Jane Pak used to spend hours on the Internet searching for tips and information about running a business.

?hen the hours started piling up, I thought, ?obody has the time do this,? Pak said.

So, when she became chief executive of the L.A. chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners four months ago, she decided to develop a one-stop help desk for the association? 350 members.

The service, an online portal called AskNawbo-LA, was launched last week and allows association members to ask practical questions about running a small business, such as how to get financing, how to secure federal stimulus grants and how to market a company.

?t? a way to put it in the hands of a trusted resource who can say, ?ere? the answer,? said Pak.

The Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. offers a similar service ?local business owners can call a hotline to ask questions or send e-mail inquiries. But the program is designed more to help owners navigate red tape related to permits and public financing programs.

AskNawbo-LA? system funnels questions to industry experts. The experts, chosen by the association, include NAWBO-LA corporate supporters.

But how does the organization prevent the service from becoming a tool for corporations to sell their services?

?e are filtering all answers, and if there is a hard sell, we won? allow it,?Pak said.