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WELCOME to the LADERA RANCHO                                              CHAMBER of COMMERCE 

News

  • October 21, 2019 2:48 PM | Todd Stearns (Administrator)

    Friday is Trick or Treat in Mercantile West! This is always a fun dress rehearsal event if your kids can't wait until the 31st to wear their costumes :-)

    There will be a photo booth, a DJ to entertain families, live music, costumed Toy Story characters, a bounce house, face painters, balloon artists, special giveaways and more!

    The event will offer a wide variety of awesome candy including chocolate candy bars and other sweet treats, as well as a plethora of non-candy items including toys and fun knick-knacks for kids of all ages in support of the Teal Pumpkin Project.

  • September 12, 2019 11:33 AM | Todd Stearns (Administrator)

    Sept 12, 2019 - In order to kick-off the Dana Point Harbor Revitalization Project, 5th District Supervisor Lisa Bartlett and the Dana Point Harbor Historical Society plan to bury a time capsule on Monday, October 28th in the staging area next to El Torito in the Harbor. 

    As a sponsor, your business has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of history! 

    For more information, contact Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince, at (714) 834-3550 or sergio.prince@ocgov.com.

    Celebrate the the rich history of the Harbor and the surrounding areas!


  • August 05, 2019 3:10 PM | Todd Stearns (Administrator)

    National Night Out is going to be so FUN tomorrow in Ladera! As part of the event, The Red Cross is going to be on hand and is asking our community to help out since there is currently a shortage of blood. 

    You can make an appointment through the end of Monday or just show up and walk-in tomorrow. 

    Don't forget to eat well, drink plenty of water and bring your photo ID!

    It's just a tiny bit of blood - you won't miss it! :-)


  • August 01, 2019 3:58 PM | Todd Stearns (Administrator)


  • July 31, 2019 8:07 AM | Todd Stearns (Administrator)


  • July 31, 2019 5:55 AM | Todd Stearns (Administrator)

    Ladera's own Sloth and Turtle will be on hand promoting the S.L.O.W. your Roll Ladera safety campaign at Night Out this coming Tuesday. It is always a fun event in Ladera!


  • June 17, 2019 7:39 AM | Todd Stearns (Administrator)

    Beginning this month, The Toll Roads of Orange County are mailing 15,000 new sticker transponders per weekday to FasTrak® accountholders to replace the hard-case transponders currently in use. The new transparent, bandage-size transponder is free and adheres to the inside of a windshield to collect tolls.

    Communication began in April, notifying more than 650,000 FasTrak accountholders of the approaching introduction of sticker transponders by sending an informational postcard and issuing new license agreements. Customers will receive one sticker transponder for each vehicle listed on the account.

    Equipped with state-mandated technology, the new sticker transponder works on all California’s toll bridges, lanes and roads and may eventually be used nationwide. The Toll Roads are the first tolling agency in the state to make the transition to sticker transponders and allows The Toll Roads to simplify payment options for its more than 1.5 million accountholders.

    FasTrak customers continue to pay tolls automatically from a pre-established, prepaid account. And beginning in October 2019, FasTrak customers can choose to “Pay as You Go” and have tolls charged to a credit card as they are incurred. Starting July 1, The Toll Roads are also eliminating TCA’s monthly account maintenance fee for FasTrak accounts – a potential average savings of nearly $50 per year.


  • February 17, 2019 8:28 AM | Todd Stearns (Administrator)

    You should read this if you operate a business. 

    This document is from CalChamber.

    http://www.pasassociates.com/assets/newlaws.pdf

  • February 17, 2019 8:12 AM | Todd Stearns (Administrator)

    If you own a hair, fitness or services-based business in Ladera Ranch or Rancho Mission Viejo that utilizes independent contractors  you should know how those people are defined is now being tested by a court ruling last year.  

    "The Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court decision by the California Supreme Court in April 2018 overturned three decades of California employment law that allowed individuals to work as independent contractors. This decision could upend how millions of Californians earn a living and nearly every industry due to its new restrictive ABC test. The ABC test is the first time in U.S. history that such a test has been imposed by a court, without legislative approval, with three independently disqualifying factors" (from I'm Independent Coalition).

    At the Chamber, we try hard to separate ourselves from any topic relating to politics - unless we are sure the result would negatively impact our local businesses. In this case, it appears the Dynamex decision would do so. 

    Here is a document which does a good job explaining things Im-Independent-Fact-Sheet-2.5.19v2.pdf

    Bottom line, EDUCATE YOURSELF and schedule a consultation with your accountant. 

  • January 17, 2019 12:19 PM | Todd Stearns (Administrator)


    On Wednesday, January 16th, our Chamber hosted it's monthly Chamber Chat in U.S. Bank's Community Room. The topic was how to use social media - Instagram in particular - to grow your business, hosted by Civic Council Chair Stephanie Ramsey who concedes she is a social media junkie and uses it more than her teenage kids do. She's so good in fact, she has started her own social media consulting business: Social Beeing - Make Your Business Buzz!

    Here is an excerpt from the event:

    Did you know that Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users and that 71% of US businesses use Instagram? By using social media, you can put your business literally in the hands of your customers. Unlike print advertising, you get the opportunity to interact with your customers and create a personal relationship, and brand loyalty, sometimes before they ever make a purchase! This is particularly significant since 30% of Instagram users have purchased a product that they discovered on IG!

     

    Here are some tips for getting the maximum out of your Instagram presence:

     

    • If you already have an account, make sure it is a business account so you can get analytics on your followers.
    • Don’t mix business and personal accounts together. Your customers, although they may enjoy your vacation pics, are following you for relevant content to your business.
    • Set your strategy. Look at your competitors and see what is works for them, more importantly, what isn’t working.
    • Build your content. There are lots of apps out there that you can use for free. Check out Canva, Ripl, Spark Post.
    • Look into a branded hashtag to help with user-generated content. For example, Mazda uses #zoomzoom and their brand enthusiasts post photos with this hashtag. It spreads the love.
    • Have a call to action in your posts. Shop this style. Make an appointment. Come in and see.
    • Engage your users. This is really important to building that relationship. Repost user-generated content about your brand. Comment back. Respond quickly. Instagram users like the personal connection with companies and brands.
    • Connect with other influencers. Follow industry leaders and look for collaboration opportunities.
    • Give the people what they want! This could be expertise, a discount, contest, etc. An occasional perk of being your follower and inviting their friends to follow you will help win hearts and minds.

     

    Social media is an easy and inexpensive way to have a direct connection with your customers. Have fun and enjoy the journey with your fans!

     

    Steph Ramsey

    Social Beeing – Make Your Business Buzz!

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