
Startup of the Month: SlideBelts
Locally-made ratchet belts are appearing on a growing number of waistlines
This type of belt is popular overseas, not so much in the U.S. But for the past few years, Brig Taylor and his wife, Michelle, have been on a mission to make hole-less ratchet belts the go-to accessory for American waistlines.

How To Implement Yearly Reviews
Your company doesn’t need to have a formal process for you to have documented performance reviews
I work for a small, established company, and we don’t have policies in place for employee reviews. Actually, we don’t really do reviews at all. I find this odd. Is there a reason a company wouldn’t ask for or provide formal feedback? If I wanted to put a procedure in place for the people I manage in my department, what would I need?

Minimum Wage Increase: Bad Medicine for a Recovering Economy
Increases in large metropolitan cities are not comparable to the regional economy that is growing in Sacramento
Trends in politics take hold as quickly as those in fashion, and minimum wage increases are definitely “in” this political season. But unlike in the past when Capitol Hill and state legislatures served as battlegrounds for minimum wage debates, cities are now the epicenter. Buoyed by increases enacted in a handful of megacities, American municipalities of all sizes have started asking whether they should follow suit, and if so, to what degree.

Go Slow to Go Fast
Winging it won’t work in today’s business landscape
Have you ever walked into a semi-dried lake bed? You start out on firm sand, and little by little the ground gets softer and stickier and deeper until finally the mud pulls your boots straight off your feet. That’s the position of many companies battling today’s marketplace, particularly small-business owners set in their ways and family businesses unable to overcome Dad’s unwavering march into the ground.

Status Check: Milagro Centre Nears Completion
Carmichael’s culinary center is about to get cookin’
The construction of downtown Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center, the revitalization of The Kay District, development at the railyards and across the river on the banks of West Sacramento … there’s a lot growing in the area, but one of the most interesting projects is actually in sleepy Carmichael.
Solar vs. Utilities: Round Two
PG&E asks California Public Utilities Commission to boost charges for solar customers
The battle between rooftop solar and utilities is moving into California’s statehouse.

3 Tips for Taking a Vacation
You’ll have to plan ahead to truly unplug
We often get so caught up in the planning of our time away that we fail to consider what needs to happen at the office while we’re gone. Make it as easy as possible for your team to cover essentials while you’re gone, and set yourself up for success upon your return

Schooled in Soccer
Sacramento Republic FC launches new development academy
Sacramento has always been a soccer town. From the tremendous growth of youth soccer to the days of professional indoor and semi-pro teams, the game has long had roots in the heart of the Capital Region. With 13 million Americans playing the game, soccer has exploded in the last decade and is the third most played team sport behind basketball and baseball. Sacramento Republic FC is capitalizing on that fútbol frenzy, now boasting an elite youth academy program.