As a staff writer for the Long Beach Business Journal, a biweekly newsmagazine, I covered city council actions as well as other topics of interest to the Long Beach business community. The city’s key industries include health care, hospitality & tourism and technology. I also compiled two regular sections: ‘Small Business Showcase’, which profiles independent businesses in different neighborhoods, and ‘PortSide: Keeping Up With The Port Of Long Beach,‘ which features different employees at the port, the city’s biggest driver of economic activity.
Deidre Norville is the owner of Our Essence Beauty Supply, a shop that caters to African-American women, located in North Long Beach. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Pat Flynn)
According to the leaders of the city’s business improvement districts, the Long Beach Economic Development Department and the Long Beach Small Business Development Center, virtually all entrepreneurs face the same two challenges: obtaining access to capital and developing a business plan. By providing opportunities for funding and education, these local entities are striving to ensure that entrepreneurship is accessible for all.
Alzheimer’s: Local Physicians Brainstorm Preventative Measures
Alzheimer’s Disease, which results in progressive mental deterioration, is on the rise, according to statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association. About 5.7 million Americans are living with it, a number that is expected to increase to almost 14 million by 2050. Local physicians agree that making an effort to lead a healthy lifestyle is the best course of action to prevent the disease.
Small Business Showcase: Beach City Deli & BBQ
Beach City Deli & BBQ Owner Mark McKim. (Photograph by Anne Artley)
Beach City Deli & BBQ Co-owner Mark McKim, who grew up in Pennsylvania, moved to Long Beach in 1977 to join some friends in the city. “It all started nine years ago,” he said. “I couldn’t find a sandwich in town that I liked, so I figured I’d better open up a place myself.” Beach City Deli & BBQ offers a variety of hot and cold sandwiches as well as barbeque.
College Promise Program Shows A Decade of Growth, Looks to Expand Influence
The Long Beach College Promise, a partnership between the city’s three public educational institutions: California State University, Long Beach (CSULB); Long Beach City College (LBCC); and the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), guarantees a tuition-free year at LBCC and a path to admission at CSULB for LBUSD students who graduate and meet certain requirements. Reflecting upon the program’s first decade, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia called it a “complete success.”
Stepping Ahead: Long Beach’s Top Multi-family Broker Breaks Down His Success
Robert Stepp, president and founder of multi-family brokerage firm Stepp Commercial, said it was not the money that first drew him into the real estate industry. “I’ve told buyers not to buy properties. I’ve told sellers not to sell them,” he said. “When you tell someone not to do something that you would benefit financially from, it builds a lot of trust and loyalty.” For Stepp and his team of three brokers who are dedicated to the Long Beach market, this honest approach appears to have paid off. According to Stepp, his firm held 44% of the city’s market share in the year’s first quarter, an amount he termed “obscene” compared to their usual numbers and to those of other brokers.
No Man Is An Island: The Aquarium Expands Its Environmental Reach To Kiribati
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Business Journal put together a special publication acknowledging the history and the future of the Long Beach attraction. As part of a new initiative, the aquarium has joined the board of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA), one of the world’s largest marine protected areas. It covers one of three island groups that make up the nation of Kiribati, located approximately halfway between Australia and Hawaii.
(Queen Mary photograph)
Salute To The Queen Mary’s 50th Year In Long Beach
To commemorate the RMS Queen Mary’s 50th year in the city, the Business Journal put together a special section honoring the ship’s ties to Long Beach. Stories I reported include a reflection of the ship’s arrival in 1967, an in-depth look at the constant process of restoring the Queen and recollections from passengers on the ship’s final voyage from England to Long Beach. The section starts on page 17.