California Spotlight #132
California Bulletin — July 10, 2025 edition
How to Fill Your Calendar Without Spending on Ads
Use the Client Testimonial Chain Strategy — a referral engine hidden in your own inbox.
Steps:
Identify 3 past clients who gave you written praise (email, LinkedIn, reviews).
Ask:
“Would you mind forwarding that feedback to 1–2 colleagues who’d benefit from the same results?”Attach a single-page PDF summarizing what you did for them (before/after snapshot).
This bypasses the cold outreach wall and rides the wave of peer trust.
A Sacramento marketing firm generated 4 new qualified calls in 72 hours using this exact method—no landing page needed.
Tax Tip: $2,500 Equipment Write-Off for Mobile Service Providers
If you’ve recently bought any portable tech used for client service — think laptops, camera gear, mobile POS, projectors — you may qualify for full expensing under Section 179.
🟢 Applies if:
You’re a sole prop, LLC, or S-Corp
The equipment is over $600 and used 50%+ for business
You file before the 2025 Q3 deadline (Sept 15 for pass-through entities)
Even secondhand equipment bought on eBay or Facebook Marketplace qualifies if you have proof of purchase + usage log.
📥 Use this phrase in your return prep doc: “Section 179 first-year expensing – Code 179 deduction claim, 2025.”
🚨 Business Spotlight – July 12
Podcast + Newsletter
Want your business in front of 116K+ founders, operators, and buyers this week?
We’re featuring businesses in our July 12 drop—across our top-ranked podcast and California’s two most-read business newsletters.
Here’s what you get for just $99:
🎙️ A podcast shoutout to a business-savvy audience
📩 A 100-word spotlight with your link + CTA
📣 Distribution to 65K–70K daily openers
We’ve featured brands like Google, Squarespace, and Monday.com.
This week, your business could be next.
Guest Post Opportunity
Get your story, offer, or expertise in front of 8,623+ business owners, founders, and CEOs across California.
This isn’t just a blurb or a one-day mention.
With 40% open rates and permanent visibility on Substack, your guest post gets published as a full article — discoverable, shareable, and indexed forever.
For $250, you get:
A dedicated 500-word guest post, fully edited + formatted
Your name, company, bio, and CTA link
Featured in our newsletter issue
Published on our Substack website for long-term traffic & SEO
Backlink included (great for ranking)
Expense Reduction: Stop Paying for This Email Trap
Most CA businesses are overpaying for email tools that aren’t driving actual revenue.
If you’re under 2,500 subscribers and NOT doing automated funnels:
Switch to:
MailerLite: $0 for up to 1,000 subs + free automation
EmailOctopus: Simple campaigns, low cost, no branding watermark
Buttondown (for minimalists): Clean UI, GDPR compliant, $5/month flat
If you’re only using it for newsletters, not automations or lead scoring—cut the fat.
One San Diego tech studio saved $648/year by switching off ConvertKit.
California Business Compliance Update: Mandatory Workplace Poster Change for July 2025
As of July 1, 2025, the California Department of Industrial Relations has released updated workplace posters that must be displayed by all employers with at least one employee.
Key Changes:
New Paid Sick Leave Expansion Notice (AB 2499) now includes coverage clarifications and posting requirements.
Updates to Wage Order 4 (affecting professional services firms) and Wage Order 5 (for health and personal care businesses).
Non-compliance penalties range from $100 to $7,500 per location.
Pro Tip: Use a digital HR platform (like Mineral or Rippling) to auto-notify you of future changes.
💬 Your Turn: Want us to deep-dive into pricing strategy, sales scripts, or California-specific credit programs?
Reply and let us know what would help your business grow faster this week.
We’ll build it. No guesswork. No noise. Just real solutions.