North San Diego Business@Large

The Carlsbad Chamber holds it’s First Friday Breakfast next Friday, November 7th at the Hilton Gardens Inn.

Discover The Power of Etiquette to Grow Your Business 

Learn what it takes to be charismatic and unforgettable in your industry, community and social circles by attending the Chamber’s First Friday Breakfast November 7th.

The featured speaker will be Phyllis Davis, who has been teaching American business etiquette to companies, government organizations and individuals for 33 years. In 2001, she founded the American Business Etiquette Trainers Association.

Davis is the bestselling author of “E2: Using the Power of Ethics and Etiquette in American Business.” She has been featured on “CNN Headline News,” “CNN Financial News,” “Bloomberg Financial Radio,” “Good Day New York” and “NBC Chicago.”

During the First Friday Breakfast, Davis will:

•Instruct men how to shake hands with women so that they like and trust them automatically and teach women how to shake hands with men to make them comfortable.

• Discuss the corporate hierarchy of who initiates the handshake and who receives it.

• Teach you the nonverbal components of a sincere handshake that creates a strong unconscious, yet human connection.

• Educate you about how to give a business card to someone and how to receive a business card. Like the handshake, the business card also is based on hierarchy and follows certain guidelines during networking situations and business settings.

• Demonstrate the art of making small talk that reveals your character, so people will like and trust you, without revealing private information about yourself.

First Friday Breakfast is the Chamber’s premiere networking and business promotional event, and one of the most regularly attended monthly programs. The breakfast will be from 7 to 9 a.m. Nov. 7 at Hilton Garden Inn, 6450 Carlsbad Blvd., Carlsbad, 92008.

Where do your tax dollars go?

San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister will provide valuable insight on the county’s tax collection process, present 2007-08 collection statistics and answer questions regarding today’s economy at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce First Friday breakfast Friday, October 3rd.

The office of the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector will issue nearly one million tax bills for the 2008-09 tax year and is expected to generate in excess of $4 billion dollars. McAllister is responsible for the billing, collecting and investing of the county’s property taxes. He also is responsible for the investment and management of more than $6 billion dollars of public funds.

During the First Friday Breakfast, McAllister will discuss:

• Recent changes to the tax bill and the new tax bill guide, which was redesigned to help tax payers understand their annual property tax bill.
• The Local Banking Initiative, an effort to invest monies in local banks that promotes economic development and improves the quality of life for residents by supplying the banks with monies to fund mortgage, auto, small business and personal loans to San Diego County residents.

To register for the breakfast, visit The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce.  Look for me, I’ll be the one in the hat!

The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 19th annual Business Expo at Westfield’s Plaza Camino Real shopping center located at Marron Rd. and El Camino Real.

You can find a list of the exhibitors on the Chamber’s website. This is a great event to attend as a North San Diego County business owner.  The expo starts at noon and culminates with the Sundowner at 5pm.

So grab your business cards and come to one of the largest networking events left this year. Meet the other business owners in North San Diego county and have a great time while you’re checking the exhibits and tasting the fine foods we offer in Carlsbad.

You can get free admission tickets by filling out a brief survey. You can also gain free admission by bring something to e-cycle, and old computer, monitor, etc.   I’ll be there, will you??

A message from the Chamber for all small business owners!

Make your voice heard! Attend the FINAL California Public Utilities Commission hearing on 760 in Carlsbad this Thursday, September 4, 2008 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, 1200 Carlsbad Village Dr.

Carlsbad Chamber along with Assemblyman Garrick and other local chamber’s have filed a petition with the CPUC to Modify their decision and to keep 760 in North County. Join us this Thursday, September 4, by testifying and telling the CPUC commissioners how much money this area code change will cost your business and why you support the Chamber’s PETITION TO MODIFY DECISION 08-04-058 (to split area code 760)!

What: FINAL California Public Utilities Commission Public Participation Hearing on Petition to Modify Decision of 760 area code split.

When: Thursday, September 4, 2008

Where: Carlsbad City Council Chambers,1200 Carlsbad Village Dr, Carlsbad, CA 92008

If you wish to attend please contact Michael Babowal at (760) 931-8400 x 208 or MBabowal@carlsbad.org

Can’t attend,but want to help? Click here to find out how.

HISTORY

With over 1,700 members, representing over 75,000 employees, the Carlsbad Chamber is the 10th largest chamber of commerce in the State of California. Over 90% of our members are small businesses, so we have had serious concern with the California Public Utilities Commission’s Proposed Decision in the 760 Area Code proceedings since it was announced in 2007. The Chamber attended a meeting in Carlsbad and submitted letters opposing the potential split of the 760 area code and urged an area code overlay. We believe subjecting the people and businesses of Northern San Diego County to yet another area code change is especially unfair since for many in the area this will be the third time they have had to change their area codes from 714 to 619 (November 1982) to 760 (March 1997) to 442 (April 2009) in less than 30 years.

Area code changes are burdensome and inconvenient for anyone with a phone, but the burdens are particularly significant for companies which rely on their telephones to conduct their businesses. Companies expend significant financial resources to promote their businesses contact information.  For a business, a change in area code means they must incur costs to change a number of key documents including, but not limited to: stationary, yellow pages entries, advertisements, business cards and to effectively "re-market" their new number.  More significantly, our members face the very real risk that they will lose business and revenue from customers who cannot locate their business because of a new phone number.  These costs are significant for all business, but are extremely burdensome for our core membership; small businesses.

On April 24, 2008, the California Public Utilities Commission voted to split the 760 area code in a majority of North San Diego County to the newly proposed 442 area code. This was against the recommendation of the impartial North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA). Starting in November of 2008, those in the affected region will be forced to switch to area code 442. (A list of affected phone number prefixes is here.

Assemblyman Garrick along with several of their state and local colleagues and several affect chamber of commerce have composed and signed a letter address to the CPUC and Governor.

ARTICLES/LINKS

760 area code could be pulled from San Diego

REGION: Cell phones, too, will switch to 442 area code

KEEP760.ORG

The Carlsbad Chamber’s First Friday breakfast is September 5, 2008 from  7 - 9 a.m. at the Windmill Banquet & Catering, located at 890 Palomar Airport Rd., Carlsbad. This month our guest speaker will be David Carleton, author of “The Essential Referral Marketing System” and “The Ultimate Lead Generation System.”

As President of Street Smart Sales and Marketing, Carleton has developed sales, marketing and training programs that have helped hundreds of businesses in 30 countries around the world generate leads, increase sales and enhance their overall marketing effectiveness. He specializes in non-traditional, guerrilla marketing techniques that companies can use in highly competitive markets and industries or during economic downturns.

During the First Friday Breakfast, Carleton will present a mini-workshop where you will discover:

• How to cut your advertising budget back significantly, yet bring in more prospects.
• A strategy that statistics show can help your company perform 30 percent better than almost all other local businesses.
• A way to give your company a distinct advantage over your competitors.
• Four different ways to increase your sales by narrowing your focus.
• One simple strategy that can increase your closing ratio significantly and keep current customers for life.
• How changing your mindset about what you sell can significantly increase your sales and profits forever.

On Wednesday, August 21st The Lund Team will host the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Sundowner at their facilities located at 6114 Innovation Way in Carlsbad’s Bressi Ranch.

During the luau, the tropical artwork of renowned local artist Wade Koniakowsky will be on display for everyone’s enjoyment. Attendees are encouraged to dress in Hawaiian attire.

Enjoy a margarita and Hawaiian music while making future business connections at the chamber’s Sundowner. The event will be sure to please with plenty of food, drinks, raffle prizes and lots of networking!

Admission is $5 for chamber members and $15 for prospective members. The chamber would like to thank those companies that donated raffle prizes for the July Sundowner at the La Costa Resort and Spa.

Oh yeah, I’ll be there….as always, look for the hat and make sure I take your picture so I can share the link love with your website and your business.

We’re having a tropical oasis for the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Sundowner this Wednesday evening, May 21st at the Mammoth Professional Building, 2888 E. Loker Ave. We’ll be networking near waterfalls off Palomar Airport Road.

The fun begins at 5pm, bring plenty of business cards and look for me…that hat lady

When I started my first business in 1990, I joined a networking group. The printer was represented by Farrah Douglas, CDS Printing in Carlsbad. I was as impressed with her then, as I am now that I work with her on the Carlsbad Chamber’s Communications Committee.

Farrah is running for the seat being vacated by Julie Nygaard. Farrah and I sat down for an interview I hope you’ll find enlightening. Let me know what you think by commenting below.

I had a chance to sit down with Toni Padron at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce to discuss how the Chamber can benefit solopreneurs.

One of the things I learned was that the Chamber offers a 90 Day Guarantee on their memberships. I believe that every small business owner should support their local Chamber and now, with a 90 day guarantee how can you pass up that offer?

Toni was recovering from a cold, so I want to thank her for braving my questions. So, tell me….how does the Chamber benefit your business? Please add to the conversation by commenting below!

It’s been reported that one out of four private employers has been sued by employees. What steps can you take to sty out of such legal disputes? Would you know what to do if an employee sues you?

The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring it’s First Friday Breakfast, Friday April 4th. The Chamber’s current Chairman of the Board, Lou Storrow, will discuss six ways to avoid being sued by employees. Storrow is a business and employment attorney in Carlsbad. He has advised and represented clients in business and employment matters since 1988.

It’s a great networking event, so come and meet other small business owners in Carlsbad. Make sure to look for me!!