Daily Business Report — March 9, 2011
A New Voice for Downtown
Fresh out of the mayor’s office, Kris Michell has taken the reins of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, the 325-member, business-supported organization that promotes the economic vitality of the Downtown area. She has become the public face of an organization that has many issues on its plate — from finding solutions to the homeless problem to attracting new commercial ventures Downtown to fighting against the threat of the removal of redevelopment dollars. Read about Michell’s priorities for the Downtown Partnership in the March issue of SD METRO and online at sandiegometro.com.
SDSU Offers Help to Unemployed Adults With Degree
Unemployed adults with a bachelor’s degree and at least five years in a professional position can obtain job placement assistance by enrolling in a new certificate program offered by San Diego State’s College of Extended Studies. Officials said the program, Career Transition and Development for Professionals, has a 90 percent success rate. “Our ongoing commitment to workforce development led to the creation of this certificate program,” said Joe Shapiro, dean of the College of Extended Studies. “Our instructors help students learn how to match their best job prospects to their skills and move forward on a meaningful path to reemployment. Unemployed adults have found this program to be very helpful in their efforts to rejoin the workforce upon completion of the program, and sometimes even while still enrolled in their studies.” The next course in the program is scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 5 to May 24, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. To apply, visit sandiegoatwork.com or call (619) 594-3946.
Ad Club Seeks Top Companies Nominations
The San Diego Advertising Club is seeking public input for names of San Diego companies for inclusion on what is being called “The List,” an historic assemblage of the 100 most influential and recognizable San Diego brands of the past 100 years. Deadline for submissions is March 22. To submit, visit sandiegoadclub.com/thelist. In addition to the company’s name, nominators can include up to 150 words on why the company should be selected by the panel of 50 judges who have backgrounds in local advertising history, marketing, branding and education. The top 100 San Diego brands will be announced June 2 at the San Diego Ad Club’s Centennial AdBash, to be held at the San Diego Zoo. The party will be one of several events at Admerica, a national conference of U.S. advertising executives hosted by the American Advertising Federation June 1-4 at the San Diego Hilton Bayfront Hotel.
The Human Factor Director to Give Talk
Holly Green, managing director of The Human Factor, will give a talk on “How and Why You Think The Way You Think” on March 24 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine. The event is sponsored by The Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Green has more than 20 years of executive level and operations experience in Fortune 100, entrepreneurial and management consulting organizations.
“Battle: Los Angeles” Star Engages Camp Pendleton Marines
Aaron Eckhart, star of “Battle: Los Angeles” paid a visit to the Marines of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 166 March 4 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Eckhart, aUSO supporter who has visited Kandahar and Kuwait, signed autographs and posed for pictures while touring the hangar and learning about Marine aviation. Eckhart made hardly a mention of the film or his work while he peppered the Marines with questions about their jobs, service overseas and how aircraft like the MV-22 “Osprey” work. “I felt motivated that we had a super star in our shop coming to visit,” said Cpl. Daniel Jenkins, a flight equipment technician with VMM-166. “I didn’t recognize him at first, without his ‘Two-Face’ make-up. He was really mellow and interested in everything we do.”
Eckhart emphasized his desire to learn about the Marines. “Listening is my favorite part,” he said. “I take great pride in saying we have the greatest military in the world.” In preparation for playing service members, Eckhart and his fellow cast members spent three weeks in a “boot camp” to familiarize themselves with Marine Corps terminology, ideology and basic combat skills. “It was important to me to represent the Marines accurately and with respect,” said Eckhart, who plays a staff sergeant leading a ragtag band of Marines and civilians through Santa Monica — under siege by invading aliens. “We made ‘Battle: Los Angeles’ with strict adherence to the Marines’ code. We trained very hard to be accurate and real. It’s a love letter to (the Marines).”
(Photo: Capt. Patrick Linehan, an MV-22 Osprey pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 166, explains aircraft details to Aaron Eckhart aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Photo by Lance Cpl. Lisa Tourtelot.)
Upcoming SCORE San Diego Workshops:
• March 10 – Financing Your Business – 9:30 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
• March 11 – Financial Statements: What They Mean, How to Use Them – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
• March 12 – QuickBooks Basic – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).
• March 12 – Internet Marketing 101: Use the Internet to Successfully Market Your Business – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).
• March 14 – Business Basics 101 – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; No charge – please preregister).
• March 15 – Hiring and Managing Employees – 9 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).
• March 17 – California Sales and Use Tax Basics – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
• March 18 – Women’s Networking Breakfast & Exhibits – 8 to 11 a.m. at Morgan Run Resort & Club (5690 Cancha de Golf, Rancho Santa Fe 92091; Attendees: $30 by March 15, $40 thereafter; Exhibitors: $80 by March 15, $90 thereafter).
• March 19 – Introduction to Starting Your Own Business – 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).
• March 19 – Business Plan 201: How to Write a Winning Business Plan – 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $99, $109 at the door).
• March 22 – Marketing & Contracting with Federal Government – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).
• March 24 – Internet Marketing 302: Develop a Winning E-mail Marketing Success Strategy – 9 a.m. to noon at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).
• March 25 – Professional Selling: Increase Your Business Sales Now! – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).
• March 30 – Business Basics 101 – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; No charge, please preregister).
• March 30 – How to Start a Nonprofit – 9 to 11:30 a.m. at The San Diego Foundation – Liberty Station (2508 Historic Decatur Road, #200, San Diego 92106; pre-paid registration $39, $49 at the door).
For more information, call (619) 557-7272 or visit score-sandiego.org.
North County:
The Business & Entrepreneur Center and the Small Business Development Center at MiraCosta College will offer free upcoming workshops to help businesses succeed. The workshops will be held at Vista City Hall, 200 Civic Center Drive, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the following dates:
April 5: Financing Options for Businesses: Direct lenders and the SBA will discuss financing options for a business.
May 3: Ways to Market A Business: Learn to identify the “right” customer for a business and easy ways to market your business to them.
June 7: Marketing A Business Using Google Tools: Learn how to use Google tools such as ad words, ad sense, Google trends and more.
Bring a lunch to the workshops. Drinks will be provided.
The Daily Business Report is produced by REP Publishing Inc., publisher of SD METRO, the North Park News, Kensington News and the West Coast Craftsman. (619) 906-4104.