Business Comments- Spring 2024

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Healthy Business. Healthy Community. 411 Davis Street, Suite 101 Vacaville CA 95688

Tel 707.448.6424 | Fax 707.448.0424

www.vacavillechamber.com

Debbie Egidio President/CEO

Debbie@VacavilleChamber.com

Ralph Berumen Business Development Manager

Ralph@VacavilleChamber.com

Noelle Buckband Digital Communications Manager

Noelle@VacavilleChamber.com

Rakelle Broadley Of ce Manager

Rakelle@VacavilleChamber.com

Chamber Comments is a publication of The Reporter. To advertise in future issues, call 707-448-6401.

Cover photo courtesy of Vacaville Chamber of Commerce

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE SPONSORS

Titanium

Platinum

Genentech, Paci c Gas & Electric Co., The Reporter, Sutter Health, Valley Strong Credit Union

Gold

Budget Blinds of Solano County, City of Vacaville, First Northern Bank, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, NorthBay Health, Placer Title Company, Reynolds Law, LLP, Sunrise Banquet Hall & Event Center, Western Health Advantage

2024-25 Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Vicki Barros-Ortiz, State Farm Insurance Chairman of the Board

Stephanie Tarter, Kaiser Permanente Chairman Elect

Ed Rapisarda, Realty ONE Group Fox Immediate Past Chairman

Ivan Jones, Travis Credit Union Treasurer

Scott Pardini, Recology Vacaville Solano Vice Chairman – Business Issues & Advocacy

Teri Johnson, Bookkeeping & More Vice Chairman – Business Resources

Rosa Gracida, Paci ca Senior Living Vice Chairman – Membership Directors

Jessica Callison Brickhouse Mortgage/YPS President

Jason Case Case Electric Inc.

Andy Harper

Hank & Hazel’s Really Good Sausages

Jennifer House Business Development Professional

Ken Imah

Minuteman Press Vacaville

Todd Lowell Reynolds Law, LLP

Toni Parkhurst

Budget Blinds of Solano County

Lisa Smith

Kaiser Permanente

Liz Wentworth-Kelly Genentech

FROM THE PRESIDENT/CEO

Ihave a confession to make. I’ve never used ChatGPT. I’ve always written these columns about what was on my mind, from current issues in our community to upcoming Chamber activities, to random topics that I thought were meaningful. I feel that if you’re taking the time to read this, I should take the time to actually write it. And I still feel that way, but for this edition I was running short on time and needed inspiration to get started. So, I took the leap into AI.

I knew generally what I wanted to write about but needed a little help. I wanted to talk about tradition. There’s been a lot of conversation about the fact that there will be no carnival at this year’s Fiesta Days and that the celebration has been reduced in duration to two days (per the website at the time I’m writing this in early March). I don’t know all the ins and outs of those decisions, but I do know that they weren’t made lightly. And I know that the volunteers who are charged with executing this festival for our community have received more push back than understanding. Why? Because this is one of our most signi cant Vacaville traditions and it’s changing.

So far this has all been me, but here’s where ChatGPT comes in. I asked, “De ne tradition and why it’s important to people.”

Response: “Tradition can be de ned as the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, typically through practices, rituals, stories, or symbols. It encompasses the accumulated knowledge, values, and behaviors that are passed down within a society or community over time. Tradition provides a sense of continuity, identity, and belonging for individuals within a group.

There are several reasons why tradition is important to people:

• Cultural Identity

• Social Cohesion

• Stability and Continuity

• Emotional Connection

• Passing on Wisdom

• Cultural Expression

• Sense of Security

Overall, tradition plays a vital role in shaping individual and collective identities, fostering social cohesion, and preserving cultural heritage. It provides a framework for understanding the past, navigating the present, and envisioning the future.”

Pretty good stuff. I think it lays the groundwork for why tradition evokes passionate and emotional responses. It’s entwined in our history, our stories, our lives.

But I like to explore more than one side of an issue so I asked, “Why can letting go of tradition be good?”

ChatGPT Response: “Letting go of tradition can be bene cial in various ways by promoting:

• Cultural Evolution

• Individual Freedom

• Inclusivity and Diversity

• Innovation and Creativity

• Adaptation to Change

• Critical Thinking

• Personal Growth

• Con ict Resolution

While tradition holds signi cant value in preserving cultural heritage and fostering social cohesion, it’s essential to recognize that not all traditions are bene cial or relevant in modern society. Letting go of outdated or harmful traditions can create opportunities for positive change and collective advancement.”

And back to me…While that last part may not apply to Fiesta Days as it is an abundantly good and positive tradition, I do think those bullet points provide a framework for considering that there can be positive outcomes to change. It’s often said that adjusting to change is one of the most dif cult challenges people face and I agree. But I also believe that it can be one of the most rewarding. To change, to innovate, to learn, and to grow enrich our experiences. Small changes can lead to big results.

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts with you. My small change was letting go of my “traditionalist” attitude toward ChatGPT and giving it a try. Who knows where that may lead!

Debbie Egidio President & CEO Vacaville Chamber of Commerce

AFROM THE CHAIRMAN

SPRING CLEANING: REFRESHING YOUR SPACE AND MIND

s the chill of winter gives way to the warmth of spring, it’s a perfect time to embrace the age-old tradition of spring cleaning. Beyond just tidying up your physical space, this seasonal ritual provides a wonderful opportunity to declutter not only your surroundings but also your mind. By focusing on both physical and mental aspects, you can rejuvenate your life and set the stage for a fresh start.

Physical spring cleaning involves deep cleaning your living spaces, organizing clutter, and refreshing your environment. Begin by tackling one room at a time, starting with decluttering. Rid your space of items that no longer serve a purpose or bring you joy. Donate, recycle, or discard these items to create a sense of order and spaciousness.

Once you’ve decluttered, deep clean your space. Dusting, vacuuming, mopping, and wiping down surfaces can make a signi cant difference in the look and feel of your home. Pay special attention to neglected areas like baseboards, light xtures, and behind furniture. Consider reorganizing your belongings for better ef ciency and aesthetics.

In addition to cleaning your physical space, it’s essential to declutter your mind for overall wellbeing. Mental spring cleaning involves letting go of negative thoughts, emotions, and habits that no longer serve you. Start by practicing mindfulness through activities like meditation, journaling, or simply taking a walk in nature.

Identify sources of stress in your life and work on addressing them. This could involve setting boundaries, practicing self-care, or seeking support from loved ones or a therapist. Re ect on your goals and values, and consider if your current lifestyle aligns with them. Adjusting

where necessary can help you feel more balanced and ful lled.

There is a profound connection between physical and mental clutter. A messy environment can contribute to feelings of being overwhelmed, anxiety, and lack of focus. Similarly, a cluttered mind can make it challenging to stay organized and productive in your daily life. By addressing both aspects, you create a harmonious environment that supports your overall well-being.

Spring cleaning offers a multitude of bene ts beyond a clean home and mind. It can boost your mood, increase productivity, and reduce stress levels. A clutter-free space promotes better focus and creativity, while a decluttered mind can lead to improved mental clarity and emotional resilience.

Spring cleaning, both physically and mentally, is a powerful practice that can enhance your quality of life in numerous ways. By taking the time to declutter your living spaces and your mind, you pave the way for a fresh start and a renewed sense of well-being. Embrace this seasonal opportunity to reset, refresh, and create a harmonious environment that supports your overall health and happiness.

Victoria Barros-Ortiz Chairman of the Board Vacaville Chamber of Commerce

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MEMBERSHIPDIRECTORY

Wearesoverythankfulforthemorethan550businesses thataremembersoftheVacavilleChamberofCommerce!

Fromindependentmembers,tohome-basedentrepreneurs, tosmallbusinesses,andtoourlargeemployers-membersofthe VacavilleChambertouchthelivesofourentirecommunity!

Ourmembershipisconstantlygrowingandwehopethatyouwill supportourlocalbusinesseswhenmakingyourbuyingchoices.

USETHISQRCODETOJUMP TOTHELATESTEDITIONOF OURSEARCHABLE MEMBERSHIPDATABASE

THANKYOUTOOURCHAIRMAN’SCIRCLE TIT ANIUMSPONSORSFORYOURGENEROUSSUPPORT!

Lemonade Day Vacaville – May 18, 2024!

Dear Prospective Lemonade Day Investor,

Lemonade Day is a national non-profit known for preparing youth for life through a unique entrepreneurial and experiential program which helps them start, own and operate their very own business – a lemonade stand. Lemonade Day is proven to positively impact academic performance, foster career exploration, and supports key developmental assets necessary to become thriving, successful adults.

The Vacaville Chamber of Commerce is proud to be launching our second Lemonade Day season in 2024, and I am thrilled to invite you to share in this opportunity to plant the seed of entrepreneurship within the next generation to create the business leaders, social advocates, community volunteers, and forward-thinking citizens of tomorrow.

Last year we achieved amazing results:

158 Registered Learners

95 Families Participating

36 Lemonade Stands

19 “Sweet Spot” Businesses

10 Event Sponsors

8 Local Celebrity Judges

With your help, we hope to exceed those numbers this year, growing the impact of Lemonade Day Vacaville in our community.

By running their stand, program participants will gain valuable life and business skills, learn the importance of earning, saving, spending, and sharing money wisely, as well as the confidence that comes from working to achieve their dreams. An investment in Lemonade Day will ensure the materials, curriculum, and all events are free to every youth participant in Vacaville.

As a supporter, you will foster a one-of-a-kind experiential learning opportunity which impacts youth character, teaches financial literacy and business acumen, engages mentors, and provides hands-on experiences to make a profit, save some for a rainy day, and give some to a charity of their choice – all while squeezing as much fun out of the experience as possible!

Thank you for your consideration –you will be a difference maker!

Debbie Egidio

Lemonade Day Vacaville City Director

About Lemonade Day…

Our Higher Purpose

The foremost objective is to help today’s youth become the entrepreneurs, business leaders, social advocates, community volunteers and forward-thinking citizens of tomorrow. We want to build self-esteem and new mindsets that can propel youth to success they likely would not have pursued, or known about, otherwise.

Our Mission

Our mission is to help prepare youth for life through fun, proactive and experiential programs infused with life skills, character education, and entrepreneurship.

Our Vision

Provide a nationally renowned quality youth entrepreneurship experience to kids in grades K-8.

Our Value Proposition

Children are introduced to entrepreneurship through the real-world experience of starting their own business – a lemonade stand – the quintessential first business for budding entrepreneurs! By running their stand, they learn how to set a goal, make a plan, and work the plan to achieve their dreams, all while dreaming, innovating, and gaining the foundational business and life skills needed to prepare them for a lifetime of success. Lemonade Day Vacaville is available for all children to participate at no cost.

The Program

With support from a volunteer mentor, children take a free, step by step learning journey to become an entrepreneur through a strategic lesson - based curriculum – an innovative hybrid of STEM + SEL + project-based education.

• What is an Entrepreneur?

• Set: spending, saving, sharing goal

• Make a business plan

• Create a product

• Develop a budget

• Find investors & pitch for a loan

• Design a stand & branding

• Execute a marketing plan

• Purchase supplies & taste test

• Determine business location

• Setup your stand

• Run the business

• Sell the product

• Account business results

CHAMBER EVENTS

Vacaville Chamber of Commerce

CHAMBER EVENTS

AMBASSADOR PROFILE

Name: Victoria Douglas

Business: Real Estate, NavigateRE

Job Title: REALTOR®

Where did you grow up and/or go to school? I grew up in the East Bay and during my last year at Albany High, my family decided to relocate to Fair eld to be closer to family.

What are your hobbies? I Love Family Time!! But I would consider myself a newly certi ed DIY-Er.

How long have you been an Ambassador? Of cially, 6 months.

Why do you volunteer? I volunteer because it connects me to who I volunteer for. When volunteering for the Vacaville Chamber, it’s the place I call home and envision for my family’s future. It’s an opportunity to meet and understand the diverse stories within our community, contribute to its well-being, and see the direct impact of kindness through the smiles of those we help. For me, volunteering is about building a stronger, more united community where everyone feels supported.

What’s your favorite Ambassador memory? Christmas mixer at Travis Credit Union!!! Come to the 2024 party and you’ll see why. The room was full of so many familiar faces and new ones too. It was a great night to come together and support each other before the holiday.

What would others be surprised to learn about you? I was in cosmetics for 11 years!! I started as a part time sales associate and worked my way to an executive for one of the #1 brands in the world. Being in the cosmetics industry allowed me to grow into the individual that I am today.

What are some of your favorite things about Vacaville? There’s always something going on Downtown, and my of ce is in the center of it!!

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COMMON SMALL BUSINESS MISTAKES AND

WHAT NOT TO DO AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER

1. Don’t do things you’re not good at. You know your business, but you’re not an expert at everything. So, stop doing things that you don’t do very well and instead focus just on the things that you do best. Doing things you don’t do well is one of the most common small business mistakes because it’s so easy to try to do everything yourself. But really, it’s bene cial to hire experts to help you. This can mean hiring someone to do your payroll, le your taxes, send out emails, x your trucks, key in orders, or arrange for travel. If you’re doing stuff like this, you’re probably wasting your time. Yeah, there’s a cost to hire someone. But it costs you more in time and lost opportunities to do everything yourself.

2. Don’t blame others.

That’s your name on your tax return, your name on the articles of incorporation, and your name on the front door. It’s your business. You get all the riches and glory. But you also get all the headaches. That’s because every problem – every issue, every challenge, every mistake, everything that goes wrong – is ultimately your fault. You hired the people. You bought the tools. You sold to the customers. You chose the priorities. This is your show and if anything happens, it’s your responsibility. This is just one of the common small business mistakes entrepreneurs can easily make early on.

3. Don’t ignore the math.

Quick: you’re selling something for $125, so what’s your margin? How many of these things do you have to sell in a month to break even? How often does your inventory turn? What happens to your debt maintenance if interest rates go up a point? What would be the impact of a 5% rise in your supplier’s costs? What percentage of your sales is overhead? What percentage of your labor represents health and retirement bene ts? These are the things that successful businesses know off the top of their heads. They’re boring, mathematical, numerical facts that drive the success (or failure) of every

business and not knowing your pro t margin is one of the top ten mistakes new business owners make. Not interested? Then hire someone who is or go work for someone who is.

4. Don’t take your employees for granted. Your employees have lives. Really, they do. They have children. They have car troubles and sick parents and dental appointments. Believe it or not, they would rather be at home with their families than working in your of ce. But, when they’re in your of ce, they’re doing something important: making you money. Don’t take this, or them, for granted. Offer competitive compensation, good bene ts, and, most importantly, an ear for when they want to vent about a professional or even a personal issue. They are, after all, people –and they all want to do the best job they can. Your job is to give them the best environment to accomplish this.

5. Don’t mistreat your suppliers.

It’s not good business when people delay paying suppliers in order to help cash ow. How would you feel if this happens in reverse from your customers? You’d resent it and give those slower-paying customers less attention than the ones who pay on time. Don’t monkey around with your suppliers. Treat them well. Pay them early. Take discounts if they offer them. But behave as a partner would, because you may need that key supplier in a pinch and, if you’ve got a good relationship, that person will come through.

6. Don’t get mistreated by your customers.

Some customers aren’t great customers. They treat your people poorly. They complain unreasonably. They pay late and haggle too much. Your goal, elusive as it is, is to do business with people that you enjoy doing business with. You should never re a customer because let’s face it: we all need customers. But you can price those customers that you’d like to see go away a little differently. If they want to behave that way, then they should pay more – that’s

your compensation for putting up with their nonsense. Otherwise, let it be their decision to leave you, not yours.

7. Don’t ignore your customers.

You work hard to get your customers. So, don’t ignore them. Ask any rst-year business school student and they’ll tell you that their professor told them that it’s much, much more expensive to acquire new customers than it is to grow your revenues with existing ones. And you know what? They’re right. Are you staying in close touch with people who have bought from you in the past? Are you making suggestions or offering them additional products and services that can improve their lives or businesses? Are you showing enough gratefulness with special discounts or incentives for loyal customers? Focus on your existing customers rst and the new ones will come.

8. Don’t forget to pay your taxes.

You hate it. But it’s a fact of life: taxes are due every quarter. Just because they’re “estimated,” and the IRS isn’t sending you an invoice, doesn’t mean that you’re not required to pay them. You are. When your accountant tells you to pay, then pay. Meet with your accountant a few times a year and maybe you can adjust those estimates, depending on how your business is doing. But do not ignore your tax liabilities – they will quickly grow and could potentially bury you.

9. Don’t give up equity.

OK, maybe someday you want to go public, or your exit plan involves selling your business for zillions to some big tech company. To do that, you need to bring in investors, venture capitalists, partners, and high-priced employees – then equity would be an important part of doing business with those people. But most of us don’t have these dreams. We want to grow our companies, earn a nice living, build some value, and then one day either pass the company on to another generation or to a buyer. Try not to give up ownership in your company too early or for too little. The more equity you control, the more of your life you will control.

10. Don’t invest in too much technology. One of the common mistakes entrepreneurs make is investing too much in technology. If the

tech giants had it their way, you’d not only be upgrading their software every month, but you’d also be buying every new gadget that comes on the market as soon as it comes on the market. Don’t do this. Smart businesses use technology effectively and treat purchases like the purchase of any other capital investment: with return on investment in mind. Just because a piece of tech is cool, or fun, doesn’t mean it’s going to bene t your business. Measure the cost of it over a ve-year period of time with the bene ts it will produce more business, better productivity, and lower costs. If you can get yourself a good return on your money, then buy that tech. Otherwise, invest somewhere else.

11. Don’t think that the good (or the bad) times will last forever.

Like many small businesses, if you’re in a cyclical industry such as construction, retail, or transportation, then know this: things are never as good as they seem and things are never as bad as they seem. Everything evens out over the long term. It’s important to remember this because too many business owners have suffered, even gone out of business, because they overspent during heady times and left themselves without reserves or capital when things inevitably turned south. Sock your money away into savings and use it to keep the lights on and key staff employed for when the economy or your industry slows down. Don’t take on too much debt and don’t over-expand just because the past few months have been strong. Whether it’s good news or bad news, it’s not going to last forever.

12. Don’t always play it safe.

You’re in business, and half the fun of being in business is that you can make some bets. Some people like going to Vegas. Some like the excitement of a new marketing campaign, a new hire, a new capital investment, or a partnership. Some statisticians believe that the best football coaches go for it on 4th down more often than others – it’s because the data favors that move. Never bet the farm on anything. Always be prepared to lose what you bet. But make some bets now and again. Take a few chances. That’s how you’ll grow. And most assuredly, that will be how you learn.

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