SCORE and the Sacramento Public Library are teaming up to present Formula for Starting a Well-Run Business. This free class will be held Saturday, Aug. 4, from 9-10:30 a.m. at the Central Library branch, 915 I St., in the East Meeting Room. This class is a prerequisite for other classes in SCORE’s offerings, and is well-suited to people who are thinking of starting a business or are already drafting their business plan. Learn to take the right steps in the right order and discover the formula that successful companies follow. SCORE is a nonprofit association that has been helping small businesses for nearly 50 years. The volunteers of SCORE provide education and mentorship, often free of

Broken dreams can either stir up hunger or infuse discouragement. I look around my city and see shreds of both woven into the fabric of the small business community. We are hungry to press on but weary from the fight. For most of us, what started as a passionate expedition into the direction of our dreams, has proven to to be an exhausting up hill battle. Is this sounding familiar? For those of us who aren’t locked in the grip of struggle perhaps you find yourself treading water in the grip of survival? Unable to capitalize to your fullest potential and continually replicating the same results? My name is Russell Breton and I am on a mission to make a difference. I want to change the s

What an honor it was to be invited to participate in a Legislative Summit sponsored by the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. It’s 3rd annual event, held on June 20, 2012, was effectively a pro-business lobby day where five small groups, each with four business leaders, descended upon the offices of more than 50 California State Senators and members of the State Assembly. The purpose of these meetings was to offer support in terms of pro-business legislation that is currently being circulated in the State Capitol of Sacramento. As a Sacramento commercial real estate broker, one bill of particular interest to me was SB 1186, involvi

Rick and Sandra Dee Richardson are the types of individuals one instantly feels at ease with. Separately they are both equally warm and engaging, but it is their collaborative creative efforts that set them apart from the average married couple. To interview the two of them is to be in the presence of true love, and the inspirational effect they have on one another is immediately clear upon meeting the duo. Sacramento Press had the privilege of doing just that at the couple’s book signing held outside of the Kennedy Art Gallery on Saturday for their recently released novel “Southern Secrets: Sins of the Past,” published by Outskirts Press. Rick and Sandra (pen name Sandra Dee) met while

For more than a decade, Cafe Soleil owners George and Nicole Ix have served countless customers from their restaurant in Cesar Chavez Plaza. The economic downturn proved devastating to Café Soleil and owners George and Nicole Ix. To cope, they dropped their health insurance like many other mom-and-pops. Recently, Nicole was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and is unable to work. The family is struggling to make ends meet. Now, the cafe's loyal customers are coming to the aid of the business by launching a three-month campaign to give them a boost in business. Starting June 4, customers will employ several strategies to give Cafe Soleil a sustained cash infusion and help them rebuild their

With this year's extremely crowded playing field, it becomes increasingly important to examine Council candidates' positions on a variety of issues. Trade groups, meeting organizers, advocates and others can't do an analysis of every candidate's position on every important subject facing Sacramento, but we can zero in on on particular areas dear to our hearts. In this vein, SactoMoFo has put together this chart to illustrate candidates' support - or lack thereof - for food trucks, and what role they see restaurant owners taking in the regulation of their competition. A copy of the chart is embedded below, but the full version is eaiser to read and be found here.    Many people see suppor

Sacramento County is increasing opportunities for small and local business to do business with the County by enhancing its procurement and contracting program and streamlining the process for vendors. Increasing the dollar threshold for incentives from $250,000 to $1 million and increasing the local business preference percentage from 3% to 5% will increase the number of vendor contracts to which the program can be applied. “The County purchases more than $100 million each year in goods and services with about half of that expenditure directed to small and/or local businesses. Expanding the opportunity for additional businesses to participate in the program will have a positive impact on

We've all heard it before, “I need to get out of Sacramento."   The above statement has been muttered out of the mouths of people born and raised here or forced here beyond their will as a child by the likes of their parents or family, just waiting for the day they turned 18 to flock to wherever the cool kids are. You have probably also heard the generic, "There is nothing to do here," or, " If I want a real career, I need to move to San Francisco or Los Angeles, where it's happening."   Maybe so, or maybe, these people haven't given our state capital a fair look at a microscopic level with a new pair of eyes.     You know what, no microscope needed, just open your eyes.   Sacramen

On Monday June 6, 2011, California state legislators came together to honor a small business owner from each of their legislative districts. This year California President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg named Sacramento website and graphic design firm, Uptown Studios “Best Small Business of the Year” for 2011. Since 1992, owner Tina Reynolds and her top-notch team of employees create websites, brochures, logo/brand designs and use state of the art videography and social media marketing techniques. To the greater Sacramento region, Uptown Studios is more than just another small business. They are known as a company “with a conscience”. Reynolds and her team has given countless hours volunteeri

On Monday June 6, 2011, 80 legislators will come together to honor a small business owner from each of their legislative districts. This year California President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg named Sacramento website and graphic design firm, Uptown Studios “Best Small Business of the Year” for 2011. It is widely understood that small businesses are known as the “economic engine of California” and Uptown Studios certainly is no exception. Since 1992, owner Tina Reynolds and her top-notch team of employees create websites, brochures, logo/brand designs and identities and use state of the art videography and social media marketing techniques. Uptown Studios is more than just a small business.

The duo behind Bows & Arrows is reinventing the business in a new space devoted to nurturing local artists. In spring, artists Olivia Coelho and Trisha Rhomberg plan to open a new concept rooted in the vintage clothing store they've operated in Midtown for three years.  Coelho and Rhomberg, who are both clothing designers, will continue to sell vintage and repurposed clothing at the new space at 1815 19th St. But Bows & Arrows' new location will also be a place for the creative class to eat, drink, sell art and be exposed to other talent.  "We're the poorest philanthropists you'll ever meet," Coelho said.  Coelho's parents bought the building in June. Coelho and Rhomberg will lease it

Trends-N-Treats of Fair Oaks; woman-owned and family-operated, pet supply spa boutique clings to hope while a box-pet-store laughs all the way to the bank. Imagine being a small business owner, established in your town and overnight you learn a large corporation is moving in your business model next door – doing exactly what you do, but in true box-store fashion (impersonal, not very well informed, not helpful, don’t care, etc). The landlord says, “Too bad you’re stuck through your lease term”. The term is years down the road. What can you do? If you are a small business owner: make sure your lease has a lease the “exclusivity” provision that prevents your competition from moving in next

Nationally recognized marketing innovation expert Elaine Starling announces a provocative recovery strategy for small businesses. “Marketing is at the core of all successful business,” Starling said. “If your marketing isn’t working for you, it’s working against you – watering the wrong plants grows the wrong crop.” Starling is offering free marketing training videos to share her award-winning strategies with small businesses everywhere, available at MillionairesMarketingMatrix.com Starling was motivated by a meeting with the California small business advocate Marty Keller, who shared that the 3.2 million small businesses in California generate 99.2 percent of all new jobs and 70 percen

Small business owners from the Sacramento area gathered Wednesday at the U.S. Small Business Administration office in Citrus Heights for a workshop organized by U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui's office. For two hours, more than 30 business owners such as Michael Kyalwazi met with representatives from a dozen lenders and resource organizations. Entrepreneurs like him were drawn there for one thing: finding financing in this troubled economy. "It's sad so much money is flying out there but it's not reaching small businesses, which are the engine that drives the economy," he said. Kyalwazi worked his way up the ladder at La Bou Bakery & Cafe. He started as a floor sweeper and, over 20 years, became

As unemployment rates rise, now over 12% in California, individuals are starting their own businesses and looking for ways to cut expenses. Many moms are now opting to stay home with their children and find a way to add to the family budget working from home as virtual assistants. Some small business owners are reducing costs by using virtual offices and assistants instead of hiring a part-time assistant and renting office space. What is a virtual office and a virtual assistant? A virtual office business in Sacramento is Capsity Offices located at 2321 P Street in Midtown Sacramento. Capsity combines the traditional office environment with coworking and virtual offices. This allows busine

 Cerrina Jensen, a vocal advocate of cost containment and consumer choice in health care and employee benefits, has joined the Sacramento office of Rood & Dax Advanced Insurance Services, Inc., as an employee benefits consultant focusing on the small group market. “Growing up, I had no idea I would one day be a benefits consultant," she says. “But spending each day helping employers successfully navigate their benefit issues of coverage, cost and human resource challenges is truly rewarding.” Jensen has more than 15 years of experience in a variety of settings in the insurance industry and brings a wide range of knowledge to her role at Rood & Dax Advanced Insurance Services, Inc., where

If you have been reading about communication and marketing tools over the past couple of years you are aware of the proliferation of new devices and platforms for marketing to and establishing community with existing and prospective customers.  Studies continue to show that growing numbers of people are adopting the use of social networking and micro-blogging platforms for personal use and to “follow” or “fan” their favorite businesses.  Social media will continue to grow and offer businesses perhaps the greatest value in time and investment to reach customers and successfully track the results of their efforts.  Read this: your business needs a presence in social media. As growing number

There have been recent reports online regarding the use of social media by small businesses.  As fast as social media has gained in popularity, businesses have expanded their use of it.  It appears as though most social media users are okay with this.   Many businesses have given it a try while others have found too difficult a platform.  Some local perspective about Sacramento Press readers and thieir expectations on social media would be valuable to the local business community.  Please, share your perspective with us.  What do you like from the small businesses you follow?  Who locally is doing a great job using social networking?  What advice do you have for those considering g

 *   You have likely heard the old joke that lab rats are being replaced by lawyers because the lab workers do not get emotionally attached to lawyers.  Or the one about a thousand lawyers being chained together at the bottom of the ocean being a “good start”.  As these jokes (and the hundreds of others) show, lawyers have a bad reputation.  Personally, I have never had the need for one and only know a few, and I have worked pretty hard at maintaining the status quo on both of those points.  It seemed to me that lawyers are for people who live near secret toxic waste dumpsites.  Recently, my work helping small businesses with marketing led me to a local Law Firm and Real Estate company

There is no doubt that businesses in general have suffered through our ever-changing economy. Businesses on multiple levels have had to make sacrifices; downsizing, cutting salaries, furloughing, laying off, and certainly cutting expenses.Small business, especially in Sacramento, is no exception. One expense that seems to be a commonality, is the Company Holiday Party. Historically, no matter how large or small an office or business is, company's have celebrated the holidays and their accomplishments with their partners, employees, and sometimes, vendors and customers. It is a time when people put work aside, and come together over food, drinks, entertainment and memories that often survi