Guest commentary: Preparing for the next wave of franchise M&As
By Luke Rhyner After two years of subdued activity, the franchise M&A market is entering an opportune window for prepared operators. Valuations have recalibrated, operators have rebuilt liquidity, and buyer demand in the 10- to100-unit segment is showing renewed momentum. Recent, well-publicized transactions demonstrate that deal flow is returning, including the consortium of private investors that Read More →
Guest commentary: Business and baseball go hand-in-glove
By Ritch K. Eich I kinda grew up with a baseball and a glove in my hands. I was naturally left-handed, but I used a right-hander’s baseball glove until I played first base in youth baseball. I was about 10 years old when I got my first real first baseman’s mitt designed for southpaws. As Read More →
Guest commentary: Protect your top business assets — Your employees
By Covered California Running a business is the culmination of a dream and the execution of a vision. While managing your own business comes with immense opportunity, it also comes with a slew of challenges. From finding the right talent and managing payroll, to ordering inventory and handling marketing, you’re busy — and every decision Read More →
Guest commentary: A case study in smart growth on the Central Coast
By Jocelyn Brennan Drive down West Grand Avenue in Grover Beach today, and it is hard to remember that this corridor once sat quiet and overlooked. For decades, the “West End” of Grover Beach was an area locals passed through on their way to Pismo or the dunes. Few lingered, and fewer still imagined that Read More →
Guest commentary: How commercial credit cards can improve cash flow, efficiency and security for your business
By Joey Heinrich In the business-to-business (B2B) world, checks have long been the preferred method of payment, but the rise of electronic options is changing the payables landscape. According to the Association for Financial Professionals’ (AFP) 2025 Digital Payments Survey, 76% of organizations plan to update their payments strategy within the next three years. Exploring Read More →
Guest commentary: Santa Barbara County doesn’t have a revenue problem — It has a spending problem
By Mike Stoker Santa Barbara County is at a crossroads, and once again, local officials are looking to the pockets of hardworking residents to solve a crisis of their own making. The proposal to hike the local sales tax from 7.75% to 8.75% is not just a minor adjustment; it is a profound betrayal of Read More →
Guest commentary: 2026 Economic outlook: The K factors
By Eric Kelley Economic growth was surprisingly robust in2025, despite the numerous fireworks in Washington, D.C., and some challenging periods for the financial markets. We experienced a painful market sell-off in April following the initiation of the new tariff campaign, but that trend reversed quickly as it became clear that the tariffs may not be Read More →
