California Business Startup Guides

Opening a Business in Downey, California

Contemplating starting a business in Downey, California? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Downey.

Is Becoming an Entrepreneur Right for You?

Before quitting your day job, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

Because entrepreneurship is not for everyone, we recommend you do the following to help you assess whether you should move forward with starting a business:

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in Downey. Get their take on what it's really like to be an entrepreneur.
  • You should read The Entrepreneurial Personality. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
  • Reach out to a trusted acquaintance. That's the best way to get a truly objective assessment as to whether others think you have what it takes.

Downey, California Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
6754
5-9 Employees
2528
10-19 Employees
1476
20-49 Employees
1068
50-99 Employees
378
100-249 Employees
204
250-499 Employees
72
500-999 Employees
12
1000+ Employees
18
All Downey Businesses
12510

As a new Downey entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Downey 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
Advertising Agencies
1
Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering
1
Architectural Services
3
Art Dealers
2
Automatic Vending Machine Manufacturing
1
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
1
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
12
Automotive Transmission Repair
2
Baked Goods Stores
5
Beauty Salons
27
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
14
Book Stores
2
Bowling Centers
1
Building Inspection Services
1
Business Associations
3
Cafeterias
3
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Car Washes
7
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
1
Caterers
3
Child Day Care Services
16
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
3
Civic and Social Organizations
6
Claims Adjusting
2
Clothing Accessories Stores
7
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
6
Collection Agencies
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
2
Commercial Photography
1
Community Food Services
1
Computer and Software Stores
5
Computer Facilities Management Services
1
Computer Systems Design Services
10
Computer Training
1
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
1
Construction Machinery Manufacturing
1
Consumer Lending
3
Convenience Stores
4
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
1
Couriers
1
Credit Unions
8
Custom Computer Programming Services
1
Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing
1
Dental Laboratories
4
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
6
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
3
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
1
Document Preparation Services
1
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
12
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
6
Educational Support Services
1
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
18
Elementary and Secondary Schools
8
Employment Placement Agencies
4
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
4
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
7
Facilities Support Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
7
Family Planning Centers
2
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
1
Fine Arts Schools
2
Fish and Seafood Markets
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
7
Floor Covering Stores
3
Flooring Contractors
1
Florists
4
Fluid Milk Manufacturing
1
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
6
Footwear Merchant Wholesalers
1
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
2
Framing Contractors
1
Freight Transportation Arrangement
4
Full-Service Restaurants
58
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
3
Furniture Stores
8
General Freight Trucking, Local
13
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
2
General Rental Centers
1
General Warehousing and Storage
4
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
4
Golf Courses and Country Clubs
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
3
Historical Sites
1
HMO Medical Centers
3
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
1
Home Centers
1
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
1
Home Health Care Services
9
Homes for the Elderly
8
Industrial Mold Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
49
Interior Design Services
3
Investigation Services
5
Investment Advice
4
Janitorial Services
12
Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing
2
Kidney Dialysis Centers
4
Land Subdivision
1
Landscape Architectural Services
1
Landscaping Services
7
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
2
Limited-Service Restaurants
79
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
3
Machine Shops
8
Mail-Order Houses
2
Marinas
1
Marketing Consulting Services
2
Masonry Contractors
5
Meat Markets
3
Medical Laboratories
2
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
1
Mobile Food Services
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
25
Motion Picture and Video Production
5
Motor Vehicle Towing
4
Musical Groups and Artists
1
Natural Gas Distribution
3
New Car Dealers
10
New Housing Operative Builders
3
News Syndicates
1
Newspaper Publishers
3
Nonresidential Property Managers
4
Nursing Care Facilities
5
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
2
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
5
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
10
Offices of Chiropractors
15
Offices of Dentists
74
Offices of Lawyers
29
Offices of Optometrists
6
Offices of Podiatrists
2
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
5
One-Hour Photofinishing
1
Optical Goods Stores
5
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
1
Outerwear Knitting Mills
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
8
Passenger Car Rental
1
Periodical Publishers
1
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing
1
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
14
Photography Studios, Portrait
3
Political Organizations
3
Portfolio Management
1
Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
3
Private Mail Centers
2
Professional Organizations
2
Quick Printing
6
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Real Estate Credit
21
Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage
2
Remediation Services
1
Repossession Services
1
Residential Property Managers
21
Residential Remodelers
11
Retail Bakeries
3
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
1
Rooming and Boarding Houses
2
Sales Financing
1
Savings Institutions
7
Securities Brokerage
5
Security Guards and Patrol Services
4
Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing
1
Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
1
Sign Manufacturing
3
Site Preparation Contractors
4
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
22
Soft Drink Manufacturing
1
Solid Waste Landfill
1
Special Needs Transportation
1
Sporting Goods Stores
2
Spring (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
1
Tax Preparation Services
6
Telephone Answering Services
1
Temporary Help Services
9
Testing Laboratories
2
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
2
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Tobacco Stores
1
Tour Operators
1
Translation and Interpretation Services
1
Travel Agencies
3
Used Car Dealers
7
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
3
Vending Machine Operators
1
Veterinary Services
7
Video Tape and Disc Rental
4
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
4
Voluntary Health Organizations
1
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
10
Women's Clothing Stores
12
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1

Choosing a Business Name

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.

Companies like Starbucks, Apple, Target, Microsoft and Intuit all have strong company names that are easy to remember and have become well-loved brands. Wouldn't it be nice if your new company name got on a similar track?

For other considerations regarding naming a company, we recommend this article: Naming a Business.

On a final note, given that you are opening a business in Downey, it's very important that you make sure no California company has already registered the company name you have selected.

Company Formation in Downey, 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. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. Just because you are starting a business in California, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in California. In fact, 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. To learn the basics of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as Getting an EIN. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Downey, California, our web page covering Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.

Make Sure You Have a Business Plan

Writing a business plan is critical in laying a solid foundation for your business success. In effect, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Failure to write a business plan will greatly reduce your chances of business success.

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

Bring in Revenues

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

The key to selling is to set sales goals goals and monitor your progress towards those goals. Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Landing Big Customers 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.

Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset

Successful entrepreneurs know that what they know now may not be enough to ensure their future success.

With your business being located in Downey, California, you should check out some of the many programs available at nearby California universities, colleges and community colleges. Another way to keep up on your entrepreneurial education is to investigate Downey networking organizations.

Moving Forward

You have a dream -- starting a business in Downey. 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.

We are here to help Downey businesses to be successful. We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Downey, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Downey, California

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

More Startup Articles for California Cities

Starting a Business in Dos Palos
Starting a Business in Downieville

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

 

 

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary