Even though the economy has been dismal and unemployment has been on the rise, a fascinating phenomenon suggests that small businesses and boutique firms stand to gain customers in these trying times.  Let’s face it, whether times are good or bad small businesses have never been able to afford the luxury of being wasteful, inefficient, or careless with money.  Large corporations, on the other hand, which are bureaucratic by their very nature, have a tendency to become highly inefficient and wasteful when times are good.  When faced with an economic downturn, the inevitable occurs in a large corporation—mass downsizing resulting in a loss of valuable talent and customer service.  Consequently, the large name brand company that customers were paying for tends to lose its luster in the face of lost relationships and customer support.

Peter Bregman, CEO of Bregman Partners, Inc., a global management consulting firm, also believes that small companies will win in this economy.  He states that “Small is the new big.  Sustainable is the new growth.  Trust is the new competitive advantage.”  He says that “small companies with low overhead, reliable owners, a small number of committed employees, personal client relationships, and sustainable business models that drive a reasonable profit are the great opportunity of our time.”  To read more about Bregman’s point of view on this topic visit his article Why Small Companies Will Win in This Economy.

This question has been at the forefront of our minds for a long time.  Analysts, speculators, and business people alike have been desperately trying to wrap their minds around the enormity of this problem for the past few years.  According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the United States has been in a recession since December of 2007.

Economic insight and analysts from the Wall Street Journal speculate that the American people will have to hold out until 2010 for the National Bureau of Economic Research to make an end-of-recession declaration.  In Washington last week, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, however; publicly declared that the recession was over.  He did qualify this statement by saying that there would not be a “splashy return to economic boomtime anytime soon.” 

For all of you water sports enthusiasts, Brentwood is hosting the 2009 Diablo Shores Pro Am Tournament on September 11, 12, 13.  According to Simon King, a writer for the Brentwood Grove, "Past event highlights are said to be blown out of the water by the talent coming together for the 2009 event. With such big celeb names as Will Asher, Chris Parrish, and Jamie Beauchesne Brentwood is sure to see some spectacular action."  To read more about this exciting event, visit the Brentwood Grove's article entitled Brentwood's Diablo Shores Pro Am Tournament.

Over the course of the summer, there has been positive news on the real estate front.  For starters, on August 20^th, Edmund Jin, the principal executive of Fremont-based JLA home Inc., a home furnishings manufacturer, paid $21 million for a 610,000 square foot distribution center in Livermore.  The sale of this building marked one of the largest commercial real estate transactions in the East Bay over the last few years.  Perhaps commercial real estate is still alive and kicking in the East Bay.  Michael Lloyd, a Colliers International broker, commented on the transaction by saying, “No question, there is money out there to make deals that are priced correctly.”  To read more about this real estate transaction, visit the Contra Costa Times.

Currently, construction is underway on the expansion of Sand Creek Road which will run further east to Sellers Avenue.  The road expansion project is slated to be complete by the spring of 2010.  Once improved, Sand Creek Road will provide enhanced access to businesses, parks, and neighborhoods for the local community. 

If you are a local business owner, you need to learn about a great local resource called EASTBAY Works.  EASTBAY Works is a network of 13 One-Stop Business and Career Centers located throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in Northern California.  EASTBAY Works makes the following business services available to business owners free of charge:

• Business Consultations
• Business-to-Business Referrals
• Labor Market Information
• Permit and Licensing Information
• Customized Training for New and Existing Employees
• Conference and Meeting Facilities
• Staffing Assistance

Sand Creek Plaza is a  full range of professional space ideal for retail, office and general uses. We're located at a high visibility corner at a busy signalized intersection. Suites are available for lease as small as 1,500± Square feet and as large as 6,000± Square feet. Our experienced contractors are ready to help with any interior improvements to suit your individual needs.

LoopNet is the leading online marketplace for real estate brokers, agents, buyers, and investors to sell and buy property. Founded in 1995, the company has grown to feature more than $408 billion in properties for sale and 3.2 billion square feet of space for lease. LoopNet is the ongoing result of the hard work of many employees and contractors.