Have you wanted to run your own business, but don’t know where to start? Or do you already own a business and want to expand? Learn how to make those dreams a reality with Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV). WEV provides business training to women and who want to start or expand an existing business.

WEV is holding a free, 1-hour informational sessions for their English course in Ventura County. Orientation will cover class details and help you determine readiness for the next Self-Employment Training (SET) course beginning in February. (SET courses are offered in English and Spanish in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.)

Orientations are offered throughout the year and you are required to enroll. Location will be given at RSVP. Tuesday, February 2.  12-1 pm

WEV’s Women’s Business Center offers a comprehensive 14 week, 56-hour Self-Employment Training (SET) program for women and men who want to start or grow a business. Programs are offered in both English and Spanish in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, and provide week-by-week training on topics including finances, marketing and sales, public relations and advertising, legal and insurance issues, and record keeping. After the 14 week course, WEV SET graduates emerge with a completed business plan and the most important tools and resources they need to start a new business or grow their current business.

Orientation location is subject to change. To find out more information or to register for the orientation, call  456-2342 or visit the website at http://wevonline.org/orientations. For more information about Spanish programs contact 456-2319.

Mustang Marketing continues to expand its creative team with the addition of a new copywriter, Megan Macias. Macias’ role at Mustang includes drafting copy for advertisements, brochures, websites and beyond, as well as developing social media content, editing and proofreading, and assisting with crafting pitches and press releases for media outreach.

“Megan’s creative mindset and work ethic compliment our culture and strengthen our capabilities as a full-service agency,” said Mustang’s director of communications, Jenny Guy. “Her writing talent has already proven to be a tremendous asset to our clients and internal team.”

The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Ventura County Chapter is pleased to announce the 2016 winners of the 17th Annual Bravo Awards. The awards were presented at a gala luncheon at the beautiful Serra Center in Camarillo. Mimi Donaldson, internationally renowned speaker and speech coach, served as the Mistress of Ceremonies.

2016 Awardees:

1. Woman Business Owner of the Year – Nellie Akalp, CEO of CorpNet.com, Westlake Village

2. Lifetime Achievement Award – Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, State District 19

3. Innovator of the Year – Andrea Gallagher, Senior Advisor and President of Senior Concerns, Thousand Oaks

4. Visionary of the Year – Maryann Ridini Spencer, President of Ridini Entertainment Corporation, Thousand Oaks

5. 

   Rising Star of the Year – Adriana Perez, Owner of Skincare by Adriana. Adriana Perez, is the Founder and CEO of Skincare by Adriana located in Ventura. She is an advanced, certified NovaLash eyelash extensionist and a California Licensed Esthetician. In just two short years, Adriana has grown her business from a rented booth in a beauty salon, to owning her own professional esthetics studio. Adriana is a Women’s Economic Venture (WEV) graduate. After completing the WEV Self-Employment Training program, she used her business plan to better organize her goals and the logistics of her business. She has given life to her vision of helping women look and feel confident and beautiful.

6. Community Advocate of the Year – Lisa Rule, Publisher, Acorn Newspaper, Agoura Hills

7. Education Advocate of the Year – Dianne McKay, Vice President of Mustang Marketing, Thousand Oaks

8. Young Woman Entrepreneur of the Year – Allie Anderson, Owner of Allie Anderson Designs and Co-Owner of Presh Events, Ventura County

9. NAWBO Ventura County Member of the Year – Maura Raffensperger, Owner, YourChiefSimplicityOfficer.com, Oxnard

10. Corporate Leader of the Year – Pacific Coast Business Times, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties

Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) is pleased to announce Adrienne (Addy) Cleverly as new Development Coordinator.

Cleverly brings to WEV a background in marketing and public relations for an array of organizations, including small businesses and international nonprofits. As Development Coordinator, Cleverly will focus on donor relations and community engagement in Ventura County.

Cleverly earned her Bachelor’s in Communication magna cum laude, and a minor in Business Management from Cal State University, Channel Islands.  With a desire to address chronic poverty closer to its roots, Cleverly completed a Certificate in Social Business and Microfinance at the California Institute for Social Business at CSU Channel Islands. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, running and doing yoga.

WEV is dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic empowerment of women. Since 1991, WEV has been providing a continuum of comprehensive services – training, consulting and loans – to help entrepreneurs start grow and thrive in business. For more information, visit http://www.wevonline.org.

By Gail Field

This brand new venue, NOW Ventura, opened Dec 2, is the brainchild of a trio of entrepreneurs.  The trio consists of Executive Chef Dean Angelo, who hails from New Jersey and has long experience as a restaurateur at multiple venues in the east coast including restaurants Milan, Bizarros, Chaps, and Michaelangelo’s.

Michael Anthony is the master mixologist from Los Angeles and more recently managing Lisa Vanderpump’s restaurant “Pump” in West Hollywood where he worked together with partner Rani John to launch the celebrities’ newest and highly anticipated hot spot.  Anthony’s goal with NOW is to create a lounge environment where customers can relax and enjoy a variety of wines and specialty drinks.  Anthony and Angelo worked together for nearly twenty years on a variety of dining projects.

Rani John manages the marketing and operations of NOW and brings to the team his experience in Las Vegas promotions along with the opening of Pump in West Hollywood.  “I’ve always wanted to open a project like this,” says John.  “It’s great to do this with Mike and Dean who really know how to create great cuisine.”

Why Ventura? “This city was listed as the number one place to live in the U.S. and the three of us liked what we saw here—ocean, beautiful weather and friendly people,” says John.  “We’re all settling here with our families. We love this place and want to provide something special for the city.”

The goal of the new managers in designing the setting is to create a place that is cool, upscale and sophisticated, punctuated with music of many genres.  The trio completely refurbished the interior and exterior of the building, bringing a sense of modern sophistication in the design.  Angelo wants “to live in the now because the past is history, the future is a mystery, today is a gift and that’s why they call it present…. NOW.”

NOW Ventura offers great dining, featuring seafood and northern Italian dishes along with a hip atmosphere and a variety of musical selections.  The restaurant currently opens at 4 p.m. with Happy Hour and continues through until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday (closed Mondays), and until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.  NOW Ventura is available for catering at the customer’s site as well, with the same great dishes.

Plans for the future include lunch during the week as well as a weekend brunch and live music.  John says, “If you want a cool, classy place to spend your evening, this is it!”

The restaurant is located at 185 E. Santa Clara St., Phone  667-2200, http://www.nowventura.com.

Crowell, Weedon & Co., a division of D.A. Davidson & Co.,  has honored Anita Jeffrey with the Branch Operations Manager “Big Picture” award. Anita Jeffrey serves as Supervisory Branch Operations Manager for the firm’s Ventura branch.

Anita Jeffrey, who joined the firm in May 2014, is honored with the “Big Picture” title which is awarded annually to a Branch Operations Manager in recognition of exceptional performance in coordinating and supervising the activities of branch operational and support staff, while also maintaining a forward-looking and inspiring approach to operations.

Crowell, Weedon & Co. (www.crowellweedon.com) is a division of D.A. Davidson & Co., and has 12 offices across Southern California.

Katie Adams didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life. She struggled in school and did not know which path to take. When she became pregnant with her daughter, she realized she needed to find a way for support her. She started to make her own essential oils and baby lotions and discovered a passion for skin care.

They started out by selling their products at booths during events and through local vendors. Recently, they opened their own store at the Ventura Harbor. Adams makes all the products herself, while her mom helps run the store.

Adams attributes her success to local nonprofit Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) and her mom, who also went through the WEV program eight years ago. WEV offers a continuum of programs aimed to help women and men start, stabilize and grow small businesses.  Adams will graduate from WEV’s Self-Employment Training (SET) course on Dec. 16th at The Montecito County Club.

According to WEV’s recent 2015 Report on Program Outcomes, WEV is showing some dramatic results in comparison with national outcomes:

• WEV clients are showing nearly double the national average for survival of women-owned businesses. An average of 80% of women-owned business who participated in WEV programs are still in business after five years – compared to a national average of 45%.

• 85% of clients in poverty at intake have moved out of poverty

• In the past five years, WEV-assisted businesses have:

– Created an estimated 1,145 new jobs and supported a total of 2,552 jobs

– Generated an estimated $6.6 million in local and state tax revenues

WEV serves over 800 women and men annually in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Since inception (1991), WEV has made almost $4 million in microloans and helped start or expand an estimated 3,000 businesses which support more than 9,000 local jobs.