The "Business Express" Web site, now under development, will allow small business owners to set up personal accounts and get the help they need to start and grow their businesses, access incentives as well as secure necessary permits or licenses from multiple agencies at the same time. The Mayor and Commissioner Walsh also released new data showing that the NYC Business Solutions program has served more than 15,000 businesses since its launch in September 2004, and announced that the program will undertake major new initiatives in 2006. The program will expand services to 17 new locations and help 12,000 more businesses in the year ahead, connecting them to $13 million in financing. Business operators from all five boroughs attended the announcement at the Lower Manhattan Business Solutions Center located at 79 John Street.
"Since day one, we have worked tirelessly to make the city of New York the most business-friendly city in the nation," said Mayor Bloomberg. "The city's Department of Small Business Services has become the premier point of contact for small businesses and entrepreneurs looking for help. Since launching NYC Business Solutions in September 2004, SBS has opened Business Solutions Centers in all five boroughs and helped more than 15,000 businesses, connecting them to over $12 million in financing. This year, we're expanding NYC Business Solutions to 17 areas to help retain and grow the City's manufacturing and industrial sector. We will also launch Business Express -- an innovative new online resource to help small businesses obtain the city, state and federal permits they needs to operate."
"Building on the gains of the past four years, we are now poised to do even more, and the development of Business Express will be a huge step forward in our goal to have a single place where businesses can get everything they need from government," said Commissioner Walsh. "Creating Business Express will enable businesses to save significant time and money in obtaining the permits they need to start and operate in New York City. They'll save time up-front by not needing to literally go to dozens of different agencies, and they'll save money by averting fines for permits they didn't know they needed. Today, there is no single place where business owners can go to find all this information."
