News

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!

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.

You should read this if you operate a business. 

This document is from CalChamber.

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

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. 

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!

Ever wonder what Business-related bills come before the California Legislature and how our elected representatives vote?

Pat Bates voted in accordance with the Cal Chamber recommendation 14 times --  the highest of any representative in the Senate - and Bill Brough also voted in accordance 14 times in the Assembly. Thank you representatives! Our businesses appreciate it!

Click the link below to see info from Cal Chamber!

https://advocacy.calchamber.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Vote-Record-10-19-2018.pdf

In an effort to boost Ladera voter turnout, the Ladera Rancho Chamber of Commerce worked with the Orange County Voter Registrar's Office to bring early voting to Ladera's Harvest Festival. We worked with the Civic Council to sponsor "Superhero Voting" to teach kids the value of participating in Democracy. It was a fun time and a number of residents took advantage of the opportunity to skip lines on election day to Vote Early. As far as Superheroes go, neither Captain America or Batgirl was very happy that Ladera kids chose Wonder Woman as their favorite :-)

See the pics here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1RUHmyxxHSXqNuBk8

The Ladera Rancho Chamber of Commerce is very excited to welcome our newest member: The Goddard School for Early Childhood Development! They do an awesome job preparing youngsters for the early school years. They are located at 1 Aura Lane, down Narrow Canyon. Check out their program! 

After six months and hundreds of volunteer hours, the Ladera Rancho Chamber of Commerce and the Ladera Ranch Civic Council hosted our first STATE of the COMMUNITY since 2013. It was a smashing success as residents heard updates from elected officials and representatives including Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, CUSD Superintendent Kirsten Vital, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, Rancho Missin Viejo VP Michael Balsamo, Westar COO Jud Dutrisac, Santa Margarita Water District Jim Leach, LARCS, LARMAC and of course the Civic Council and our Chamber. Click the link below to see pictures from the event.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HwpobzNdfcnHAHMS6

Pics provided by our awesome photographer and Chamber member Rick Leach (rkleach7@gmail.com) of F45 Gym in the Sendero Marketplace!

Some businesses join and and then we don't hear much from them. NOT the case with F45 in Rancho Mission Viejo! They joined our Chamber in July and have been regular participants at all of our events. We ❤️ that engagement! So it was a special day when we helped cut their ribbon and officially open their doors to the public! Quite simply, they are awesome! Go see them to get yourself in rocking shape!

See all of the pics here!