
Startups of the Month: Where Are They Now?
Progress reports from five standout startups in the Capital Region
Since 2015, Comstock’s has spotlighted more than 60 regional startups in our Startup of the Month column. Here are five standouts from the column that are going stronger than ever.

Startup of the Month: DapIt
Digital gift cards give small businesses a boost
With gift cards continuing to soar in popularity, a Woodland-based startup aims to bring their convenience to small businesses while cutting down on plastic.

A Rare Breed
Veterinarians who travel let pets stay comfortably at home
For many dogs, cats, birds and fish, a veterinarian visit is best taken at home. There are several veterinarians in the Capital Region that offer this service for families willing to pay extra for the convenience and comfort of seeing a vet who comes to them.

Comstock’s Talks: Loving the Lager
PODCAST: While the general American drinking public prefers lagers over ales, craft breweries often give these cold-fermented brews the cold shoulder. Yet some area brewers believe the balance is starting to shift.

Building for the Future
California Manufacturers & Technology Association President Lance Hastings on the myriad challenges faced by the industry
Lance Hastings became president and CEO of the California Manufacturers & Technology Association in November 2018. Comstock’s spoke with Hastings about challenges faced by manufacturers and how CMTA works to improve the business climate.

In the Making: Stoked for Skateboards
Corey Sholes, a self-described skateboard fanatic, was 18 years old when he cut his first skateboard. Eventually, he started pressing his own boards using a vacuum press system, and making handcrafted boards became his full-time job and his business, Legend Skateboards, in 1994.

Startup of the Month: Zennify
Consulting firm guides companies through digital upgrade
With industries moving at the speed of the internet, many companies have trouble keeping pace. Zennify, a Sacramento-based cloud solutions and consulting firm, wants to help legacy businesses catch up.

Main Street: Soaring in Roseville
Sparrow 5 on Vernon Street in downtown offers art, gifts and classes
Sparrow 5 owner Marsha Taylor, who has a background in interior design and art, has operated her 2,100-square-foot shop in Roseville for seven years. Besides selling furniture and home accessories, Sparrow 5 carries the work of more than 70 local artists.

Buzzwords: Onboarding
The process by which a new employee is integrated into a company, from learning where the bathroom is to understanding the company culture
If you’ve ever started a new job and were told you were going to be “onboarded,” you may have had nightmarish visions of being connected up to the Borg or having your retinas scanned. (No? Just me? Maybe I watch too much science fiction.)

Investing in Inmate Education Can Reduce Repeat Crime
One in four Californians is unable to perform basic reading skills, but illiteracy is even higher among the prison population. State prison systems across the country are investing in education programs to give inmates a better chance at rehabilitation.