Happy Holidays All… Hope to see you December 11 for the Festivities!

I don’t want to jinx anything, but the Holiday membership mixer is really fun… don’t know how or why… must be the amazing mix of people among the membership. Hope you and yours can make it. RSVP to Nick.

There is always a lot to talk about at year end… how “this and that” came together... I usually try to avoid that kind of happy talk, but this year, please indulge me, because 2018 was a different year for SDSI.

The pulse of any Not for Profit is the renewal rate: the higher the rate, the more valuable the organization. We have a high renewal rate, but we know that we have to re-invent ourselves and stay contemporary to make sure we bring you the services you need, and to honor the investment you make in our business community.

So… 2019 marks a few high points in our quest to create commerce, new companies and jobs:

• Gateway Development Series: for pre-revenue entrepreneurs or companies. The goal is to coach very new entities up to the Start line for the Accelerator. Our initial meeting at the awesome CBRE offices went well. We will proceed with these on a quarterly basis… details to follow.
• SDSI Accelerator: new name same Springboard function. The metrics speak for themselves: 82 Graduates. $84M raised. 87% success rate over the 9 years. 46% women founded or lead. 1600 gratis mentoring hours rendered. Amazing!!
• Masters: a new high level consultancy for companies looking to scale or pivot. This new effort makes our senior C level executives available to guide companies to their new objective. We have our first Company partnership underway now.
• CEO Forum: modeled after several high level CEO forums nationally, the SDSI CEO forum provides an amazing peer group opportunity in a confidential setting. Our first cohort has launched. If you have an interest in participating in the second group, please contact us.
• Breakfast Collabs: these are really fun and interactive breakfasts limited to 10 members. We meet locally and plunge into all kinds of topics. By now I hope we have reached every member at least once… if not, let me know!
• Sport and Active Lifestyle Industry Economic Impact Report is nearing completion. It amazes me that our San Diego Lifestyle now constitutes $2 Billion in economic impact. We will share the full report in the next few board meetings.

That's it. Hope to see you December 11!

SDSI Welcomes New Members ABG Ventures and Vuori
ABG Ventures LLC Alison Gerlach has more than 20 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur, strategic management consultant, investor, business executive, and lecturer with expertise in, and a passion for, building and growing businesses. Ms. Gerlach has done extensive research in optimizing the business start-up process and has founded, built, and sold businesses in industries that include sports and sports analytics, consumer packaged goods, media, technology, and professional services.
Today, Ms. Gerlach continues to build and invest in companies in a variety of stages and industries. As a strategic management consultant, she continues to work with executive teams of select companies, as well as advise notable venture capital and private equity funds. She has written various papers focused on leadership, entrepreneurship, and optimal business and investment strategies. She is the host of the popular podcast, “The Unapologetic Capitalist” which focuses on building value in ventures at any stage.
Vuori's Joe Kudlow wrote "I am very excited to be joining the SDSI family. As the founder and CEO of Vuori I have been on a mission to make high quality apparel for the active coastal California lifestyle that this group embodies so well. From gyms and yoga studios to our beautiful beaches and the mountains to the east, it’s our aim to integrate our clothing seamlessly with this natural playground we get to call home. As we like to say...built to move in, styled for life. Thank you for having me and I look forward to meeting you all soon."

Bob Rief Interviewed for BISTalk Radio
SDSI’s Executive Director, Bob Rief, was interviewed by BISTalk radio recently on the campus of CSU San Marcos. Hosts Bob Ryan and Montana Smith take a deep dive into understanding what SDSI is all about and how it benefits the community. Get the 47-minute audio segment loaded up on your mobile device so you can listen to it while you’re crawling on the 5 in the rain!

SDBJ Publishes Book of 2019 Influential Business Leaders - Featuring 6 SDSI Members
Congratulations to all 500 Influential Business Leaders including SDSI Members: David Abeles/TaylorMade, Reid Carr/Red Door Interactive, Ernie Hahn/Valley View Casino Center, Peter Ripa/The Century Club, John Sarkisian/Motion Venture Fund, and SDSI Executive Chairman, Bill Walton! A separate magazine was provided featuring all of the honorees with this week’s SDBJ.

Red Door Interactive Publishes Footwear Buyer Research Report
How do consumers find their footwear? What influences purchasing decisions? What is the consumer journey? How (and where) are consumers ultimately purchasing footwear? How can retailers improve to draw in more customers? Answers to these questions and more in Red Door Interactive’s 41 page 2018 Footwear Shoppers Report.

J!NX Product Featured on Holiday Gift Guide
J!NX Hex Women’s Leggings were one of several gamer-themed gift giving ideas for boys and girls this holiday season. “Through detailed study of the cosmos and the recent acquisition of esoteric alien artifacts, J!NX has constructed the greatest leggings ever devised. Now exploring exotic exoplanets and defending space settlers from aggressive alien life is both comfortable and stylish. Please note that these leggings will not protect you from the radiation and vacuum of space. Always wear a proper space suit over top when directed by HQ. Good luck!” If that product description doesn't do it for you, view the leggings on the SuperParent.com Holiday Gift Guide or the J!NX Official Gift Guide - a picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Procopio Looking for More Startups for Expanding Launchpad Incubator
Procopio’s LaunchPad Incubator is seeking 4 more companies to work out of their Del Mar office for the 9 month program to fill in their recent office expansion. “LaunchPad provides legal and business expertise to entrepreneurs in the tech sector. In addition to helping entrepreneurs acquire early funding, it also helps them form their corporations and protect their technology. The startups also receive a dedicated space in Procopio’s Del Mar Heights office.” Read the full article on SDBJ ​​​and learn more about the incubator on the Procopio website.

Retailtainment and Offshore Surf with American Wave Machines
Retail + Entertainment = Retailtainment. Clement Ginestet gave a presentation at MAPIC, an international retail property event, in France earlier this month. Ginestet talked about Offshore Surf - American Wave Machines indoor surf attraction for malls - using Oasis Surf in Montreal as a proof of concept. For more info on the other panelists and Ginestet’s presentation, read the full session recap.

Social Media Selling 101: the Future of Ecommerce Through Instagram by Digital Operative
Guest Author, Maddie Davis, breaks down the basics of a shoppable post on Instagram, why to utilize the shopping feature, how to create a shopable post, and what lies ahead for Instagram Ecommerce on the Digital Operative Blog. "With Instagram launching new shopping tools on its platform, it undoubtedly has claimed a larger role in ecommerce. Instagram has facilitated the customer-brand relationship, making it infinitely easier to scroll, shop, and message companies. If you haven’t yet incorporated Instagram into your selling model--it’s time to start." Read the full post or other DO blogs.

NiteRider 4200 Competes for Best Mountain Bike Lite of 2018
Bicycling has already given the Niterider OLED 1200 Boost their stamp of approval due to the long battery life but the “Super Bright and Easy to Use” editors choice goes to (drum roll, please) the Niterider Pro 4200 Enduro. The author raved, “One of the brightest bar-mounted lights is also one of the easiest to use. The Enduro’s two lights (with a combined 6 LEDs) send out a wide blast of light that send squirrels scurrying and shows every tire-grabbing rock in full resolution.” Read the full rundown at bicycling.com.

Taylor Steele Joins BLDG Active as Creative Director & More
BLDG Active continues to grow their impressive roster of influencers with the addition of Director/Producer Taylor Steele. “We’ve set out to challenge the model of traditional healthcare companies, having Taylor lead our creative process will undoubtedly take us to another level on how we connect with consumers” said Justin Gardner, CEO, BLDG Active. “We’re really looking forward to the possibilities of where we can take BLDG Active with Taylor’s keen eye and creativity guiding the way,” he said. Read the full press release on Shop-Eat-Surf.  Active Skin Repair was also featured in a Men's Journal Holiday Gift Guide, recently announced they are the presenting sponsor of the Heaviest Drop Award in surfing, and is now available at all Pharmaca stores nationwide!

Elizabeth Skwiot’s Guest Blog on Association of Fitness Studios Blog
Cirque-It Fitness Founder, Elizabeth Skwiot, points out an incredibly effective and relatively easy way to make customers feel more comfortable and engaged in her fitness studio… best of all: and it can be applied to any business or personal relationship. Elizabeth writes, “There’s a word we all know better than any other. We write it many times a day, spell it, see it printed on documents all over our home and studio. We often say it to others, but we seldom hear it said to us. Dale Carnegie called it 'the sweetest and most important sound in any language.’” Find out what it is at the AFS Blog. 

Sourcify’s Nathan Resnick Appears on CNBC Again
If it seems like Nathan Resnick is appearing on CNBC regularly, that’s because he is. This time, Resnick discusses what he sees happening with American companies front-loading their imports to get more product stateside before January 1st and the need for a diversified supply chain. Resnick appears alongside Patrick Chovanec. Watch the brief video segment on the CNBC website.

Hookit Signs Cleveland Indians and Tracks College Football Playoff Teams
Hookit has inked a multi-year deal with the Cleveland Indians to help analyze and quantify the value driven to the club’s corporate sponsorship department. The Indians will also have access to see how their social media sponsorship ROI compares to the other 29 MLB teams. Hookit is also showcasing their technology by sharing the results of the social media impact from the top 6 college football teams. Read the full announcement on the Cleveland Indians deal and view the graphical results of the college football analysis – both are on SportTechie.

CA Skateparks Designs Skatepark in South Africa
Battery Park was opened this month featuring a skatepark that was designed by CA Skateparks based in Vista. A spokesperson from the development said, “Our skate park includes a combination of various skate and scooter elements including a bowl with spine and pump hump, quarter pipes, layback bank, gaps, a small plaza with hubbas and rails, a frame set and a long ledge and rail.” Read the full announcement.

YMCA Spin Event and Other CAF Events Raise $3.2m
Challenged Athletes Foundation has announced that they have raised $3.2M in three events that took place in mid-October including the YMCA of San Diego County Tour De Cove Spin Event. San Diego Native, Olympic Medalist, and winner of NY and Boston Marathons; Meb Keflezighi, commented on the finale of the week long event saying, “The Best Day in Tri was an inspirational moment for me. Great to witness people go beyond limits of the mind. There are life changing experiences being made by Challenged Athletes Foundation.” Read the full press release and see the impact that these funds have on our community.

UC San Diego Health Does Q&A with Cannabis Experts
What is the difference between CBD and THC? How long does either stay in your system? Has cannabis been shown to have an effect on pain? Are there any long term health effects from cannabis use? Read answers from UC San Diego Health Doctors including a pain management specialist, emergency physician, and department chair of Psychiatry.

Agency for Student Health Research Supports Largest Youth Sport Safety Initiative
US Youth Soccer (the largest youth sports organization in the country with 3 million registered players) teams up with Mayo Clinic to put youth player safety on the forefront. Using InjureFree – a product created by SDSI Accelerator Grad, Agency for Student Health Research – all relevant stakeholders are able to track any athlete injury or incident (and corresponding treatment) from start to finish. The US Youth Soccer CEO, Chris Moore, said, “The InjureFree platform reduces the associated administrative and logistical burdens and is a critical partner in establishing the gold standard for player health and safety for children as they participate in athletics in this country,” Congrats to Charlie on the tremendous momentum and all the mentors who worked with him. Read the full press release.

TurningPoint Tips: Are you losing recruits in the 11th hour? When was the last time you hired a key position? If you dusted off your job descriptions and launched a search over the last 6 months, you may have noticed something strangely different – very, very few people are responding to your job posts! And if you are fortunate enough to attract some strong talent, chances are very high they are considering 1 or 2 other positions at the same time. In fact, over the last 18 months, 97% of our placements were weighing at least 1 additional offer in addition to the offer from our client. In today’s tight labor market, companies that present low-ball offers, take too much time to make a decision, or require their prospective new hires to jump through multiple hoops over numerous interviews are going to end up empty-handed. Candidates have far too many options, and have the luxury of not waiting around for a long recruiting process – and they certainly won’t accept a low-ball offer! While you certainly don't want to overpay, it's important that you make a compelling and competitive offer to the candidates you really want. If you don't, someone else will. Be sure to spend some time benchmarking the salary levels and hiring process, before you embark on your search. For more information on streamlining your hiring process, contact Ken C Schmitt at TurningPoint Executive Search.

Open Jobs
VP Sales – Professional Services, San Diego
SVP Operations - Manufacturing/Distribution, San Bernardino
Inside Sales Manager – Professional Services, San Diego
Inside Sales Manager - A/R, V/R Technology, San Diego
Sr. Content Creator – Healthcare IT, San Diego/Orange County
Sales Account Executives – Medical, Orange County and National

Digital Operative – Multiple positions available click for info

Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa - Multiple Positions Available click for info

Hookit – Multiple Positions Available click for info

KPMG - Multiple Positions Available click for info

Procopio – Multiple Positions Available click for info

J!NX – Graphic Designer click for info

soccerloco – Multiple Positions Available click for info 

Dec. 4 - SDSI Accelerator 15 Minute Presentation #3

Dec. 11 – SDSI Holiday Party, SDSI

Dec. 6 – Is Now the Ideal Time to Sell Your Business, La Jolla, CA click for info

Dec. 8 - San Diego Seals Lacrosse Opening Night, San Diego, CA click for info

Dec. 13-16 - Winter Dew Tour, Breckenridge, CO click for info

Dec. 15 - San Diego Santa Run, San Diego, CA click for info

Jan. 8-11 – Consumer Electronics Tradeshow, Las Vegas, NV click for info

Jan. 23 - Farmers Insurance Women's Day, La Jolla, CA click for info

Jan. 24-17 – Farmers Insurance Open, La Jolla, CA click for info

Jan. 30-Feb. 1 – Outdoor Retailer Snow Show, Denver, CO click for info

Feb. 5-7 – Agenda Trade Show, Las Vegas, NV click for info