Posted in Business Start Ups
City of Anaheim Offers Concierge Services for Business Start Ups
We all have heard that California is not a business friendly state, and during the last few years, many businesses were forced to relocate to other states that had more friendly business environments. Well, the City of Anaheim has decided to change all that. It wants new or existing entrepreneurs to know that the city is business friendly—so friendly, in fact, that they have created a Business Assistance Program that has been described as a concierge service for business owners.
Starting a business or expanding an existing one can be a daunting task. First, you have to engage with the City in applying for the necessary business permits. Then, if you are starting a retail or manufacturing business, you are required to submit a plan to the City during the build out period. Finally, the premises have to be inspected and approved by the City.
The City of Anaheim has decided to streamline the process. When you decide to utilize Anaheim’s Business Assistance Program, you will be assigned a Business Solution Specialist, who will be your one-point contact person for all bureaucratic tasks, from submitting the building plan to the final inspection. He or she will answer any questions that you may have, monitor the progress of the project, and coordinate the communication between you and City departments.
Unfortunately, the City is often not the only agency that your need to deal with. Depending on the nature of your business, you may have to deal with Orange County agencies and other outside agencies. If your business sells food, then you need to deal with the Orange County Environment Health Agency; and, if your manufacturing plant creates waste water, you have to obtain a permit from the Orange County Sanitation District. The City of Anaheim’s Business Assistance Program wants to help you in these areas as well. The City’s Business Solution Specialist will also coordinate communications between you and the agencies that are outside the City of Anaheim by applying for or renew business licenses and coordinating the communications between you and Anaheim Public Utilities, the Orange County Environmental Health Agency, and the Orange County Sanitation District.
And that’s not all—Anaheim’s Business Assistance Program’s website contains a wealth of information about the program plus all the necessary forms and permit applications. The goal is to make the business startup easy by providing business owners with a one-stop experience.
The City of Anaheim truly wants to be a one-stop resource for the establishment or expansion of Anaheim’s businesses. It is a very proactive and innovative approach in my opinion.
I have been working with the Orange County business community for the last decade. I have seen many helpful non-profits trying to connect with business owners doing business with large corporations or with the government by offering free business matching opportunities and offering to obtain the certification necessary for doing business. This is the first time that I have heard of a city municipality actively trying to help its business owners to be successful by trying to eliminate the frustration and confusion of starting or expanding a business. I am very glad that the City of Anaheim is being different.
We have been protecting the interests of entrepreneurs and business owners in the City of Anaheim for the last 10 years. To learn how we can be a strategic partner with your business, call the Law Offices of Tony T. Liu at (714) 415-2007 today.
