Minding the skills gap – Workforce program trains employees for emerging firms
If your business is hiring, Cheryl Moore has good people and money for you. Moore is the executive director of the Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County, a federally backed program that helps laid-off workers retrain and find new jobs. But what’s less known, Moore said, is that the board can help funnel pre-screened applicants Read More →
Cloudy but clear – Software firm Eucalyptus raises $5.5 million
He just sealed a $5.5 million round of venture capital, but last fall, Rich Wolski wasn’t even sure he wanted to start a business. Wolski is a computer scientist who helped create cloud computing software called Eucalyptus. Widely popularized by Amazon, cloud computing means linking many computers over the Internet to handle tough tasks cheaply. Read More →
On the cutting edge of data – Sabrient Systems analyzes stock performance
It’s hard to imagine that anyone could be successful while remaining agnostic toward the stock market — especially now. But 9-year-old Sabrient Systems has built a reputation for itself by doing just that. The Santa Barbara-based equity research firm specializes in quantitative modeling and analysis of stocks, with a successful 2008 that saw its best Read More →
Rise of Kinko
It’s not easy tracking down Paul Orfalea. The man who made Kinko’s synonymous with American-style entrepreneurship has been speaking out about dyslexia, leading seminars at University of California, Santa Barbara, and making a few appearances in the Tri-Counties. But mainly he keeps a low profile and spends a lot of time managing his investments and Read More →
Willing to risk it? Small businesses take leap of faith in uncertain times
Risk has always been a big part of the equation in small business — and it weighs on the minds of entrepreneurs in today’s economic environment. Eric Sanabia of Signature Woodworks in Goleta took a big risk when he started his business three years ago, and now he is contemplating another sizable one. David R. Read More →
The big business blend – Entrepreneurs combine multiple niches into one
Tough times call on entrepreneurs to get inventive and do something a little different to win customers’ dollars. And two tri-county businesses are doing just that. In Santa Barbara, Live Culture plans to serve up a combination of wine, frozen yogurt and live music. SLO County Sitters in San Luis Obispo has connected parents with Read More →
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Online news start-ups in the Tri-Counties are looking for donations from loyal readers as well as community support to keep them operating through the next year. With signs pointing to a weak start to 2009, it could be an important survival strategy for small online publications that are trying to build brand loyalty on shoestring Read More →
