofing Contractors
12
Rope, Cordage, and Twine Mills
1
Sales Financing
1
Savings Institutions
9
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
1
School and Employee Bus Transportation
1
Securities Brokerage
24
Security Guards and Patrol Services
3
Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing
1
Septic Tank and Related Services
1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Shellfish Fishing
5
Ship Building and Repairing
2
Siding Contractors
4
Sign Manufacturing
7
Site Preparation Contractors
17
Skiing Facilities
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
52
Software Publishers
5
Solid Waste Collection
3
Sports and Recreation Instruction
8
Spring (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
1
Steel Wire Drawing
1
Tax Preparation Services
5
Taxi Service
3
Telemarketing Bureaus
3
Telephone Answering Services
1
Temporary Help Services
10
Temporary Shelters
3
Testing Laboratories
4
Textile Bag Mills
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
8
Tire Dealers
6
Tobacco Stores
3
Translation and Interpretation Services
1
Travel Agencies
8
Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing
1
Used Car Dealers
10
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
6
Used Merchandise Stores
15
Vending Machine Operators
2
Video Tape and Disc Rental
11
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
11
Voluntary Health Organizations
2
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
3
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
16
Window Treatment Stores
2
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
5
Women's Clothing Stores
13
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1
Wood Preservation
2
Zoos and Botanical Gardens
1

Is Buying an Existing Bellingham Business a Good Strategy?

An excellent way to get started in business is to Buy a Business in Washington. Follow that link and you can review several good businesses for sale in Bellingham.

If you are going to be buying a business, you may want to read this article: Hold Harmless Agreements When Buying Businesses.

Make Sure You Have a Business Plan

Creating a business plan is vital in laying a solid foundation for your business success. Indeed, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Not having a business plan

Before you start writing a business plan, we suggest you skim Business Plan Outsourcing. You can also get face-to-face free consulting available from your local SCORE chapter in Washington.

Startup Financing Basics

Finding the funds to fuel the growth of your Bellingham business will be harder than you might expect. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Attracting Investors.

For Bellingham entrepreneurs with great ambition but a shortage of investment capital, we have assembled a List of Washington Angel Investors and our List of Washington Venture Capital Firms.

Building Up Your Sales

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

Not knowing how to sell can result in lost customers and minimal market share. Fortunately, we've got plenty of good advice to help you improve your selling skills.

Cold Call Selling is a good article to read, one of dozens in the Selling for Entrepreneurs section of our site.

How to Improve Your Entrepreneurial Abilities

The best business owners recognize that they don't know everything.

Given that you are starting a business in Bellingham, Washington, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Washington universities, colleges and community colleges. We also recommend you look into networking organizations for Bellingham entrepreneurs.

Some Interesting Bellingham Entrepreneurs

We're compiling a number of interviews with Bellingham entrepreneurs. Enjoy!

Now It's Up To You

You have a dream -- starting a business in Bellingham. 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 Bellingham and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Bellingham, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Bellingham, Washington

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

More Business Startup Guides for Washington

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Starting a Business in Blaine

Browse All Business Startup Guides for Washington
Starting a Business Guides for Other States

 

 

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