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April 20, 2012
Carl Kanowsky: Due diligence can make or break a business

Several clients seek my advice about signing long-term leases for their businesses. I explain that there are numerous factors to consider before committing themselves.

For instance, the obvious things, such as rent, common-area maintenance charges, the condition of the building, personal guarantees, any tenant improvement allowance, incentives to sign the lease, such as forgiven rent, exclusivity and a whole host of other topics.

But one thing I always tell them to do is to visit the potential location as a customer and as an existing tenant.

April 19, 2012
Bank of Santa Clarita reports 1st Quarter earnings

The Bank of Santa Clarita released its first quarter results Thursday, reporting net earnings totaling $68,000 as compared to $29,000 for the first quarter of 2011.

 

The bank also reported that net interest income increased $135,000 or 9 percent over the first quarter of 2011. The bank reported $1.7 million of net interest income for the first quarter of 2012 as compared to the $1.5 million reported for the first quarter of 2011.

 

April 19, 2012
Fred Arnold named chamber’s 2013 Chair

Fred Arnold, of American Family Funding, has been named as the incoming 2013 Chair announced the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce Thursday. He begins serving Jan. 1, 2013.

"Fred comes to us with a long history of serving the Santa Clarita community as a lifelong resident of Santa Clarita and is a proven leader in the community", says Chris Angelo, 2012 Chairman of the SCV Chamber of Commerce.

April 17, 2012
Dealership gets a tune-up

Family-owned and operated Parkway Buick-GM-Cadillac is renovating its Santa Clarita dealership, in part to meet image requirements set by the auto manufacturers.

April 17, 2012
Jerry Citarella: Target date funds can offer appropriate risk

In last week’s column, I discussed company-sponsored retirement plans. This week, I thought I’d help you understand a type of investment option that’s become common within these types of plans.

April 12, 2012
Erika Kauzlarich-Bird: There are good signs everywhere in the SCV

Santa Clarita Valley housing statistics already support state and nationwide trends, making it even more noteworthy when 38 real-estate-related economists and analysts see broad improvement for the economy and residential housing.

There are signs popping up everywhere that prospects for housing are improving. Let us count (some of) the ways:

April 12, 2012
Speaker shares accelerator success

About 60 entrepreneurs and investors gathered Wednesday at Embassy Suites for a seminar on starting business.
It’s very simple, said Brad Feld, a veteran entrepreneur, investor and author who co-founded TechStars, the No. 1 tech startup accelerator program in the United States according to TechCocktail.com.

“The best entrepreneurs are ones that are completely and totally obsessed with the product they create,” Feld said. “Period. That’s it.”

April 10, 2012
Brad Watson: Negotiating association rental restrictions

Dr. HOA,
I have lived in my townhome for nearly six years, and the association board is trying to implement new CC&Rs that will not allow us to rent our units.
My fiancé and I are looking to move into a house to start a family, but with the state of the current real estate market, it does not make sense to sell, so we are looking to rent our unit.
Can an association forbid me from renting out my townhome? Thank you
— Suzie T.

Hello Suzie,

April 10, 2012
Comprehending ‘the cloud’

Last week, about 15 people attended the Lunch and Learn to better understand how cloud computing differs from their current server situation and if it’s worth making the switch.

“We want to know what the heck ‘the cloud’ is,” said Steven Lettau, marketing director for Advanced Audiology.

Lettau attended SCV Chamber event about cloud computing April 6, hosted by Jeremy Stepan, president of Valencia-based Adage IT.

Adage IT has been selling cloud-solution packages for about six months, Stepan said.

April 7, 2012
Anatomy of a development

It has been 17 years since the project was conceived. The documents concerning it total 109,444 pages. It has been reviewed by 25 government agencies, has had 21 public hearings and several lawsuits and been the topic of more than 700 meetings.

The Newhall Ranch project is a 20,885-home and commercial center development in the northwest Santa Clarita Valley, to be built in four distinct “villages” on 12,000 acres off Interstate 5 along Highway 126 near the Santa Clara River.

April 7, 2012
Ken Keller: Hope isn’t a strategy that the best businesses use

It is hard to believe, but a quarter of the year is now history. Why are some businesses thriving and others not doing as well? 

The gap can be explained comparing and contrasting the best versus the rest.  

The best have strong business models. These organizations have clients and allies, not customers. They have ongoing revenue streams and strong relationships in the supply chain. 

The rest think, say and act “we hope customers do business with us.”

April 6, 2012
Archstone breaks ground on project

A Denver-based developer unveiled plans for a new 157-unit rental townhome project in Santa Clarita on Thursday.
Archstone, a leading apartment investment and operations company, announced that it has begun construction in a joint venture with a division of The Resmark Companies, a full-service real-estate investment adviser.

The company held a groundbreaking ceremony on its 12.49-acre site located east of Highway 14 on Via Princessa and Lost Canyon Road. Archstone expects the first units to be ready by the spring 2013.

April 6, 2012
Carl Kanowsky: Pilate, Enron and annals of history

So Pontius Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?”

“We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal,” they retorted.

“Then, take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them.

“Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied.

April 4, 2012
Economic Development Groups Join Forces

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation is excited to announce its partnership with the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation.

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation is excited to announce its partnership with the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation. The partnership comes after much anticipation and in an effort to streamline business outreach opportunities, stimulate job growth and attract businesses to the Santa Clarita Valley.

April 4, 2012
Economic Outlook: Steady Growth in 2012

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation, in partnership with College of the Canyons, hosted its annual Outlook economic forecast …

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation, in partnership with College of the Canyons, hosted its annual Outlook economic forecast event at the Hyatt Regency Valencia on Feb. 27. The event was sold out, with more than 300 attendees anxious to hear what keynote speakers had to say about the economic future of the Santa Clarita Valley and L.A. region as a whole.

April 4, 2012
Masters golf fans can enter contest

 

For local golf fans, Scratch Golf of Santa Clarita is holding a contest in honor of the 2012 Masters Golf Tournament. Fans pick which player they believe will win the men’s tour, and predict the score the winning player will shoot under par.

 

For local golf fans, Scratch Golf of Santa Clarita is holding a contest in honor of the 2012 Masters Golf Tournament. Fans pick which player they believe will win the men’s tour, and predict the score the winning player will shoot under par.

Winner of the contest earns a weekend for two at the La Quinta Resort and Golf in Palm Springs, to include two nights and two rounds of golf.

April 4, 2012
SCORE counseling local business owners

 

Free business counseling services by SCORE, Service Corps of Retired Executives, are now available at the SCV Chamber of Commerce on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, starting at 10 a.m.

Free business counseling services by SCORE, Service Corps of Retired Executives, are now available at the SCV Chamber of Commerce on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, starting at 10 a.m.

Founded more than 40 years ago, SCORE offers resources and expertise to business owners of existing and start-up businesses on a confidential basis. Individual counseling sessions are available.

April 4, 2012
VIA’s Connecting to Success Receives Honors from Hart District

The Governing Board of the William S. Hart Union High School District recently honored the VIA Foundation for its work conducting the Connecting to Success program in the fall of 2011.

The Governing Board of the William S. Hart Union High School District recently honored the VIA Foundation for its work conducting the Connecting to Success program in the fall of 2011.

Diana Meyer, VIA chairwoman of the VIA board and president of Meyer Marketing Intelligence was on hand along with Randy Moberg, chairman of the VIA Foundation and chief operating officer of LBW Insurance and Kathy Norris, VIA CEO/president to receive the award.

April 4, 2012
Warp Speed, Captain

For those of you who grew up watching Star Trek we all know the familiar Scottish brogue of Lieutenant Commander and Chief Engineer Scotty …

For those of you who grew up watching Star Trek we all know the familiar Scottish brogue of Lieutenant Commander and Chief Engineer Scotty from the USS Enterprise when he would say to Captain Kirk, “I’m giving her all she’s got, Captain.” What we see today with the internet and politics is only a fraction of “giving her all she’s got.” The most recent illustration of the power of the internet, social media engagement and issue advocacy is the “Kony 2012” video.

April 2, 2012
A Succession Plan Avoids Financial Familial Tension

There’s nothing like a proud parent watching their child take the reins of the family business, but behind that transition is a complex set of legal and tax implications  …

There’s nothing like a proud parent watching their child take the reins of the family business, but behind that transition is a complex set of legal and tax implications – and oftentimes, a business owner is not taking them into consideration soon enough.

April 2, 2012
Family Business Roundtable

Family businesses often don’t reach the third generation, due to lack of passion or entrepreneurial skills by that point. 

Family businesses often don’t reach the third generation, due to lack of passion or entrepreneurial skills by that point. But three Santa Clarita-based businesses – all with a national and global reach – have arrived at the third generation of family employees or are well on their way to doing so.

April 2, 2012
Family Businesses Survival

It’s the ‘triple trifecta,’ said Nick Frank of his family-run business.

It’s the ‘triple trifecta,’ said Nick Frank of his family-run business.

Founder of Santa Clarita-based Nicholas Aire Systems, Frank has been in the air conditioning business for more than three decades and runs the business made up of himself, his wife, Donna, his son, Jeff, and a handful of employees from a business office at their family home.

April 2, 2012
Family Businesses Survival

Pets are a big priority for families in Santa Clarita, said John Douglas, co-owner of Happy Pets Veterinary Center.

Pets are a big priority for families in Santa Clarita, said John Douglas, co-owner of Happy Pets Veterinary Center.

A testament to how much people view their pets as family members, Douglas said, is that none of the veterinary centers locally have closed for economic reasons. Only one or two closed because someone passed away. All of the centers managed to survive and some have even managed to thrive in this economy.

April 2, 2012
Growing Beyond the Family

There are small businesses run by families, and then there are large, rapidly growing, double-family, family-run companies.

There are small businesses run by families, and then there are large, rapidly growing, double-family, family-run companies.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in September, AMS Fulfillment has grown to some 500 full and part-time employees and is, in part, responsible for the lack of industrial space available in the Santa Clarita Valley. In April, the company opens its 13th warehouse in the Valencia Industrial Center. And it has more than doubled the number of people it employs in the past year.

April 2, 2012
Keeping Both Family and Business Intact

When you purchase a red velvet cupcake at Kupcake Kitchen, know that owner Lisa Jurado’s entire family was involved in making it for you.

When you purchase a red velvet cupcake at Kupcake Kitchen, know that owner Lisa Jurado’s entire family was involved in making it for you.

In 2010, when the public relations specialist turned her baking hobby into a full storefront business on Bouquet Canyon Road, Jurado enlisted her then-unemployed husband and her parents, in-laws and children to help with the bakery.