California Business Startup Guides

Opening a Business in San Luis Obispo, California

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

San Luis Obispo, California Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
3555
5-9 Employees
1380
10-19 Employees
1074
20-49 Employees
840
50-99 Employees
270
100-249 Employees
81
250-499 Employees
9
500-999 Employees
3
1000+ Employees
9
All San Luis Obispo Businesses
7221

As a new San Luis Obispo entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in San Luis Obispo 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
6
Air Traffic Control
1
Ambulance Services
3
Appliance Repair and Maintenance
5
Architectural Services
22
Armored Car Services
1
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing
1
Automobile Driving Schools
1
Automotive Exhaust System Repair
2
Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
3
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
12
Automotive Transmission Repair
3
Baked Goods Stores
2
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
4
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
7
Blind and Shade Manufacturing
1
Blood and Organ Banks
1
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
6
Bowling Centers
1
Building Inspection Services
1
Business Associations
6
Business to Business Electronic Markets
1
Cable and Other Program Distribution
2
Cafeterias
5
Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores
2
Car Washes
3
Caterers
2
Cemeteries and Crematories
1
Charter Bus Industry
1
Child and Youth Services
7
Child Day Care Services
13
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
2
Civic and Social Organizations
13
Clothing Accessories Stores
2
Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners
1
Collection Agencies
1
Commercial Bakeries
3
Commercial Gravure Printing
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
3
Commercial Screen Printing
2
Computer and Software Stores
5
Computer Facilities Management Services
4
Computer Systems Design Services
8
Computer Training
3
Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing
1
Confectionery and Nut Stores
1
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
2
Convenience Stores
5
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
1
Cosmetology and Barber Schools
1
Couriers
6
Court Reporting and Stenotype Services
3
Credit Bureaus
3
Curtain and Drapery Mills
2
Custom Computer Programming Services
15
Dance Companies
1
Dental Laboratories
1
Diagnostic Imaging Centers
2
Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
2
Digital Printing
1
Direct Mail Advertising
3
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
5
Directory and Mailing List Publishers
1
Display Advertising
1
Distilleries
1
Document Preparation Services
2
Drafting Services
3
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
3
Educational Support Services
2
Electric Power Distribution
1
Electrical Contractors
8
Electronic Auctions
2
Electronic Computer Manufacturing
1
Electronic Shopping
4
Emergency and Other Relief Services
1
Engineering Services
43
Environmental Consulting Services
5
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
3
Facilities Support Services
2
Family Clothing Stores
6
Family Planning Centers
1
Fine Arts Schools
2
Finish Carpentry Contractors
9
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
10
Flight Training
2
Floor Covering Stores
7
Flooring Contractors
1
Florists
5
Food Service Contractors
1
Formal Wear and Costume Rental
2
Framing Contractors
3
Fruit and Vegetable Canning
1
Full-Service Restaurants
68
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
2
Furniture Stores
11
General Freight Trucking, Local
2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
4
General Rental Centers
1
General Warehousing and Storage
2
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
13
Glass and Glazing Contractors
1
Gold Ore Mining
1
Grantmaking Foundations
5
Graphic Design Services
6
Hardware Manufacturing
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
1
Hardware Stores
2
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
7
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
1
Home Health Equipment Rental
2
Homes for the Elderly
4
Household Appliance Stores
2
Human Rights Organizations
1
Industrial Design Services
2
Industrial Valve Manufacturing
1
Inland Water Freight Transportation
1
Interior Design Services
3
Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
2
Internet Service Providers
5
Investigation Services
2
Investment Advice
11
Janitorial Services
11
Jewelry Stores
10
Land Subdivision
7
Landscape Architectural Services
6
Landscaping Services
26
Language Schools
1
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
7
Limited-Service Restaurants
59
Limousine Service
2
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
2
Locksmiths
2
Logging
1
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
2
Machine Shops
7
Mail-Order Houses
6
Manifold Business Forms Printing
1
Marketing Consulting Services
7
Masonry Contractors
4
Meat Processed from Carcasses
1
Medical Laboratories
1
Men's Clothing Stores
3
Metal Household Furniture Manufacturing
2
Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing
2
Mobile Food Services
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
7
Motion Picture and Video Distribution
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
2
Motor Vehicle Towing
2
Motorcycle Dealers
2
Museums
2
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
4
Musical Instrument Manufacturing
4
Nail Salons
2
Natural Gas Distribution
3
New Car Dealers
11
New Housing Operative Builders
1
News Dealers and Newsstands
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
6
Nursing Care Facilities
5
Office Administrative Services
10
Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
5
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
6
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
18
Offices of Chiropractors
12
Offices of Lawyers
111
Offices of Optometrists
10
Offices of Other Holding Companies
1
Offices of Podiatrists
3
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
3
Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing
1
Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers
1
Outdoor Power Equipment Stores
1
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
5
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
6
Parking Lots and Garages
1
Passenger Car Rental
1
Payroll Services
1
Periodical Publishers
3
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
5
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
2
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
10
Photography Studios, Portrait
5
Political Organizations
2
Portfolio Management
3
Professional Employer Organizations
1
Public Relations Agencies
2
Quick Printing
2
Radio Stations
15
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
2
Real Estate Credit
13
Real Estate Investment Trusts
1
Recreational Goods Rental
1
Residential Remodelers
12
Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
2
Roofing Contractors
2
Rooming and Boarding Houses
2
Savings Institutions
7
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation
5
Securities and Commodity Exchanges
1
Security Guards and Patrol Services
2
Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing
2
Shoe Stores
10
Sign Manufacturing
3
Site Preparation Contractors
3
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
24
Software Publishers
6
Solid Waste Landfill
1
Special Needs Transportation
1
Spice and Extract Manufacturing
1
Sporting Goods Stores
17
Sports and Recreation Instruction
3
Tax Preparation Services
11
Telecommunications Resellers
2
Telephone Answering Services
1
Television Broadcasting
3
Temporary Help Services
5
Temporary Shelters
4
Testing Laboratories
3
Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
1
Tile and Terrazzo Contractors
1
Title Abstract and Settlement Offices
1
Tobacco Stores
2
Tour Operators
1
Travel Agencies
5
Used Car Dealers
1
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
3
Used Merchandise Stores
9
Veterinary Services
9
Video Tape and Disc Rental
9
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
3
Voluntary Health Organizations
2
Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
1
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
9
Wineries
9
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
16
Women's Clothing Stores
17
Wood Window and Door Manufacturing
1
Zoos and Botanical Gardens
1

Have You Considered Franchising?

As you drive around San Luis Obispo, you'll notice that many local entrepreneurs have gone the franchising route. But is franchising the right option for you?

Our recommendation is that you evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. We have many articles on franchises, such as Detecting Franchising Scams. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.

To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.

Representative franchise opportunities include Dyno - UK and Hand-In-Hand. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Senior Care Franchises and Child Entertainment Franchises.

Note on San Luis Obispo Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in San Luis Obispo.

Naming the Company

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: Branding Advice.

On a final note, given that you are opening a business in San Luis Obispo, it's very important that you make sure your company name has not already been claimed by another California business.

Forming a Company in San Luis Obispo, 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 corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.

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. 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. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.

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 Registered Agents. You may also want to seek the advice of an lawyer. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in San Luis Obispo, California, our web page covering Incorporating in California may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in California.

Do You Need a Business Plan?

A business plan is vital 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. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Business Plan Mistakes. You can also get free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in California.

Raising Money for Your New Venture

Raising money to fund your new San Luis Obispo business is very difficult due to the ongoing business credit crunch. If you don't have a rich uncle to fund you, you'll need to be creative in how you approach your fundraising efforts.

On the bright side, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled How Equity Dilution Works.

For San Luis Obispo entrepreneurs in need of startup financing, check out our List of California Angel Investors and our List of California Venture Capital Firms.

Now It's Up To You

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

From this point on, you control your own destiny.

We are here to help San Luis Obispo businesses to be successful. 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 Luis Obispo, California

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

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