I am helping a group of senior-age women -- all of whom have
low-to-middle level incomes -- start a Web-based business in the Santa
Clara Valley (California).  What local resources (espcially free
consultants/advisors/organizations) are available to "help them help
themselves" that would address the following issues:

1. Structure the Business and Establishing the proper legal
"lramework"
2. Determining the steps they need to take to get the business off the
ground
3. Provide information on forms of capital (i.e., loan sources,
grants, et al) that could provide capital to them based on their
gender, age or low income.

Thanks!

Hi--

Based on my own experience as a business owner and years of writing
about small business for newspapers, I'd suggest you start with SCORE,
the Service Corps of Retired Executives.

The SCORE Association  is a nonprofit association dedicated to
entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of small
business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the Small
Business Administration (SBA).  Working and retired executives and
business owners donate their time and expertise as volunteer business
counselors and provide confidential counseling and mentoring free of
charge.

Nationwide, more than 4.5 million clients have received SCORE
counseling since 1964, and more than 1.2 million volunteer hours have
been donated to assist entrepreneurs.

The Bay area is served by four chapters including the Silicon Valley
SCORE chapter 405 which serves Silicon Valley in Santa Clara County.
San Francisco is served by the San Francisco SCORE chapter, the North
Bay is served by the North Coast Chapter of SCORE, and the East Bay is
served by the East Bay SCORE chapter.

The Silicon Valley SCORE provides seminars, workshops , FREE
individual counseling , and other services for both existing small
businesses and start-ups in Santa Clara County of California. There
are monthly SCORE business workshops as well.
http://www.svscore.org/ 

84 W. Santa Clara St., Suite 100
San Jose, CA 95113
VOICE: (408) 288-8479
FAX: (408) 494-0214
via e-mail: svscore@hotmail.com

------
The U.S. Small Business Administration provides financial, technical
and management assistance to help Americans start, run, and grow their
businesses. With a portfolio of business loans, loan guarantees and
disaster loans worth more than $45 billion, in addition to a venture
capital portfolio of $13 billion, SBA is the nation's largest single
financial backer of small businesses. Last year, the SBA offered
management and technical assistance to more than one million small
business owners.
http://www.sba.gov/ca/sf/
--------

The Silicon Valley Small Business Development Council offers numerous
services to small business. These services include free expert
consulting services, concentrated training, information resources,
multiple locations and various seminars.

You'll find assistance on Business structure, business plans,
marketing, licenses, financing, taxes, bookkeeping and employment
issues there.
http://www.siliconvalley-sbdc.org/

-----------
THE SILICON VALLEY SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER- ENTREPRENEUR
CENTER: 84 W. Santa Clara Street, Suite 100 San Jose, CA 95113. The
Entrepreneur Center is a collaborative effort between the public
sector, private industry, and non-profit organizations that provides
small business owners with resources, information, and tools they need
to be successful. The Center's mission is to provide you with a full
range of support services to start and grow your business including:
financing programs, technical assistance, training, technology, design
assistance, procurement assistance, and international trade. For more
information, contact the Center at 408-494-0211, or visit their
website at www.ecenteronline.org.
----------


The "Start-up Guide" is a free, basic list of local and state agencies
that regulate or serve businesses in San Jose and the Silicon Valley.
You can download this list to help you in your start-up efforts at
http://www.sjchamber.com/ABOUT/STARTUP/index.htm

Included are: self-employment tax information, tips on hiring
independent contractors, tax deductions, and Proposition 65
requirements.
To order your Business Start-up Kit, call the San Jose Chamber of
Commerce at
408-291-5250.
---------

The SBA • Cisco • Systems San Jose Entrepreneur Center
http://www.ecenteronline.org/home.asp
 is made possible by a unique partnership between the U.S. Small
Business Administration, Cisco Systems, the City of San Jose, and a
number of national corporations and non-profit organizations.

The Center's mission to provide entrepreneurs with a full range of
support services-in one convenient location-to help them succeed in
today's competitive economy. They provide  a full range of support
services-in one convenient location.  The services include:

Financing Programs - Microloans, conventional financing, commercial
real estate financing and venture capital
Technical Assistance - in the form of expert counseling for start-up
entrepreneurs, targeted consulting for established small to
medium-sized businesses
Training - in all aspects of small business management
Technology - development of Internet and technology skills and ease of
use of them
Procurement - Assistance with public and private procurement and
certification programs
International Trade - information, training, counseling, consulting
and financial assistance
------------

Here is list of Chambers of Commerce in your area. You might contact
them for further small business start-up information.

San  Jose-Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce

San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce
310 S. First St.
San Jose, CA 95113
Phone: 408-291-5250
Fax: 408-286-5019
Email: info@sjchamber.com

Campbell Chamber of Commerce (NO WEB SITE)
1628 W Campbell Ave
Campbell, CA 95008
Phone: (408) 378-6252

Gilroy Chamber of Commerce
7471 Monterey Street
Gilroy, CA 95020
Phone: (408) 842-6437
Fax: (408) 842-6010
Email: chamber@dsldesigns.net

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Santa Clara County
Alex Coto Torres
President and CEO
Phone: (408) 213-0322
Email: alex@hispanicchamber.com

Filipino American Chamber of Commerce
1046 West Taylor, Suite 206
San Jose, CA 95126
Phone: (408)283-0833
Fax: (408)998-1252
Email: info@filchamber.org

Japanese-American Chamber of Commerce of Silicon Valley
95 South Market Street, Suite 520
San Jose, CA 95113
Phone: 408-288-5222

The Portuguese Chamber of Commerce of California
1115 East Santa Clara St., Suite 1
San Jose, CA 95116
Phone: 408) 288-7655, or 288-7643
Toll Free: (877)728-4039
Fax: (408) 288-6182 fax
Email: info@portuguesechamber.com

Santa Clara County Black Chamber of Commerce
50 East Saint John St., Suite 103
San Jose, CA 95112-5596
Phone: (408) 294-6583
Fax: (408) 297-5507
Email: sccbcc@blackchamber.com

Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce of Santa Clara
255 North Market St.
San Jose, CA 95110
Phone: (408) 288-7602
Fax: (408) 288-7604
Email: vacc@ix.netcom.com


I hope you find this information helpful.
Good luck in your new venture.

Nellie Bly

---

Request for Answer Clarification by prpro-ga on 12 Sep 2002 19:45 PDT

Can we get more specific for question #3 -- the sources for capital? 
The Cisco thing is good, but what other sources are there (including
government, banking, special funds for low-income households, special
funds for senior-run ops, etc.)?  Thanks!

---

Clarification of Answer by nellie_bly-ga on 12 Sep 2002 22:42 PDT

In general, most small business loans come through the SBA in one way
or another and SCORE or another SBA cooperative program is the best
way to learn what is available in your area for the type of business
you propose.

There is some venture capital available but not nearly what there was
just a few years ago.

I need some more information about the start-up to find specific
capitalization sources:
What is the nature of the business, what product will it produce/sell?
Are any of the principles minorities?  If so which minorites?
You mention they are "seniors". Are they over 65, 70, 80?
You also mention "low income."  Do they live in a government
designated "low income" neighborhood or in an "enterprise" zone.
At what percent of poverty level are their current household incomes?
What business experience and/or experience performing the main
activity of the business do the principles have?
What is the market for the product/service? What hard data is this
projection based on?

There are a number of steps to take before seeking capital from
outside sources. Foremost of these is developing a detailed business
plan that includes an in-depth financial plan.  Again, the SBA/SCORE 
or one of the small business development centers can help you to
gather the information needed and to create a sound business plan.

Take a look at 
 www.sba.gov/starting/indexbusplans.html 
and
http://www.bplans.com/ 
for some sample business plans and other useful information.

Also at http://home3.americanexpress.com/smallbusiness/tool/biz_plan/index.asp?open_home=accesscreate
for articles on finding money for a small business. In the "Try It
Yourself" section you have an opportunity to test your skills on a
fictional business plan and be rated on how prepared you are to create
your own.

When I have the answers to the questions above, I may be able to
identify more specific funding sources.  However, I will be seeking
that information from afar, while your local SBA affiliate will have
that data at hand.
Keep in mind, the SBA has more than $50 billion in secured loans and
venture capital  for small businesses, making it the largest such
funds provider by far.

---

Request for Answer Clarification by prpro-ga on 12 Sep 2002 23:46 PDT

Thanks for further clarification.  If this helps with your search for
more info, here are some more detailed answers to your questions:

What is the nature of the business, what product will it produce/sell?

COLLECTIBLE TOYS BUSINESS, SELLING ONE-OF-A-KIND STUFFED TOYS VIA THE
INTERNET

Are any of the principles minorities?  If so which minorites? 

YES; TWO ARE WOMEN.  ONE WOMAN AND HER HIUSBAND ARE 65 AND 72
RESPECTIVELY. THEY CURRENTLY HAVE AN INCOME THAT BRINGS THEMIN JUST
BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL.
 
You mention they are "seniors". Are they over 65, 70, 80? 

You also mention "low income."  Do they live in a government
designated "low income" neighborhood or in an "enterprise" zone.

NO.

At what percent of poverty level are their current household incomes?

THE MARRIED COUPLE'S INCOME IS LESS THAN 2002 HHS POVERTY GUIDELINES.

What business experience and/or experience performing the main
activity of the business do the principles have?

NO MANUFACTURING EXPERIENCE, BUT OVER 30 YEARS' EPERIENCE RUNNING A
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS; HOWEVER,THE BUSINESS WNET BANKRUPT IN THE EARLY
90'S.

What is the market for the product/service? What hard data is this
projection based on?

MARKET IS THE COLLECTIBLE TOY MARKET, WHICH IS A HIGH-VOLUME BUSINESS.
 HARD DATA IS CURRENTLY BEING COLLECTED.

---

Clarification of Answer by nellie_bly-ga on 13 Sep 2002 17:03 PDT

Hi PRPro-
Thanks for the additional information about your venture.

Given that, please note that women are NOT classified as a minority
for government programs.  Minority Businesses are defined as
businesses 51% owned and controlled by any of the following: Black,
Hispanic, American Indian, Eskimo, Asian Pacific, Asian Indian, Aleut,
or Native Hawaiian.
Most references that designate women for special treatment will use
the term
"women and minorities."

But not to be daunted.

Even though, most private venture capital is designated for much
larger enterprises than the one you propose, and,in your area in
particular, most venture capital is funneled to high tech concerns,
there are two major funding sources not SBA affiliated.


Women's Initiative for Self Employment
1390 Market Street, Suite 113
San Francisco
415-247-9473
Contact Email:
jabrams@womensinitiative.org
URL :
http://www.womensinitiative.org

Organization Description: 
"Women's Initiative for Self Employment provides bilingual (English
and Spanish) microenterprise training, consulting, and financing
services for low-income women. Our programs are designed to assist
potential entrepreneurs in gaining the skills needed to start or
expand a business, as well as to provide ongoing support in managing
and growing her enterprise. Women's Initiative offers an extensive
range of services including Introductory Orientations, Business
Assessment and Readiness Workshops, Comprehensive Business Management
Training, Personal Development Training, One-on-One Technical
Assistance, Facilitated Peer Support Networking Groups, and Occasional
Topic Seminars. In addition, Women’s Initiative runs a Revolving Loan
Fund, disbursing loans of up to $10,000 for first time borrowers and
up to $25,000 for repeat borrowers. Post-lending management assistance
is provided to all borrowers."
------------

"Lenders for Community Development (LCD) is a non-profit, community
development financial institution, funded by 23 member banks, along
with other government and philanthropic investors. LCD serves Santa
Clara and San Mateo Counties in California, and can also make loans on
a limited basis in contiguous counties. LCD was incorporated in
December of 1993, and the company began lending operations in January
of 1995. LCD has been certified by the U.S. Dept. of the Treasury and
the State of California as a Community Development Financial
Institution (CDFI), and is licensed by the California Department of
Corporations as a Finance Lender.
Small business lending is targeted to low-income, women and
minority-owned business, and to businesses located in low-income
census tracts.
http://www.l4cd.com/

Good luck in your quest.

Nellie Bly

Just the info I was seeking; Nelly Bly, this is great info and will be
of even greater assistance -- thanks!!