Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce: Beyond Networking: What Long Beach Businesses May Not Know Is Available

From navigating City Hall and applying for grants to advocacy and mentorship, a Chamber luncheon turned into a practical conversation about where Long Beach business owners can turn when they need help.

Robert Brennan

Sep 9, 2026

Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon with business leaders, panelists and attendees discussing resources available beyond networking.

For many business owners, joining a chamber of commerce means networking, meeting other business owners and attending mixers.

But what happens when a permit is holding up your opening? What if you find a grant but don't know how to navigate the application? Or a proposed government policy could affect the way you do business?

Those were among the questions explored during a recent Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon that departed from the traditional guest speaker format. Instead, Chamber staff opened the floor for a discussion about the practical challenges businesses face and the resources available to help them.

The message that emerged was simple: sometimes businesses don't need another networking opportunity. They need someone who knows who to call.

Long Beach Businesses Can Get Help Navigating City Hall

Government Affairs Manager Celeste Wilson described the Chamber's work as having two major pillars. One is networking and business development. The other is what she called "unified advocacy."

Rather than having an individual business approach the city, county or state alone, Wilson said the Chamber can bring the collective voice of approximately 1,200 businesses to an issue.

That advocacy can involve taking positions on state legislation, speaking before the Long Beach City Council or participating in discussions about local policies affecting businesses.

Wilson pointed to street vending as one example. The issue can directly affect brick and mortar restaurants, and while Wilson said there was not currently a specific policy moving through the city, the Chamber was participating in conversations about how to make the situation work better for both street vendors and traditional restaurants.

But government affairs isn't limited to legislation. Sometimes the problem is much more immediate.

A temporary business license may be stalled in a city department. An event permit may have unexpected fines attached to it. A business trying to expand may be waiting for a health permit, building permit or approval involving an HVAC system.

Wilson said part of her job is helping businesses determine which department they need to contact and, importantly, who within that department they should be talking to.

The discussion turned to something familiar to many entrepreneurs: getting a new business open. Chamber staff said they regularly attend ribbon cuttings and hear from owners about permitting delays they experienced along the way. By that point, however, the business has already gone through the process.

The suggestion at the luncheon was to contact the Chamber earlier.

"It doesn't have to be a reactive approach to the process," Wilson said.

If a business is opening, expanding or completing a build out and something becomes stalled, Wilson said owners can bring the issue to her. The Chamber's existing relationships with city officials can sometimes help move the process forward.

That's a very different picture of a chamber of commerce than simply exchanging business cards at a mixer.

Long Beach Chamber Resources Include Grants and Business Councils

An audience question brought up another challenge for small businesses: grants.

With grant opportunities coming from the city and other organizations, a business owner asked how involved the Chamber can become in helping businesses prepare and apply.

Wilson said assistance can include grant applications, grant writing and navigating a Request for Proposal (RFP) process when businesses want to bid on opportunities with the city.

Part of the Chamber's role is simply making businesses aware that opportunities exist. But Wilson said more individualized assistance is also available.

"I also am available for that kind of white glove approach to helping people get through the application process itself because grant writing is hard and not particularly intuitive," she said.

The luncheon also highlighted ways business owners can become more directly involved.

Vice President of Business Councils Judy Nelson discussed three of the Chamber's business councils: the International Business Association, Small Business Council and Women's Business Council.

The Small Business Council, for example, holds lunch and learn programs covering subjects relevant to business owners. Nelson said past topics have included SEO, marketing, finance and understanding spreadsheets.

She also invited business owners with expertise that could benefit other small businesses to bring forward ideas for future programs.

Wilson oversees the Government Affairs Council, which helps develop the Chamber's policy platform and take positions on state legislation. She said the council includes about 30 businesses representing industries including energy, hospitality, international trade and logistics, and telecommunications.

The fifth group discussed was Long Beach Young Professionals. And "young" doesn't necessarily mean checking someone's birth date at the door.

The group was described more as a place for people who are building careers, starting businesses, developing networks and looking to make their mark in Long Beach. There was also a call for established business owners and leaders willing to serve as mentors.

What Long Beach Businesses May Not Know About the Chamber

The luncheon itself grew out of a question Chamber staff had apparently been hearing repeatedly: What does the Chamber actually do beyond networking?

Chamber leaders said they recently completed a research project involving current and former members, asking what people knew about the organization and what they didn't.

The exact survey percentage wasn't stated during the presentation, but the larger finding was clear. People strongly associated the Chamber with networking and business mixers, while awareness of its advocacy and other services was lower.

That prompted the Chamber to replace the usual luncheon presentation with an open conversation.

The questions ranged from grants and small business participation to whether the Chamber might revive its Candidate Academy, a program designed to teach people interested in public office about campaigning, fundraising and the political process.

Wilson said the Chamber has not held the academy in recent years, but indicated it is something the organization is interested in pursuing again.

Perhaps the most useful takeaway from the luncheon wasn't any particular program. It was when to ask for help.

Business owners often discover organizations and resources after they've already struggled through a problem themselves. A permit finally gets approved, a grant deadline passes or a new business eventually gets its doors open.

The discussion suggested another approach: make the call while the problem is still a problem.

For Long Beach business owners, that may mean finding out who has experience with the issue, who knows the right department and, sometimes most importantly, who knows the right person to call.

Take the Next Step With the Chamber

The Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce offers more than a room full of business cards. As the luncheon showed, there are people who can help you navigate permits, find your way through City Hall, pursue grant opportunities, get involved in advocacy and build relationships with other Long Beach business owners.

From luncheons and mixers to the Women's Business Council, Small Business Council, International Business Association, Government Affairs Council and Long Beach Young Professionals, there are different ways to find your place and get involved.

And you don't have to wait until your business runs into a problem to make that connection.

Take the first step today. Fill out the form below and let us help connect you with the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and the resources, relationships and opportunities that may help your business grow.