Resource Guide for Business in the South Bay

Provides financial technical and additional assistant to manufacturing businesses using secondary materials to produce new products, or otherwise reduce the amount of solid waste going to landfills.

LA County Dept. of Public Works
900 S. Fremont., Annex 3rd Floor
Alhambra CA 91803
(626) 458-3584 fax: (626) 458-3593

RMDZ Administrator: Richard Ledesma rledesma@ladpw.org

South Bay Economic Development Partnership (SBEDP)

As a collaboration of businesses, government and academia addressing the economic needs of the South Bay community, the SBEDP is a non-profit organization that provides development resources, with special emphasis on assisting manufacturing companies in site selection, tax credit information, financial and other businesses services.

3858 Carson Street Ste. 110
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 792-0323 fax: (310) 543-9886
www.southbaypartnership.com

Executive Director: Joe Aro jaro@southbaypartnership.com

Housing and Neighborhood Development Division

This division of the City of Carson’s Economic Development Work Group has various housing programs designed to assist residents. Programs available include the First Time Homebuyers Program and the Neighborhood Pride Program. These programs offer assistance in making home purchases and home improvements for eligible applicants.

1 Civic Plaza Dr., Ste. 200
Carson, CA 90745

Housing and Neighborhood Development Division Manager:
Donyea Adams dadams@carson.ca.us
(310) 233-4860   fax: (310) 233-4832

Admin Specialist: Sheilah Thompson sthocarson.ca.us
(310) 233-4866   fax: (310) 233-4832

Additional Helpful Websites

• www.score.org SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The website includes free confidential business advice from a business expert via e-mail. Business mentors can also be found, as well as tips on building customer relationships, word of mouth referrals, personalizing customer service and handling business finances. Targeted help is available to assist a business in starting, growing, financing, managing, marketing, developing a business plan and building a website.
• www.startupjournal.com This website, maintained by the Wall Street Journal, contains a variety of business assistance aids, including listings of business and franchises for sale, business opportunities and business brokers, as well as a toolkit that contains business plan tools, a bookstore, e-mail center, local business help and online discussions. Columnists’ advice, utilizing Google, working from home, new business ideas, franchising, financing, e-commerce and running a business are other topics available for exploration.
• www.restaurantowner.com “Resources to turn your good restaurant into a great business” is the headline for this website that provides advice on restaurant startup and growth. Featured resources include training manuals for every position in a restaurant, a restaurant business plan template, a startup checklist, how to get and keep customers, online seminars, audio programs, a restaurant schedule template, restaurant labor scheduling basics, how to obtain discounts when buying advertising, management incentive programs and creating a workable concept on a tight budget.
• www.nbia.org “NBIA” is the National Business Incubation Association, an organization that advances business incubation and entrepreneurship. Helpful resources on this website include a networking link with the incubation community, incubation FAQs and success stories, links to newspaper articles, magazine stories and press releases related to incubation, tips for entrepreneurs, advice to strengthen an incubation program and a bookstore that features books as well as software related to business incubation.
• www.hrcalifornia.com This website, provided by the California Chamber of Commerce, contains a variety of information related to human resource issues for businesses, including hiring employees, developing policies, providing benefits, paying employees, leaves of absence, discrimination and harassment, health and safety, performance and discipline, privacy issues, required posters and notices and terminating an employee. The site also has a Risk Wizard to help review human resource policies and practices to assess whether they are in compliance with state and federal labor law requirements.
• www.sba.gov/starting_business/index.html The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) administers this website whose motto is “programs and services to help you start, grow and succeed.” Included among the site’s features are a Small Business Planner that has information, tools and resources to help a business at any stage of the business lifecycle, including writing a business plan, finding a mentor, financing a start-up, buying a business or franchise, naming a business, making decisions, managing employees, marketing, advertising and selling, planning an exit, selling a business, transferring ownership, liquidating assets, filing bankruptcy and closing officially.
• www.ss.ca.gov/business/business.htm This site is called the “California Business Portal,” and is a tab on the Secretary of State’s website. An assortment of information is offered, including forms, samples and fees for corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, general partnerships, limited liability partnerships, trademarks and service marks, miscellaneous filings and business entities’ mail processing times. Online services include a California business search, e-file, publicly traded disclosure search, legislation, California codes, tax information and technical assistance.
• www.business.gov This website touts itself as the “official business link to the U.S. government,” and is managed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in a partnership with 21 other federal agencies. This partnership, known as a Business Gateway, provides a single access point to government services and information to help the nation’s businesses with their operations. Topics covered include advertising and marketing, business law, emergency and disaster planning, environmental compliance, finance, government contracting, hiring and managing employees, information security, international trade, licenses and permits, non-profits, taxes and workplace health and safety, federal forms, compliance contacts and state compliance resources.FRANCHISING
• www.franchise.org Website of the International Franchise Association, an organization of franchisors, franchisees and suppliers; the site is dedicated to providing members and guests with a one-stop shopping experience. Topics include finding the right franchise, a search tab featuring over 1,000 franchise opportunities, buying a franchise with a 401K, the Federal Trade Commission’s guide to buying a franchise and franchising for veterans, as well as directories for suppliers and franchisors.
• www.bison.com This site contains franchise listings, business opportunity listings, top franchises and free advice on finding the right franchise, a buying guide and financial assessment. The website also lists new franchises, franchising in the news and past franchise trends.
• www.franchisedirect.com Featured topics include franchises for sale, franchise seekers, popular franchise opportunities, international franchises, home-based franchises, restaurant franchises and low cost franchises. The website’s Information Center is a virtual reference library of facts about franchising, including details on several of the key industries in which franchising flourishes.
• www.aafd.org The American Association of Franchisees and Dealers’ (AAFD) is a non-profit trade association representing the rights and interests of franchisees and independent dealers throughout the United States. Its website contains material about fairness initiatives, buying power, franchise organizations, buying a franchise, referral to the franchisee legaline and a list of publications and resources.
• www.frannet.com The Franchise Network Group, also known as FranNet, has consultants that work individually with persons interested in purchasing franchised businesses. A specific profiling and consultative process is used to determine a business model unique to each person. This model is then used to suggest specific franchises that would best fit with that person’s goals, skill sets and interests, both personally and professionally. Frannet.com also provides information about why to buy a franchise, the franchise buying process and franchise financing.
• www.francorp.com Since 1975, Francorp has provided full development programs to help insure the franchise success of over 2,000 businesses. This website contains material about how and why to franchise, how long the process takes, determining franchisability, how to hire, buying a franchise and services offered by Francorp.
• www.ifranchise.net This website, hosted by The iFranchise Group, offers franchise consulting services. Some of the information provided on the site include franchise news, franchise links, franchise articles, iFranchise newsletters, legal updates, franchise FAQs, training for franchisors, criteria for franchisability, advantages of franchising, franchising a dealership, iFranchise clients and franchise expertise.
• www.fransmart.com Fransmart, a franchise development company, assists both franchisors and franchisees with their franchising decisions and investments. The company specializes in growing local or regional concepts into national chains. Material covered on the Fransmart’s website includes buying a franchise, franchising a company, recent press releases concerning franchises, testimonials and suppliers.FINANCING
• www.sba.gov/financing SBA provides a number of financial assistance programs for small businesses, including 7(a), 504 and disaster assistance loans. This website covers eligibility requirements, SBA’s loan programs, surety bonds and the role of SBA, equity capital topics, special purpose loans, SBA partner topics and 7(a) lender programs. Though the SBA doesn’t provide grants to help start a business, information is included on organizations and sites that can assist one with locating special purpose grants. Other features of this website include contract opportunities, online training, counseling and assistance, special audiences, laws and regulations and compliance information.
• www.nvca.org The National Venture Capital Association, or NVCA, is a trade organization that represents the U.S. venture capital industry. It is a member-based organization which consists of venture capital firms that manage pools of risk equity capital designated to be invested in high growth companies. Information contained on this website includes an overview of the venture capital industry, valuation guidelines, model legal documents, industry research, networking and events, special interest groups, venture capital organizations, member-recommended service providers and a media center.
• www.circlelending.com CircleLending is a specialty loan administration company that manages “person to person” loans and mortgages between relatives, friends and other private parties. The company provides everything customers need to formalize and repay private loans, including loan documentation, repayment schedules, electronic billing, credit reporting, year-end statements for tax purposes and record keeping, recording of private mortgages, including intra-family mortgages, title searches and owner reports. Information available on the website consists of advisor loan tools, private loan services for financial professionals, real estate services, personal lending and small business loans.

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