Mar 26
We may live in a beautiful part of the world (some may argue it is the MOST beautiful area in the world), but that doesn’t mean we are immune from the global economic downturn. This economic slide is hurting all of us in some fashion or another here on the Monterey Bay. Take for instance the news this morning about the 222 jobs eliminated from the Pajaro Valley School District. Most of the layoffs were custodians and secretaries-and this on top of the almost 200 teacher positions already eliminated earlier in the month. The Santa Cruz Sentinel also reported that Santa Cruz County was up to 13% unemployment–as we can see from the latest job losses, that number is only expected to go up, unfortunately. That explains why the city of Watsonville has an estimated one in four adults unemployed. One-in-four. Ouch.
Super-Hero Unemployment Line
What does this mean for the average business in our area when so many people are not earning money-money to spend on necessary things like housing, food, bills-much less on discretionary things like eating out, purchasing new clothes, or perhaps attending a local event in which a ticket must be purchased (think Monterey Bay Aquarium, Santa Cruz Boardwalk, movies, bowling, etc)? Well, as a business owner, you can lament the fact that things are just going to get worse before it gets better-and barely survive through these hard times-or not. Or, you can look at your existing customer base-really look-and decide on a workable strategy of how to hold on to them during these difficult times. Then look at potential customers and ask two things: why don’t they come to your business? And how can you hook them in-and keep ‘em?
For example, there is a terrific restaurant in Watsonville called Cafe Ella, fairly new, that serves the most delicious food you can find this side of San Jose or San Francisco (yes, the food is that good!). Now, take those newly unemployed custodians, secretaries and teachers. Guess what? The times I have been in that restaurant at a sit-down breakfast or lunch, there was almost always employee(s) of the school district sitting next to me, lamenting the fact that they were about to get a pink slip or just concerned that they might. Hence, the gathering at the restaurant of those people (besides the yummy food!)-they were all in the same boat. Now, I don’t know if they were one of the unlucky ones who did get the most recent slip, but the point is this: if they did or not, they will most likely come back to that same restaurant. Why? It is now a place of comfort for them. They are familiar with the restaurant and know it is a ”safe” haven to seek comfort from others in the same predicament-and, most importantly, a place to keep in touch with those who were not as unfortunate (think networking). So, how can this restaurant maintain that relationship in these hard times? There are a thousand and one ways! Let me throw some ideas out there that are new to some but not to others: Twitter, Constant Contact, blogging (hello!), Yelp, and oh, so many more ways for reminding your customers that you are there-and for recruiting new ones (to be fair, Cafe Ella does use some of these resources to promote their restaurant-smart thinking Ella!).
Now, am I some sort of business guru that knows too much for my own good? Why, yes I am. Of sorts. You see, I have worked mainly in my (short) life for small internet start-ups. Technically speaking, they were not “mom and pop” type stores. But they needed to build a base of customers and keep them too! And no business works harder than a new business at doing so. I am fortunate to have been in “the garage” with some of these businesses when they started out. Wow. The stories I can tell of those good old days with some of the most innovative young minds you could ever have hoped to work with, much less become friends with. I have been blessed, I know.
So, what is the moral of this post for small business owners? In a nutshell: KEEP YOUR DOORS OPEN BY RECOGNIZING THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WALK THROUGH THEM EVERY DAY. APPRECIATE YOUR CUSTOMERS AND BUILD LOYALTY WITH THEM. GRAB NEW ONES WHO ARE LOOKING. GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO APPRECIATE NOW AND THEY WILL BE LOYAL FOR LIFE-WHICH MEANS YOU WILL BE COMING OUT OF THIS RECESSION STRONGER (AND HOPEFULLY WISER). ABOVE ALL, NEVER GIVE UP! ALWAYS LOOK FOR WAYS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS-NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO SLACK (remember, the back-bone of what drives our great economy is small business just like your own! And yes, I said GREAT economy because that is what we were and will be again).
Ok, enough of the pep talk! Please feel free to contact me with any ideas you have come up with during these hard times which is working for you…or just to chat about your lay-off if you are on the other side of the spectrum (hey, don’t feel so bad-take a look at the unemployed super-heroes in the pic above! Yikes!). I would love to hear from one and all! In the meantime, keep your heads up-and remember, we will all come through this eventually.
btw: photo courtesy of sneekythesquid
Mar 11
Can you believe this??!! While I was in church this past Sunday morning, someone was casing the parking lot for cars to burglarize-and they chose mine!!! Whoever this mean-spirited and obviously non-religious person was, he-I say he because it was a male reported speeding like a bat-out-of-hell (no pun intended!) of the churchs’ parking lot fifteen minutes before service was over. He broke my passenger window (yes, glass EVERYWHERE) and took off with the following items that I onced owned (and paid for!):
–My newly purchased Dooney & Bourke bag (which I furiously bidded for and won on eBay-I only had this purse for three days!!!)
–My cosmetics bag with ALL of my make-up. OUCH! I told the police officer who took the report that it would have been cheaper for me if the thief had taken ALL four of my tires than my cutesy little make-up bag with all of its contents. He laughed-at first. Then he complained just as quickly (when I began rattling off the names of the contents of my cosmetics bag) that he could not spell the names Lancome, Aveda, Clinique, MAC, Shiseido, etc. When I told him the value of the stolen cosmetics lot came to over $300, he just shook his head in amazement (probably also thinking to himself “thank God I was born a male!” Again-no pun intended!).
–My wallet (which was hidden under the passenger seat but of which the thief was obviously experienced enough to look). Yes. It did contain almost all of my credit cards, my drivers license, my checking account and my almost completely punched “get your ninth coffee free card” from my favorite local coffee joint. Not to mention a new book of stamps I had just gotten that morning before attending church!
–Last but not least, the thief took my PDA, a Palm Treo with all of my contacts and my latest text messages (sorry mom, but I couldn’t make it to Aunt Louises’ for dinner because the thief stole my cell phone along with the directions u provided :( Hey, that excuse got me out of a horrible evening listening to Aunt Louise lecture me on the sanctity of flushing your ears daily with hydrogen peroxide to prevent wax build-up (avoiding that dinner conversation was the only benefit I received out of being robbed! hmmm….might have been worth it!)
So, since then, I have spent my time on the phone with many credit card companies, went down to my bank and cancelled my checking account and opened another (awesome people at Comerica Bank!), went down and purchased another cell that very day (thank you very much for NOT waiving my activation fee AT&T!), got my window fixed promptly. The glass company even came to my work AND cleaned up all the broken glass from everywhere within my car-thank you SAFELITE!-and finally, my favorite post-car robbery necessary task to complete was-drumroll please!-going and waiting in a very lonnnnnnnnnng line at my local DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES. The building was filled with wall-to-wall people and the room seemed devoid of much-needed A/C! HELP! I was told that I couldn’t take this issue to my local AAA office due to the fact that my license was stolen, so I had to wait 45 minutes in the stuffiest environment I have ever been priviledged to occupy (curses to the thief for that one!).
All in all, what is the moral of this story? DON’T JUST ASSUME BECAUSE YOU ARE IN CHURCH THAT YOU ARE PROTECTED. Leave your valuables at home and take your wallet and cell phone in with you! The police officer told me that the parishioners who attended church services up and down this particular street were all getting hit. HAVE MERCY!
Mr. Car burglar, if you are reading this blog, I do hope you are enjoying all of the used cosmetics you took (I think the oscillating mascara from Lancome would be a fine match to anyone wishing long, luscious eye-lashes) and I do hope you enjoy that FREE cup of coffee you are soon to be offered (and that I earned!). Matter of fact, I hope you go to &%#@@! Ok, that wasn’t very nice I know! Especially considering the fact that he at least did not take my favorite pair of glasses-but gosh darn it!-he did take my favorite shade of Aveda lipstick which I can’t remember the name of! I now look like a pale ghost–he even took my chapstick!-so a pale ghost with chapped lips nonetheless! BOO HOO!
BTW, photo courtesy of mercurialn’s photostream @ flickr
Nov 05
The kids and I spent a glorious Sunday a few weekends ago in the village of Aptos (which is about 10 minutes south of Santa Cruz) and made our way down to Seascape Village, where we lived when they were much younger for several years. Whenever we get a chance to hang at the local park, we do so. Brings back memories for all of us. Enjoy the pics below to see our Sunday journey.
Below is the Cement Ship located in Seacliff State Beach. Always cool to walk the pier and gaze at it at close range (unfortunately, you can no longer go on it as in the past).
Here we are in the the Village of Aptos, in the same area as the historic Bayview Hotel. I’ve never stayed here, but friends who have have said they really enjoyed being guests at the hotel, especially because of the very helpful staff and victorian charm of the rooms.
Best Mexican coffee at Norma Jean’s Coffee! Located next door to the Bayview Hotel.
Below are pictures of Seascape Park, where the boys love to play. Great atmosphere next to the world-class Seascape Resort. Enjoy the pics!
Take a look at this 
