You hear us recite the reasons to join a Chamber of Commerce. You listen to us urge involvement with your community. You hear us preach engagement and the multitude of benefits to residents, business owners, educators, and professionals, but, at the end of the day, sometimes we forget to mention just how much your support means to us.

Our members, the men and women who strive to elevate themselves within the LAX Coastal community, are the building blocks of this organization. It is your hard work and dedication that makes our neighborhood so great, and we think it’s about time you received the recognition you deserve. We want to celebrate every anniversary, every grand opening, every client, every sale, every accomplishment--no matter how small—that makes you a success. We want to remind you that we are proud to be your voice of business, and that we will be here to support you through the rest of your professional journey. We are here to relay one simple message:

You are great.
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To spread the word of your accomplishments and to offer words of congratulations, we would like to share some of your amazing LAX Coastal stories.

18|8 Fine Men’s Salons

Things are going incredibly well with 18|8 Fine Men’s Salons since its LAX Chamber of Commerce Grand Opening. The store is the fastest growing 18|8 in the country, which is saying something since 18|8 Fine Men’s Salons is the fastest growing salon concept in the country.

The store offers a wide-array of men’s hair and grooming services and is now gearing up to fight hair loss, utilizing advanced techniques and products. The 4 month old store has been recognized by its corporate office in Irvine that it is serving more customers, now, than any other 18|8 that has been open for up to twice as long.
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18|8 has climbed from just 2 stores 3 years ago, to over a 100 across the country. Lee credits the great support by the LAX Coastal Chamber and the local business supporters. Keith Greville of Arup was the Honorary Mayor cutting the ribbon at the grand opening, and now regularly comes in for some relaxing services!

Cantalini’s Salerno Beach Restaurant

I have always dreamt of being a local business owner where our customers would be made up of friends and neighbors; where I could be an active part of the neighborhood schools, witness the amazing benefits of sponsoring youth programs, support other local businesses and be involved with community projects and programs.

Thanks to the LAX Coastal Chamber, I have been able to realize that dream. The support we have received has helped us grow in many ways and has provided a much needed resource, keeping us connected, informed, and visible. Thank you!

Community Outreach & Opportunity Programs

The LAX Coastal Chamber is our number one source for connecting with area businesses, government, and community leaders. CO-OP's visibility has increased as a direct result of the Chamber's supportive staff and resources.

Through our partnership with the Chamber, we have increased our funding, expanded our services, and enhanced our impact in the local community, and we can’t wait to see where we go from here!​

Payroll Centric
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Through the Chamber’s support we were introduced to ChowNow and started to build a professional relationship. We are looking forward to finding ways our two companies can support each other, as well as help to serve and support the small to medium-sized restauranteur in growing and sustaining their business!

Pronto Income Tax

I have scored quite a bit of business based on my involvement with the LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce and, in the process, I have met some truly excellent people. In fact I would say that the LAX Coastal Chamber is one of the main keys to the success of our West Los Angeles location, which opened in 2011 and started from zero; we would not have been able to turn this brand new office into a profitable location in such a short period of time without all the beautiful support from our friends at the Chamber.
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One thing I love about the LAX Coastal community is the diversity of the members in terms of business size, ranging from giant government contractors (makes sense since we’re right near the airport) to “solopreneur” home-based businesses and everything in between—this Chamber is just like L.A. itself, a huge place but a small world, too.

Woodhill Solutions

When I met the LAX Coastal Chamber, it was through an LAX Coworking membership. As a recent small business owner, I was looking for an office outside my home and was happy to find LAX Coworking in the neighborhood, and even happier to find out it came with the benefits of the LAX Coastal Chamber!
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Since joining in August 2014, I have used my membership to the fullest extent possible. I attending as many coworking and chamber events as I could and made connections that resulted in business for my company. From attending Leadership Academy to having a booth at ChamberFest LAeXpo, and even going as far as becoming a member of the LAX Coastal 2016-17 Board of Directors, I take my membership very seriously, and enjoy every minute of it.

Innovation. You’ve seen this word thrown around a lot lately. Headlines, articles, Facebook posts, blogs, memes… It’s a buzz word. Just like when the concepts of hyperlocal and Silicon Beach started to permeate the media, innovation is a hot topic that has everyone talking and a lot of us asking questions.

Just what is innovation? I can sit here and give you the Google definition: 

In • no • va • tion
/ˌinəˈvāSH(ə)n/
noun
1. The action or process of innovating.
(Well that definition isn’t very helpful, is it? Now let’s Google: Cap•tain Ob•vi•ous…)
2. A new method, idea, product, etc.
(Much better.)

 But if I just did that, then we wouldn’t be here, would we? After all, you wouldn’t be coming to a blog post for a simple definition (if you did, you typed www.dictionary.com wrong). No, you’re coming for something a little more relevant, so let’s try that again. The question we are really asking isn’t “What is innovation?” Instead, the true question is “What is innovation for business?”

Over the last decades, innovation and creativity have become critical skills for achieving success in developed economies… While creativity is the ability to produce new and unique ideas, innovation is the implementation of that creativity—that’s the introduction of a new idea, solution, process, or product… The incorporation of looking at things from a different perspective. source

Did you know that in 2015, there were 530,000 new business owners each month? That every minute a new business is started in the United States? Or that Los Angeles County alone is the home to 430,948 businesses? With the startling rise of startups and entrepreneurship, the business economy has changed, saturating the market in a way that we haven’t seen before. A business can be started almost as simply as flipping a switch. Have an idea? Simply head on over to GoDaddy to make sure your domain name hasn’t been taken, throw a quick Wordpress site together, make your business Instagram page, buy a few Facebook advertisements, and bam. You’re in business. Not only is the ease of starting a business seemingly taken for granted in today’s society, but it can also happen for remarkably little down. And, if you find yourself a little short of funds, funding opportunities are no longer limited to bank loans and your own personal savings account (see: crowdfunding), expanding potential even further. Need some customers? Don’t fret, online communities like Meetup and Facebook help you find your specific market, no matter if you’re looking for student hikers who also like to do origami on the weekends and own two cats in a 5 mile radius.

So, what does all of that mean for you? It means you have competition.

Yes, professional competition has been around since the beginning, and a competitive business market is arguably one of the best things for a thriving economy, but never before has there been just so much of it.

Let’s say I wanted to start my own freelance graphic design company. A quick Google search for “Freelance Graphic Designer” gets me 739,000 results (in .69 seconds). Let’s try “Freelance Graphic Designer Los Angeles.” 597,000 results. Okay, “Cheap Freelance Graphic Designer Los Angeles.” 686,000 results. Hmmm, what about “BEST Freelance Graphic Designer Los Angeles.” 733,000 RESULTS. Even if only one-quarter of those results are legitimate designers-for-hire, that still leaves you with 183,250 competitors in your immediate area, not to mention the fact that you’re already competing with websites like Fiverr and Gigbucks (and all of the men and women who will tell you, “Oh, I could do that!”). You are one in 183 thousand, how can you stand out?
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You innovate.

You think outside the box. You think of new solutions to old problems. You find (effective) shortcuts to long journeys. You market in unexpected ways. You ask the questions that everyone else forgot to ask. You implement former ideas in inventive ways. You mix unsuccessful plans together to create something new. You exceed expectations. You succeed. You are a success.

It is important to remember that, “the company that builds a culture of innovation is on the path to growth.” You might be a company of 1 or 100, as long as you start the innovation process and work toward instilling innovation as a habit rather than an occasion, your potential will raise exponentially.

Innovation is also a community-building tool. “The innovation leader, while perhaps not a creative genius, is effective at evoking the skills of others needed to build an innovation culture. Collaboration is essential.” What better way to encourage production and instill loyalty than by making sure everyone is involved in the innovation process? An employee that is personally invested in the outcome will perform better and stay around longer, becoming an advocate for your business because they have worked hard for it. They had a say in what happened, they were heard, and after everyone worked together to make it succeed, they are proud of it. They say that “If you build it, he will come,” but I say that if you build it, you will stick around to build more. Plus, innovation is easier to obtain when you have help. One person can only think outside the box so many times, but if you put a team together… Your odds go up.

Now, you might be asking yourself if innovation automatically leads to success. The answer is, unfortunately, no. But don’t let that discourage you. Just like the business community has been changing drastically over the decades, so has technology, and with the rise of technology comes the rise of available options.

Technology is transforming innovation at its core, allowing companies to test new ideas at speeds and prices that were unimaginable even a decade ago. They can stick features on Web sites and tell within hours how customers respond. They can see results from in-store promotions, or efforts to boost process productivity, almost as quickly. source

So, while your next innovative idea might not be an immediate success, it also won’t be a huge disaster. Try a new logo on your Facebook page and gauge reactions. Send out a revised collateral piece in a targeted email blast and see if someone marks you as spam. Do an in-store survey and see how customers respond. Try something. Be daring. Have an experience. And if the reactions aren’t what you’re looking for? Try something else. With a multitude of platforms to communicate with your audience, you can even try different things at once. Work on a new campaign via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Meetup, Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, Eventbrite, Yelp, Swarm, Google Ads, Groupon… Must we go on? Always make sure to “try new things, because the price of failure is so much lower.”

To make a long story short (tl;dr), in today’s world, innovation is queen. And when used properly can elevate your business to new heights. And really, as a Chamber of Commerce, constantly advocating for the betterment of business and a thriving economy, isn’t that exactly what we need?

Speaking of innovation, it is with great pride and pleasure to announce that the LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce placed 3rd out of all of the chambers in North America in the 2016 Chamber Innovation Award Competition. We are so honored that out of all of the applicants, we were chosen for our innovative idea: LAX Coworking. Always aiming to promote a stronger business climate, LAX Coworking allows us to offer the necessary support to our local small business, startup, freelance, and entrepreneur economy, and we are so excited to be recognized. Keep an eye out for the 2016 Edition of Chambers of Inspiration e-book, which will highlight the top 5 entries of this competition, this Fall.
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The LAX Coworking program would not be possible without the enthusiasm of those involved and the generosity of our sponsors. A special thank you to all of our past, present, and future LAX Coworkers, and of course, our proud sponsors.

So this week’s blog is going to be a wee bit different.
Usually I--

try to look up relevant information for our readers or let you know of any great events that are coming up. But unfortunately, my time has come to an end here at the LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce. It’s truly bittersweet. I leave for a fantastic opportunity up the street but, I leave nonetheless. I’m going to miss this place like I’ve never missed any other job before. So I wanted this blog to serve as a sort of thank you letter.

This job has giving me some amazing opportunities, friendships, skills, and memories. I remember during my interview for this position, I said I wanted to be a part of a team who did work that mattered and loved what they did—I got all of that in spades. I genuinely believe that working for this organization has made me a better employee and human being in general (“LAX Coastal heals damage to your soul!”). Working here has allowed me personal and professional growth. Leadership Academy made me realize I was seriously analytical, which I never realized until it was pointed out to me that I ask 10,000 questions. It also helped me make connections with some amazing leaders in the community and allowed me to get out of my shell a little bit more. Another amazing opportunity I had came from The HomeTown News. The HTN gave me the opportunity to write for their amazing newspaper (guys, I’m in a newspaper!). I also wrote for the LAX Coastal Annual Magazine and Business Guide, and this blog! I’ve hopped on a boat, attended events at fabulous hotels and for a little kid from South Central LA (who still feels like a little kid), this is a big deal. This job taught me to not get jaded and to be thankful for the great things and people around me.

And then there are those random lessons I’ve learned:

• Clean Magic Eraser is where it’s at
• Aloe Blac Pandora station repeats songs far too often
• Paleo is amazing but so are donuts
• OXFORD COMMA

The list goes on and on. But what am I going to miss most about this place? The cool chalkboard walls I wrote all over, the awesome coffee machine perhaps? The food delivery services from everywhere! The great speakers and events? Nope.
My team.
I’m going to miss these people like crazy.

I would like to give a special thanks to the LAX Coastal team. You guys mean the world to me and it has been a pleasure working with all of you. I don’t think readers understand how much of an all-star group you are. You’re the reason I looked forward to coming into work every day. From those after 5 o’clock talks on hip-hop, or grasshopper moments in the batcave, to the witty comments I wish I had thought of first. I’m going to miss the friendship that grew even stronger than I could’ve ever imagined and fills me with immense joy, learning crazy interpersonal skills, to a woman who is truly making the world a better place with her positive force… Woo—getting a little misty eyed. And don’t get me started on the coworkers. Well you can--

Working as the Community Manager at LAX Coworking has been a blast! The people who have walked through these doors are inspiring in their hustle mentally, because that’s what it is when you start a business from scratch. Parents who are still working a full time job, members who become board members (and have the most adorable kitten in the world), and members who make a difference in the lives of undocumented students (and have a pup with the best puppy belly in the world). Being around these people has made me want to truly take my little writing habit to new heights. Thanks for the reminder that I can actually do something with this love of stringing sentences together.
It’s been sad to see our coworkers leave and now I’m the one leaving (Sweet revenge!)
I hope I leave this place with a bit of a quirky, quiet mark, such as I am. With a laugh that’s a little too loud and wild for no reason. With a bit more Spanglish. With fond memories of misspelling calendar.

I will most definitely come to visit (Truxton’s is not the main reason, I swear). But I leave on a high note, cooler than a polar bear’s toenails, excited for what’s on the horizon, and proud of the contribution I was able to make to this incomparable organization.
Thank you all.
Saldaña, out.