Ventura County Business

“Grow your business. Live your life.” So goes the official advice of Ventura County. In terms of economic development, this will serve as the county’s new slogan to entice outside businesses to relocate to a new Ventura County headquarters. The federally funded ad campaign will function across a multitude of mediums, including print, online, tv, radio and, everyone’s favorite, direct mail advertising. What does Ventura County have that say Los Angeles, a locale the campaign hopes to poach companies from, doesn’t have? When competing against a major player in the global economy such as the City of Angels and its surrounding area, it’s not always what you have that helps to set yourself apart, rather what you don’t have. Ventura County lacks the pollution, sprawl and congestion that plagues Los Angeles, yet is close enough in proximity to enjoy many of the same resources. For this reason, the slogan fits aptly, implying yes, this is still Southern California, a hotbed for business, but it is a not Southern California in that it gives you space enough away from the well-documented distractions and inconveniences to actually live your life outside of work. Combined with a highly education resident base/potential work force and relatively lower costs both to open new ventures and live outside of the office as compared to many areas throughout the region, Ventura County could pass as a proverbial business paradise for entrepreneurs and burdened business owners fed up with high tax rates and the traditional LA social gauntlet. Continue Reading »

The year 2005 seems much longer than a mere 5 years ago. Mired in economic uncertainty since the latter part of 2007, concerned, overworked and underpaid people around the globe long for a simpler time just a few years in the rear view mirror. It was 2005 in which Town Center opened in Simi City, CA, located in Ventura County’s southeast sector, taking advantage of the calm, well-tempered climate both atmospherically and economically. The open air mall and shopping center had been in the works for nearly two decades with the final product spanning over 600,000 square feet, prominently displaying high end shops, retailers and boutiques and a selection of chain and local restaurants. The Town Center was envisioned to serve as a new source of jobs, projected to offer 1,200 to the community, and a 2.5 million dollar sales boost to boot. At the time of its opening, the Town Center was valued at 350 million. Today, the once prized locale is up for sale, reflecting the troubling economic times that have engulfed even the most well-to-do southern California communities. Continue Reading »