SCV Community Pride • BUSINESS
SCV
Business
THE SIGNAL . SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2016 . D13
Community
Pride Business
SCV Community Pride • Business & Real Estate
Scorpion grows along with the SCV
Dan Watson/The Signal
Garrett Schultz, Senior web designer at Scorpion Internet Marketing in Valencia.
D14 . SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2016 . THE SIGNAL
SCV Community Pride • BUSINESS
Business
Scorpion Internet Marketing - Invested in the community, marketing worldwide
Dan Watson/The Signal
Melanie Hopper, senior web designer, right, at Scorpion. By Diane Krieger Spivak
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hen a new client’s online testimonial jokingly asks Scorpion Internet Marketing to “hold back on the campaign” because business is suddenly booming, it’s music to Scorpion’s ears. “We understand putting money into marketing your business is an investment,” said Kylie Patterson, Scorpion’s director of public relations. “There’s the adage, ‘You have to spend money to make money.’ But for our clients we want to make sure that they’re doing so in the most efficient way possible. What they are getting with us is professionalism. It is high quality products. It is high quality service. We see ourselves as part-
ners with every business we work with and we fully invest ourselves in their success.” Scorpion’s online marketing expertise focuses on attorneys and law firms, hospitals and health systems, franchises, home services and small businesses. One of the fastest growing companies in the United States every year since 2011, Scorpion has to date generated more than 1 million leads and won more than 120 industry awards. “We had one client who said he had to hire more people just to deal with the increased business that we got him in one month, which is great,” said Patterson. “It’s wonderful to help a small business expand because of Internet marketing.”
Scorpion provides everything a client needs to succeed online, including web design, search engine optimization, pay-per-click (PCC) advertising, online reputation management, content marketing, social media marketing, blogging and company updates, and video production. “Our clients are our partners and we’re emotionally invested,” Patterson said. “When Google has an update and it affects our clients’ ranking, we take it personally. That causes an all-hands ondeck kind of response to make sure we get our clients back to where they’re supposed to be, because we care.” While Scorpion casts its service net worldwide, home base is in Valencia. “There are a little over
250 employees currently located at our Valencia office, our corporate headquarters,” Patterson said. “Including our Dallas office and various satellite offices across the nation (in San Diego, Nashville, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Seattle) we have almost 300 employees. “While we love our clients across the nation, we are especially happy to work with those within our community,” Patterson said. “The SCV has long been Scorpion’s home and we hope to call it home for many years to come. Most of our employees live in the SCV. This means that their family, friends, former coworkers, and former classmates are generally nearby as well. Our referral rates are off the charts! We are a hiring
force to be reckoned with here and we are proud of that fact. The talent pool from the SCV and the Los Angeles area in general is incredible.” Scorpion’s commitment to the community includes free marketing consultations to show local businesses what they could be doing differently to get the competitive advantage they need to succeed in their market. “It’s a great resource for business owners,” Patterson said. “All they have to do is call or write in via contact form on our website.” Scorpion supports local charities throughout the year through its charitable branch, Scorpion Cares. Scorpion is a corporate sponsor of the Michael Hoefflin Foundation for
Children’s Cancer. It also sponsors Henry Mayo’s golf tournament and sends numerous volunteers to help man the event. Every year Scorpion sponsors runners in the Santa Clarita Marathon. One of its biggest internal competitions takes place during Scorpion’s fourth quarter when each team within the company raises money for a chosen charity, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars going to local non-profit organizations. “We are invested in the community - hiring locally, giving to local charities, attending local events, helping local businesses,” said Patterson. “We are game for all of it.”
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SCV Community Pride • BUSINESS
Business
THE SIGNAL . SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2016 . D15
D.W. Cookie Company bakes up sweet goodness By Kateri Wozny
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alking into Devar Ward’s bake shop, the heavenly smell of fresh-baked cookies can tip off anyone’s nose. “I love baking, it gives me joy,” he said. It’s because of his passion for baking that Ward opened his business, D.W. Cookie Company, in September 2013 with his wife, Stacy. Ward grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where his grandmother taught him how to bake and cook with love. “Baking cookies is something I acquired over time,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun.” Previously, he worked at AT&T for 15 years in the Los Angeles area and would indulge his co-workers with his homemade cookies. “I would pray for my business to come. I never imagined being here,” the Santa Clarita Valley resident of eight years said. “God inspired me to leave my nine to five job and see what the world is truly about.” Homemade cookie flavors include chocolate chip, triple chocolate, peanut butter, sugar, oatmeal cranberry raisin, walnut chip, toffee chip, M & M and white chocolate raspberry. Fresh churned ice cream is also available in chocolate, vanilla and raspberry cheesecake along
with ice cream sandwiches, cones, sundaes, milkshakes and a cookie cake. Prices range from $1.50 for a single cookie to $39 for a large platter. Coffee, juice, tea, cocoa, milk and soda are also available for purchase. Corporate orders are also welcome. “The cookies are very, very good,” said Doreann R. of Canyon Country in an online review. “They taste very fresh and are very well textured and flavored. They definitely will have my business for as long as they’re open. Not to mention their customer service is great!” It’s comments like this that make Ward’s day. “I have a lot of repeat customers who enjoy the cookies,” he said. “It’s nice to bring a smile to someone’s day with a freshbaked cookie.” Specials include $2 Tuesdays, free coffee with a purchase of a dozen cookies, and an opportunity to buy two cookies and get one for free with a 25 Score Discount Card. Student, senior, emergency services and military discounts are also available. Ward also donates his baked items to various local churches, student scholarships and Bridge to Home, a homeless service agency in Santa Clarita.
Dan Watson/The Signal
Devar Ward, owner of D.W. Cookie Company, with a tray of signature cookies called “The Liz”. “It feels good to give back and help out my community,” he said. As for the future, Ward sees himself sharing his baking techniques with his two children and “wherever God takes it.” D.W. Cookie Company, 18962 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country, Calif. 91351, (661) 505-0781. Store hours are Monday Friday from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Closed on weekends.
Dan Watson/The Signal
D.W. Cookie Company’s white chocolate cranberry cookies.
Come visit us for
2 Cookie Sundaes on Tuesdays Cookie Cakes $
available for special occasions
Share the happiness with clients and customers. Gift Certificates available. Homemade ice cream, too ... yum!
New Hours M-F 10a-7p, Closed Sat & Sun 18962 Soledad Canyon Rd. Canyon Country 91351 661-505-0781 dwcookie@att.net
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SCV Community Pride • BUSINESS
SCV Community Pride • BUSINESS
THE SIGNAL . SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2016 . D17
D18 . SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2016 . THE SIGNAL
SCV Community Pride • BUSINESS
Business
Taking Action: Valencia moms make safety education their mission By T.A. DeFeo
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ne look at the statistics was enough for Rebecca Fisher and Dee Boudreaux. But, rather than sit on the sidelines, the moms from Valencia decided to take action. Fisher and Boudreaux are fixtures of the community: They work, volunteer and hike throughout the community, and it was on one of those hikes they realized just how vulnerable many women are. On that hike, they encountered a man speaking unintelligibly, who emerged from a blind turn and stumbled toward the two. Without cell phone service and no way to defend themselves, they returned to their car and discussed what they should do to ensure they never find themselves in that scenario again. So, in March 2015, they joined Damsel In Defense. Two moms in Boise, Idaho, launched Damsel In Defense in 2011 with the mission of equipping, empowering and educating women about personal safety. The company offers a range of products geared toward women, including stun guns, pepper sprays, alarms and road safety products, all available in varied colors and styles. They also host a number of events to educate on both personal and digital safety. Damsel In Defense provides Fisher and Bou-
dreaux with a platform to address serious issues in a “fun and fashionable way.” Both women have collegeaged daughters, and they know how crucially important it is to share safety information with women in this vulnerable demographic, especially in light of a September 2015 Association of American Universities survey that found 23 percent of female undergraduate students said they have experienced sexual assault since enrolling in college. “The statistics on crime against women are alarming,” said Fisher, herself a survivor of rape and of domestic abuse. “There is really nowhere we won’t go to reach women of all ages.” Fisher authored “All the Wrong Places,” a novel based on her experiences of leaving an abusive marriage and finding new life, love, faith and family while living with her daughter in a funeral home. Some of the company’s most popular products are the Get A Grip stun guns and the Road Trip auto tool. The stun guns pack 7.5 million volts and are designed to be convenient and easy to carry and hold while the Road Trip auto tool is designed to help motorists cut their seat belts, break the glass and draw attention with multiple lights and an alarm. “We hope that after meeting with us, women
Dan Watson/The Signal
Defense pros Dee Boudreaux, left, and Rebecca Fisher of Damsel In Defense demonstrate their products during a presentation at Kellar Williams offices in Valencia. are motivated to be more aware of their surroundings and less afraid of defending themselves with the help of our powerful protection products,” Fisher said. “We have met with a lot of women and the number one mistake many of us make is just not paying attention to our surroundings,” Boudreaux said. “For some reason there’s a false sense of securi-
ty when in reality, the statistics tell us we are not as safe as we’d like to think. Damsel In Defense allows us to discuss a frightening and uncomfortable topic in a safe environment of friends, family or coworkers, and with our gorgeous and feminine products, women walk away feeling more confident and more aware.” In addition to its mission of education, Damsel In Defense also gives back.
The corporate office gives to a number of local, national and international charities and also sponsors the Damsel House Project, which helps rescue girls from sex trafficking in Cambodia. For their part, Fisher and Boudreaux donate 10 percent of their monthly earnings to charities, including Destiny House and Circle of Hope. While Damsel In Defense may be Fisher’s and Boudreaux’s business,
their primary goal is to share knowledge and empower women. “It has become a ministry for us,” Fisher said. “We travel all over to reach women in their offices, homes, and neighborhood meetings to make sure they all have the chance to gain awareness and a strategy for safety in their lives.” For more information, visit www.damseldiva.com or call (661) 513-3488.
EQUIP. EMPOWER. EDUCATE. Stun Guns
Dee & Rebecca 661-513-3488
Pepper Sprays Security on the Go Digital Defense
www.damseldiva.com (661) 513-3488
SCV Community Pride • BUSINESS
Business
THE SIGNAL . SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2016 . D19
Customers benefit from Brent’s Carpet One retailers’ cooperative By Laurel Davis
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hen Brent Griffiths opened up his carpet and flooring store on Apple Street in Newhall in 1979, he came with a unique perspective, says his son, Ben Griffiths, who took over the business when Brent retired a couple of years ago. “He wasn’t starting a typical ‘mom and pop’ store, or as a carpet installer turned store owner,” Ben says. “He came in with a business acumen that changed the focus from just making sales to providing the right product for each client.” The result has been a 37-year legacy of loyal retail and commercial clients who have benefitted from the company’s focus on customer satisfaction. That keen business sense was applied further when Brent accepted an invitation to join the Carpet One retailers’ cooperative in 1992. He researched the group and decided it would enhance his products and services while also allowing him to offer more attractive pricing. Clients in the Santa Clarita Valley in particular have reaped the benefits. A “retailers’ cooperative” establishes a central buying organization whereby a group of similar independently owned businesses can pool their resources together to purchase their merchandise in bulk. Since buying in bulk saves each
member business money, these savings are passed on to the customer. “Being a part of Carpet One gives us buying power on a national scale while we maintain our local focus,” Ben says. In short, “volume purchasing equals lower pricing.” The Carpet One cooperative gives member businesses additional advantages that benefit customers. For instance, member businesses engage in joint marketing efforts, which saves on advertising, promotion and private branding costs. These savings are reflected in affordable pricing, as well. In addition, Brent’s Carpet One attends industry education and training meetings to maintain their employees’ level of expertise in consultation, product knowledge, customer service, installation, and flooring maintenance – all of which are key to client satisfaction. While retailers’ cooperatives have some of the same advantages as franchising, they can be more attractive to both the member businesses and, ultimately, to clients. For one, Carpet One allows for only one store in every market so that member businesses are not competing against each other along with other companies in the community. This allows Brent’s Carpet One to guarantee the lowest price
Katherine Lotze/The Signal
Ben Griffiths of Brent’s Carpet One in Newhall stands in the front of the showroom. in the industry for the same or equivalent product and service. Not to mention that the company has an exclusive lineup of products manufactured for their store only. Secondly, unlike a franchise, Brent’s Carpet One is independently owned and operated by Ben and his wife, Natalie. The company primarily targets the Santa Clarita Valley. This means the family business stays a family business, and all profits and city taxes stay
right here in our valley. Ben started working with his father’s business about 12 years ago, taking on every position at one time or another, from cleaning the facilities to operating the forklift. What he likes most about the business is, as he puts it, “the ‘before and after.’ I like to flesh out the customer’s ideas and then make them a reality. The result is like a breath of fresh air. A new floor changes the whole feel of a home.”
Roughly 30 percent of Ben’s business is for commercial clients, including bank and healthcare facilities. The rest of his clients are residential. “Our customers are our family,” Ben insists, “and we treat them that way. We try to be as accessible as possible to make things happen as needed.” In the mid-1990s, Brent’s Carpet One moved to their current location at 24220 Lyons Avenue, just east of the 5 Fwy. Their attractive,
wide-open flooring showroom is open Mondays, 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.; Tuesdays through Fridays, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; and Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (closed Sundays). Ben and his expert team would love to hear from you. Call (661) 255-3337, or email Ben Griffiths at ben@brentscarpetone.com. You can also learn about all of their products, services and more by visiting their website, www.brentscarpetonenewhall.com.
(661) 702-2222 Valencia, California 91355
Excellent leasing and development opportunities located within a spectacular Park of over 100 acres that offers many amenities including: • a brand new, fully fitted out gym just for our tenants • basketball and volleyball courts • renovated connectivity • central location • very close access to major freeways and airports
D20 . SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2016 . THE SIGNAL
SCV Community Pride • BUSINESS
Business
The Beautiful
GUARANTEE™
*
Only one store has The Beautiful Guarantee™. If
Brent ’s Carpet One, born and raised in the SCV! Since 1979 Family business – Brent and 2 sons, Ben & Derek Member of Carpet One, the largest specialty flooring buying group in the world Nationally negotiated prices Locally owned & operated for 36 unbroken years
you don’t love your floor, we will replace it with another floor for free. Labor, materials, you name it - we are so confident we can help you find the floor you love, that we Guarantee it!
Trust Experience * See store for details.
Won every readers choice award ever run by Signal/Daily News in Santa Clarita The last time the Daily News ran a Readers Choice here, we won 5 categories Brent and sons have been heavily involved in local church and youth programs Brent was a director in the Chamber
Thanks, Santa Clarita for voting us the:
Best Carpet Store & Best Flooring Store every year since the voting began.
We at Brent’s Carpet One appreciate your loyalty.
THE GRIFFITHS FAMILY
24220 LYONS AVE., NEWHALL • (661) 255-3337 Hours: Mon. 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. • Tues. thru Fri. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Closed Sunday
www.BrentsCarpetOne.com
Financing on approved credit.