California Spotlight #98
Statewide Shift to “Buy Local, Sell Global”
#BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
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📌 Law in Focus: Final Reminder – State Mandate on Heat Illness Prevention Takes Effect June 15
California’s updated Heat Illness Prevention Standard goes live on June 15, 2025 — and yes, it now applies to indoor workplaces like kitchens, warehouses, and some retail spaces.
What You Must Do by June 15:
Install fans or ventilation for any space regularly hitting 82°F+
Provide fresh, cool water and mandatory cool-down breaks
Create a written “heat action plan” — Cal/OSHA will check
⚠️ Who’s getting fined?
Small businesses in food prep, packaging, retail are top targets right now, especially those with older buildings.
Avoid it:
Check if your A/C units and breakroom areas meet the cooling and rest standards. Train your team — even if you only have 3 employees.
📞 No Ads, Just Action: The “5-Minute Task” That Brings in Customers
Here’s one move that’s quietly working for local California businesses this month:
Update your Google Business description with your June offers — especially if you run any service or appointment-based business.
Why?
Google shows your business description on mobile before reviews. A targeted offer there drives more call clicks — especially from non-followers.
✅ Try this:
Instead of saying “We do landscaping in LA”, say:
“Now booking June backyard cleanups. Get a walkthrough within 48 hours — no obligation.”
💡One Sacramento cleaning company added this to their description and booked 7 new leads in 5 days. No ads. Just visibility.
💸 Quick Cut: The Overlooked Subscriptions Taxing Your Margins
We analyzed 40 California-based SMBs last month and found this pattern:
Nearly all were paying $300–$500/mo in forgotten subscriptions.
Most common culprits:
Canva Pro (when not designing in-house)
Slack paid tier (for teams under 5)
LinkedIn Premium (no active hiring or sales outreach)
CRM tools like Pipedrive or HubSpot with no workflows set up
What to do:
Block 30 mins
Go through your bank statement, not just your Stripe log
Cancel anything not tied to a weekly-used system
💡Oakland-based agency cut $420/mo in 15 mins — and never felt the loss.
👀 Trend to Watch: Statewide Shift to “Buy Local, Sell Global”
More California small businesses are going niche — hyperlocal sourcing, online selling across states.
This “local input, national output” strategy is helping:
Artisans using California-grown materials to market as premium goods nationwide
Bakers selling shelf-stable mixes to LA expats across the U.S.
Coaches offering in-person meetups + online subscription services
Why it’s smart now:
Lower overhead on sourcing
Easier to market online with authentic local story
No need for expensive local ads
If you have a product or offer with a California origin story — now’s the time to package it for shipping or digital delivery. This play is trending in Fresno, San Diego, and Santa Rosa with great ROI.
Let your neighbors know you're a California business with national reach — and run lean while you do it.
California Bulletin
Built for small businesses who are playing it smart.