A company looking for a loan to purchase equipment needed to help it grow. A woman business owner who could benefit from networking and the chance to learn about new opportunities. Fledgling entrepreneurs not sure what kind of space they need to see their dream take flight.
From new, small businesses to significant, established companies, each can find help quickly and efficiently if located in or considering moving to Beachwood. The city’s One-Stop Business Resource Center, established in January 2024, provides most services and information at no cost and offers a wide variety of resources that support business growth and expansion opportunities.
The Resource Center offers a variety of resources including these three guides that provide step-by-step plans: Small Business Guide; Starting Your Business in Ohio Kit; and Hiring Your First or Next Employee Guide. A new Beachwood Business Compass podcast, created by the City of Beachwood’s economic development office, has also been met with an enthusiastic reception.
The Resource Center covers many relevant business topics. But Catherine Bieterman, the City of Beachwood’s economic development director, says several topics especially important to small businesses are particularly paramount.
“Businesses are often asking about what type of financial assistance is available to help them continue to grow,” says Bieterman. “Also, networking is a key component. Businesses want to know how they can find new opportunities to connect with other businesses within the community. In addition, businesses want support for bringing in new employees.”
The Resource Center also provides information regarding cyber security, international business engagement, minority business resources, women’s resources, workforce development and more.
“Our guides and resources take you from starting a business to helping you decide what you want to do with it when you want to step aside or hand it off to the next generation or entity,” explains Bieterman.
Beachwood has an advantage over many other communities, she says, because it has “a great variety of spaces available to businesses, from co-working spaces to C-suite level offices.”
The Resource Center can help locate spaces that are a good fit for specific businesses. And, it can give companies direction and support for making that space their perfect, productive home, adds Bieterman, who can boast of almost 2,500 companies and 25,000 employees in the city.
The community can count businesses — large, midsize and small — in the medical, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, finance and real estate development sectors among those with a Beachwood address.
Technology and research are also at the forefront of development. The city has implemented a new loan program that “supports research and development, technology, innovation and the commercialization of new products,” Bieterman notes.
The Resource Center has built strong relationships with partners who enhance programs and offer additional support to businesses. Among them are Tri-C and Corporate College East and its scholarship opportunities and business acceleration programs and the Beachwood Chamber of Commerce under the direction of Executive Director David Lapierre. The Beachwood Library, under the direction of Branch Librarian Amia Wheatley, hosts Small Business Educational Series programs to help businesses advance to the next level.
