I feel like small business owners are so used to being self-reliant that they have a hard time asking for help. Main Street Launch has a great network of partner organizations that specialize in a different aspects of small business assistance. By contacting me and letting me know what they need, I can be a great resource by directing small businesses to the right resource.
Main Street Launch is proud to partner with organizations like Start Small Think Big, another San Francisco Economic Development Alliance (SFEDA) member organization. Start Small provides eligible entrepreneurs with free legal, financial, and marketing services through in-house experts and their extensive network of pro-bono partners. Legal services include: Corporate risk assessment Entity…
Coworking can be a viable alternative to dedicated brick and mortar space for some entrepreneurs. In the Bay Area and beyond, coworking as a model continues to grow, becoming more customized and accessible more more small business owners. Especially for new businesses, online businesses, consultants, and other service businesses, office space might be a large…
This post was written by Katie Taylor, Vice President – Marketing & Executive Projects at Main Street Launch. As your business grows, it becomes impossible to do it all yourself. Hiring can be daunting, but having a simple plan and process can make it easier. In this post we share a few of our…
The Bay Area is full of great resources for your business. Main Street Launch is proud to partner with Uptima Business Bootcamp. Our Entrepreneurs in Residence work through Uptima’s program, and many of our loan clients have completed the program in preparation for their loans. Uptima Business Bootcamp is dedicated to giving entrepreneurs…
This article was written by Emily Starbuck Crone and originally appeared on NerdWallet on January 2, 2018. It is shared here with permission. When starting or growing a business, it’s tempting to cut costs by tackling projects yourself. When it comes to legal matters, a DIY approach works sometimes, but it can be risky. Online…
Below is information about changes to state employment laws that impact employers and employees in California. The recent Oakland City Council resolution prohibit any branch of city government from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the California Immigration and Worksite Enforcement Act includes information about employee rights and employer responsibilities related to ICE…
Main Street Launch’s Intern – Impact Evaluation & Marketing Linda Ho offers information about SFEDA. SFEDA, or San Francisco Economic Development Alliance, is a collaboration of non-profit organizations that provide business training, funding and ongoing support to Bay Area small & micro businesses owners. Their mission is to provide small business entrepreneurs with equitable…
There are some great articles out there about small business resolutions to help move your business forward in 2018 (check out this one, this one, and this one). In this post, we offer some resources to help your business pursue some of the common goals we hear about from small business owners. Review and revise…
Oakland’s minimum wage is increasing on January 1, 2018. For business owners, minimum wage increases can present concern or a sense of uncertainty about how the change may impact your expenses or how to be compliant with new wage laws. There are resources to support you in figuring out how to manage these…
