On Tuesday, August 30 a ribbon-cutting celebration was held for the new office of Chiropractor Tracy McIntosh. Helping her celebrate and cut the ribbon were Ventura Chamber CEO Stephanie Caldwell, Chamber members, friends, Leigh Eisen Ventura’s Economic Development Manager and staff of Salon Panache (3639 E. Harbor Blvd.) where her office is located. You will learn more about her in the next issue of the Breeze.
Category Archives: Business
Reyna Chavez, “Scrubs on the Run”
Reyna Chavez was working in the Emergency Room at VCMC.
by Jill Forman
2016 Business of the Year, Women’s Economic Ventures.
2015 Latino Business Award, Small Business Category, Pacific Coast Business Times.
These accolades were won by an Oxnard native with no business experience, who had never even thought of owning her own company until 2011.
Reyna Chavez was working in the Emergency Room at VCMC as Clerical Supervisor, and needed uniforms. With a growing family and a full-time job, she had little time to shop; with $200 in her pocket she tried local stores but couldn’t find good quality at a reasonable price.
One day she drove back to her office and had a brainstorm: many local professionals must have the same problem. Aha, she thought, someone could go out to the clinics, and have mobile uniform sales for the staff. And she knew just the person to do it.
She called her husband, “I’m opening a business.” She didn’t have capital or a business plan, but did have excellent credit, and started in January 2012. Every month she took a vacation day and went to different clinics, loading bins of uniforms and folding racks into her SUV. She continually needed to bring more, as people asked for specific items and the inventory kept growing.
One day she was driving past an existing scrub store near the Ventura hospitals and saw a “Store Closing” sign. She called the owner, bought all her fixtures and subsequently rented the location. In September of 2012 she opened “Scrubs on the Run.” Her biggest goal is “to work with the community:” clinics, schools, any local organization needing uniforms.
A year later, she needed more capital. Traditional banks wouldn’t loan to her, so she turned to Women’s Economic Ventures(WEV), a nonprofit which gives loans to small businesses and helps with professional consultations.
Four years after opening Reyna won the WEV award and spoke at a ceremony with 300 people. She has been interviewed on the radio as a local success story.
And speaking of success, she is expanding. A second location, in Thousand Oaks, is opening with an anticipated date in October.
The store is bright and colorful, with so many choices it’s helpful to have experienced salespeople to. On a recent afternoon, a very tall gentleman comes in, “Do you have anything for me?” A woman says, “I want something in every color.” Another woman is looking for something in OR green that is comfortable and “not unisex,” since she is in surgery all day and tired of in ill-filling scrubs. Everybody found what they wanted.
Scrubs on the Run
2542 East Main Street
652-2175
scrubsontherununiforms.com
“For Your Home” furniture recognized by city as business of the month.
Likely the oldest continuously operating retail store in Downtown Ventura, For Your Home furniture has come a long way. Located at 443 E. Main 641-1919.
Lost in Socks Now open!
Now open! Lost in Socks’ trendy boutique atmosphere provides a customized statement to accessorize your wardrobe. Come and experience the craziest selection of socks in Ventura County. Offering men’s, women’s and children’s(& baby!) sizes in a variety of colors, themes and heights, Put a spring in your step with a new pair of socks from Lost in Socks!
Lost in Socks
1575 Spinnaker Drive #107A
805-850-0102
lostinsocks.com
“Plum lift A door” provides professional service for Breeze publisher
Wes Goodwin owner of “Plum lift A door” is proud of the new garage door that he has just installed for Breeze Publisher Sheldon. “I am extremely happy with the professional manner in which Plum operates. Very happy with their installation. Highly recommend them,” stated Sheldon.
Premier America donates $1,000 to Ventura Family YMCA and opens new branch
To provide greater convenience for members, Premier America Credit Union recently finalized relocation of its Ventura branch to the Montalvo Square Shopping Center at 1794 S. Victoria Avenue.
Premier America will mark the occasion on Thursday, August 4 with a $1,000 donation to the Ventura Family YMCA to further their efforts with youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA strives to nurture the potential of every youth and teen, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors.
Together, local dignitaries, members of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce and Premier America team members will participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially inaugurate the new Ventura branch.
John M. Merlo, President and CEO of Premier America, commented, “Ventura is a vibrant city and this location will be extremely convenient for the member-owners of Premier America. Staffed with knowledgeable professionals, people can feel confident walking in to the branch, knowing our team is here to help them achieve their financial goals. We look forward to providing an exceptional member experience.”
Mr. Merlo added, “Premier America recognizes the importance of investing in the community. It seemed fitting to continue our tradition of giving back to the community by making a donation to the Ventura Family YMCA.”
The Ventura branch is managed by longtime area resident, Terri Hernandez. “Drop by and bring your friends and family with you to discover the advantages member-owners of Premier America Credit Union receive every day. It means a lot to me and my staff that the members of Premier America trust us to help them with their savings, home purchases, planning for retirement, and more.” says Hernandez. “I’m thrilled to be serving the Ventura community.”
Premier America offers a wide range of financial products, including checking and savings accounts, home and auto loans, as well as insurance and investment services.
The Ventura branch is a full service location with an ATM and ample parking. Lobby hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
About Premier America Credit Union: Originally formed in 1957, Premier America Credit Union opened its doors to the community at large in 1999. Today it is one the nation’s largest credit unions with more than $2 billion in assets, nearly 100,000 members, and 9 branches in Ventura County. For more information, visit PremierAmerica.com.
Adela Trainor: A commitment to the community
by Rebecca Wicks
Adela Trainor is what some may call a “master” volunteer. Focusing primarily on educational and fine arts endeavors in the community, she has and continues to leave an indelible mark on Ventura. Her volunteering began with her children.
“It’s where my kids were, so it made sense,” said Trainor. She began her volunteering career as many parents might, participating in the school PTO and helping in the classroom. Soon she was the school’s PTO president and on the executive board of the Ventura Education Partnership (VEP).
“I tend to do things 200 percent,” admitted Trainor. “We started with simple programs like making a rainbow on your plate and it expanded from there, we had a focus of helping students make better choices.”
Trainor was a player in the founding of the Healthy Schools Project, now called Farm to School which still brings local produce to school salad bars in the Ventura. The program which has been hailed as a benchmark project in California as well as nationwide, incorporated regular classroom “taste testing” and visits by local farmers, chefs and other health professionals, exposing students to nutrition information and healthy lifestyles.
Pat McCart Malloy who is accredited as a key founder of the Healthy Schools Project by a number of sources including a publication on farm to school programs in California published by Occidental College, has worked with Trainor on a number of education initiatives and known her for 15 years.
“She is analytical, organized and efficient, [and] fun to work with,” said Malloy who currently serves with her on the school district’s Parent Advisory Committee (PAC). “I trust [Adela] will succeed in anything she starts.”
In addition to leading a number of other programs, events and projects Trainor is also heavily involved in the Rubicon Theatre. There she sits on the executive board, performs educational outreach and serves as a “Grand Dame,” for the playhouse assisting with any number of tasks from ushering guests and bringing food for actors during rehearsals, to helping with fundraisers and organizing events.
All of Trainor’s volunteering centers around a single idea of community engagement.
“I have found if you focus on building programs and events that engage the community, the money, and success will follow,” said Trainor who has always worked to encourage volunteering in schools, and believes a volunteer’s presence alone if often enough – even if that volunteer only has 20 minutes to spare during lunch. “We are all responsible for our children, sometimes all you need is a pair of eyeballs and a smile, and that can change a kid’s bad day, or make them think twice about their choices.”
In an effort to help parents and other volunteers understand how they can help in schools as well as understand what is expected, Trainor spearheaded and authored the Family School Community Partnership, a district volunteer training program. The program included live trainings as well as training videos.
After 20 years of being a fulltime volunteer, Trainor is transitioning to a new career. She became a real estate agent last year and is excited about her new job’s prospects.
“It is just like my volunteering career, I connect people and make something happen,” said Trainor. “You work within challenges and help people get what they want.”
Trainor is still involved with a number of her volunteer pursuits including the school district’s VEP and PAC, the Rubicon and the Chamber of Commerce. And, she sees herself continuing these commitments for the foreseeable future.
“She is pretty amazing,” said Malloy. “Lots of parents come and go but Adela stayed and VUSD [is] better for it.”
Find a smile and a pizza at Cordello’s Pizza
Writer Gail is ordering some fine Italian food from Fabiola at Cordello’s Pizza.
by Gail Field
If you’re looking for a smiling face, a warm greeting and something good to eat, a good bet is to find Fabiola at the counter of Cordello’s Pizza on Thompson Blvd.
Fabiola has a long history in the food service industry, but she didn’t start there. As a girl growing up in Acapulco, she studied hard, wanting to make something of her life. Her father left the family when Fabiola was young, and she made up her mind to be self-reliant. No more depending on others. “After my father left I saved my earnings and helped my mother and sister.” From that time on, she paid her way for everything–school books, clothes, food–so that her mother and sister would have a better life.
Across the street from her high school in Mexico was a gas station, and in the days before self-service, she pumped gas for extra change after school and on weekends. It was her first job, and she carefully saved her earnings. Another employer saw her good attitude and hired her away to collect tolls on the highway near Acapulco. She loved the work, and saw her savings grow.
When she was 18 years old Fabiola decided to set off for California and start her career here.
“Cordello’s is a family business,” she says. “We all work together with Hugo and Julio Molina as the founders, but we didn’t always see eye to eye. I left to make it on my own and worked in other restaurants. After a few years, I came back to Cordello’s. I invested in the business, and now I’m happy to see my investment paying off.”
“I’ve always loved learning and enjoyed working. You have to work hard to be successful, and saving money is important.” She is raising her son with the same values that have made her content with her life: self-reliance, determination, and showing kindness to others. “I believe that when you act from good intention, it all comes back to you. The success of this restaurant comes because we provide service the best way we know how.”
Some of Cordello’s Pizza favorites are the vegetarian Margarita pizza and the Squashed Grapes Pizza named for the winery/jazz club on Main Street. If that’s not enough, the restaurant serves salads, sandwiches, calzones, pasta and appetizers. All the sauces are homemade, and the sandwiches are all hot.
You’ll find Cordello’s Pizza at 1700 E. Thompson Blvd. For delivery call 648-1070. Say hello to Fabiola. She’ll give you a warm welcome.
Greg’s Thai massage sessions combine yoga therapy stretches to promote the flow of energy throughout the body
by Jenny Guy
After earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts, Greg Ryan Glass decided to explore the world. He spent months backpacking through Australia, New Zealand and Eastern Asia. Observing the practices and traditions of different cultures, a 20-something Glass discovered his true calling. It came in the form of holistic healing practices, integrating Asian and Western modalities. Holistic medicine and healing practices are beginning to merge with other disciplines such as dentistry, like at Holistic Dentist Round Rock, due to a surge in demand for holism.
Glass, originally a New Jersey native, had a “typical suburban” upbringing –– completely unexposed to alternative medicines. While in Amherst, Massachusetts, pursuing a degree in psychology, Glass formed a deep interest in the connection between the mind and the body. Through his education, he developed an appreciation for spiritual teachings, Eastern medicine, yoga, tai chi and the practice of Somatics, movements based on internal awareness.
At the university, Glass completed a rigorous certification course, the Five College Program in Culture, Health and Science (CHS), which provided him with a theoretical framework of human health, disease and healing. Simultaneously, Glass apprenticed with a local herbalist, where he gained an understanding of extracts, herbal remedies as well as the landscape of the natural products industry.
A strong thirst for education pushed Glass to study at 15 different schools of natural medicine. He performed apprenticeships in Ayurveda, an Indian system of medicine and one of the world’s oldest holistic healing practices, as well as Chinese healing arts and Thai massage. Glass also spent several months in Thailand receiving one-on-one training under several world-renowned teachers of Thai massage.
Today, a licensed massage therapist with nearly two decades of experience in naturopathic health care, Glass has achieved more than 3,000 hours of practical and clinical education in holistic healing. His Thai massage sessions are conducted fully clothed, combining yoga therapy stretches with slow, deep, rhythmic compressions to promote the flow of energy throughout the body. His clients have experienced benefits including improvements in muscular pain and tightness as well as increased range of motion. His massages seek to reduce stress and address poor circulation, respiratory problems, sleep issues, anxiety and adrenal fatigue.
As an Ayurvedic naturopath, Glass focuses on comprehensive wellness, working to heal the mind, body and spirit. He personalizes programs to fit each individual’s needs.
“Through all of my years of research and experience, I’ve found that every individual’s journey to health is unique,” said Glass. “Regardless of who they are –– their age, body type or flexibility –– my goal is to have them leave here feeling better than they came.”
After traveling the world, Glass found the City of Ventura –– with its the beaches, mountains and a growing communal interest in natural healing arts –– to itself be an environment of healing. He recently opened Thai Massage Ventura, located at 2021 Sperry Avenue in A Place of Peace Sanctuary & Wellness Center. Glass is currently one of the few clinically trained practitioners of therapeutic Thai massage in the Ventura County region.
He is available by appointment only for 90-minute to two-hour sessions in Thai massage, therapeutic bodywork or Ayurvedic wellness consultations. For more information on Thai Massage Ventura, visit www.thaimassageventura.com.
Jenny Guy is the director of communications for Mustang Marketing and a resident of the City of Ventura.
Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV)
Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) recently celebrated the accomplishments of 11 women and men who successfully completed WEV’s Ventura County-based Advanced Spanish Self-Employment Training (SSET) course with a graduation ceremony held at National University in Oxnard.
After 14 weeks of training on topics including finances, marketing and sales, public relations and advertising, legal and insurance issues, record keeping, and how to write a business plan, these graduates completed the course with the necessary tools and support needed to start or expand their businesses.