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Department of Commerce

What we do

The Department of Commerce helps businesses—large and small—thrive in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is the ideal home for your business, offering:

  • A central location along the Northeast corridor.
  • A ready and talented workforce.
  • Competitive office rents and commercial real estate costs.
  • Vibrant commercial districts and growing innovation industries.
  • World-class dining, history, and cultural attractions.

We work to:

  • Attract and grow a diverse set of businesses.
  • Revitalize neighborhood commercial districts throughout the city.
  • Support small businesses and improve their access to funding.
  • Build a strong talent pipeline.
  • Increase economic opportunities for historically underserved business owners.

Connect

Address
1515 Arch St.
12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Email business@phila.gov
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Programs

Events

  • Jul
    30
    SBDC: Business 101: Ready for Entrepreneurship? [Start-Up Essentials]
    12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
    Online

    SBDC: Business 101: Ready for Entrepreneurship? [Start-Up Essentials]

    July 30, 2024
    12:00 pm to 1:30 pm, 2 hours
    Online
    map

    Are you thinking about launching a small business? Not sure what is involved? Unsure if you have a viable business idea? Join this introductory presentation with SBDC to break down the nuts and bolts of what is needed to start a business.

    Attendees will be able to:
    - Recognize steps to starting a business
    - Utilize a business concept analysis to understand the viability of their business concept
    - Understand differing legal structures
    - Learn how to decide if starting a business is right for you!

    Target Audience:
    - Start-up businesses
    - Individuals in the ideation and research stages
    - Individuals preparing to launch their business
    - Intermediate businesses looking for refreshers

    Isabel Krome, a Start-Up Consultant at Temple SBDC, will be presenting this webinar. She brings over eight years of small business development experience. Her work has been wide ranging, including business model planning, market research, business formalization, accessing capital, strategic planning, diversity certifications and more. When she isn’t working with entrepreneurs, Isabel enjoys drinking coffee, rock climbing, and watching her daughter boss around her cats.

    Register Here

  • Jul
    30
    SCORE: Protecting and Growing Your Small to Medium-Sized Business
    1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
    Online

    SCORE: Protecting and Growing Your Small to Medium-Sized Business

    July 30, 2024
    1:00 pm to 2:00 pm, 1 hour
    Online
    map

    It’s a tale as old as time: How can businesses scale and grow successfully while protecting their revenue and brand from fraud? Businesses can leverage technology and third-party partners to implement smart payment solutions, but what indicators should they look for before fraud and chargebacks become a problem? No business wants to lose hard-earned revenue to fraudsters, and our webinar aims to help merchants learn how to protect their businesses.

    Our payment, fraud and dispute experts from Authorize.net and Verifi will be sharing how businesses can improve their payment experience, expand payment methods, protect their business against fraud and minimize post-purchase risk.

    Attendees will learn:

    • Actionable tips and best practices to boost revenue through improved card conversion and additional payment methods.

    • The technology and tactics available to businesses to prevent true fraud and combat friendly fraud and chargebacks.

    • Trends and market factors affecting small to medium businesses and their customers.


    Register Here
  • Jul
    31
    OEO Business Development Series - How to get DBE Certified
    1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

    OEO Business Development Series - How to get DBE Certified

    July 31, 2024
    1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, 2 hours

    The City is providing businesses with the resources, education, and knowledge needed to thrive now and throughout the year. Did you hear the good news? We are expanding capacity-building efforts for businesses with a series of monthly, educational workshops. 

    The goal of each workshop is to share pathways toward generational wealth for minority-, women-, disabled-owned businesses. Join us this year to:

    • Learn about available resources.
    • Explore opportunities to grow with City contracts.
    • Develop a strategy to pursue business proposals.
    • Network with like-minded businesses.

    Register for this workshop.

    Topic: How to get DBE Certified

    Presenters: Denise Bailey, Deputy Director of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises

    This virtual series is from the Department of Commerce, Office of Economic Opportunity. For additional information, please contact Jennifer Wise at Jennifer.Wise@phila.gov


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