California Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Signal Hill, California

Need help starting a business in Signal Hill, California? We've got the information you need to open a business in Signal Hill.

Will You Be a Successful Entrepreneur?

Most new companies fail, in part because the founder did not have the tenacity and/or the skills to succeed. So, before you open a business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.

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 Signal Hill. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
  • You should read Starting a Company. It's a good read for those who are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.
  • Talk it over with a close friend or partner. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.

Signal Hill, California Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
574
5-9 Employees
231
10-19 Employees
141
20-49 Employees
120
50-99 Employees
27
100-249 Employees
21
250-499 Employees
3
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Signal Hill Businesses
1117

As a new Signal Hill entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Signal Hill 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
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
1
Automotive Transmission Repair
1
Beauty Salons
1
Book Publishers
1
Business Associations
1
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
2
Child Day Care Services
2
Commercial Bakeries
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
4
Computer Systems Design Services
2
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
1
Convention and Trade Show Organizers
1
Credit Unions
1
Drafting Services
1
Electrical Contractors
7
Engineering Services
4
Environmental Consulting Services
2
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
3
Finish Carpentry Contractors
1
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
2
Floor Covering Stores
1
Full-Service Restaurants
2
General Automotive Repair
5
General Freight Trucking, Local
2
Grantmaking Foundations
1
Graphic Design Services
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
3
Heating Oil Dealers
1
Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
1
Home Health Care Services
3
Home Health Equipment Rental
1
Household Appliance Stores
1
Industrial Launderers
3
Industrial Valve Manufacturing
1
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages
8
Janitorial Services
3
Jewelry Stores
1
Landscaping Services
4
Limited-Service Restaurants
9
Limousine Service
1
Local Messengers and Local Delivery
1
Machine Shops
7
Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers
1
Marketing Consulting Services
3
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores
2
New Car Dealers
6
New Housing Operative Builders
1
Nonresidential Property Managers
3
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
1
Offices of Lawyers
2
Offices of Optometrists
1
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
2
Paint and Wallpaper Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
2
Payroll Services
1
Photography Studios, Portrait
1
Professional Organizations
1
Quick Printing
1
Residential Property Managers
1
Residential Remodelers
4
Roofing Contractors
1
Security Guards and Patrol Services
3
Sign Manufacturing
1
Site Preparation Contractors
2
Sporting Goods Stores
1
Tax Preparation Services
1
Telemarketing Bureaus
1
Temporary Help Services
2
Testing Laboratories
3
Tire Retreading
1
Used Car Dealers
1
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
2
Used Merchandise Stores
1
Vending Machine Operators
1
Veterinary Services
4
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers
8
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
2

Should You Franchise?

Visit the business district of Signal Hill and it becomes clear that purchasing a franchise is a common way to get started as an entrepreneur. Should you be giving franchising serious consideration?

Our advice is to evaluate the possibility of your buying a franchise opportunity. To help you learn more about franchising, we've gathered a ton of articles on franchising, including Franchise Versus Business Opportunity. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.

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

Sample franchise opportunities include Expetec Technology Services and Interquest Detection Canines. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Home Repair Franchises and Miscellaneous Franchises.

Note on Signal Hill Franchise Opportunities: To find out if a franchise you are interested in is available in Signal Hill, you will need to get in direct contact with the franchisor.

Naming the Business

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.

Even if the name doesn't do it by itself, many naming experts believe there should be a story behind the name that ties into your company mission.

To get up to speed on what makes for a good company name, we encourage you to read this useful article: Naming a Business.

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are starting a business in Signal Hill, it's imperative that you check now that no other California company is using the business name you want to use.

Don't Forget to Create a Business Plan

Having a business plan is critical to the health of your new business. In effect, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Not having a business plan makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.

If writing a business plan is on your to-do list, be sure to read Business Plan Contests. A great resource for business planning assistance is the free counseling sessions provided by your local SCORE chapter in California.

Getting Money to Start a Business

Getting your Signal Hill business the capital it needs to succeed is not an easy task. In fact, financing your new business may be the hardest challenge you ever face.

Fortunately, this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Microlending as a Small Business Funding Source.

For Signal Hill entrepreneurs who want to raise money for a new venture, we have assembled a List of California Angel Investors and our List of California Venture Capital Firms.

What's Next?

Most new Signal Hill businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.

Owning your own business will be a daunting task, but you can do it.

We are here to help Signal Hill businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Signal Hill entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.

More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Signal Hill, California

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

Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in California

Starting a Business in Sierra Madre
Starting a Business in Solvang

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

 

 

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Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

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