Open for Business is making it easier to operate a business in Philadelphia

Opening a business is hard work. From developing a business plan, securing the needed capital, and finding a brick-and-mortar location - there are a lot of steps!

And just when you're ready to open, you learn that you missed one. Maybe you forgot to open a tax account with the City. Or you're missing a required permit or license.

What now? Will you be left to deal with the confusing city bureaucracy on your own? And most importantly: will you be able to open your business on time?

Fear not.

Mayor Parker's Open for Business initiative looks to simplify the process of opening a business in Philadelphia.

And the teams leading this initiative held a workshop in September 2025 with City departments to better understand challenges facing businesses and creative ways to address them.

What is Open for Business

On April 15, 2024, Mayor Parker signed the PHL Open for Business Executive Order 10-2024, which outlined the Administration's commitment to a business-friendly government. A partnership between the Commerce Department and the Mayor's Office of Policy Planning and Delivery (OPPD), the initiative looks to remove burdens and simplify City permits and licensing.

The team works with City departments on projects to improve the experience of working with the City, using tools such as:

• Legislative and regulatory changes​
• Resource creation​
• Process improvements​
• Technology solution development​
• Added capacity​

What we heard at the workshop

The workshop focused on identifying new projects for the team to tackle. With over 20 projects completed or underway, the team will now scope new projects to focus on in the coming months.

We heard several challenges from our colleagues, including:

• City technology can sometimes be a challenge for businesses to use. Internal technology systems could also be improved.
• Some businesses express difficulty with language accessibility when interacting with the City.
• It can sometimes be hard for businesses to understand City processes. And even within the City, processes are sometimes unclear.

The group also discussed potential initial solutions, including boosting staff cross training, supporting and expanding the use of plain language, and improving visibility of business processes.

What comes next

The project team will next work with departments to prioritize and scope new projects focused on the workshop feedback. As always, the solutions will be developed in collaboration with City workers. Look to this space in the future to learn more about the slate of projects we will endeavor on.