California Business Startup Guides

Open a Business in Solvang, California

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

Will You Be a Good Entrepreneur?

Before announcing to the world that you are going to start your own business, take inventory of 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.

  • Talk to other entrepreneurs in Solvang. They are usually very willing to share their insights on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.
  • We recommend reading Should You Become an Entrepreneur?. For aspiring new entrepreneurs, it's a must read article.
  • Have a candid conversation with friends and family. Others sometimes know you better than you know yourself.

Solvang, California Demographic Information

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

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

Business Size
# of
Businesses
1-4 Employees
564
5-9 Employees
222
10-19 Employees
147
20-49 Employees
96
50-99 Employees
18
100-249 Employees
9
250-499 Employees
6
500-999 Employees
0
1000+ Employees
0
All Solvang Businesses
1062

As a new Solvang entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Solvang 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
Architectural Services
2
Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
1
Baked Goods Stores
1
Beauty Salons
1
Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
1
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
2
Book Publishers
1
Book Stores
1
Caterers
1
Child Day Care Services
3
Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores
1
Commercial Lithographic Printing
2
Computer and Software Stores
1
Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
1
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
1
Custom Computer Programming Services
2
Direct Title Insurance Carriers
2
Document Preparation Services
1
Drywall and Insulation Contractors
1
Electrical Contractors
1
Electronic Shopping
1
Elementary and Secondary Schools
1
Engineering Services
4
Exterminating and Pest Control Services
1
Family Clothing Stores
3
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers
1
Florists
1
Full-Service Restaurants
17
Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
1
General Automotive Repair
2
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
1
Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
11
Glass and Glazing Contractors
1
Hardware Merchant Wholesalers
1
Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
3
Homes for the Elderly
2
Janitorial Services
5
Jewelry Stores
4
Landscaping Services
5
Lessors of Other Real Estate Property
2
Limited-Service Restaurants
4
Machine Shops
1
Mail-Order Houses
1
Metal Window and Door Manufacturing
1
Miscellaneous Intermediation
1
Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers
1
Motion Picture and Video Production
1
Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing
1
Museums
1
Newspaper Publishers
1
Offices of Certified Public Accountants
5
Offices of Chiropractors
4
Offices of Dentists
6
Offices of Lawyers
6
Offices of Optometrists
1
Offices of Other Holding Companies
1
Offices of Real Estate Appraisers
3
Optical Goods Stores
1
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
3
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
2
Portfolio Management
1
Private Mail Centers
1
Professional Employer Organizations
1
Professional Organizations
1
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing
1
Real Estate Credit
2
Recreational Goods Rental
2
Residential Property Managers
2
Residential Remodelers
5
Retail Bakeries
2
Savings Institutions
1
Shoe Stores
2
Site Preparation Contractors
1
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
7
Travel Agencies
3
Used Household and Office Goods Moving
1
Used Merchandise Stores
1
Vending Machine Operators
1
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
1
Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
1
Wineries
4
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
1
Women's Clothing Stores
4

Is Buying an Existing Solvang Business a Good Strategy?

We've created a handy website page for those who want to Buy a Business in California. Follow that link and you may find several good businesses for sale in Solvang.

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

Naming the Business

Making the right decision when choosing a company name is very important. There are many decisions you'll make now that you can change later, but changing a company name years down the road is not very easy. So, choose a good company name at the outset.

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.

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

As a final piece of advice, remember that because you are planning on starting a business in Solvang, it's very important that you make sure your company name has not already been claimed by another California business.

Make Sure You Have a Business Plan

A business plan is essential in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.

To learn more about business plans, read Expert Advice on Business Plans. You can also get free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in California.

Marketing Your New Venture

Whether your goal is to attract Solvang customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, having an excellent marketing plan is fundamental to your successs.

There are myriad resources on this site to help you with your marketing plan. Writing Contributed Articles is a good read to get your marketing juices flowing. That's just a sampling of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.

Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills

Successful business owners recognize that they don't know everything.

Given that you are starting a business in Solvang, California, you should investigate some of the many programs available at nearby California universities, colleges and community colleges. You should also check if there are any Solvang networking organizations.

What's Next?

You have a dream -- starting a business in Solvang. 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 Solvang and throughout the United States . 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 Solvang, California

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

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Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

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