Ahead of the curve
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Thursday, January 14th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Ahead of the curve
Annelle Beebe has always been ahead of the curve. She started making women’s athletic apparel in 1986 — when most sports gear was unisex — and today she is still pushing boundaries by using recycled fabrics in her clothing line. In her 24 years as co-founder of Ojai International, Beebe has grown the clothing store Read More →
An exotic niche
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, January 11th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on An exotic niche
When Gary Clevenger and Jesus “Chuy” Loza started Freska Produce six years ago, mangoes were still relegated to the back shelves of many grocery stores. Many Americans didn’t know — and still don’t — what the exotic fruit even is. But Freska’s founders saw a market niche they thought they could fill. Their business now Read More →
FastSpring revenue soars on e-commerce
By Stephen Nellis / Monday, January 11th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on FastSpring revenue soars on e-commerce
Dan Engel had to learn the lessons that helped him build Santa Barbara-based FastSpring the hard way, but those lessons have paid off with 550 percent revenue growth over the past year. The 15-employee firm makes an e-commerce backend for companies that sell downloadable products such as software, e-books and video games. Companies who sell Read More →
Capps: Unemployment figures a setback, but recovery is working
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Friday, January 8th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Capps: Unemployment figures a setback, but recovery is working
On the same day that the December jobs report revealed that the U.S. lost an unexpected 85,000 jobs in December, Congresswoman Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, concluded a week-long tour through the Tri-Counties to gauge the impacts of the federal economic recovery effort. “We’re still feeling the effects [of the recession], but we’re well past where Read More →
Banks remain under tight watch in 2010
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, January 4th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Banks remain under tight watch in 2010
The tri-county banking industry enters 2010 with two fewer banks than the year before and at least three banks working under federal orders or agreements to raise cash. A few community bankers see brighter days ahead, but regulators remain tough and the story remains unchanged from 2009: Capital is king. Santa Barbara-based Pacific Capital Bancorp Read More →
Only up from here
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, January 4th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Only up from here
It took all of 2009 to do it, but retail is slowly building momentum after coming to a virtual standstill in late 2008. It wasn’t a strong year by any measure, but for retailers that means 2010 can only get better. Despite deflated holiday sales, stores in the Tri-Counties and across the nation reported a Read More →
Start-ups face venture capital drought
By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, January 4th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Start-ups face venture capital drought
In the world of technology start-ups, 2010 may mark the beginning of a new normal, with fewer, saner deals and a tight focus on getting profitable ideas to market without burning through a lot of cash. In 2009, venture capital investment in the Southern California region was down 62 percent to $643 million, according to Read More →
