The City College Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation recently launched a website that provides entrepreneurs with free information, coaching, and learning.

Southcoastbizconnect.com is an online network where entrepreneurs and students, planning on starting a business of their own, can interact with each other and other experienced entrepreneurs.

The trend and opportunity of being your own boss has become highly topical in recent years. In combination with the recession, the amount of start-ups has increased. According to a survey conducted by the Kauffman Foundation in 2009, it reached 558,000 new businesses in the U.S., the highest level in 14 years.

By joining the “South Coast BizConnect” network and becoming a member you get the opportunity to develop and sustain your business.

“I think the idea is really great,” said Calla Gold, 51, long time entrepreneur and member of the BizConnect site, Santa Barbara. “I believe this site could attract local business owners and students to interact with each other.”

The site grants you access to educational videos on how to advertise your business online or how to finance your business, all for free. You also get free help and advice from local experts in many different departments including accounting, insurance, and legal matters.

The website created by Deise Ramirez, a web designer who graduated from City College with honors in Media Arts, currently has a total of 178 members.

Melissa Crawford, director of the center, said the goal is 500 members. Crawford also said it’s important to gather more members to keep the site sustainable as the experts will consequently lose interest in participating if there’s no demand for their help.

By joining groups created on the site you can ask questions, participate in forums, and discuss different matters with other entrepreneurs and students to help you overcome obstacles you might face or are facing in your business.

Another service the site provides is job and intern offers, whether you’re looking for a full-time or part-time job, unpaid or paid internship. For those looking to hire, you can post your request as an announcement.

The website’s calendar helps you keep track of local business and entrepreneurship events, and at the same time it gives you the opportunity of sharing your own events.

The site therefore not only contributes to your business and development of your entrepreneurial skills, but also allows you to share and spread knowledge, experience and information.