Change bankers’ incentives to get big
By Bill Watkins In popular culture, there are “good” industries and “evil” industries. Oil has held the most hated position of the evil list for generations and is likely to hold it until there is no more oil. Farming, once solidly on the good list, is moving to the evil list because its critics Read More →
Volunteerism ‘shapes community we share’
In business, we measure success by revenue growth, rising profits, share prices and transactions closed. But in communities across the Tri-Counties, successful leadership is often defined by measures less tangible. That point was brought home on March 9 when we stopped by the Santa Barbara Foundation’s 73rd annual Man and Woman of the Year luncheon. Read More →
Bowman: E-commerce is new normal for international trade
As a global commerce professional, I’ve seen a lot of innovations that have fueled the growth of international trade. A few of the most impactful developments, in my opinion, are the modernization of ocean cargo transportation, the expansion of trade agreements and the lowering of duty and tax rates. But perhaps most significant in helping Read More →
Fischbach: Earn loyalty by making customers smarter
My mobile phone has become more of a need than a want. Anyone who loses or breaks a phone learns quickly how much of life revolves around a mobile device. Industry insiders report the average consumer unlocks their mobile device over 150 times per day. Content marketing has become a great way for businesses to Read More →
Ronald Reagan’s legacy was in good hands with Nancy
There was a palpable hush in the packed auditorium at the Ronald Reagan Library & Presidential Museum as Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan entered the room with Nancy Reagan balanced on his arm. The date was May 2006 and Greenspan was talking about the Reagan legacy in one of his last public talks as Federal Read More →
Tri-County Produce goes on but co-founder will be missed
The concept of local sourcing of food was not exactly a hot trend in 1985 when Jim Dixon took over a fledgling farmer’s market operation named Tri-County Produce on lower Milpas Street. For three decades the company has flourished in a warehouse a couple of blocks from East Beach in Santa Barbara. It is there Read More →
Diversity makes businesses better
An American entertainer, a Japanese businessman and a British nun walk into a bar… A lot of jokes used to start like this. In today’s global economy, such a diverse scenario has become the new normal for companies worldwide. And yet, we haven’t moved much beyond clumsy attempts to resolve awkwardness with humor. Diversity in Read More →
