VENTURA COUNTY SCORE: ASK THE EXPERTS – 90-MINUTE POWER-PANEL ON “GROWING AND PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS”
June 1 @ 10:30 am
In this workshop, you will learn how to improve your business’s chance of being found in relevant online searches. SCORE will cover the building blocks of bringing exposure to your Google My Business listing and how to leverage the Google local pack ranking algorithm to show up above your competitors online. You won’t want to miss this webinar!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
The Economic Development Collaborative would like to recognize National Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. Observed annually in May, AANHPI Heritage Month is a time to reflect upon and celebrate the remarkable role of the AANHPI community in our nation’s history. To commemorate AANHPI Heritage Month, the Small Business Administration highlights resources, funding, and training available to all AANHPI-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs.
The EDC is proud to support our community by providing professional technical assistance through our Small Business Development Center. Our NO-COST advising areas include:
The California Labor Market Information Division (LMID) released its April 2022 report on Friday, showing an extraordinary improvement in the unemployment rate, down all the way from an already unprecedented low of 3.5% in March to 3.0% in April. Though rather than being encouraged by that data, we’re more convinced than ever that the unemployment rate in the COVID recovery era is all but meaningless as an indicator of our regional economic condition.
For the April data, click here. For our commentary on it all, or on why we’ve mostly given up on the unemployment rate as a measure of recovery, please read on.
STARTING YOUR BUSINESS IN LOMPOC
May 26 @ 12:00 pm
Turn your 2022 business goals into a realty! Join the EDC SBDC, the Small Business Development Center serving Santa Barbara County, the City of Lompoc and the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce in this FREE webinar to learn more about starting your business in Lompoc.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Did you know that any employer with at least five California-based employees, at least one of whom is age eighteen, that doesn’t already offer a workplace retirement savings vehicle will be required by state law to do so by June 30, 2022?
Businesses can either begin offering retirement savings through the private market or through CalSavers!
The CalSavers program ensures nearly all Californians have access to a workplace retirement savings program by offering employees a completely voluntary, low cost, portable retirement savings vehicle with professionally managed investments and oversight from a public, transparent board of directors, chaired by the California State Treasurer.
VENTURA COUNTY SCORE: IMPROVE YOUR GOOGLE RANK: BEING FOUND AND CHOSEN ONLINE
May 17 @ 10:30 am
In this workshop, you will learn how to improve your business’s chance of being found in relevant online searches. SCORE will cover the building blocks of bringing exposure to your Google My Business listing and how to leverage the Google local pack ranking algorithm to show up above your competitors online. You won’t want to miss this webinar!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
VENTURA COUNTY SCORE: HOW TO RECORD IN QUICKBOOKS ONLINE FROM THIRD PARTY COMPANIES
May 10 @ 10:30 am
This live, interactive webinar session is designed to help you understand the features, functions and benefits of QuickBooks Online for small business owners as well as assist you in implementing accounting best practices to manage your business finance. This webinar will concentrate on steps to properly record payroll transactions that are administered by third party companies like ADP and Paychex. Juliana Ramirez from JR Bookkeeping will live answer your questions related to the subject matter including live demonstrations.
The six-county Uplift Central Coast Coalition—led by the Economic Development Collaborative, REACH and Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP)—is excited to announce its continued partnership to develop an application and secure our region’s share of California’s new $600 million Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF).
The six county region as defined by the state for the CERF program and funding includes Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito.
The purpose of CERF is to support new plans and strategies to diversify local economies and develop sustainable industries that create high-quality, broadly accessible jobs for all Californians.
VENTURA COUNTY SCORE: FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP 101
May 04 @ 10:30 am
Starting a business through a franchise is often the shortest path to profitability, and some of them require as little as $60K to start and can operate out of a home office. But where do you start? Join SCORE to learn franchising basics, including the array of categories, investment levels, and ownership options available, and how to go about defining your vision to make sure you’re selecting the RIGHT fit for YOU!
For more than 60 years, the president of the United States has recognized the National Small Business Week (NSBW) as May 1 – 7, 2022. NSBW recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Join us in celebrating National Small Business Week and participate in the following events throughout the week! These events are free (provided by the Fresno SBDC Network) and will cover different information that will help you START, GROW and EXPAND your small business.
Para leer este boletín en español, haga clic aquí
U.S. COMMERCIAL SERVICE: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL: CELEBRATING DIVERSITY: SHOWCASING THE INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS OF ARAB AND MIDDLE EASTERN-OWNED AND LED BUSINESSES
April 27 @ 11:00 am
In celebration of National Arab American Heritage Month, join the U.S. Commercial Service for the third session of their “From Local to Global: Celebrating Diversity” event series, as we feature a dynamic panel of Arab and Middle Eastern American founders and leaders from Southern California based companies, who will share how they have successfully grown their businesses internationally. Learn about the opportunities to seek out, as well as the challenges to avoid as you launch or expand your international business. Receive information and resources that will help you chart your path to global sales and expansion success.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
The California Labor Market Information Division (LMID) released its March 2022 report on Friday, back on its regular schedule of the 3rd Friday of the month, this month again showing some strong gains for Ventura County, adding a net 3,000 jobs and the unemployment rate dropping from 4.1% in February to 3.5% in March. While the unemployment rate continues to move in the right direction, it’s not so much on the creation of new jobs, rather it’s on a depressed labor force, still down 11,900 workers since just before the pandemic.
SANTA BARBARA SCORE: WHY YOUR WEBSITE SHOULD BE A TOP MARKETING PRIORITY
April 20 @ 10:00 am
It’s important that businesses make their website a priority and the foundation of their digital marketing in order to achieve optimal success. With only having a few seconds to engage website visitors, your visuals and content need to be spot on. Join SCORE to learn the latest website best practices and techniques for making your website a more effective sales tool.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
The California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) announced grant award recipients?of the Inclusive Innovation Hub (iHub2) program. This one-time, $250,000 grant will run for 15 months period and will help accelerate regionally focused strategies to spur innovation and diversification across industry sectors and geographies while attracting entrepreneurs from underserved business communities.
VENTURA SCORE: GETTING STARTED WITH QUICKBOOKS ONLINE-HOW TO SET UP QUICKBOOKS FROM SCRATCH
April 12 @ 10:30 am
This live, interactive webinar session is designed to help you understand the features, functions and benefits of QuickBooks Online for small business owners as well as assist you in implementing accounting best practices to manage your business finance. This webinar will concentrate on steps to properly record payroll transactions that are administered by third party companies like ADP and Paychex. Juliana Ramirez from JR Bookkeeping will live answer your questions related to the subject matter including live demonstrations.
The Economic Development Collaborative is partnering with the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, the California Academy for Economic Development, and Edison International to promote the statewide Outsmart Disaster campaign which equips businesses with the tools and resources they need to be prepared for disaster.
Complimentary business resiliency resources and trainings provided by the State of California by California’s Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency with The California Academy for Economic Development and supported by Edison International.
The California Labor Market Information Division (LMID) released its February 2022 report on Friday, again this month later than per the usual schedule of the 3rd Friday following the prior month, accommodating time for LMID’s annual recalibration of the data.
Ventura County had a strong month by nearly all labor market indicators, adding a total of 5,300 jobs, 1,900 in Farm, 2,700, in all other private sector industries and 700 in Government. The unemployment rate improved from 4.8% in January all the way down to 4.1% in February, putting us even with the U.S. rate and well ahead of California as a whole, at 4.8%. Even more encouraging, our Labor Force increased by 5,200 workers jumping back into the game, now at 413,100. For the official data, click here. For our reflections, please read on.
RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE OF WOMEN IN TRADE
April 5 @ 10:00 am
The event will focus on customs challenges, including best practices, lessons learned over the past two years, and solutions moving forward. Attendees will hear the perspectives of customs agencies in Mexico, the U.S., and Canada, as well as women in trade entrepreneurs from the three countries.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
The California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) and Grant Program (CCGP) are available to businesses that want to locate in California or stay and grow in California. Businesses of any industry, size, or location compete for over $180 million available in tax credits by applying in one of the three application periods each year. Applicants will be analyzed based on twelve different factors of evaluation, including number of full-time jobs being created, amount of investment, and strategic importance to the state or region.
VENTURA COUNTY SCORE: OVERVIEW OF WORKING WITH THE COUNTY OF VENTURA AS A VENDOR
March 23 @ 10:30 am
Do you have a product or service that you’d like to sell to government buyers? The Office of Procurement Services of the County of Ventura will deliver a presentation on how to work with the County as a vendor. Topics to be covered include what a prospective vendor needs to know to do business with the County, information about vendor tools, and some background information on County’s Procurement Services department and contacts.
From the California Green Business Network
Do you want to save money and operate more efficiently? The California Green Business Network is pleased to present a Sustainable Business Challenge for businesses in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties! For a limited time only, businesses are eligible for $500 incentive as long as they complete their certification by June 30, 2022. In addition to the $500, newly certified Green Businesses will receive free digital promotion, directory listing, a certificate and a marketing toolkit upon completion.
CMTC: QUALITY 501: ROADMAP TO BECOMING A PREMIUM SUPPLIER
March 15 @ 10:00 am
During this webinar, CMTC Quality Practice Lead Eliot Dratch will discuss the key points that larger customers typically demand from their lower-tier suppliers before advancing their status to “Top” or “Premium” Supplier. This approach is applicable to most industries, including aerospace, consumer products, medical, apparel, food, and more.
The California Labor Market Information Division (LMID) released its January 2022 report earlier today, later than per the usual schedule of the 3rd Friday of the following month, accommodating time for LMID’s annual recalibration of the data.
Not surprisingly, we had an increase in the unemployment rate, from 4.2% in December to 4.7% in January, generally the result of the layoff of holiday season workers that were hired in November and December.
All told, for the total of officially unemployed workers (by which we mean, not counting the several thousand workers that have dropped out of the labor force during the pandemic), we had a jump from 17,000 to 19,300. Of that increase by 2,300, it appears they were split about evenly between layoffs in Retail Trade and Leisure & Hospitality.
The CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program helps eligible households with rent, both for past due and future payments. Depending on the address of your rental property, you may be eligible for a local program. CLICK HERE to find out which program is right for you.
Rent Relief Applications are open through March 31, 2022!
UPDATED: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
CDC is now recommending masking based on “COVID-19 Community Level.” Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. Indoor masking is only recommended universally if the Community Level is high. This information can be tracked HERE.
VENTURA SCORE: QUICKBOOKS ONLINE AND BEST ACCOUNTING PRACTICES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
March 8 @ 10:30 am
This live, interactive webinar session is designed to help you understand the features, functions and benefits of QuickBooks Online for small business owners as well as assist you in implementing accounting best practices to manage your business finances including COVID-19 Funds and Forgiveness. Juliana Ramirez from JR Bookkeeping will live answer your questions related to the subject matter including live demonstrations. You are highly encouraged to bring your own questions and situations to be solved or used as an example during the live demonstrations.
The California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) and Grant Program (CCGP) are available to businesses that want to locate in California or stay and grow in California. Businesses of any industry, size, or location compete for over $180 million available in tax credits by applying in one of the three application periods each year. Applicants will be analyzed based on twelve different factors of evaluation, including number of full-time jobs being created, amount of investment, and strategic importance to the state or region.
Application Period Timeline: For the remainder of the fiscal year 2021-2022, GO-Biz will accept applications for the California Competes Tax Credit between March 7, 2022 – March 28, 2022
February 28 @ 12:00 pm
Are you thinking of starting a new business of your own but don’t know where to begin? Join SCORE Santa Barbara for an Interactive Business Start-Up Webinar Session led by Greg Loosvelt and Eric Saltzman to learn key elements that will help you be successful.
The Economic Development Collaborative is partnering with the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, the California Academy for Economic Development, and Edison International to promote the statewide Outsmart Disaster campaign which equips businesses with the tools and resources they need to be prepared for disaster.
2022 COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) took effect on February 19, 2022. This SPSL is only applicable to employers, public or private, with 26 or more employees. Smaller employers will not be covered but may be covered by local supplemental paid sick leave ordinances.
The Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) is a refundable credit that businesses can claim on qualified wages, including certain health insurance costs, paid to employees. Qualified employers can claim a credit against:
50% of qualified wages paid, up to $10,000 per employee annually for wages paid between March 13 and Dec. 31, 2020
70% of qualified wages paid, up to $10,000 per employee per quarter for wages paid in the first three quarters of 2021
The Economic Development Collaborative would like to recognize the month of February as Black History Month. This month is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the contributions of Black Americans throughout history. During this time, and throughout the entire year, the EDC is committed to supporting Black-owned small businesses. The EDC strives to provide equitable access and inclusive services, leading to stronger economic outcomes that support businesses and our region as a whole. The following are a handful of programs that provide support for Black-owned small businesses:
UPDATED: California Department of Public Health:
Starting February 16, 2022, only unvaccinated persons are required to mask in all Indoor Public Settings. Universal masking shall remain required in only specified settings. Fully vaccinated individuals are recommended to continue indoor masking when the risk may be high. CLICK HERE for more information.
The Economic Development Collaborative encourages you to sign up for our no-cost webinars. Space is limited. Register today!
FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL: CELEBRATING DIVERSITY
February 23 @ 11:00 am
In celebration of Black History Month, join the U.S. Commercial Service for the kick-off of their “From Local to Global: Celebrating Diversity” event series, as they feature a dynamic panel of Black founders and leaders from Southern California-based companies, who will share how they have successfully grown their businesses internationally.
HOW TO CREATE A 2022 SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT CALENDAR
February 11 @ 12:00 pm
Who’s ready to get organized this 2022!? Let’s be honest, we all get overwhelmed by Social Media because we often wear too many hats and think we need to be on every platform. The fact is we only need to be posting on the platforms where our target market is spending their time. The best way to get organized and efficient is to create a social media calendar. Deborah has a saying: schedule it in your calendar, see it in your life and she will show you how to do it to save time, energy and make you money.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
The Health Soils Program (HSP) Incentives Program provides financial assistance to California growers and ranchers for implementation of conservation management that improve soil health, sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Application Window CLOSES Friday, February 25!
Grant Award:
Growers and ranchers may request up to $100,000 to implement on-farm healthy soils practices.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is still accepting requests for increases, reconsideration and appeals for the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program:
Increase Request: Borrowers can request increases up to their maximum eligible loan amount for up to two years after their loan origination date, or until the funds are exhausted, whichever is soonest.
Reconsideration/Appeals Request: Reconsideration and appeal requests for applications received on or before December 31 will be accepted and reviewed if the reconsideration/appeal is received within the timeframes in the regulation. This means six months from the date of decline for reconsiderations and 30 days from the date of reconsideration decline for appeals – unless funding is no longer available.
For more information CLICK HERE .
HOW TO CREATE A 2022 SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT CALENDAR
February 11 @ 12:00 pm
Who’s ready to get organized this 2022!? Let’s be honest, we all get overwhelmed by Social Media because we often wear too many hats and think we need to be on every platform. The fact is we only need to be posting on the platforms where our target market is spending their time. The best way to get organized and efficient is to create a social media calendar. Deborah has a saying: schedule it in your calendar, see it in your life and she will show you how to do it to save time, energy and make you money.
HOW TO DEAL WITH PORT CONGESTION
January 25 @ 10:00 am
This panel discussion will examine the effects of port congestion with a special emphasis on the Long Beach/Los Angeles Ports and the Port of Virginia, and the impact this is having on small businesses from coast to coast.
The California Labor Market Information Division (LMID) released its December 2021 report on Friday the 19th, extending what’s become a five-month run of improvements in Ventura County’s unemployment rate, now at 4.2%, down from 4.5% in November. While the unemployment rate is moving in the right direction, the underlying numbers aren’t so encouraging. In what is usually a strong month for hiring, we picked up only 1,300 Nonfarm jobs—and only 500 in holiday hiring for Retail—and actually had a decline in the Labor Force by 400 workers. Further, what gains we did have were largely concentrated in only two sectors, Retail Trade and Leisure & Hospitality. For more context on what it means, read on; for the link to the monthly numbers click here.
Learn about the EMPRENDEDORES (Entrepreneurs), a small business training program offed by MICOP & WEV.
The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Education Fund affiliated with the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), and Grubhub, have opened applications for the USHCC & Grubhub Restaurant Small Business Grant Program to support Hispanic-owned restaurantsthroughout the country. The program is supported by proceeds from Grubhub’s Donate the Change Program.
DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR MEASURABLE RESULTS
January 28 @ 12:00 pm
A comprehensive marketing strategy leverages Social Media to make information more accessible by combining together technology, content, and social interaction across many platforms including websites, blogs, video sharing, review sites, email marketing, and event promotion. This session provides an overview of the 9 key areas of social media as defined by David Mitroff with examples from his work.
The Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) is a refundable credit that businesses can claim on qualified wages, including certain health insurance costs, paid to employees. Qualified employers can claim a credit against:
50% of qualified wages paid, up to $10,000 per employee annually for wages paid between March 13 and Dec. 31, 2020
70% of qualified wages paid, up to $10,000 per employee per quarter for wages paid in the first three quarters of 2021
On January 7, 2022, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board adopted revisions to the COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards to include the latest recommendations from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
The California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) and Grant Program (CCGP) are available to businesses that want to locate in California or stay and grow in California. Businesses of any industry, size, or location compete for over $180 million available in tax credits by applying in one of the three application periods each year. Applicants will be analyzed based on twelve different factors of evaluation, including number of full-time jobs being created, amount of investment, and strategic importance to the state or region.
Application Period Timeline: For the remainder of the fiscal year 2021-2022, GO-Biz will accept applications for the California Competes Tax Credit during the following periods:
January 3, 2022 – January 24, 2022
March 7, 2022 – March 28, 2022
DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR MEASURABLE RESULTS
January 28 @ 12:00 pm
A comprehensive marketing strategy leverages Social Media to make information more accessible by combining together technology, content, and social interaction across many platforms including websites, blogs, video sharing, review sites, email marketing, and event promotion. This session provides an overview of the 9 key areas of social media as defined by David Mitroff with examples from his work.
UPDATED: California Department of Public Health:
As of January 5, 2022, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updated their Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings, continuing the requirement for universal masking indoors, irrespective of vaccine status, statewide from December 15, 2021, through February 15, 2022.
The Economic Development Collaborative encourages you to sign up for our partner’s no-cost webinars. Space is limited. Register today!
SCORE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY: AMAZON 101 – ASSESSMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND STORE MANAGEMENT
January 4 @ 5:00 pm
In this workshop John Richardson will discuss the basics as it relates to if and how to setup your own Amazon Store.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
SCORE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY: AMAZON 101 – ASSESSMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND STORE MANAGEMENT
January 4 @ 5:00 pm
In this workshop John Richardson will discuss the basics as it relates to if and how to setup your own Amazon Store.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
