Emergence of the ‘dependent contractor’
A recent decision by the state Division of Labor Standards Enforcement has greatly shaken the California business community. The ruling found that an Uber driver is an “employee” and not an “independent contractor” as the entire industry had previously presumed. Although this decision only pertains to that specific case, it could end up changing the Read More →
Can commercialism, professionalism co-exist in accounting profession?
What we see today in the accounting profession is troubling. Increased commercial activities threatens the independence cornerstone of the profession that underlies its public interest obligation. Audit firms are pushing the envelope in their involvement with non-audit services that makes it appear as though they might compromise their independence on the audit because of these Read More →
Personal finance really family finance
Personal finance has always been a family affair that involves the interests of children, parents and other relatives. Currently, many trends exacerbate situations where relatives’ assistance is needed, which makes family situations increasingly challenging and difficult to plan for. First, expanded life expectancy brings expanded financial challenges. A longer life does not only imply greater Read More →
Smart innovation key to business success
Smart business leaders know that there is an important distinction between risk taking and intelligent risk taking. It is the former that may make the headlines, but it is the latter that often leads to the greatest rewards. There is an increasing awareness within the business community of the world of difference between innovation and Read More →
Proposed peaker plant in Oxnard bad idea because of flood vulnerability
Reliability is the key point emphasized in the Pacific Coast Business Times editorial July 17 (Oxnard peaker plant should be approved). During the CPUC evidentiary hearings held in May regarding the NRG proposal, the city of Oxnard provided proof based on state of the art scientific evidence that storm surge patterns and sea level rise Read More →
Going public with companies fuels healthy communities in Tri-Counties
The health of our communities is directly tied to the health of our local businesses. We cannot have one without the other. Although in good economic times it is easy to lose sight of our region’s competiveness to attract and retain businesses in a world where many companies can operate from anywhere. If our communities Read More →
A look at Central Coast entrepreneurial ecosystem
Entrepreneurship is a word we hear often, with good reason: More people are choosing to forgo the predictable paycheck as an employee for the opportunity to spin their idea into a tangible business of their own. For the first time in five years, the Startup Activity Index rose in 2015, showing the largest year-over-year increase Read More →
