The Ventura Chamber of Commerce held its Spring Carnival Business Expo on May 25 at the Four Points by Sheraton Ventura Harbor Resort. The Expo presented over 75 exhibitors, including restaurants, businesses,  services and the Ventura Breeze. The “crowd favorite” Breeze booth featured balloons with toys inside and homemade treats by Ana. Jaime and Ana Baker designed the booth and were there to greet the huge crowd who attended.

On Thursday, May 25, Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) celebrated the accomplishments of 71 budding entrepreneurs at the WEV SET graduation ceremony held at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara. The graduates from Ventura and Santa Barbara counties all successfully completed WEV’s intense 14-week program designed for small business owners or those considering starting a new business. Wanting to earn yourself a degree and hopefully go on to starting your own small business? Explore and research MBA and graduate school programs to start today.

A highlight of the ceremony featured the graduates each taking a turn in front of their classmates, family, and friends to present their 20-second business pitch created to succinctly communicate the essence of their business to potential customers and investors.

The SET program teaches entrepreneurs business fundamentals covering a variety of topics such as finances, marketing, sales, public relations, advertising, recording keeping, legal and insurance issues and goal setting. In addition to gaining the confidence necessary to overcome the inevitable challenges business owners face, the majority of graduates finished the course with a complete business plan designed to help them successfully launch or expand their business.

“Taking a SET class is similar to attending a mini-MBA program,” said Marsha Bailey, CEO and Founder of WEV.

The next SET course begins the week of August 28th. Participants are required to attend a free orientation to apply to the program.

For more information, dates or to register for the free orientation, call 965-6073 or visit http://wevonline.org/orientations.

A pioneer in the field, WEV was founded by Marsha Bailey, a nationally recognized advocate for women business owners. Marsha is the board president of the National Association of Women’s Business Centers, and sits on the National Women’s Business Council.

Are you ready to become an entrepreneur, or expand your existing small business? Afraid to “go it alone,” or unsure how to proceed? WEV’s training programs guide you in taking the next step. Attend a free 1-hour orientation, where you’ll meet a WEV representative that will help you determine if SET, EXPLORE, or another WEV program is right for you!

WEV’s business training classes are offered in English and Spanish throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Free orientations are held throughout the year and are required for enrollment in a training program.

Cost is free but registration is required. Orientation locations are subject to change. For more information and dates and locations, and to register for an upcoming orientation, visit http://www.wevonline.org/orientations.

by Sheli Ellsworth

Did you spend Tuesday nights watching Happy Days? Ever wish that Richie Cunningham would invite you to prom? Are you still waiting for white t-shirts to be cool again? If you have a longing for red vinyl and chrome, consider visiting the Busy Bee Cafe in Ventura. The 50s-style diner not only has two-for-a-quarter Seeburg Wall-O-Matic juke box songs, but a wide variety of menu items to satisfy that historic hunger.

The location at 478 E. Main has a long history. “In the 1950s it was the Madison Café. Then in 1963, the Warren’s bought it and renamed it Warrens Coffee Shop(the family still owns the building). In 1989 they remodeled the café to the 1950s décor and it became the Busy Bee,” says owner-manager Ray Sanchez who has been running the diner since 1998.

The Busy Bee is Sanchez’s first experience in restaurant management(and now owner) after immigrating from Mexico in 1988. “I came here to follow the American dream. My brothers lived in Ventura. I got a job as a dishwasher, took English classes and started to cook at Smokey’s, a tavern just around the corner.” Now, it takes several Sanchezes to keep the restaurant running. Ray’s sons, Gastavo and Christian; his daughter, Nancy; and wife, Nora all pitch in when The Bee is busy.

Everything served at the diner is prepared in-house by chef Juan Juarez who has cooked at the Busy Bee since 1983. Even the pies are baked fresh every morning. The restaurant opens at 7:00 AM and breakfast is served anytime. The diner also has a full bar and beer on tap. Cocktails are served from 9:00 PM until closing at midnight—seven days a week. “We have 20 flavors of milkshakes. The Brown Monkey shake is popular and Mudslides made with Kalua are a favorite.”

What gets the joint jumpin’? “Summers are busy. Our business increases by 40% in the summer.” And what meals are most popular? Friday’s Fish and Chips for 8.95 and the pastrami sandwiches are favorites. “We have eighteen blue plate specials. The daily special for a chicken basket is $8.95 and the 1-lb. steak and potatoes for 13.95 are a great value.” The diner has a varied menu. “We have something for everyone,” Sanchez points out. Ten different salads as well as salmon, burgers, sandwiches, pastas, soups and chili are available.

And of course, if you can’t make up your mind . . . there is always pie.

They offer a selection of German, local and domestic draft beers. They of course have bratwurst and you can customize your brat-dog with over 30 different topping choices. In addition to that they offer a selection of appetizers. They are closed Monday but open 4 – 9 Tuesday – Thursday, 4 – 10 Friday and open at 11 AM on Saturday and Sunday. BierBrats is located at 325 S. Borchard Dr.

The Board of Directors of Premier America Credit Union announced the appointment of Rudy J. Pereira as President/Chief Executive Officer, effective April 24, 2017. Pereira’s appointment follows the retirement of former President/CEO John Merlo, who served in the role for over 20 years.

Premier America Credit Union Board Chair, Larry Colson stated, “Rudy was selected for his commitment to member value, his strong ties to the community we serve and his proven track record.”

With 25+ years of leadership experience within the credit union industry, Pereira most recently served as the President/CEO of Royal Credit Union, located in Wisconsin.

“I’m truly honored to be selected as Premier America’s next CEO by the Board of Directors. Premier America Credit Union is a strong financial institution with a long history of providing exceptional member service. I look forward to carrying that tradition forward as we look for continual opportunities to provide the Premier America Member-Owners with the best in services, products and access,” said Pereira.

Pereira earned his undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Cal State Northridge and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Norwich University. Native to Southern California, Pereira and his wife look forward to returning home to the Conejo Valley.

Prospect Coffee Roasters has opened its doors! Established by the two Ulrich brothers in Ventura, their small team is dedicated to sourcing and roasting coffees that stand out due to their complexity and flavor.

They focus on offering what they believe are the most memorable coffees that they can find.  Prospect Coffee Roasters is located at 92 S. Laurel Street in downtown Ventura. For more information check out their website: ProspectCoffee.com or call 667-8115

For the second year in a row, the powerful Gary Schoeffler Team at the Ventura office of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties has earned the prestigious Chairman’s Circle Platinum award, an honor reserved for real estate agents and teams who rank at the top 1 percent for sales production in a given year, out of the brokerage’s vast national network of 42,000 sales associates. The Schoeffler team also was No. 1 in production within the Ventura office for the fourth consecutive year.

Branch Manager Lyle Elliott and Regional Vice President John Closson honored team members Gary Schoeffler, Lisa Schoeffler, and Lindy Matheney recently at an invitation-only celebration.

Gary and Lisa exceed their clients’ expectations and deliver results. Contact the team at 805-320-4472 mobile, 677-7300 office, or [email protected],

Parents of newborns may joke about sleep deprivation being a “rite of passage,” but the fact is that many families suffer sleepless nights for months (or even years) – and the toll it can take on not only the child, but also the parents, is no laughing matter.

According to local infant and toddler sleep consultant, Andi Metzler, tackling the problem early is the most important step in avoiding these issues. Metzler helps parents develop a customized sleep plan that addresses their family’s specific challenges, using gentle techniques and strategies from The Sleep Sense™ Program developed by world-renowned sleep expert Dana Obleman.

Andi has been personally trained by Dana Obleman, whose methods have been used worldwide by more than 30,000 families to solve their children’s sleep problems.  She offers one-on-one sessions and group seminars for parents, and is available to lead workshops at drop-in groups or for public appearances at a reduced or pro-bono rate. She can be reached at 626-8990 or online at www.amsleepconsulting.com.