Solano Property Managers Love Property Management Software Tool

RentJuice was developed by San Francisco property management software gurus.  The $40/mo fee based service improves the Solano property management company's efficiency. Greater efficiency means less management costs with RentJuice.

The property management software product is curiously called RentJuice. Sounds like an interesting trademark. RentJuice will do things like automatically post your Solano rental listings onto 30 different sites.

Read more on RentJuice http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/25/BUD61GG2MK.DTL#ixzz16bWVVZjj

Solano Non Profit StartUps - Free Help From Business Owners

Steven Kays, the owner of Solano Business Incubator offers free Fairfield Virtual Offices for Solano Non Profits.  The Fairfield Virtual Office gives many of the benefits of an office space rental, but only when you need it. Rent conference rooms and furnished offices by the hour.

Solano businesses pay only $75 a month for the basic Solano County package.  Details at Solano Business Incubator's program at California Business Center.  Check if Solano Business Incubator has an introductory offer with free initial rent.

Need free help getting your Solano County non profit started? Solano Business Incubator also offers free office space search tips, and referrals 707 434-8000.  Good government resources include the Solano Small Business Development Center, and your Solano City Hall in Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Suisun, Vacaville, Vallejo and Napa.

Local Pepperbellys Comedy Club Quickly Gets New Operator

Pepperbellys is taking stronger control over their great Fairfield comedy club.

Pepperbellys' founder Wayne Mayhew evicted the former Pepperbellys operators, and quickly released the club to Vacaville entrepreneurs.  We look forward to the new changes.  It appears Fairfield's Pepperbellys will be reopening on or before new years.

More details the Fairfield newspaper Daily Republic.

Things seem to be getting better.

Benicia Being Depicted As Nice Cozy Place By Tokyo Magazine

Benicia Is Getting International Attention.  Benicia Is Being Depicted As Nice Cozy Place By Tokyo Magazine.

Benicia's mayor believes more people in the greater San Francisco Bay Area need to learn about Benicia's charms.

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_16690247

5 Ways To Promote Your Specialty Skills In Solano County

There Are More Than 5 Ways To Promote Your Specialty Skills In Solano County?  The link below has the first five ways. http://www.selfemployedcafe.com/become-a-business-expert-tips/

Start a new Solano business on a shoe string at Solano Business Incubator www.neari80.com


More promotion tips are at SolanoBusinessNews.com. For example post a blog with useful information for other Solano County businesses in Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Suisun, Vacaville and Vallejo on the site.
 

Becoming A Better Solano Business Leader

There are many things Solano entrepreneurs can do to take greater control and become good Solano County business leaders.  Solano small businesses often can improve their leadership skills.

Some mistakes for Solano entrepreneurs to avoid.

1. Focusing on tasks instead of results
2. Avoiding innovation 
3. Being Closed Minded: Not listen to or accept others’ ideas
4. Claiming or taking credit when the Solano entrepreneur can focus on trying to give it to others. Forgetting to show appreciation. Show other Solano entrepreneurs you work with that you care.

Solano Entrepreneurs Increasingly Joining Social Networks

Facebook and LinkeIn are getting more popular with business people in Solano County.

LinkedIn is signing up one new member each second in the world. http://mashable.com/2010/11/17/linkedin-stats/

Vallejo's Columbus Parkway Is Booming Again

With The Changes Of A Car Business In Vallejo, Vallejo's Columbus Parkway Is Booming Again.  Vallejo needs all the help it can get and this is a positive direction.

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_16666464?source=rss

Free Trademark Workshop In Solano County

How small businesses select and get trademarks for under $400.

Interesting tips for Solano entrepreneurs on selecting good trademarks for your Solano County business.  How to get free legal help from the US Patent and Trademark Office.

45 minute workshop for Solano entrepreneurs to be held by Steven Kays, CEO of Solano Business Incubator, at California Business Center.  Solano entrepreneurs can call 707 434-8000.

Improved Solano County Unemployment Numbers

Solano County's current unemployment rate at 11.7 percent, is down from 12.1 percent the previous month.

Boost Your Solano Small Business With These Valuable Tips

Solano entrepreneurs Can Boost Your Solano Small Business With These Valuable Tips

Solano entrepreneurs can use email signature to promote your Solano small business.

1. Get into social media. It is a channel for Solano customer acquisition.
2. Having a Solano business blog doesn’t only help build your Solano business brand - It boosts the Solano business too.
3. Trade services with other Solano businesses.
4. Save money on office overhead and office rent at Solano Business Incubator.

Many more Solano entrepreneur tips for small businesses in Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Suisun, Vacaville, Vallejo and Napa County.

Vallejo Entertainment Business May Get Boost From Vallejo City Council

Will The Vallejo Entertainment Business Industry Get A Boost From Vallejo City Council?  Solano entrepreneurs in the Solano entertainment business should check it out.

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_16646006

Solano County's Genetech & Copart Making Layoffs

Unfortunately Solano County's Genetech And Copart Are Making Layoffs From Their Vacaville and Fairfield Facilities. Luckily Solano's small businesses are hiring.  WalMart hired lots of people recently when the opened their mammoth store in Fairfield.

More On Genetech & Copart Making Layoffs http://www.dailyrepublic.com/story.php?id=101.5

Tattoo Parlor Price Wars. When Can Cheapest Tattoo Parlor Be Dangerous?

Solano Tattoo Parlor Price Wars

Solano tattoo parlors are all the rage but did you know the following?
• The more tattoos a person has, the greater the likelihood they have caught hepatitis C.
• Tattoo parlors that don't change both the needles, and the ink for each color used can transmit any number of diseases you don't want to learn how to pronounce.  Hepatitis C in Solano County is only one of them.
• Solano government is not really monitoring Solano tattoo shops enough.
• Why doesn't Solano county government monitor Solano tattoo parlors? It's a "free speech" thing. But what about freedom from catching disease from the previous tattoo client exercising their free speech?
• Vacaville tattoo parlor price wars are such that not replacing ink cartridges can make a big difference as to whether the Vacaville tattoo parlor stays in business or goes bankrupt.

While Solano County Environmental Health requires some license and does some Solano tattoo parlor monitoring, how do you really know how your Solano tattoo artist is saving costs when Solano County isn't watching?  

Businesses Tailoring To Solano Market Is Key

Solano County businesses are succeeding by tailoring to local markets.  Every market has their unique characteristics.  Our Solano County market is described as being a bedroom community that is somewhat more liberal than the average California county.  Yet Solano will probably never become as left wing as the inner San Francisco Bay Area.  More on this topic in earlier Solano business blog.

Vallejo's Well Known Clothing Store Closing Down

Vallejo small business owner Richard Lemke complains downtown Vallejo has changed too much. He opened his men's clothing store in December 1965. Other Solano County clothing stores still in business are holding on as best they can, just like they are in the rest of Solano County.

Solano County's Wal-Mart is also hurting Solano County businesses.

Starting A Solano Home Business Without Gimmicks

There are all these offers to work from home that usually amount to bunk. But in this Solano economy, many entrepreneurs are deciding to go out and do something different.

The first step for Solano County entrepreneurs is to read this article. http://www.articleslash.net/Home-Based-Business/Network-Marketing/542467__Home-Business.html

How To Save Money For Your New Solano Business

Start Saving Money For Your New Solano County Small Business Today

• Opening your Solano business bank account. Some claim Umpqua Bank and US Bank in Solano are the best. http://homebusiness.about.com/od/getstarted/a/business_bank.htm

• Cheaper than a Solano county office space rental is the Solano Virtual Office™ at Solano Business Incubator in California Business Center. They also save maybe half over traditional month to month office space leases. They're known for friendly help, zero deposit, zero gimmicks.

 • More cost effective business tips http://www.doughroller.net/smart-spending/51-painless-money-saving-tips
• Incorporating for less http://www.legalzoom.com. Will you form a Solano corporation, or Solano LLC? http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol136/structure.htm It’s even cheaper just fill out a short Solano County fictitious business license, plus another in your city.

Bookmark SolanoBusinessNews.com for more tips. 

Makings Of Good Business Cards

There are many dynamics in choosing what type of business card to get for your small or midsized Solano business. For example people are more likely to keep your card when color is used. Solano printers are available.

Many are paying almost nothing for cards via VistaPrint online however hurting Solano printing companies.
http://www.businesscardsonline.com/the-makings-of-a-good-business-card/

Cheapest Solano copy charges. At least the copier machine at California Business Center charges only ¢4, with color being ¢24 - if you're a regular customer - the web can't beat that pricing. They have Solano County's cheapest copy charges.

Solano Business Incubator's studies on Solano start-ups show many entrepreneurs delay in getting their Solano business cards.  This is one of the easier steps needed to motivate the company to start getting into gear!

Solano's Barter Economy. How Businesses Help Each Other.

There are numerous examples for how Solano businesses swap services or products.  Bartering was very popular in past Solano recessions.

Right here in Solano County, The Solano Business Incubator seeks to help small businesses expand. Save your office overhead costs by providing your services to cover all or part of the rent instead.

Choose from either:

• Your private office suite, with your company name on the building directories. It include utilities, receptionist, janitorial, coffee and everything the Virtual Office includes.

• Solano Virtual Office includes mail receiving and forwarding, small and larger conference rooms, WIFI and phones.

If you like, the friendly receptionists can answer phones in your company name. The tel system can route your landline or cell number calls to the receptionist, then get patched to your home, cell or voice mail. Receptionists can also help callers with directions, etc. It ads up to saving your time.

The business incubator seeks to receive in trade any of the following you might offer:

• SEO: Optimize a wide range of different sites through blogging, etc.

• PC or Apple support

• Intellectual property experience not required. Sue companies in traditional civil court for claiming they invented what we previously filed patent applications for. Our damages include difficulty in finding investors. We prefer to avoid federal court as our patent apps are pending. www.InventionSpringboard.com includes a portion of the many inventions.

The Solano County incubator gives businesses a professional address and meeting place for clients. The Solano County office space at www.neari80.com offers rentals and services in Fairfield. They are near intersecting highways I-80, 12 and 680, by the Napa border. Only 25 min to Concord, 30 to Berkeley, 8 to Vacaville, 12 to Vallejo, 35 to Sacramento during normal traffic.

The Solano County market comprises about half a million people. Over 80% are in Solano. More businesses in the market rent office suites at the incubator than any other Solano or Napa office building. The region’s towns within half an hour are – Solano: Benicia Vallejo Fairfield Suisun Rio Vista Vacaville Dixon. Contra Costa: Martinez, Concord. Within 35-45 minutes: Walnut Creek, Oakland, Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco’s Embarcadero.

There are two ways you might pay for the Solano County suite rental and service costs. Pay by trade or check. If possible throw in just several hundred dollars or more, for the complete package. Zero gimmicks, zero deposit.

Details for the Solano County office suite rental package and services 707 434-8000

Solano Rainfall Futures And Options - Businesses Betting On Solano Weather

Businesses Betting On Solano Rainy Weather http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/nov/07/chicago-exchange-rainfall-futures-options

Solano rain greatly effects Solano farmers and other business matters.

New Job Fair In San Francisco

If the commute from Solano county is something you can handle check out the San Francisco job fair http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_16554017

Solano Temperatures Dropping For Gardeners & Nurseries. Bring Plants In Tonight

Temperatures may go below 40 degrees tonight, or at least say 43 degrees in Fairfield. Tomorrow forecasts are for even lower temperatures.

Bring your potted plants indoors tonight!

Solano County encompasses regions with different temperatures. They are Allendale, Benicia, Birds Landing, Collinsville, Denverton, Dixon, Elmira, Fairfield, Green Valley, Maine Prairie, Montezuma, Rio Vista, Ryer Island, Silveyville, Suisun, Tremont, Vacaville, Vallejo.

 

Where Is Fairfield? Will Government Begin This Discussed Marketing Campaign?

Solano's economic development organizations have for years been brainstorming ways to promote each of its cities.  Here's a draft starting point for just one of its cities.

Where Is Fairfield?

Fairfield is in the exact midpoint between downtown San Francisco and downtown Sacramento. Fairfield began in the 1850′s. Fairfield’s population zoomed past 100,000 in the 1990’s. Fairfield The Place For Your Satellite Office Space.

Tap Into Big Market. Be Located Between Inner San Francisco Bay Area - Sacramento - Napa.  Solano Virtual Offices From Only $75/Mo. Furnished Office Suites From $375/Mo.

Central Location:

• Fairfield is the Solano County government and also its largest business capital.  Government economic studies put make call Vallejo-Fairfield and single metro area, though Fairfield feels closer to Vacaville.

• Fairfield Geography: Fairfield has 37.7 square. Fairfield is comprised of grasslands, oak woodlands, and beautiful vistas of the nearby Mayacmas Hills.

• Your business office could be in central Solano County and near its cities Benicia, Vallejo, Rio Vista, Suisun City, Vacaville and Dixon.

Fairfield Workforce. Hiring Fairfield Employees - Fairfield Job Openings:

• Fairfield salaries are lower than the inner San Francisco Bay Area, because of Fairfield’s lower living costs.

• Being the Solano County seat Fairfield enjoys a diverse, economy. Fairfield has good transportation networks, and office, industrial and commercial use. It has access to a young, diverse and well-trained labor force and proximity to universities and training centers. Over 5.4 million square feet of retail, office and industrial development has been developed here since 1995. A wide range of manufacturing, light industry, back office, distribution, and research and development firms are located in Fairfield.

• Solano job news and Solano employment links at SolanoBusinessNews.com.

Important Solano County Businesses & Employers Include:

• Anheuser-Busch; Alza Corp.; City Halls for Benicia Dixon Fairfield Rio Vista Suisun Vacaville Vallejo; Innovation Institute; Genentech; Kaiser Hospital; Jelly Bellies; McDonalds; Northbay Medical Center; Six Flags Marine World; Solano Community College; Solano County; Solano Mall; Sutter Solano Medical Center; Travis Air Force Base; Valero Refining Co; and many more Solano businesses.

• Naturally, most Solano job openings come from local small businesses.

Where Are Fairfield Attractions?

• Fairfield’s Attractions Are Too Many To List:  Googling them is the best way to start. They include the Creative Arts Center, Fairfield wineries, and more.

• Nearby Attractions: Fairfield borders Napa County. During normal traffic Fairfield is 30 minutes from Berkeley, 40 min from both downtown San Francisco and Sacramento.

Get More Work Done In Less Time

Solano entrepreneurs and government employees can get more work done in less time. Good productivity article. http://freelancefolder.com/how-to-get-more-work-done-in-less-time/

Vacaville Owned Apricot Lane Boutique Franchising Itself

More On How Apricot Lane Boutique Is Growing at www.TheReporter.com  


Read our more recent blog from Nov 9, 2010 about a more old fashion business model Vallejo clothing store from the 1960's closing up shop.

Rio Vista Economic Development

It appears Rio Vista can't afford an economic development person.

Rio Vista used to have a friendly economic development person. Steven Kays had good conversations and brainstorming back five years ago with Rio Vista's economic development officer. If he's still around, maybe offer him the job back. He knows the ropes and won't take as much staff time to manage and teach the ropes. Plus loyalty to past government employees is proven to keep staff costs lower.

Alternatively, consider hiring one of the many unemployed spending hours sending our resumes. A more effective way to do something is taking charge, than just complain about the economy.  Let the new Rio Vista economic development person present proposals to the Rio Vista City Council and take things from there! Steven Kays has over the years suggested so many ideas to the different economic development departments in Solano that failure to move forward isn't an option.  This can be done without net costs to Rio Vista tax payers.

Details on the current problems in Rio Vista at www.DailyRepublic.com (print subscribers get free passwords).

The new person might work as an independent contractor for remuneration based on results. There are ways this can be done if one has a business mind.

Another WalMart Opened

The next Walmart just opened in Fairfield. This is one more challenge for many Solano businesses. At least Walmart is kind enough to offer free "assistance" classes to compete with themselves. It's being offered through the government funded Solano Small Business Development Center.

If you're looking to change businesses, this might be a good time than to learn the hard way. For a free no obligation business analysis call Solano Business Incubator, which by the way competes with tax supported organizations to helping small business. The incubator may suggest a service type business to match your business skills and interests that can be served in a Solano office building environment.

Solano Buying Tastes: Customers More Or Less Conservative?

What are common Solano buying tastes? How can you best predict what Solano services or customers Solano customers are most likely to buy? The subject has dozens of main components. Are you open minded into looking at what might constitute your Solano customer buying preferences?

Naturally look at common factors within your industry nationwide.  Then consider the Solano regional differences. What sells well elsewhere in California may not sell as well here. Solano customer preferences will be shown to have at least moderate deviations from the norm. Step outside the Solano mindset and look at Solano customer buying preferences objectively.

Factors To Consider:

• Solano election voter traits: More below

• Worldliness: Travis Air Force gives people lots of travel experience.  Plus those who do travel share their experiences with those who are less fortunate to have traveled as much.

• Proximity to Inner Bay Area: Napa, Berkeley, San Francisco and Silicon Valley. These regions often pride in their worldliness.  Their greater level of liberal intellectuals exposes those in Solano to alternative ideas. At least your Solano clients might be more accepting of liberal modalities, even if such are not fully embraced.

• Proximity to Central Valley: Their citizens are more conservative, and will influence Solano tastes and buying decisions accordingly.

• Bedroom Community: This facet pushes people usually to the more conservative.  

Comments Innovation Institute Received About Solano Buying Tastes Versus The Inner Bay Area (not necessarily our opinion - so don't take this personally). Most other Solano business information sources may not have the guts to reprint the following:

• Spends less. Expects more value for the money.

• More prone to celebrate bank holidays, so are more able to shop on those days.

• Spend much of their purchasing dollars outside Solano County.

• Restaurants: Less healthy food oriented, yet this is changing. Exotic ethnic foods are becoming more popular - look at the new Afghanistan restaurant's popularity in Fairfield's Gateway mall, but the health oriented Chipotle's (started by McDonalds) is much more crowded.

• Yoga is growing in popularity but remains well behind the Inner Bay Area

• Book purchasing: Fewer people book aficionados touring used book stores. However thrift stores remain popular for the thrifty Solano consumer.

• More willing to drive a few extra miles.

Detailed analysis on Solano buying tastes can be created by Innovation Institute in Fairfield at 707 428-5000.

Solano Business News' Election Predictions

Our Solano elections pretty much unfolded as we predicted.

The business friendly candidates that Solano voters picked included:
• John Vasquez, Solano Supervisor
• Mariko Yamada, State Assembly
• Pete Sanchez, Suisun Mayor
• Jane Day, Suisun City Council

Governor Says No To Wild Business Owners

Governor Schwarzeneger just said welfare recipients can no longer use tax payer supported debit-cards at pot shops, psychics and others considered to be "inconsistent with the intent" of the welfare program. What about Solano tattoo shops.

Might be safer running a more conservative Solano small business?

Workshop On Starting Your Own Solano Business

The Solano Small Business Development Center is offering the workshop: How to Start Your Small Business.

It is 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in the conference room at the middle of the second floor in the California Business Center, 1652 W. Texas Street, Fairfield.  Located diagonally from the new ultra modern indoor swimming pool complex in Allan Witt Park.

The starting your own business workshop space and coffee are donated by Solano Business Incubator.

Managing Real Estate Property In Today's Solano Economy

A three-hour workshop shows how to purchase Solano rental properties that will need a Solano property manager unless you know how to really do it yourself. In reality, it takes decades of experience to watch out for all the things that can go wrong. 

Solano Community College is hosting a residential property management workshop 6 to 9 p.m.

For tips on how to manage Solano properties, and how to hire a Solano property manager visit http://solanopropertymanagement.blogspot.com/ which covers more than Solano property management.

707 864-7115 or visit http://www.solano.edu.

 

Lists of companies in the greater bay area just published

There's a good list of companies in the greater bay area that was just published by the San Francisco Business Times.  It's called the "Book of Lists".  It's available in print form in their Oct 29 - Nov 4, 2010 edition.  Or can be purchased digitally in different pricey formats at http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/research/

Until the www.SolanoBusinessDirectory.com gets updated, an earlier blog here has a good list of the best Solano business links and it's free.

Will Fairfield Keep Promise To Business Investors?

The city of Fairfield promised investors purchasing commercial businesses along West Texas Street that Fairfield would follow up with redeveloping the city's main gateway.  But the money disappeared long before the recession hit. 

Meanwhile the Solano County did their part and built the wonderful new county capital building.  It was meant to be the main attraction for drivers going through West Texas Street.

Today there's an interested construction company buyer wishing to purchase an important building in downtown Fairfield. The three-year old Art Explosion - an art gallery and studio space there was using it until a buyer was found.

The buyer wants to tap into all the traffic coming through West Texas Street leading into the new Solano County capital building.  The key concern is will Fairfield city keep it's promise to redevelop the city's main gateway in 2000?

Where did the money for fixing West Texas Street go before the recession hit? More people will spend money in downtown Fairfield, creating more job openings when the city follows through its promise to quickly redevelop the street. Construction was to start in 2000 or so. It's a win-win for everyone. There is much more on this interesting story in this blogs other articles at www.FixFairfield.org.

Upcoming Events In Solano & Napa

Upcoming Events In Solano & Napa

Business Networking Calendar Events

Biodynamic Winegrowing, sponsored by Demeter USA

Dec. 2 at 8:30 a.m. $75-$85. 8550 St. Helena Hwy., Rutherford 707-529-4412, elizabeth@demeter-usa.org.

Napa Valley Grapegrowers. Nov. 4 at 8 a.m. $10. Napa Valley Expo Fairgrounds Info: www.napagrowers.org

The North Bay Alzheimer’s Services is hosting the free Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease: The Basics. Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. 1020 Nut Tree Rd., Vacaville

Solano Unemployed Starting Their Own Business On A Shoe String. www.SolanoIncubator.com. Free. California Business Center, 1652 West Texas Street, Fairfield. Date to be determined. 707 434-8000.

Bookmark this Solano Business News blog for more Solano and Napa calendar events.

Kaiser Union Employees Vote To Stay With SEIU. Sutter Competition.

Details on the Kaiser union employee vote and Kaiser business at http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/25651/kaiser-workers-vote-to-stay-with-seiu/

How will this union impact competition between Sutter and Kaiser?

Sutter Hospital Merging Solano And Sacramento Offices

Sutter Health’s Solano group is forming one of the largest physician networks in Northern California. It will maybe have nearly 500 doctors and 122 other Solano health professionals including any new Solano medical job openings. This might improve their Solano business cost savings.

http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/26192/sutter-merges-solano-sacramento-physician-groups/

Will New Solano North Connector Road Spur Fairfield Economy?

The new roadway will bring intra Solano county traffic from Interstate 80, to he North Connector. The Solano project created more Solano job openings earlier.

State and Solano government officials, along with Fairfield city hall employees joined the Solano Transportation Authority to celebrate the North Connector road completion. Discussions about improving Fairfield's promise from the 1990's to fix West Texas Street are resurfacing.

The four-lane North Connector road Chadbourne Road & Highway 12 with the old Suisun Valley Road. It cost $62 million to build.

Fairfield City Bought Lowe's Land

City of Fairfield recently closed escrow on 11 acres for the Lowe's planned store. Fairfield Lowe's should be opening next year.