Lake Forest community leaders, business owners and residents are dedicated to the vision of the city as an ideal place for businesses to prosper and people to live, work and play. The City promotes entrepreneurial activity by offering various business resources. Our unique Business Development and Attraction Program provides individual consultations with business experts, business workshops and training, dedicated staff to promptly address business concerns and fast track building permits, and many other services. In addition, the City partners with SCORE to offer free business counseling at Lake Forest City Hall. To schedule an appointment with a SCORE business counselor in Lake Forest call (714) 550-7369 or access their website at www.score114.org for a list or workshops.

PREVIOUS EVENT RECAP EXPLORATION DAY IN THE ARBOR ON EL TORO The City of Lake Forest held Exploration Day in the Arbor in El Toro on Saturday, April 19, 2008. The event celebrated the successful revitalization of The Orchard and the Home Depot Office/Retail Center and promoted The Arbor as a community focal point that serves as a destination for entertainment, shopping, and community among the residents of Lake Forest and the neighboring regions. Live entertainment and music were provided throughout the day. Tenant Participation was very strong and included several special discounts and offers, food and beverage samples, as well as coupons and giveaways. A grand raffle was held at the end of the event and included several prizes donated by tenants in the centers as well as businesses from the corporate business parks. It is estimated that over 2,000 residents of Lake Forest and many members of the surrounding communities attended the event. Exploration Day in the Arbor on El Toro served as a great venue with which to encourage the long-term success of the centers and to promote The Arbor on El Toro as Lake Forest’s newest shopping, dining and entertainment district. Stay tuned for future events at The Arbor! LAKE FOREST NEW BUSINESS RECEPTION The Lake Forest New Business Reception was held on Thursday, April 3, 2008, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Approximately 50 new business owners attended the event. Attendees included new businesses in Lake Forest as well as businesses that joined the Chamber of Commerce since July 2007. City staff provided an overview of the Lake Forest Business Development and Attraction Program and introduced the business resource booths at the event. The reception was held as an open house format to facilitate greater interaction between staff and attendees. Informational booths consisted of Economic Development, Business Watch and Emergency Preparedness, Planning and Building, SCORE Business Counseling and Small Business Administration, the Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce, TH2 Technologies, and Monogram Magic. City staff was able to interact with new business owners on a one-on-one basis and discuss the City’s various business resources. SECRETS TO SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS: GROWING IN A SHRINKING ECONOMY The 2008 signature business event, “Secrets to Small Business Success: Growing in a Shrinking Economy,” was held on Friday, May 2, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Lake Forest City Hall. Approximately 100 business owners from Lake Forest and the surrounding community attended. The event was sponsored by the City of Lake Forest and hosted by the Lake Forest Chapter of the South Orange County Regional Chambers of Commerce. Mayor Tettemer provided welcoming remarks. Keynote speaker Scott Betty, Business Unit Manager for Oakley, provided valuable insight into effectively branding and marketing your product in a tough economy. The event also featured panel discussions on successful growth, effective cash management, managing human resources, and legal issues. Attendees had the opportunity to visit various resource booths and interact with representatives from the City and the Chamber of Commerce. Business owners were also able to learn more about the Lake Forest Business Development and Attraction Program. Current and prospective businesses in Lake Forest should contact Jessica M. Gonzales, the City’s Economic Development Specialist at 949-461-3569 or jgonzales@ci.lake-forest.ca.us to be added to the business mailing list for future business seminars and events. NEW BUSINESS RECEPTION The inaugural New Business Reception cosponsored by the City of Lake Forest and the Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce was held on Wednesday, August 22, 2007, at Lake Forest City Hall. Attendees included approximately sixty business owners who opened a new business in the City of Lake Forest during the past 8 months. Mayor Richard T. Dixon provided opening remarks and welcomed business owners to the City. Attendees received an overview of the City’s Business Development and Attraction Program and the various business resources that make Lake Forest a great place for business! In addition, the Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce provided information on the Chamber and the benefits of Chamber membership. New businesses to the city should contact the Redevelopment/Economic Development Department at 949-461-3567 to be added to the mailing list for the next New Business Reception. SECRETS TO SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS: The 2007 signature business event, Secrets to Small Business Success, was held on Friday, March 23, 2007, at Lake Forest City Hall. The event was sponsored by the Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce and hosted by the City of Lake Forest. Mayor Pro Tem Mark Tettemer provided welcoming remarks and introduced keynote speaker Sharon Fogg, Vice-President of Marketing for Del Taco. Ms. Fogg offered attendees helpful insights into “knowing your customers” and key ways to market their services. With an estimated attendance of nearly 200 current and prospective business owners, Chamber members received numerous positive feedback and heightened interest in next year’s signature business event. Ranging in topics from “Essentials to Increasing Profitability” to “Leveraging the Internet,” the event provided seminars and panels designed to empower entrepreneurs with tools for economic growth and success. BUSINESS TO BUSINESS FAIR: The Lake Forest Chamber’s signature event for 2006 was held on Friday, May 19, 2006, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Lake Forest Community Center located at 25550 Commercentre Drive. The “Business to Business Fair,” featured a baseball theme with the City of Lake Forest as its “Grand Slam Sponsor.” The event featured Chamber member table-top displays and offered several conference sessions covering topics essential to the new business owners looking to maximize their first year of operation. Seminar topics included professional tips on creating impressive displays at trade shows and other events, effective networking strategies, information about legal issues unique to small business owners, and financial planning advice. PAYROLL TAX SEMINAR Twenty-nine business people attended the City’s free “Basic Payroll Tax” workshop on Friday, August 19, 2005 at City Hall. Presented by the State Employment Development Department, attendees received valuable information on how and when to report state payroll taxes, how to distinguish between an employee and an independent contractor, and ways to receive assistance. MARKETING LUNCH & LEARN Forty business owners attended the City’s free “Marketing Lunch & Learn” workshop on Tuesday, July 19, 2005. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about successful marketing strategies for the small business owner. Speakers included Jan Norman, a business writer for the Orange County “Register” and author of several best-selling books on small businesses; Mike Roessler, director of the Orange County Small Business Development Center; and Robin Noah, consultant with the Service Corps of Retired Executives. PAYROLL TAX SEMINAR The City of Lake Forest held a free Payroll Tax Seminar for Employers of Household Workers on July 20, 2005 at City Hall. Presented by the California State Employment Development Department, attendees received valuable information on topics that included How and When to Register, Employer Obligations, and How and When to Report State Payroll Taxes. BUSINESS BOOT CAMP Over 130 business people attended the 2005 “Business Boot Camp” Conference & Expo on Saturday, May 14, 2005, at Lake Forest City Hall. Eighteen workshops and seminars covered a wide range of business topics including marketing, taxes, human resources, and legal issues as well as an exhibitors’ Expo that showcased local businesses. “Business Boot Camp” was the first event of its kind organized by the Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the City of Lake Forest. Attendees were very pleased with the event and Chamber members are looking forward to the next one! BUSINESS LEGAL ISSUES WORKSHOP Over 50 Lake Forest business owners and managers attended the City’s free four hour workshop held on December 1, 2004, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Foothill Ranch. This City sponsored business event included two panel presentations and small group discussions lead by individual local attorneys. Topics discussed included business organization and ownership, financing, real estate and lease agreements, construction, employment issues, regulations, contracts, workers compensation, transfer and succession, and trade secrets. Workshop presentation materials that include outlines of the attorney remarks, their biographies and contact information can be accessed by clicking here. IRS-EDD PAYROLL TAX SEMINAR The City of Lake Forest had 17 attendees at the free joint workshop held on October 14, 2004, by the Internal Revenue Service and the California Employment Development Department. Attendees were provided with valuable information on topics that included learning and understanding the difference between an employee and an independent contractor, the new paid family leave program and other employment related issues. COMMUNITY CELEBRATION AND GROUNDBREAKING On Tuesday morning, September 14, 2004, over 150 people including Lake Forest City Officials, business owners and residents joined in the community celebration and ceremonial groundbreaking for the El Toro Road Traffic & Landscape Improvement Project. The event was a festive celebration of the kick-off for the City’s largest and most significant capital improvement project to date. The mood was truly celebratory with speakers Mayor Peter Herzog, City Manager Bob Dunek, and the Orange County Transportation Authority Director Cassie De Young acknowledging the significance of this road improvement project for all of South Orange County. This important roadway is the heart of traffic circulation within the Arbor on El Toro, the City’s planned revitalized commercial area and shopping district that extends along El Toro Road from the I-5 Freeway to Muirlands Boulevard. Slated for completion in fall of 2005, the project will improve every aspect of this busy gateway into the City of Lake Forest, easing daily commutes and enhancing access to the shopping centers. The project features additional traffic lanes, major improvements at intersections, new landscaping, better access to retail shops, and coordinated traffic signals. “HOW TO START A BUSINESS” WORKSHOP The City had a great turnout for our latest workshop provided as part of our on-going Business Support Program. Over 100 individuals attended this free City sponsored workshop held Saturday, August 7, 2004, at City Hall. Attendees were provided with valuable information on starting and running their own business as well as hearing from experts who explained business regulations, types of business ownership, buying an existing business, and tax issues. A mini business expo gave attendees the opportunity to speak to representatives from the Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce, the IRS, the South Orange County Business Service Center, local bankers, commercial realtors, Relationship Building Network, the University of Phoenix, SCORE and the Orange County Small Business Development Center. The keynote speaker was Jan Norman, award-winning business writer for the Orange County “Register” and author of several books on running small businesses. Two successful Lake Forest business owners also shared their lessons learned and paths they traveled to success. This workshop is one of our most popular and is offered twice a year. Our next “How to Start a Business” workshop will be held in January 2005. 2004 COMMUNITY & BUSINESS FAIRE Approximately 5,000 residents attended the 6th Annual “Celebrate Lake Forest” Community & Business Faire held on Saturday, May 22, 2004, at the Towne Centre shopping center in Foothill Ranch. The City of Lake Forest is a major sponsor of this free event and it was organized by the Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce. Fun activities included food booths, children rides, displays from local businesses, and entertainment.