The following helpful article was submitted by Jeff Zaret, owner and operator of PayProTec West Coast. PayProTec West Coast is also a Silver Tier Chamber Member.

Many business owners assume that if they have an e-commerce site, they must use either PayPal or Stripe to process their credit card payments. After all, that seems to be what everyone else does. So these two options must be the only viable choices, right? Wrong!
In fact, when you compare what you get with PayPal or Stripe to what PayProTec West Coast offers, it’s clear that PayPal and Stripe are not the best choices at all.

Here are four reasons why:
 
1. PayPal and Stripe are more expensive. Both of these companies advertise really low credit card processing rates, without mentioning that their rates for “card not present” transactions can be much higher. Of course, all transactions run through an e-commerce site are “card not present” transactions, since your customers are not physically inserting their credit cards into a card reader at your facility. Which means that those low advertised rates will never apply.

In contrast, PayProTec West Coast offers lower rates altogether…and the same low flat rate whether someone is keying in their credit card information or physically inserting their card into your card reader.

2. PayPal and Stripe offer one-size-fits-all solutions. With PayPal and Stripe you are just a commodity. They certainly are not customizing anything for you!

The problem with one-size-fits-all, though, is that different businesses have different needs. A sandwich shop, for example, has different credit card processing needs than a company that sells high-end home theater equipment online. PayProTec West Coast can customize your service and rate structure to fit your business. The other guys expect you to go to their website, enter your information and say “yes” to whatever service they offer.

3. PayPal and Stripe are not known for their excellent customer service. The thing about accepting credit card payments is that sometimes there is an issue with a transaction. When this happens with PayPal or Stripe, good luck getting ahold of someone who can get the issue resolved! 

When you work with PayProTec West Coast you have someone you can call 24/7 to get issues addressed, usually within minutes. In fact, if a problem arises during normal business hours, I’ll usually handle it for you myself.

The bottom line is, if you want to accept credit card payments through your e-commerce site, you’ve got choices. You can go with PayPal or Stripe. Or you can save money, get a customized solution and enjoy amazing customer service by choosing PayProTec West Coast instead. 
 
To learn more, simply give us a call at 949-427-5108 or visit our website at https://payprotecwestcoast.com. We’re here for you!

​The Mission Viejo Chamber of Commerce is excited to inform you of a new initiative to help attract more young professionals from our community to join us as we grow our businesses and enjoy networking together.

To coordinate this new initiative, the Board of Directors has approved the formation of the Young Professionals Committee (YPC). The YPC will be committed to promoting the success and competence of young professionals through education and connection. The YPC will consist of no less than three members, starting as follows:

Chair: Haley Thayer (Residential First Mortgage)
Membership/Board Liaison: Ian White (Edward Jones)
Events Coordinator: Brynmor Parmenter (Parmenter Insurance)
Photography/Social Media: Moustafa El shaabini (Paradise Photography)

Monthly networking and community socials will be scheduled beginning with the kick-off event on Thursday, July 28th, from 5:30pm - 7:30pm, hosted at High Park Tap House. This first event will help gauge community interest and provide helpful suggestions how to enhance this new initiative.

Registration details can be found both on the MVCC website here and also by clicking on Meetup here.

If you would like more information on how to get involved with the YPC, perhaps as an event speaker or sponsor, please send an email to youngprofessionals@missionviejochamber.com.

Thank you for your support and for sharing our enthusiasm as we launch this exciting initiative for the continued growth of our young professionals and business community!

Some of the most noteworthy takeaways about Mission Viejo pulled from this year's report:

• Mission Viejo has improved by 8 rankings since the last time we released this report. In 2020, it ranked #15.
• Its violent crime rate (0.75 per 1,000 people) was the tenth lowest among all cities we analyzed this year.
• Mission Viejo ranks as the Safest City to Raise a Family in California in 2022. The only other CA city that made the national Top 10 list this year was San Ramon at #10.

You can find more stats and info in the full report linked above, including:

• The fully ranked lists of the safest and most dangerous cities to raise a family
• States, cities, and regions that stand out
• Year-over-year changes
• National stats
• Our methodology

Click here to read the full report. Congrats Mission Viejo!

​Learn new skills at your own pace. Did you know that SDG&E provides webinars for business owners and trade professionals, and most are at no cost? You or your employees can learn about the latest in green building practices, technology and energy-saving solutions from industry experts. Some of March’s topics include:

• Energy audit skills: tools, data collection techniques and calculations
• HVAC: cooling tower efficiency
• Full scale induction for commercial kitchens: cooktops and woks
• Title 24: residential modeling
• Heat pump water heater retrofit: energy cost estimator

Certifications and continuing education units are available for many of the classes. Check out the class listing at sdge.com/EIC.

​Did you know that by implementing a few tips your business can save on its energy use and costs? From regulating your building’s temperature to cleaning air filters regularly, there are smart ways to lower your energy bills. Here are ten tips that can help reduce your costs without having to sacrifice the comfort of your staff or customers:  

1. Lower the temperature. Your business can keep comfortable without cranking up the heat. Adjust your thermostat by a few degrees to help reduce your energy bill. Don’t completely turn off your heat overnight though – you’ll use more energy to heat up the building again in the morning.
2. One of the easiest ways to save money is by controlling your thermostat. Smart thermostats can be adjusted remotely to run energy-efficient schedules. If you join SDG&E’s Smart Thermostat program, you’ll receive $50 per registered thermostat with a max of four thermostats for business and two for your home. Get details on sdge.com/MyBusiness.
3. Did you know ceiling fans help in the colder months too? Change the rotation of your fan blades to clockwise, which will pull warm air down and spread it throughout the room.
4. Open blinds and sunshades to allow sunlight to heat up the room, especially on south- or west-facing windows. Natural light can warm the space and reduce the need for lighting. When you need to turn on lights, save energy by using energy-efficient LED bulbs.
5. In work areas that get little use, like storage and conference rooms, install sensors so lights will automatically go off when employees are working elsewhere.
6. Make sure cold air isn’t drifting into your building by checking weather stripping on your doors and caulking on your windows and other areas that outside air can seep inside. This is especially important in older buildings. You can also put clear, inexpensive plastic sheeting on your windows to add more insulation and reduce cold drafts.
7. Get a tune-up on your heater to ensure your system is operating efficiently. New, clean air filters can improve airflow and heating.
8. Make sure your heating air intake and outlet grilles are not blocked by furniture or other bulky items. Obstructed grilles put more of a burden on the system’s fans to move heated air through an office. Also, check your ductwork for air leaks or any damage to insulation.
9. Check your HVAC filters monthly and clean or replace when dirty. Keeping your HVAC system properly maintained can help save on heating costs.
10. Check if a door provides good insulation by placing your hand against it from the inside. If it feels cooler than the inside walls, it might be time to install a door that's better insulated.

Visit sdge.com/MyBusiness for more helpful energy-saving tips. 

Please enjoy this brief video featuring Mission Viejo Chamber member Elizabeth Beltran from Modern Woodmen. She discusses the type of financial services provided by Modern Woodmen! 

​Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h2Ebd0wgFgU


To learn more about Modern Woodmen and Elizabeth Beltran please visit https://reps.modernwoodmen.org/ebeltran/. 

Please enjoy this brief video featuring Mission Viejo Chamber member Courtney Howe, Community Relations Specialist at Saddleback Urgent Care (Vituity). She discusses the type of services provided by Saddleback Urgent Care to keep your staff and family members healthy! 

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4MyzzcPHRs

To learn more about Saddleback Urgent Care Vituity and the services they provide please visit www.vituity.com/locations/saddleback-family-and-urgent-care-mission-viejo/.

A special thank you to Mission Viejo Chamber Ambassador, Heba El Sabban of OneWest Bank for coordinating this video spotlight! 
​

According to the EPA's ENERGY STAR® program, U.S. small businesses together spend a whopping $60 billion on energy each year. A survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) found that energy costs are a top three business expense for more than one-third of the nation's small businesses.  
 
But small businesses also have significant energy savings potential. Depending on the building and business type, small businesses can reduce their energy without sacrificing service or comfort. Here are some ideas: 

• Conduct an energy audit. SDG&E’s Business Energy Solutions program provides an on-site no-cost energy audit. Learn more at sdge.com/BES.  
• Get employees invested. Saving energy is a team sport, not the sole responsibility of the business owner. Encourage staff to share innovative ideas on how to cut down energy costs – creating an energy efficient work culture. 
• Plant trees. Plant shady trees outside of your business to keep your building cool and help clean the air. Depending on your location, vegetation can help weather the summer heat and chilly winter winds. 
• Plug leaks with weather stripping and caulking. It's important to locate any leaks in your business to prevent costly heating and cooling loss. You can easily plug leaks with weather stripping and caulking to efficiently manage your ventilation. 
• Install occupancy sensors. Install dimmers and occupancy sensors in proper locations to automatically turn off lighting. It's important to ensure that the sensors are properly installed. Even good equipment can be installed incorrectly, like being installed in an obstructed location (e.g., behind a coat rack, door, bookcase or other furniture).  
• Turn off unused equipment. Office computer monitors are an easy way to save on your business's energy bill as they use a lot of energy. Ensure that monitors are set on automatic sleep mode during non-working hours or are manually turned off when not in use. Screen savers do not reduce energy use by monitors.  
• Reduce paper usage. Paper and printing can be costly for your business. Print only when necessary and double-sided when you do. This will reduce paper waste and help cut the energy required to run your printer, which reduces your energy costs and may extend the life of your printer.  
• Install hand dryers. Use hand dryers instead of paper towels. As paper towel dispensers need to be refilled, they are a constant, recurring cost and more expensive than automatic hand dryers in the long run. It’s also less mess and reduces waste. 
• Insulate your water heater. If your business's water heater is older than seven years, be sure to wrap it in insulation to retain water heat.
• Examine your energy use online. You can track and monitor your business’s energy usage by signing up for My Account at sdge.com/MyAccount.