LOS ANGELES – As the region prepares for global events coming to the region, Los Angeles business and civic leaders launched a new website called “Get in the Game LA Supplier Resource Hub” as part of an initiative to make it easier for small businesses to compete for job opportunities.
Small business owners can go to getinthegamela.com to create a free account and complete a short onboarding process to unlock a personalized dashboard of recommended resources, advisors and courses.
The resource hub is intended to bridge the gap between buyers and suppliers, and open doors for local businesses to tap into more than $150 billion expected to flow through several business sectors.
“With the FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, we want visitors to see beyond our stadiums and experience the vibrancy of Los Angeles’ many small businesses in neighborhoods across the city,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.
Bass encouraged the use of the resource hub so that small businesses can be ready to “take the world stage and benefit from economic opportunity” these sporting events will present.
The website is part of the broader Get in the Game initiative, led by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, LISC Los Angeles, Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation and Next Street.
“One of the biggest barriers small businesses face is capital, a network and resources,” President and CEO of the LA Area Chamber of Commerce Maria Salinas said in a statement. “By connecting them to existing financing and offering signature capital solutions through the Supplier Resource Hub, we’re ensuring they’re contract ready and able to take on large contracts.”
Donald Jones, a partner at Next Street — a firm that supports small businesses with a range of services — said his team developed the website working side-by-side with local supplier businesses. The goal was to offer a no-cost, user-friendly platform that reduces barriers to economic opportunities.
“Through the hub, businesses will get connected to vital support, including one-on-one advising, cohort training, a library of online courses and the tools they need to grow, compete and win,” Jones said in a statement.
Members of the Get in the Game coalition expect to roll out additional initiatives such as creating a network of public and private institutions to share best practices and provide feedback for the online website, and Next Street is set to develop an online capital marketplace in which small business owners can apply for disaster recovery grants and loans, among other services.
The L.A. Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to host the next Get in the Game Procurement Fair on June 5.
Officials aim to support more than 1,000 small business suppliers, provide more than $10 million in financing and connect business owners to more than $100 million in contracts by 2030.
“Small businesses are at the heart of Los Angeles County’s identity — and its future,” L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said in a statement. “As we prepare to welcome the world to our region, we have a responsibility to ensure that the businesses shaping our neighborhoods also help shape the global stage. Especially now, as our communities recover from devastating wildfires, our small businesses and their families need us more than ever.”
Next Street invited L.A.-based organizations that support businesses to join the resource hub and offer their resources, adding to the more than 20 partners already on board. For those interested, contact [email protected] to get started.
The announcement was made Thursday in commemoration of National Small Business Week.
