Vital Signs: Small business path to higher holiday sales
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Business groups push State Street improvement
Two influential Santa Barbara business organizations are proposing an improvement district for the city’s ailing downtown area, but some business owners have expressed reservations. The Downtown Organization of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce have proposed a Community Benefit Improvement District aimed at reversing the decline of the area, including Read More →
Opinion: Veteran-owned businesses are an economic powerhouse
By Dawn Golik Along the coast and across the country, businesses owned by former military members are an economic powerhouse. There are more than 1.76 million veteran-owned businesses in the United States. They employ nearly 5.3 million workers, with an annual payroll exceeding $232 million. Their approximately $1 trillion dollars in annual sales & receipts Read More →
Santa Barbara startup Expond raises $1.25M in seed round
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published in the Sept. 30, 2022 print edition of the Pacific Coast Business Times. In Santa Barbara, a mountain hike or a beach yoga session are only minutes away. What is harder to find on short notice are the fitness and wellness professionals who can help someone with those Read More →
Jeannine’s owner recounts 35 years of breakdowns and breakthroughs
After Alison Hardey graduated from Stanford University in the 1980s, and decided her dream of becoming a professional tennis player was going to remain a dream, she moved back home to Santa Barbara and went to work for her father’s real estate firm. She felt a bit unmoored, she says today. One thing that kept Read More →
Santa Barbara, Ventura to keep streets closed, outdoor dining open through at least 2024
Lower State Street will remain closed to vehicle traffic for at least two more years, and restaurants will likely start paying for their outdoor dining “parklets,” according to new requirements recently adopted by the Santa Barbara City Council. In the tri-county area, only the cities of Santa Barbara and Ventura have left their main downtown Read More →
In Southern California, SBA administrator speaks of ‘sustainable and stable landing’
LONG BEACH — When it comes to the national economy, Isabella Casillas Guzman, the administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, is firmly in the soft landing camp. A Latina who calls Southern California home, she’s seen a surge in minority-owned business starts during the post-COVID 19 recovery. And she sees part of her mission Read More →
