Small Business

In every small town in America there is Main Street, the place where people gather and shop and pass friends on their daily journeys. In Burbank, there is more than one Main Street. It is a collection of avenues, boulevards, and streets that come together and form Main Street, Burbank. Magnolia, Olive, Burbank, and Victory and well as others are filled with pockets of small business that are Burbank's link to that fundamental element of Americana. You may not recognize them as we drive quickly past, as there are no large signs to draw your attention.

Burbank's aim to simplify zoning regulations for business will be a nightmare for mom-and-pop commercial property owners. City staff maintains these changes will streamline the approval process, but in reality it will chase away expanding business that hires locals. It will send a clear message to small business looking to start in Burbank that says “Go to Glendale.” City changes will result in conditional use permits that cost as much a $1,860 and can take six months to complete.

At a time when small business owners are struggling to get off the endangered species list, a lifeline in any form is a welcome reprieve. But when it's a lifeline worth tens of thousands of dollars, it can be a game-changer. A program at Woodbury University - in which MBA students essentially act as full-fledged consultants for small business owners who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford the service - is that sort of lifeline. These student consultants, hooked up with businesses through the college's new summer entrepreneurship program, do it all: they develop market research, business plans and advertising and marketing strategies - all of it summarized, packaged and delivered to their clients, who can then use that information to secure bank loans or make internal adjustments to improve revenue.

smallbizLocal seminars are helping small business owners get off the ground.BURBANK -- When Andea Naone's small but profitable home business suffered because of changes in the industry, she realized she had to change, too. One of the biggest decisions she made was to attend the San Fernando Valley Small Business Fair at the Holiday Inn Burbank on Thursday. The fair was presented by State Board of Equalization Chairman John Chiang, and featured more than 35 agencies designed to help small business owners and prospective business owners sort through taxes and other critical issues.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto's large margin of victory (60.46%) over Greg Krikorian (39.54%) on Nov. 6 was an impressive polling. We may be a bit spoiled here; every district has its Assembly member, but we may not realize just how incredibly effective our member has been for education, small business and the state's financial future. But those vote totals confirm it: Gatto works across the aisle whenever possible, and that bipartisan approach obviously resonates with local Republicans and independents as well as Democrats.

Jackson Bell Burbank businesswoman Laurie Bleick will be among others honored by state Sen. Jack Scott and assemblymembers Dario Frommer and Carol Liu on Friday at the annual Women in Business Awards. Bleick is one of three women who will receive the Nonprofit Woman of the Year award Friday at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. The award ceremony is in its third year. "These outstanding women apply creativity, energy and leadership qualities through their professional lives," Scott said.

Workshops are set to start up Team Business, a series of workshops to train small-business owners, is going to launch Business Bootcamp on May 25. Team Business is a partnership between the city of Burbank, the Burbank Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center. Its purpose is to link the best resources for training, consulting and access with those wanting to start a business, or those wanting to expand their existing markets.

Ryan Carter After four years at the helm, Susan Bowers has decided to step down as executive director of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce. Bowers, whose last day is Dec. 31, made her intentions known to the chamber board earlier this month. "There is never an easy time to leave something you love doing," she said this week. "But I've been here for four years and really gone full bore and accomplished the things I set out to do." During her tenure, chamber membership grew from 778 to 1,050 members, and attendance rose at chamber-sponsored events and fund-raisers.

Ryan Carter The workers' compensation horror stories from business owners in Burbank and Glendale kept coming Friday at the Glendale Central Library. An acupuncturist told of the patient who lied about being able to lift her arm. Then came the story of the owner of the janitor service who has had to lay off employees because his workers' compensation premiums have quadrupled in four years. Business owners vented their thoughts on the state's skyrocketing workers' compensation costs at a forum Friday at the library.

Chamber luncheon on Thursday HILLSIDE DISTRICT -- Barbara Madel of the Small Business Administration will be the guest speaker at Thursday's Business Connection Luncheon sponsored by the Burbank Chamber of Commerce. The topic of Madel's speech will be "SBA Programs and How to Increase Your Revenue." A networking session begins at 11:30 a.m. and the luncheon starts at noon at The Castaway, 1250 Harvard Road. The city's Community Development Department will sponsor the event.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto's large margin of victory (60.46%) over Greg Krikorian (39.54%) on Nov. 6 was an impressive polling. We may be a bit spoiled here; every district has its Assembly member, but we may not realize just how incredibly effective our member has been for education, small business and the state's financial future. But those vote totals confirm it: Gatto works across the aisle whenever possible, and that bipartisan approach obviously resonates with local Republicans and independents as well as Democrats.

Recently, the importance of local commerce became a focal point in the presidential campaign. Both sides highlighted the success of small businesses as a key to the recovery of our economy and then used that as a platform to promote their economic agendas. Regardless of the politics, small businesses are vital to the local economy and despite what the president may do to help, the real formula for success is that someone with vision and guts opens their doors and then we, the consumers, do our part by purchasing the services or goods offered.

We hate to hear of anyone “suffering” because we don't have a Walmart or Sam's Club in Burbank. Maybe they should consider going to the Walmart in Panorama City and the Sam's Club in Sylmar. Everyone talks about how many jobs Walmart would bring, but no one mentions how many small businesses (with employees) would go out of business. The three women behind that lawsuit are not the only ones that do not want a Walmart in Burbank. There are many more that 100% support what they are doing.

At a time when small business owners are struggling to get off the endangered species list, a lifeline in any form is a welcome reprieve. But when it's a lifeline worth tens of thousands of dollars, it can be a game-changer. A program at Woodbury University - in which MBA students essentially act as full-fledged consultants for small business owners who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford the service - is that sort of lifeline. These student consultants, hooked up with businesses through the college's new summer entrepreneurship program, do it all: they develop market research, business plans and advertising and marketing strategies - all of it summarized, packaged and delivered to their clients, who can then use that information to secure bank loans or make internal adjustments to improve revenue.

Burbank's aim to simplify zoning regulations for business will be a nightmare for mom-and-pop commercial property owners. City staff maintains these changes will streamline the approval process, but in reality it will chase away expanding business that hires locals. It will send a clear message to small business looking to start in Burbank that says “Go to Glendale.” City changes will result in conditional use permits that cost as much a $1,860 and can take six months to complete.

Jacqueline Waltman knows how to hold people accountable, and the Burbank City Council hopeful has spent her entire career doing so. The 56-year Burbank resident serves on the city's Landlord-Tenant Commission while working as a state parole agent. Waltman said her experience as a social worker has taught her not to take all information at face value, and to ask questions. She said it is important to focus on fiscal realities and balance income with expenses. "My entire career has involved assessing needs and identifying resources to achieve practical solutions," Waltman said.

The Verdugo Workforce Investment Board has begun a nearly $100,000 marketing effort to help small businesses get the funding they need to add jobs. The marketing plan was funded by a federal earmark obtained by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) that will help the board engage businesses with discounted loan and financing options funded by the Small Business Administration. The $98,257 grant was awarded in October, but was delayed by the federal agency before the Glendale City Council, which authorizes financial decisions for the board, could officially accept the grant.

The Verdugo Workforce Investment Board has begun a nearly $100,000 marketing effort to help small businesses obtain the funding they need to expand and add jobs The marketing plan was funded by a federal earmark obtained by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) that will help the board engage businesses with discounted loan and financing options funded by the Small Business Administration. The $98,257-grant was awarded in October, but was delayed by the federal agency before the Glendale City Council, which authorizes financial decisions for the board, could officially accept the grant.

LOCAL STIMULUS PLAN The City Council on Tuesday directed city planners and redevelopment officials to pursue a range of programs aimed at stimulating local businesses. Much of the focus was on business- to-business networking to cross-promote services, and holding an ?economic summit? for the small business community to cull input on future city involvement. From restaurant and business guides to Facebook to possible business loans and other measures, council members asked that a number of programs be developed further and come back in a follow up report.

smallbizLocal seminars are helping small business owners get off the ground.BURBANK -- When Andea Naone's small but profitable home business suffered because of changes in the industry, she realized she had to change, too. One of the biggest decisions she made was to attend the San Fernando Valley Small Business Fair at the Holiday Inn Burbank on Thursday. The fair was presented by State Board of Equalization Chairman John Chiang, and featured more than 35 agencies designed to help small business owners and prospective business owners sort through taxes and other critical issues.