2019 January Paso Robles Magazine

PASO ROBLES
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
looks to future with
‘two pronged’ approach
By Tom O’Brien
It’s been a busy year for the Paso Robles
Chamber of Commerce and its officials
say they hope their efforts over the past
12 months will serve as a foundation for
successful, localized economic development
through the next decade.
“This whole year has been what we are
calling the ‘shaping our future initiative,’” said
Josh Cross, the Chamber’s economic development
director.
This whole year has been
what we are calling the
“shaping our future initiative.”
What Cross means is that the Chamber has
been listening, especially to the local business
community, and not just through in-person
feedback at dinner events, business surveys,
and leadership summits. On Nov. 8, a group
of around 70 volunteers visited more than
400 Paso Robles businesses as part of the
Chamber’s inaugural “Business Walk” survey.
The short questionnaire consisted of three
questions that focused on how the businesses
were currently doing financially and what
they needed to improve their customer bases in
order to be successful.
The cost and availability of housing in the
area was the chief concern for the majority
of respondents, according to Chamber
documents. Other worries listed by survey
participants included attracting new business,
retaining staff and customers, as well as
improving education locally.
The majority of business owners said their
most pressing needs involved assistance
with marketing and advertising, along with
“faster internet.” Survey respondents also
noted that attracting and retaining qualified
talent remained a pressing issue.
Cross said the Chamber planned to help
foster development locally with a “twopronged”
approach that focused on the Paso
business scene while also recognizing the area’s
place in the regional economy.
“We kind of think of the Central Coast as
Disneyland in the sense that when you go to
Disneyland you don’t just want to go to Adventureland
— don’t get me wrong, it’s great — but
you really want to get the whole experience by
seeing all the lands,” he added. “From a tourism
standpoint, each city has its own identity and
quality but the same applies to the business community
as well; what’s going on in our economy
is not the same as San Luis [Obispo] or on the
coast…everyone offers something different.”
The Chamber hopes the lessons
learned at the highly successful
companies in the Bay Area will
provide key insight for local
business owners.
Highlighting that certain “uniqueness”
which defines Central Coast locales such
as Paso’s wine country is part of the reason
why the Chamber helped organize a trip
for local business owners to Silicon Valley
in October of this year. According to
Cross, the Chamber hopes the lessons learned
at the highly successful companies in the
Bay Area will provide key insight for local
business owners.
“The hope is that attendees will return to
Paso Robles with an inspired toolkit of ways
to improve their online presence, social media
strategies and office culture,” he said.
As for what lies ahead for the Chamber, the
organization is set to release a draft “Strategic
Plan” in February or March of 2019. The report
will focus on how the organization believes the
Paso business community should best move
forward in the coming years.
“That’s the next step,” Cross said.
DIRECTORY TO OUR ADVERTISERS
A Heavenly Home......................... 36
Adelaide Inn Worship Directory... 49
Adrienne Hagan............................ 21
Advanced Concrete & Construction...
....................................................... 43
AM Sun Solar................................. 33
Amdal Transport............................ 33
April’s Mobile Yoga........................ 19
Atascadero Printery Foundation... 15
Awakening Ways........................... 19
Black Cat Bistro Too........................ 27
Blake’s True Value.......................... 33
Bob Sprain’s Draperies.................. 21
Bridge Sportsmen Center............. 47
Brookdale Senior Living................ 39
Brooklin Oaks Pharmacy............... 22
Cal Sun Electric & Solar................. 17
Central Coast Medical Aesthetics.. 12
Chalekson, Dr. Charles.................. 19
Cider Creek Bakery........................ 45
City of Paso Robles-REC................ 09
Community West Bank................. 02
Connect Home Loans.................... 23
Dignity Health Med Plus............... 17
Estrella Warbirds........................... 04
Farron Elizabeth............................. 33
Frontier Floors................................ 35
Gabriel Architects.......................... 22
Gallagher Video Services.............. 22
Gallegos Garage Door Service...... 43
General Store Paso Robles............ 35
Golden Hills Farm......................... 15
H.M. Holloway............................... 21
H&R Block...................................... 32
Hamon OHD.................................. 21
HDH Construction......................... 12
Hearing Aid Specialists of the CC. 03
Heather Desmond Real Estate...... 11
Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ............ 27
Kaitilin Riley DDS.......................... 19
Klockenteger, Lisa......................... 47
Lansford Dental............................. 05
Las Tablas Animal Hosp................. 23
Lube N Go...................................... 47
Main Street Small Animal Hospital...
....................................................... 14
Mary Ann Austin............................ 41
Mode Communications................ 31
Natural Alternative........................ 37
Nautical Cowboy........................... 26
New with Tags................................ 19
Nose to Tail..................................... 47
Odyssey World Cafe...................... 26
Optometric Care Assoc.................. 10
Pacific Trust Mortgage................... 41
Paradigm Advisors........................ 39
Paso PetCare.................................. 41
Perfect Air....................................... 23
PR Chamber of Commerce........... 31
PR District Cemetery..................... 47
PR Golf Club.................................. 45
PR Handyman............................... 17
PR Insurance.................................. 37
PR Safe & Lock............................... 47
PR Train Museum.......................... 32
PR Waste........................................ 13
Red Scooter Deli............................ 23
Reverse Mortgage Professionals.. 11
Robert Fry, M.D.............................. 47
SLO County Office of Education.... 38
Senor Sanchos............................... 28
Solarponics.................................... 41
Spice of Life................................... 31
Susan’s Antiques........................... 36
Ted Hamm Ins............................... 41
Templeton Door & Trim................. 31
Teresa Rhyne Law Group............... 11
The Art Works................................. 36
The Blenders.................................. 34
The Laundromat............................ 17
The Loft Maria................................ 19
Tooth & Nail Winery....................... 28
Trinity Lutheran Church................. 47
Twin Cities Hospital....................... 52
Voice of Paso.................................. 11
Western Janitor Supply................ 45
Whitehorse.................................... 15
Wighton’s...................................... 04
Writing Support Group................. 34
York, Cheri...................................... 07
50 | pasomagazine.com PASO Magazine, January 2019