Washington Business Startup Guides

Starting a Business in Kirkland, Washington

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

Do You Have Entrepreneurial Drive and Passion?

Before you get too far along in the process, assess your entrepreneurial instincts and capabilities.

Here are three things we recommend you do before you fully commit to starting a new business of your own.

  • Speak with other entrepreneurs in Kirkland. Get their candid feedback on what it takes to start a successful business.
  • 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. A support network of family and friends can be a great sounding board for good advice before you decide for sure to go into business.

Kirkland, Washington Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
15360
5-9 Employees
4446
10-19 Employees
2970
20-49 Employees
2133
50-99 Employees
621
100-249 Employees
360
250-499 Employees
99
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
18
All Kirkland Businesses
26007

As a new Kirkland entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Kirkland 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
7
Amusement Arcades
1
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
1
Architectural Services
22
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
3
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
3
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
8
Automotive Transmission Repair
2
Baked Goods Stores
1
Barber Shops
1
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
1
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers
1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
5
Boat Dealers
2
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
3
Bowling Centers
1
Business and Secretarial Schools
1
Business Associations
9
Cafeterias
1
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
1
Canvas and Related Product Mills
3
Car Washes
6
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
2
Child and Youth Services
2
Child Day Care Services
22
Civic and Social Organizations
3
Claims Adjusting
3
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
3
Collection Agencies
2
Commercial Flexographic Printing
1
Commercial Photography
1
Community Food Services
2
Computer and Software Stores
3
Computer Systems Design Services
28
Computer Training
4
Consumer Lending
3
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
4
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
1
Credit Bureaus
2
Credit Unions
5
Custom Computer Programming Services
46
Dance Companies
1
Dental Laboratories
7
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
1
Direct Life Insurance Carriers
4
Direct Mail Advertising
1
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
1
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
1
Display Advertising
2
Document Preparation Services
2
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
14
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
9
Educational Support Services
4
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
21
Electronic Shopping
5
Elementary and Secondary Schools
2
Engineering Services
58
Environmental Consulting Services
5
Exam Preparation and Tutoring
7
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
4
Facilities Support Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
1
Fine Arts Schools
5
Finish Carpentry Contractors
21
Fish and Seafood Markets
1
Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
16
Flight Training
1
Floor Covering Stores
4
Flooring Contractors
5
Food (Health) Supplement Stores
2
Food Service Contractors
5
Footwear and Leather Goods Repair
1
Footwear Merchant Wholesalers
1
Framing Contractors
8
Freight Transportation Arrangement
3
Full-Service Restaurants
97
Furniture Stores
7
General Automotive Repair
33
General Freight Trucking, Local
1
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
General Rental Centers
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
8
Glass and Glazing Contractors
5
Graphic Design Services
6
Gypsum Product Manufacturing
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
6
Hardware Stores
2
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
4
Home Centers
1
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
2
Household Appliance Stores
2
Industrial Design Services
2
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
67
Interior Design Services
6
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
5
Internet Service Providers
2
Investigation Services
1
Janitorial Services
17
Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing
2
Jewelry Stores
7
Kidney Dialysis Centers
1
Land Subdivision
9
Landscape Architectural Services
5
Landscaping Services
31
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
2
Limited-Service Restaurants
63
Limousine Service
2
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
1
Locksmiths
2
Logging
1
Machine Shops
6
Marinas
1
Marketing Consulting Services
23
Masonry Contractors
3
Media Representatives
1
Medical Laboratories
1
Men's Clothing Stores
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
8
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
33
Motion Picture and Video Production
4
Motor Vehicle Towing
2
Motorcycle Dealers
1
Musical Groups and Artists
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
1
Nail Salons
6
New Car Dealers
11
New Housing Operative Builders
6
Nonresidential Property Managers
11
Nursing Care Facilities
2
Office Administrative Services
17
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
4
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
2
Offices of Chiropractors
27
Offices of Dentists
67
Offices of Lawyers
45
Offices of Optometrists
5
Offices of Other Holding Companies
6
Offices of Podiatrists
2
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
15
Optical Goods Stores
5
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
1
Paging
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
5
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
32
Parking Lots and Garages
5
Payroll Services
2
Pet and Pet Supplies Stores
3
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
3
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
1
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
12
Photography Studios, Portrait
1
Portfolio Management
4
Primary Battery Manufacturing
1
Public Relations Agencies
3
Quick Printing
3
Radio Networks
1
Real Estate Credit
22
Real Estate Investment Trusts
2
Record Production
1
Recreational Goods Rental
1
Residential Remodelers
41
Retail Bakeries
2
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
3
Roofing Contractors
8
Sales Financing
3
Satellite Telecommunications
1
Savings Institutions
9
Security Guards and Patrol Services
3
Shellfish Fishing
2
Shoe Stores
2
Siding Contractors
2
Sign Manufacturing
3
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
28
Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing
1
Solid Waste Collection
2
Sporting Goods Stores
6
Sports and Recreation Instruction
6
Sports Teams and Clubs
3
Tax Preparation Services
3
Telecommunications Resellers
3
Telemarketing Bureaus
4
Temporary Shelters
1
Testing Laboratories
4
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
6
Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers
1
Tire Dealers
4
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Tour Operators
2
Travel Agencies
8
Used Car Dealers
5
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
2
Used Merchandise Stores
6
Vending Machine Operators
2
Veterinary Services
13
Video Tape and Disc Rental
4
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
3
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
35
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
7
Women's Clothing Stores
9
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
1
Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing
1
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
2

Naming the Company

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.

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 Company.

There's one other important factor when naming a business. Since you are opening a business in Kirkland, it's very important that you make sure no other Washington company is using the business name you want to use.

Promoting Your New Company

To rise above the crowd in Kirkland and advance your business, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your business achieving its goals.

We have some excellent resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. Newspaper Advertising Costs is a good read to get your marketing creativity flowing. That's just a taste of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Ramping Up Sales

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

Good selling involves demonstrating that your wares meet your customer's needs. Let us help you refine your selling techniques through our many useful sales advice tips.

Anticipating Prospect Responses offers some helpful tips on how to sell. It's one of several good articles on our site regarding Entrepreneurial Selling.

Improving Your Entrepreneurial Skillset

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

As an entrepreneur who lives in Kirkland, Washington, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Washington universities, colleges and community colleges. It's also wise to see if there are any networking organizations for Kirkland entrepreneurs.

Now It's Up To You

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

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 Kirkland and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Kirkland, neighborhood development and overall economic health.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Kirkland, Washington

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Washington

Starting a Business in Kingston
Starting a Business in La Conner

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

 

 

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