Orfalea offers advice to start-ups
Kinko’s founder Paul Orfalea hates working long hours — and he said that’s a big part of the reason his small business turned into one of the most successful start-ups ever to come out of Santa Barbara County. Orfalea shared personal advice on how to manage a start-up company with a group of about 200 Read More →
Ceres delays its IPO, slashes price
Thousand Oaks-based energy crop maker Ceres has drastically lowered expectations for its initial public offering and delayed it for a week, according to regulatory filings and investment banking sources. The company was set to raise as much as $132 million on the Nasdaq when shares hit the markets under the name CERE on Feb. 9. Read More →
Ventura County created 4,603 private-sector jobs in 2011
After an unexpectedly slow recovery in 2011, economists are pinning their hopes on 2012. That was the word from Bill Watkins and Mark Schniepp, two tri-county-based economists who gave separate outlooks for the U.S. and Ventura County economies at a Feb. 3 event at California Lutheran University. “2011 really didn’t shape out to be the Read More →
Higher profits in hand, region’s banks look to expand
Pacific Capital Bancorp, the largest banking company based in the Tri-Counties, turned a $70.5 million profit in 2011 after years of staggering losses. At the same time, First California Financial Group and Heritage Oaks Bancorp, the next two largest banks on the list, reported improved earnings for the year and bold plans to expand. Here’s Read More →
Fed economist forecasts 2.5% growth this year
Zimmerman: Inflation is expected to be at around 1.5 percent in 2012 and 2013.
Deckers CEO: Company culture is what counts
In a globalized world, vision and culture are the keys to creating and marketing successful new products. That’s the message Deckers Outdoor Corp. CEO Angel Martinez brought to about 250 Central Coast business leaders at the Feb. 2 Corporate Leaders Breakfast at California Lutheran University. “Our mission is to find niche brands and turn them Read More →
Level to break ground on new HQ
Level Studios, a San Luis Obispo-based digital marketing and branding firm, said it plans to break ground Feb. 3 on a new 46,000-square-foot, two-story building on the Central Coast that will house up to 300 employees in the next two years. The new facility will be built in the East Airport Commerce Park in San Read More →
