Doing business in Yuba-sutter
We recently asked a few business people in YubaSutter to share information about their businesses, challenges, opportunities, and more. Here are their responses. 1. Describe your business: Sierra Central Credit
Union is a communityowned financial institution. Our goal is that, financially, the families in the Yuba-sutter community can get products that better their lives and the community can get stronger.
We are headquartered in Yuba City because our partners believe in this community, and believe
John Cassidy
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that reinvesting in the Yuba-sutter region is not only good for the economy but good for the community overall.
2. What opportunities are you currently pursuing? We are going to open a brandnew credit union branch in Wheatland by mid-year. That will be our fifth branch in the Yuba-sutter community. We’re going to be able to service the needs of south Yuba County.
The area is growing significantly and quickly. We’re very excited about Yuba County’s potential. There’s just a lot of positive economic things happening in Yuba County.
3. What challenges are you dealing with? What keeps you up at night? We’ve had an amazing run over the last 20 years – we’ve grown by $900 million dollars in the last 20 years. We’ve made $3 billion in loans to individuals and families.
What keeps me up at night is the excitement about Yuba-sutter, we’ve seen tremendous growth. There’re so many opportunities for individuals and businesses in this community. It’s phenomenal what’s going on right now.
4. What should the general public know about what it’s like to be in business in Yuba-sutterColusa in 2020? The best days for Yuba-sutter are ahead, not behind. It’s an exciting time to live in the community. You can just feel the vibe, and I call it Yuba-sutter soul and it’s stronger than in all my 35 years.
It’s the most exciting time in Yuba-sutter because you’ve got a diverse economy that’s enticing businesses. All those challenges that we’ve seen the last 30 years... we see it in our numbers... that the success is happening and the future is really bright.
1. Describe your business: Yuba-sutter Economic Development Corporation (YSEDC) is a 501c3 non-prof
Brynda Stranix
it corporation that serves Yuba and Sutter counties and the cities of Live Oak, Marysville, Wheatland and Yuba City. Our core activities include business attraction, business expansion and retention, infrastructure enhancement and business lending.
2. What opportunities are you currently pursuing? We are currently working closely with both Yuba and Sutter counties to find funding to build infrastructure (primarily water and wastewater) to their respective proposed employment corridors which include the Sports and Entertainment area in south Yuba County and the Sutter Pointe project in south Sutter County.
A taxiway extension project at the Yuba County Airport will be under construction this spring allowing businesses on the west side of the runway access from their parcels. This project is expected to create approximately 90 new jobs.
3. What challenges are you dealing with? What keeps you up at night? One major challenge we’re dealing with is missed opportunities. We currently have approximately 25-30 business leads presented to us annually. On average, we are only able to present properties to about 10 percent of these leads due to the lack of infrastructure.
This not only affects potential new business but also current businesses wanting or needing to expand their operations.
The longer we go without industrial and commercial properties that don’t have services, the more we risk the ability to attract new businesses or grow our existing businesses.
For YSEDC, the greatest assets we have are the regional relationships. The local business community as well as the local governments are reliant on one another for success.
The more we continue to develop a business-friendly environment, the more we all prosper. We, the community, does a good job but we can always do better.
Owner, Apples-per
sonally Yours
1. Describe your business: My business’s main retail is incense, body jewelry, purses, unique clothing and my art. Personally Yours comes from creating opportunities, not just for myself as a commission artist, but giving others the chance to sell one-of-kind items or just creating spaces for a variety of retail opportunities.
Ruth Soto
2. What opportunities are you currently pursuing? The opportunity that I am currently pursuing is to be able to do more commission art as well as make more time to create more art for sale at my shop.
Secondly to open more doors to new young entrepreneurs, like my niece Vanyssa’s urban clothing line and thirdly to be more involved with the city, helping with marketing the town more, visual merchandising store fronts when needed and helping create more events.
Ultimately, creating another financial position for myself and at the same time being a part of the vision of what Marysville has to offer.
3. What challenges are you dealing with? What keeps you up at night? The challenges that I have been dealing with these past few years are how the customers may change in their shopping habits, new versus old, and making sure I always offer things that can add to an ever-changing economy.
It’s a mental challenge to know what may sell, what is consistent and with my art, knowing my area and pricing. I’m constantly challenging myself with different styles of painting and still staying true to what I love to do.
My focus is always being a great addition to a small community and how I can encourage the younger generations.
4. What should the general public know about what it’s like to be in business in Yuba-sutterColusa in 2020? To have a business in the area for me, most of all, is that I have felt like the two cities, Yuba City and Marysville, have adopted me.
I am at home here, surrounded by loyal customers that want to see me grow and succeed.
Not a day goes by that I am not networking with fellow merchants or finding opportunities to be involved with different clubs, like our local motorcycle clubs for example, who do great things for our community. It’s easy to stay involved with this community and be my own boss.