An official Start It Up City ™

Long Beach, CA

“The goal of the public/private partnership between the City of Long Beach and StartItUp is to offer a tool that all cities can use to help entrepreneurs start, grow and survive at a higher rate than national averages.”

John Keisler

Director Economic & Property Development City of Long Beach

Become a Start It Up City

StartItUp and the City of Long Beach, CA are working together to take small & mid-sized businesses to the next level

Today, too many small businesses fail fast — 80% of them do in the first 18 months. StartItUp and the City of Long Beach have partnered to change these odds. We believe that by leveraging the right resources — qualified mentors, city support, and world-class tools and technologies, small business entrepreneurs have every ability to rise above this sad statistic.

Our goal, with the City of Long Beach, is to make real, immediate, street-smart, and long-lasting changes to the way SMBs envision, create and launch successful businesses in this bustling beachside community

Meet some of our Advisors in the Long Beach area

We see real value in providing each entrepreneur with an advisor who understands the unique challenges associated with their business. Our mentors are experienced, committed and personable. When paired with the right mentor, an entrepreneur’s chances of success sky rockets

Max Ordonez

Max is Business Advisor for the Small Business Development Center specializing in funding, management, strategic and business planning. Max has 20+ years’ experience as an entrepreneur and executive in construction, manufacturing and distribution and is the owner of his own strategic growth and management consultancy.

Mike Huntley

Mike has over 30 years of international sales and marketing experience in aerospace, automotive, medicine, oil and gas, and electronics. He holds an MBA from CalState Dominquez Hills as well as an executive management certificate from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

James Fitzhugh

Jim is the Chair of SCORE LA mentoring over 200 small businesses and startups. He has worked with UPS managing $1.9 billion in sales with such large accounts as Apple and Walmart. Jim has a Masters in International Business from Thunderbird University.

Our mission is to work with all cities like Long Beach to enhance the chances of entrepreneurial success and create jobs and opportunities. Small businesses are the backbone of the economy!

The City of Long Beach has a world-class team of individuals committed to seeing the local small business ecosystem thrive!

Start It Up is partnering with critical stakeholders within the local Long Beach community to help build a robust, efficient and effective process to help entrepreneurs succeed. While we provide world-class technology solutions, our tools are only as good as the people who leverage them. We value the work of so many local partners and team members who share the vision to see small business entrepreneurs succeed!

Dr. Robert Garcia

Mayor - City of Long Beach, CA

Dr. Robert Garcia, 39, is an educator and the 28th mayor of Long Beach. Mayor Garcia has taken a leadership role in economic development, sustainability, and investing in technology. He is committed to moving Long Beach forward by attracting tech and green jobs, creating new educational partnerships, and making government more efficient

John Keisler

Economic Development Director

Mr. Keisler is a proven, dynamic and innovative leader who is dedicated to creating economic opportunities for workers, investors, and entrepreneurs in one of the nation’s largest, most diverse, and most active urban cities, Long Beach, CA. He has had a lifetime of public service in the public education, local government and non-profit sectors.

Sheneui Weber

COO - Long Beach Community College District

Sheneui Weber is the Chief Operating Officer for College Advancement and Economic Development at the Long Beach Community College District (LBCCD). She is responsible for the Division's economic and workforce development program strategy and operations. She has over 20 years of experience in business development in both the education and private industry

Brad Pollak

Director of the Long Beach City College Small Business Development Center

As the Director of the Long Beach City College Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Brad specializes in business start-ups, leadership, management, marketing strategies, and business planning. Brad has 20+ years’ experience as a marketing executive and as a general manager in the music industry, and is the owner of his own management consulting and career development consultancy in Long Beach.

Seyed Jalali

Economic Development Officer & Ombudsman

Mr. Jalali has worked for the City of Long Beach for nearly 23 years. He works closely with the business community assisting with their expansion and relocation plans. He is responsible for the City’s financial assistance programs and oversee the City’s Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).

Your local economy matters. When small business owners prosper, it benefits the city as a whole. Our commitment is to deliver you the best tools and resources available to help local small-business entrepreneurs succeed. Inspire change in your own city. Become a Start It Up city today!

We are fortunate to be working with some remarkable organizations in Long Beach

While each City has a unique set of stakeholders, we also look to partner with organizations interested in solving the challenging issues small business owners face nationwide. We choose partners who share the same vision; that every small business matters and that by providing each individual entrepreneur the tools and resources to succeed, we are helping entire communities succeed!

Become a

Start it Up City

Your local economy matters. When small business owners prosper, it benefits the city as a whole. Our commitment is to deliver you the best tools and resources available to help local small-business entrepreneurs succeed. Inspire change in your own city.

Become a Start It Up City

Hey Entrepreneurs!

Get matched with an advisor and begin your journey with the StartItUp app

Android app coming soon