Sick of Your Job? Be Your Own Boss, with San Francisco Style

Starting a company from scratch can be one of the most difficult — and most rewarding — activities that you can attempt. Moving from concept to execution, finding funding and resources, and even navigating the governmental regulations and paperwork can be a challenge for the most dedicated entrepreneur. That's where we come in. Benzinga is still a start-up and we're growing and expanding seemingly by the minute, and even with all our talented folks we still have a hiccup here and there. This series will focus on resources for readers looking to start up their own business. This week, we're looking at San Francisco, the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the 7.4 million person San Francisco Bay Area. The first place to look when starting a company in San Francisco is the

. The city and county of San Francisco has funding through the federal government to develop viable urban communities, by providing decent housing and suitable living environment and expanding economic development opportunities principally for persons of low- and moderate-income. They can be reached at (415) 701-5500 or online

Another local government option is

. The Small Business Commission functions as the City's central point of information and referral for entrepreneurs and small businesses located in San Francisco. By championing “business friendly” policies, marketing the contributions of the small business sector and developing appropriate assistance programs, the Small Business Commission and its Office of Small Business work to support and enhance an environment where small businesses can succeed and flourish. Find the SBC in City Hall, Room 448, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place or via phone (415) 554-6143, or online

There are some social networking opportunities to help you find a community of other small business merchants to compare war stories with. Facebook is a pretty obvious one, but that lacks the focus of more specialized resources. One that I found is

, a social network of local business owners in the nation. MerchantCircle combines social networking features with a customizable web listing that allows local merchants to attract new customers. To see if this is a service for you (note: i've not signed up for or tried the service) you can check them out

For legal services, I found this group: the

, a program of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the SF Bay Area. Legal Services for Entrepreneurs is an economic development project of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights. LSE provides free legal assistance to low-income individuals who want to start or develop for-profit businesses; and for-profit businesses committed to investing in economically distressed communities. You can contact the group at 131 Steuart St., Suite 400, 94105, via phone at (415) 543-9444, or online

The environment is one area where you can start a business and, from the beginning, be ahead of your competitors. The

has its own Green Business Program. Any business can become a green business-and the city would like to help that process along. To qualify, a business must comply with all applicable federal, state and local regulations and meet program criteria for conserving resources, preventing pollution, and minimizing waste. Free to all local businesses, the program offers hands-on support, training and technical assistance from environmental experts. Contact the DoE at 11 Grove Street or via phone (415) 355-3700, or online

One more resource for start-ups is Urban Solutions. Urban Solutions is an economic development non-profit organization whose mission is to foster the well-being of disadvantaged communities by helping to increase neighborhood commercial vitality, strengthen small businesses, create jobs and encourage diversity. Urban Solutions can be found at 1083 Mission Street, 2nd Floor, by phone at (415) 553-4433 or online