JPMorganChase helps small businesses compete—and win—in Greater Los Angeles

Alycia Belle knows what it means to build something from nothing. After spending 15 years in Hollywood—styling celebrities and designing costumes for hit TV shows—she found herself starting over. Her marriage had ended, leaving her with three children, a fledgling construction company, and $60,000 in debt. So, she took control of the company.

"I didn't even know what a bond was," she recalls. "I didn't understand the insurance requirements. I just knew I had to find a way."

Today, Hollywood Handy Construction—a certified woman-owned general contractor—has grown from painting thrift stores on weekends to managing multimillion-dollar projects. Belle was named Los Angeles General Contractor of the Year in both 2023 and 2024. And with major events in Los Angeles on the horizon, she's positioning her company for what could be the opportunity of a lifetime.

Upcoming major sporting events in Los Angeles are projected to generate an economic impact of at least $18 billion across California. For small contractors like Belle, these opportunities represent a chance to compete on a global stage—if they can navigate the complex world of government procurement.

To help entrepreneurs like Belle take this crucial next step, JPMorganChase is collaborating with and funding the local business-development accelerator Ascend LA, a program led by the Los Angeles office of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC LA), a nonprofit community development organization. "We want local small businesses to be ready to compete," said Sarah Bowles Carter, Vice President and Program Officer, Global Philanthropy at JPMorganChase. "By working with LISC LA and supporting the Ascend LA program, we’re helping local businesses win and deliver so the economic benefits stay in our communities long-term."

The preparation gap

Los Angeles County is home to 1.3 million small businesses that employ more than half of the region's workforce. Yet when major public contracts come up for bid, many are locked out by requirements they don't fully understand.

Belle experienced this firsthand. "The first time I applied to become pre-qualified with the Los Angeles Community College District, I was denied," she says. "I would check the wrong box, put one little answer that was wrong. I had no idea what I was doing."

Seeking guidance, Belle enrolled in Ascend LA in 2022. The program brings together education providers, procurement experts, and lending partners to help diverse small businesses compete for government contracts. Since its launch in 2020, Ascend LA has helped local businesses secure over $58 million in contracts.

JPMorganChase supports Ascend LA as part of its broader commitment to small business growth in the region. The bank also supports more than 590,000 small-business clients in Greater Los Angeles and has deployed over $13 million in philanthropic capital over the past five years to support small-business growth.

"It's about getting businesses in a position where they can not only secure contracts, but fulfill them," says Jabbar Wesley, who oversees Ascend LA. "We call it the quadruple C: access to coaching, access to capital, access to contracts, and access to community."

Learning the language of procurement

Through Ascend LA, Belle received critical guidance from CMG Alliance, a government contracting consultancy that helps participants prepare proposals.

"CMG reviewed every page and every line to identify details that could result in point deductions," she says. "They advised me when I needed to increase my bonding capacity and introduced me to experts who could help immediately."

The results were tangible. Belle recently broke ground on her first public-works project—a $3 million interim housing facility in South Los Angeles, built in partnership with the California Department of Mental Health. The 40-bed facility will provide supportive housing for vulnerable residents.

The new equation

Small contractors pursuing major event-related work face the challenge of building what Belle calls "a very specific résumé." Such contracts may require proof of public works experience, prevailing wage compliance, and a level of bonding capacity that many small businesses have never developed.

"For small contractors," Belle says, "past performance is the biggest barrier." Of the three prevailing-wage jobs she’ll use to establish her qualifications, she’s completed one and been awarded the second. The biggest challenge, she says, will be vying with companies that have experience working on major events. "We have to start now, so we can compete with them."

Support from organizations like Ascend LA and JPMorganChase plays a critical role in helping both entrepreneurs and local economies to thrive. "It's remarkable to have an institution as influential as JPMorganChase believe in small local businesses," she says. "Small businesses are the backbone of cities. When we succeed, our cities succeed."