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Get an Idea
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Business Plan
Financial Plan
Funding Types & Incentives
Business License
Determine Property Type
Launch
Zoning Check
Site Selection
Negotiate Your Lease
Register Your Business
Apply for a Business License
Site Plan Check
Permits
Inspections
Renew Your License
Grow
Hire Employees
Business Taxes
Obtain Funding
Marketing
Work with the City
Networking
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My Checklist
PLAN
Get an Idea
Understand why Long Beach would be the right place
Determine if entrepreneurship is right for you right now
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Research what businesses do well in Long Beach
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Market research
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Find your competitive advantage
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Determine how your idea will earn money
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Supportive Resources
Get to know them
Check out the SBDC classes
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Learn about the Library’s services
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Create an email account if you don’t have one
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Learn about free wifi spots in Long Beach
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Subscribe to the Library Business Book List
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Understand the role of the city
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Understand benefits and drawbacks of working with friends and family
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Business Plan
Roadmap to profitability
Write a business plan
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Check out the classes at SBDC
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Get feedback on your business plan
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Connect with a mentor
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Financial Plan
Forecast cost & revenue
Take a class at the SBDC on how to write a Business Financial Plan
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Create a financial plan
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Calculate needed starting capital
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Calculate financial projections
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Calculate your break even point
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Funding Types & Incentives
Access to capital and incentives
Explore financing opportunities from the City, the bank, and friends and family
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Business License
Determine if you need one
Determine if I need a business license
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Explore Open Counter
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Submit Home Based Business Form (if applicable)
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Determine Property Type
Home-Based? Co-working? Mobile? Business Property?
Consider the differences between home-based vs. mobile vs. commercial properties
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Consider the size of the property I need for my business
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Consider the parking minimums for my property
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Consider accessibility needs of my customers (ADA compliance)
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Negotiate tenant improvement costs in my lease
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Read how to select and hire a licensed contractor to perform remodel/repairs
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Hire a licensed contractor to perform remodel/ repairs
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Schedule inspections with Development Services (if necessary)
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LAUNCH
Zoning Check
Is your business type allowed at that site?
Identify several locations well-suited for your business
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Get to know the Business Improvement District (BID) services
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Consider working with a commercial broker to help with this process
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Explore a FREE location selection tool from Gateway Cities Council of Governments
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See if your business type is allowed in the locations you have selected
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Site Selection
Don't sign a lease before checking zoning
Check if your business location is in a BID
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Get to know the BID services
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Contact the leader of your BID to receive help opening your business
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Negotiate Your Lease
Check zoning before you sign
Create a site plan
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Retain a commercial broker to help find a space and negotiate lease terms like rent and other important terms
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Have the broker prepare a Letter of Intent (LOI) memorializing the deal terms
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Retain a lawyer who specializes in retail leasing to review the LOI and make any necessary revisions before I sign it
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Have my lawyer review and negotiate the lease with the landlord before signing it
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Sign the lease
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Register Your Business
with the State of California
Determine my business structure
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Create a business name and consider the branding implications
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Register my Fictitious Business Name (FBN) with LA county
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Apply for a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)
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Determine which state licenses and permits are required for my business type
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Apply for a California State Board of Equalization Seller's Permit [Retail Only]
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Apply for an Alcoholic Beverage Control License
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Apply for a Business License
with the City
Determine what type(s) of city business licenses I need
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Determine if I need an annual or short-term license
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Determine business license taxes and/or fees
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Determine if I need to pay Business Improvement District (BID) fees
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Determine if I need additional state or local licenses
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Fill out Business License Application
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Submit the Business License Application to the City
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Site Plan Check
Review with City
Bring plans to the 4th floor of City Hall for plan check
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Pick up your plans
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Permits
Get approved by the City
Engage appropriate contractors for proposed changes
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Complete associated forms including Recycling Plan
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Pay permit fees
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Check the status of your permits
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Inspections
Ensure you are being safe
Schedule inspection(s)
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Confirm inspection
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Meet the inspector
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Make appropriate changes as directed by the inspector and schedule reinspection
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Pay outstanding development or impact fees
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Receive Certificate of Occupancy (CO)
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Renew Your License
Receive,renew, edit, or close
Create an account in BizLicense
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Look up my license/application information in BizLicense
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Receive Certificate of Occupancy
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Receive Business License
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Mark business license expiration date on calendar
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Learn how to renew my license
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Learn how to edit my license
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GROW
Hire Employees
Expand your workforce
Hire employees
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Put up workplace posters
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Business Taxes
Paying them
Pay your business taxes
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Obtain Funding
Access resources to grow
Understand if you qualify as a minority business owner
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Search for opportunities relevant to you
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Marketing
Getting customers
Create a Marketing Plan
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Take Marketing 101 course at the Long Beach SBDC
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Work with the City
Become a vendor
Register your business services on PlanetBids
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Networking
Expand your contacts
Go to MeetUps and Community Events
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My Funding Opportunities
Soon you will be able to save your funding opportunities here. In the meantime, explore them with our search tool.
Obtain Funding
Resource matching
My Forms
Soon you will be able to save forms relevant to your business. Check back again soon!
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