NYC Department of Small Business Services: Supporting and Empowering Small Businesses

1. NEW YORK CITY Department of Small Business Services Promoting Small and Medium-Sized Firms COMFAMA Lecture Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs

2. New York City Profile • Neighborhoods: 300 • Population: 8.2 million • Foreign Born: 36% • Languages Spoken: 180 • Square Miles: 321.8 • Population per Square Mile: 24,886 • Miles of Subway: 660 • Employment: 4 million+ • Private Businesses: 190,000+ • Restaurants: 20,000+

3. Creating an Agency to Serve Small Businesses Soon after coming into office, Mayor Michael Bloomberg created the Department of Small Business Services —the first agency of its kind to be dedicated entirely to serving New York City’s small businesses. • “Entrepreneurs are trying to create jobs and business as usual from government is just not acceptable.” • - Mayor Michael Bloomberg • January 20, 2010

4. Who We Serve • Serving Businesses • SBS serves businesses by: providing direct assistance to help businesses start, operate, and expand; and simplifying the way businesses can manage licenses, permits, and other transactions with the City. • Serving Neighborhoods SBS supports community-based economic development organizations throughout the City in order to create the conditions under which local businesses can grow and thrive. • Serving Jobseekers • SBS implements a business-driven system of workforce development focused on matching worker training and skills development with employer needs. 4

5. Serving Businesses: NYC Business Solutions The Mayor asked SBS to develop a blueprint for how to serve small businesses. SBS started by asking businesses what they need. At the top of the list: NYC Business Solutions Centers • Accessing capital to start and expand • Finding qualified workers • Navigating government regulations Washington Heights Bronx Upper Manhattan SBS built a set of services, NYC Business Solutions, around the actual needs of businesses to help them start, operate and expand: Lower Manhattan Queens • Business Courses • Legal Assistance with Establishment, Contracts and Leases • Financing • Recruiting Employees • Incentives • M/WBE Certification Brooklyn Staten Island

6. Serving Businesses: NYC Business Solutions Last year, NYC Business Solutions provided no cost, customized services to help more than 12,000entrepreneurs and small business owners reach their goals. In 2010, NYC Business Solutions: • Connected our customers to 639 loans, helping them to access over $21 million in financing through partner lenders. • Provided over3,400customers with free business courses. • Saved439 customers an average of $2,000 on legal fees associated with structuring businesses and reviewing contracts and leases. • Helped 259 businesses launch, creating new jobs in the economy. Success Story:Princess Jenkins, owner of The Brownstone in Harlem, used NYC Business Solutions to help her identify an appropriate lender, prepare financials, review her business plan and help finalize her loan application which resulted in a $90,000 loan.

7. Serving Businesses: Business Courses We provide business courses that teach entrepreneurs and small business owners the skills needed to reach business goals. Last year we provided 3,400 customers with free business courses. Download our course catalog at www.nyc.gov/nycbusinesscourses to read our course descriptions or register for a course online.

8. Serving Businesses: FastTrac • SBS partnered with the Kauffman Foundation to offer FastTrac business courses: • NewVenture, for entrepreneurs looking to start a businesses • >30% launched a business venture within six months • GrowthVenture, for small business owners looking to expand • >50% were able to grow their business Success Story Amy DeGiulio came to FastTracGrowthVenture with an idea to extend her product line and reach more customers. Through FastTrac, Amy developed a pricing structure and accessed new media outlets. Just 3 months after completing FastTrac, her new products were in Dean & Deluca stores and other retail markets. 1,000 program alumni have created more than an estimated 300 new jobs in NYC.

9. Serving Businesses: Legal Services We connect customers to vetted attorneys for pro-bono assistance. Last year, we connected 439 customers to pro bono legal assistance. On average, we save each customer $2,000 in legal fees. • Our legal services include: • Establishing or changing a legal structure • Review of client contracts • Lease review • Protecting your intellectual property Success Story Dr. Dawn Jones-Sylla came to NYC Business Solutionsfor help with opening her own solo dental practice. We connected her to a pro-bono legal partnerto have her lease reviewed. Dr. Dawn signed the lease and Madison Avenue Dental Associates opened April, 2010.

10. Serving Businesses: Financing Assistance NYC Business Solutions provides expert advice on how to identify and apply for the right lending products to meet the financing needs of its business customers. • Success Story • DoritNahmias owns a micro distillery in the Bronx. Our Bronx Business Solutions Center helped Dorit get ready to open her business by: • Referring her to Chase Bank for financing assistance • Connecting her to a pro bono attorney to help register her business • Through NYC Business Express, she was able to quickly figure out which licenses and permits she needed to open NYC Business Solutions supports business customers by: • Identifying appropriate lenders for your unique situation • Addressing application deficiencies • Helping to package your loan application • Leveraging existing relationships with lenders to improve chances of a successful award • Exploring credit repair options for customers that do not qualify for a loan • Providing education that helps customers better manage their financials

11. Serving Businesses: Expanding Access to Capital NYC Business Solutions Centers helped 639 customers obtain approximately 21.4 million dollars in financing in 2010. 

12. Serving Businesses: Navigating Government We help businesses resolve issues that are getting in the way of doing business, including help with permits, street maintenance and signage, utility support and more. We also connect businesses to agencies or utilities to resolve their issues and provide guidance on how to be compliant with regulations. • When a fire affected 11 businesses on White Plains Road, our Emergency Response Unit provided needed support. The Unit: • Helped Golden Ring Restaurant relocate three blocks north on White Plains Road within 10 days of the fire • Helped A&R Laundromat access a $1,000 Business Emergency Grant to get back on their feet • Helped these businesses and others file insurance claims quickly to get reimbursed Our Business Outreach Team regularly canvasses neighborhoods to offer assistance.

13. Serving Businesses: Incentives We help customers access a wide variety of government incentives that lower the cost of doing business in NYC. We’ll help you determine if you meet incentives eligibility criteria and explain how to access those benefits. Use the Incentives Estimator to get a customized list of incentives for which your business might qualify. To access the Incentives Estimator, go to www.nyc.gov/businessexpress.

14. Serving Businesses: NYC Business Express To start and operate a business in New York City, you must obtain multiple permits and licenses from dozens of city, state, and federal agencies.

15. Serving Businesses: NYC Business Express • NYC Business Express is an online, one-stop resource where you can quickly and easily learn about licenses, permits and other government requirements for doing business in New York City. The NYC Business Express Incentives Estimator allows customers to assess eligibility for over 40 city, state, and federal incentives.

16. Serving Businesses: M/WBE Program Soon after coming into office, Mayor Bloomberg affirmed the City’s commitment to helping minority and women-owned businesses sell to government In December 2005, the Mayor signed Local Law 129, creating a new Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) program for the City that established utilization goals in prime and subcontracts by sectors and by gender/ethnicity categories. Businesses certified as M/WBEs have access to: • A dedicated procurement counselor for assistance on developing bids and proposals • Exclusive networking events with City Agencies and large contractors • Bid notifications by email • Free marketing through an online directory of certified businesses: www.nyc.gov/buycertified Success Story: Pina, Inc. is a certified Minority Business Enterprise that won more than 800 contracts with 18 city agencies since 2007.

17. Serving Businesses: M/WBE Program The M/WBE program today: • Since July 2006, certified firms have been awarded 30,000contracts worth a total of nearly $2.1 billion. • The number of certified firms has more than doubled, from 1,035 in 2006 tomore than3,000 today. • For the first time, M/WBEs can now apply for certification online and track their application status using NYC Business Express. Success Story:Rafael Arboleda, President of Compulink Technologies, Inc. in Chelsea, is a certified MBE and has held contracts with 29 agencies ranging from a few hundred dollars to $50,000.

18. Serving Neighborhoods New York City is home to the largest network ofBusiness Improvement Districts in the country. In Fiscal Year 2010, the City’s 64 BIDs collectively invested nearly $100 million in their commercial districts, providing services to more than 19,000 businesses. 35 BIDs have budgets under $500,000 Redindicates BIDs formed under Mayor Bloomberg (20)

19. Serving Neighborhoods Building the capacity of locally-based non-profit economic development organizations • Each year, SBS partners with more than 100 community-based organizations to carry out commercial revitalization initiatives in districts throughout the five boroughs through the BID program and Avenue NYC program • The Avenue NYC program provides organizations with funding in specific commercial revitalization project areas and the technical assistance needed to implement successful programs. • Façade Improvement • Merchant Organizing • Placemaking • Business Attraction Church Avenue in Brooklyn • In FY 2012, Avenue NYC is investing $1.8 million in support of the commercial revitalization activities of 48 organizations

20. Serving Jobseekers In July 2003, the Mayor Bloomberg merged the Department of Employment into the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) in order to better connect businesses in need of skilled workers with New Yorkers seeking employment. SBS has since established services that have dramatically increased the number of New Yorkers placed into jobs and the number of businesses that have hired employees through its business-driven workforce system.

21. Serving Jobseekers: Workforce1 Career Centers Workforce1 Career Centers, operated in each borough of the City by leading non-profit and for-profit service providers, offer free employment and training services to jobseekers and businesses. In 2010, our Career Centers placed New Yorkers in more than 31,000 jobs. Workforce1 Career Centers Bronx Manhattan Hunts Point Healthcare Center Queens Transportation Center Brooklyn Manufacturing Center Staten Island Mayor Bloomberg visits the Hunts Point Workforce1 Career Center.

22. Serving Jobseekers: Workforce1 Career Centers • When SBS took over the City’s adult workforce programs,3 career centers were placing New Yorkers in 500 jobs per year. • In 2010, 9 Centers placed New Yorkers in over 31,000 jobs.

23. Incubators The City partners with academic institutions, commercial landlords and space operators to establish high-quality, ready-to-use office space that comes with basic business services, mentoring services and networking opportunities. • Sunshine Bronx Business Incubator is the first City-sponsored business incubator to help develop new startup businesses in the Bronx and it will be opening this fall in the historic BankNote Building.

24. Learn More Visit SBS at: nyc.gov/sbs