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Tuesday, August 04, 2026
Retro Can and Tap Art Concepts for Laguna Beach Producers
Laguna Beach has been an artists' town for more than a century — a coastal California community built around galleries, festivals and a genuine creative identity — so its taprooms and craft producers work in front of an audience with an unusually good eye. For a brewery or craft maker there, the can and the tap handle are not just packaging; they are design objects a discerning local and visitor crowd will judge, photograph and share. Retro and pixel-styled art has become a popular, distinctive direction
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Tuesday, August 04, 2026Friendship Shelter Welcomes Constance Callan and Kimberly Pollard to Board of Directors
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — July 23, 2026 — Friendship Shelter is pleased to announce the appointment of Constance “Connie” Callan and Kimberly Pollard to its Board of Directors. As the organization continues to expand its efforts to end homelessness across South Orange County, these two accomplished leaders bring valuable expertise, diverse perspectives, and a shared commitment to creating meaningful community impact. Connie Callan is a South Orange County philanthropist and community leader dedicated to
Monday, July 27, 2026Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach Recognizes Cheng Family Foundation for Supporting Restore the Court Campaign
Laguna Beach, Calif. — The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach is proud to recognize the Cheng Family Foundation for its generous support of the Club's Restore the Court campaign, helping revitalize one of the organization's most beloved outdoor recreation spaces for current and future Club members.Longtime Laguna Beach locals, the Cheng Family's support helped transform the outdoor basketball court with the installation of a new soft court, new hoops and backboards. This space that has welcomed countless
Monday, July 13, 2026Friendship Shelter Awarded $1.1 Million Samueli Foundation Grant to Expand Permanent Affordable Housing in South Orange County Funding will help transform a former motel into 11 units of permanent a
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — Friendship Shelter is proud to announce it has been awarded a $1.1 million grant from the Samueli Foundation’s Build OC Fund, a transformative investment that will help accelerate the development of 11 units of permanent supportive affordable housing in South Orange County. The funding will support the conversion of a former motel in San Clemente into thoughtfully designed apartments for chronically homeless individuals with disabilities, transition-age youth aged 18-25,
Tuesday, April 07, 2026What Laguna Beach Business Owners Get Wrong About Emergency Preparedness
A solid emergency plan is one of the most valuable assets a small business can have — and one of the most commonly overlooked. 1 in 4 businesses never reopen after a disaster, and the gap between those that recover and those that don't almost always traces back to preparation. For businesses along the Orange County coast, where earthquake exposure, wildfire risk, and Pacific storm patterns are genuine operating conditions, the question isn't whether to plan — it's whether your current plan would actually
Monday, March 16, 2026Build Smarter: Where New Laguna Beach Business Owners Should Put Their First Dollars
The most important investments for a new business aren't the visible ones — the signage, the launch event, the branded swag. They're the systems, reserves, and professional relationships that determine whether you're still operating five years from now. The ten-year survival rate for new businesses is lower than most owners expect — just 34.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — which means strategic early investment isn't optional. For new business owners joining the Laguna Beach community,
Tuesday, March 10, 2026When Going It Alone Becomes the Riskiest Business Strategy in Orange County
Most business owners don't run into trouble because they aren't working hard enough — they hit walls because no single person can be an expert in every discipline a growing business demands. Based on 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, 49.4% of small businesses fail within their first five years and 65.3% fail within their first ten. In a metro as competitive as Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine — where tech firms in Irvine's corporate corridors compete for talent and resort-adjacent businesses near Anaheim face
Thursday, March 05, 2026A Practical Guide to Strengthening Business Operations and Financial Performance
Businesses in Laguna Beach—from boutique retailers to service providers and hospitality operators—operate in a dynamic environment where margins, customer expectations, and operating costs can shift quickly. Identifying weak points in operations and finances isn’t about finding fault; it’s about building a stronger, more resilient organization that can adapt and grow. In brief: Operational inefficiencies often hide in everyday processes such as scheduling, inventory, or communication. Financial blind
Friday, January 23, 2026Updating Your Market Research Strategy to Match Business Growth
Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce members know that markets shift quickly—tourism patterns fluctuate, customer expectations evolve, and competition rarely stays still. Scaling your market research is less about collecting more data and more about building a repeatable way to understand what’s changing and why it matters. Learn below about: How shifting business needs require adaptable research Practical ways to refine, expand, or automate your approach How to share insights efficiently with your
Thursday, July 10, 2025How Intentional Milestones Make or Break Businesses in Year One
For anyone stepping into the swirl of their first year running a business, the question isn’t just what to do—but how to pace the doing. Vision, grit, and a killer idea won’t get far without a roadmap that includes sharp turns, pauses, and reality checks. Milestones are those markers along the way that not only break the journey into digestible pieces, but also reveal whether the engine’s humming or coughing smoke. The most successful first years are rarely about intensity—they’re about intention, layered
Thursday, July 03, 2025Answer First, Win Later: Why Your Small Business Should Be Teaching
Customers don’t want to chase answers. They want to feel understood before they even ask the question. That’s the whole game. If your small business isn't investing in simple, searchable content that clears confusion and sets expectations, you’re not just losing sales — you're building a brand people won’t bother trusting. Whether it's a 90-second video or a single paragraph on your website, showing up with clarity early changes how you're remembered later. Let’s break down how to make that happen.Help
Friday, December 06, 2024The CTA, BOI and FinCEN: What Does this Mean for Laguna Beach, CA Businesses?
The Corporate Transparency Act may require certain U.S. companies to disclose beneficial ownership information to FinCEN to combat financial crimes. As of today, 12/05/2024, Laguna Beach, CA business owners have 26 calendar days(or 19 business days) left to file their Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report with FinCEN. 1. Determine if Your Business Must File. A “reporting company” is any small business, corporation, or LLC that is registered with the state, unless exempt. Exemptions apply to
Wednesday, October 02, 2024How Rapid Prototyping Is Shaping the Future of Wearable Tech Startups
In an industry where innovation is the lifeblood and speed is the competitive edge, wearable tech startups are redefining the rules of product development. Imagine transforming a sketch on a napkin into a market-ready product in record time—this is the power of rapid prototyping. By leveraging the latest in technology and flexible methodologies, startups are not just surviving but thriving, crafting wearable tech solutions that resonate with consumers and investors alike. Prototyping for Pioneers Rapid
