Catalyst. Convener. Champion.
Chamber Connection SA NTA M A RIA VA LLE Y CH A MB E R MO NTHLY NE WS LE T TE R | JANUARY 202 1
Bright Spots in Unprecedented Times: Local Businesses Pivot & Adapt During COVID-19 2020 has taken its toll on everyone, and our local businesses were far from exempt. From the stay at home orders to everchanging regulations, businesses continue to face an incredibly challenging and unprecedented time. While things have been hard, an impressive number of businesses have found ways to use the current volatile landscape to their advantage, and the advantage of our local community. Here are some of the bright spots our local businesses have seen through creative problem solving and adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Putting Live Theatre Online “With both our theatres and conservatory training programs shut down, PCPA was able to keep its staff employed and patrons engaged by producing virtual programming, including workshops, seminars, play readings and its holiday cabaret . In addition, PCPA has been able to stay in partnership with the schools through its many workshops designed for the classrooms, including providing 75 Technical Theatre Career workshops for high school students and, at last count, over 50 interactive workshops for all grades in both acting and technical theatre.” - Maria Centrella, PCPA Theatre
Customers at Moxie Cafe enjoy a healthy meal outdoors. The local restaurant got creative with outdoor seating allowing them to double their outdoor dining area and serve more customers. Expanding Outdoor Options “At the Moxie Cafe we kept our doors open by focusing on our patio dining. We doubled our outdoor dining space by outfitting our lawn area with appropriately spaced table and chairs. There is no reason why we still cannot partake of healthy food during the pandemic!” - Jay Hardy, Moxie Cafe
Finding Strength in Resilience "In difficult times, rather than retreat, our management team leaned in: we added staff in key areas, invested in technology, rolled out new and enhanced services and became more efficient. Our 2020 success was embracing our culture of being nimble and decisive and never was that more valuable Continued on p.2
WHAT ' S INSIDE : JANUARY 2021 ISSUE
Leadership Santa Maria Valley p. 3
Chamber Month in Review p. 6
Marketing & Customer Retention p. 7