Whether you want to startup a restaurant, a consultancy, the next big tech company or anything in between, here are five resources local to Long Beach, that can get you going in the right direction. And did we say one of them is free money?

Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Hosted by Long Beach City College, the SBDC is an out-of-this-world resource for any aspiring entrepreneur. They host a whole series of workshops and seminars geared towards equipping would-be business owners with the tools and resources they need to be successful.

One program they offer which we like a lot is the Small Business Brigade series of workshops. Its simple: take at least five of their seminars and get a business consultant, all for free. These workshops are set up specifically for veterans and their spouses, but fear not non-veteran citizens, they offer a ton of educational programming and resources for just about any- and everyone. Check them out.
http://longbeachsbdc.org/

City of Long Beach Corridor Beautification Grant Opportunities
Yes, free money, and its a lot bigger than it sounds. Basically, any startup looking to locate in one of Long Beach’s many Community Block Grant areas is eligible to apply for this grant. The grant covers up to $2000 in startup costs/business opening costs and is doled out each year on a first come, first served basis to all qualifying/approved applicants. You can find out more about this opportunity by visiting the City of Long Beach’s webpage on the subject. http://www.longbeach.gov/ecd/financial_assistance/$2000_start_up_grant/default.asp

City of Long Beach Business Loan Program
Yes, the city has a pretty well known and established program for supporting existing businesses, but did you know they also have a loan program for up to $25,000 for startups? Well, they do. Check it out here.
http://www.longbeach.gov/ecd/financial_assistance/business_loans/

WE Labs
You read that right. WE Labs is probably Long Beach’s best business startup support group and then some. Pretty much every single one of our members is part of a startup, started up their own business or is in the process of starting up. WE are consultants, designers, technologists, makers, innovators and producers. If you have a question about starting up in Long Beach, why not come join our family and ask someone who has probably already answered it themselves?

We also offer a boatload of networking and educational opportunities. Our Pitch Lab and WE Hour monthly event is perfect for startups. You can present your idea or plan and get instant feedback from the community in an informal, comfortable setting. You can find out more about our resources, events and opportunities by following us on Twitter and/or Facebook. Oh, check out our website too.

Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation’s Business Incentives Guide
A lot of the resources we mentioned in this post are also listed in this guide, but it includes a great deal more information on resources available through the State of California, Federal government resources (including Small Business Administration resources) and tax incentives for startups.
http://laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2012_LAEDCIncentiveGuide.pdf