The LocalPAGES team is pleased to announce our latest Business of the Week winner, Yokoz Sushi Bar and Islander Grill! Located at 945 Otay Lakes Rd. Chula Vista, CA 91913, this eclectic restaurant specializes in Pacific Rim cuisine as well as several traditional Japanese dishes. Founded by a group of friends in 1998, Yokoz started out as a professional catering company called Pacific Island Catering. Success in the that field inspired the owners to branch out into a full blown restaurant shortly thereafter. Despite its popularity, many still consider Yokoz a well kept secret in the San Diego metropolitan area. New customers generally discover this hidden gem through a referral from another loyal patron.

The diverse menu represents a collection of grilled Hawaiian fare mixed with an extensive Sushi bar. The generous box lunch specials are a big hit in the corporate world. From 11am to 3pm, guests select from staples such as Chicken Teriyaki, Chicken Sesame, Pork Gyozas, Kalbi short ribs, shrimp tempura, and value priced sushi rolls. The local office workers appreciate being able to grab a quick lunch that’s also relatively healthy. Fresh fish is easier on the arteries and waistline than even the highest quality burger. The To Go menu offers different choices for those too busy for a sit down meal. Seafood lovers will feel right at home with rolls made of octopus, crab, spicy tuna, or smoked salmon.

Yokoz continues to offer stellar catering services, and their infamous live action Mobile Sushi Bar really sets them apart from the competition. This unique feature ensures that your guests receive hand prepared items instead of prepackaged goods. The fully stocked sushi bar arrives at its destination with real chefs ready to wow the crowd. Two separate packages suit various tastes, from locally based choices to those for connoisseurs. The Executive platters contain Eel and Octopus, which might not suit everyone’s pallets. A word of caution: the Mobile Sushi Bar is best suited for adults as the menu doesn’t carry kid-friendly fare.

When you’re planning your next cocktail party, business meeting, or other important event, be sure to remember this superior sushi catering service in Chula Vista, CA. Call 619-482-0134 and make arrangements!

The LocalPAGES team is pleased to announce our latest Business of the Week winner, Idea Apps, Inc! Located at 3463 Magic Drive Suite 245 San Antonio, TX, 78229, this team of dedicated developers just celebrated their one year anniversary. While the company primarily services the greater San Antonio area, it’s expanding into Austin as well. Idea Apps specializes in creating custom applications for the iPhone, iPad, and Android based devices.

The key to Idea Apps’ success lies in the innovative business model. Founders Marie Ysais and Rudy De La Garza noticed an overarching negative presumption with respect to app inventors within an industry dominated by programmers. Ysais and De La Garza wanted to give customers a voice in the development process instead. After all, businesses invest a substantial amount of capital into creating user friendly products that meet consumer needs. Listening to their suggestions along with those of the technical experts yields profitable results for everyone involved.

The Idea App approach also includes comprehensive marketing solutions through various promotional programs. In the midst of the current app explosion, it’s difficult to catch buyers’ attention. Idea Apps doesn’t let anyone get lost in the shuffle. With tons of helpful tools to generate awareness, such as reviews, optimization, and analytics, your investment will garner the attention it deserves. Those willing to sign on for the lucrative partnership program receive free estimates, design/programming, and advertising in exchange for a revenue sharing agreement. Basically, partners provide a concept, and let Idea Apps do all the work for them!

Idea Apps plans to unveil several large projects in the near future, so expect to see continuous growth throughout the next year. The top secret assignments must be kept tightly under wraps due to market viability and the possibility of imitation. Share your app development dreams with qualified professionals during a free consultation today! Call (866) 610-4332 to schedule an appointment or Skype conversation.

LocalPAGES proudly presents a most excellent summer extreme sports contest, featuring ZJ Boarding House, Purple Skunk Board Shop, Liberty Skate, and Xtreme SoCal! From now until August 26th, we’ll be giving away awesome weekly prizes until we cap it off with our epic grand prize drawing!

ENTER TO WIN

The Ultimate Skate Package

Plus, we’ll drop extreme sports lesson packages from Xtreme SoCal every week!

All you have to do to enter is Like LocalPAGES to become a fan on Facebook! But……if you want more chances to win there are additional submission option below for a total of 30 opportunities to win!!!
> Like ZJ Boarding House, Liberty Skate, and Purple Skunk Board Shop on Facebook for 3 more chances!
>Click on the Google +1 button at the homepage of LocalPAGES.com for 1 more entry.
>Follow the whole crew on Twitter—each follow equals another entry.
> Tweet this blog post to your followers or RT the initial Twitter post here for another entry!

Wanna go bigger?

>Review your favorite local skate shop on LocalPAGES.com. A review earns you another 4 points.
>Tweet the URL of your review for another bonus point!

Bust any of these killer combos, and you’ll be ballin’. Leave a comment on this post telling us what you did, and we’ll take care of the rest when it comes time to randomly pick the winner.

Unless you’re truly committed to gnar…

>Show your dedication by submitting an original photo or video of you shredding and we’ll throw in another 10 entries! And by original, we mean 100% legit. No recycled footage or old Flickr pics. Make sure the video or pic has LocalPAGES somewhere in the video. A piece if scratch paper with LocalPAGES scrawled on it will suffice, a Mike Tyson facial tattoo of our logo is probably going too far, but we’ll take it. Upload them to your favorite video or photo sharing site, and throw up the links in a comment on this blog post!

p.s. Your comments will not appear immediately. We have to approve them manually to avoid SPAM. We appreciate your patience! />

Politicians, journalists, and commentators toss this term around without bothering to define it. As a result, there’s a great deal of confusion surrounding the precise definition of a small business. For instance, some believe that independent companies with a low number of employees embody the phrase. Others feel that profits or sales figures should be central to the concept. Both of these ideas present their own problems. For instance, the skateboarding/streetware apparel company Young & Reckless operates with just 15 staff members; nevertheless, most people wouldn’t consider the brand “small” because of its large scale distribution and MTV connection. This point brings up the issue of scale. Do city-wide or regional franchises qualify or should the description apply to brick and mortar businesses exclusively?

The Small Business Association focuses on industry specific standards as well as the level of domination. In other words, Young and Reckless counts as a result of relatively limited market share. There are tons of extreme sports brands competing for the same consumer base. A well known name doesn’t necessarily equate to huge sales figures. Speaking of profits, the SBA’s calculations might surprise you. Retailers in certain sectors may bring in $21 million in receipts without raising any eyebrows. This probably sounds a bit odd. After all, an individual with that much money sits alongside the top 1% of Americans in terms of income. The key distinction here lies in the word “receipts”. In this instance, receipts are not just the little white pieces of paper cashiers give you as a proof of purchase. A business’ receipts represent the company’s average gross income over a 3 year period as well as the total cost of goods sold.

Receipts may be a broad indicator of overall performance, but other important details must be factored into the equation to complete the picture. Firms may not deduct certain overhead costs, property taxes, or income taxes. Other omitted figures include net capital gains and losses; $21 million doesn’t sound as impressive when there’s a huge net loss looming in the background. The SBA also relies on a complex system known as the “size standards”. Many entrepreneurs use these guidelines to determine whether or not they qualify for the agency’s services. As a general rule, mining and manufacturing companies with 500 employees or less count as small businesses. For the majority of companies outside of these fields, annual receipts must not exceed $7 million.

Hopefully this information sheds light on what exactly constitutes a small business. Does your company fit this description? Do you think the SBA should take additional things into consideration? Share your experience with our small business community!

By now you’ve probably heard the buzz surrounding Google Plus, the search giant’s latest foray into the social networking arena. While the new service lingers in beta test mode, users may join via invitation only. The commentary thus far seems fairly positive, yet it tends to come from the point of view of a regular user. Personal users may prefer Google Plus to Facebook for a variety of reasons; however, small businesses might feel left out altogether. Facebook and Twitter are considered standard web marketing platforms these days. Now where does Google Plus fit into the picture?

First off, it’s important to understand the purpose of those little plus marks you’re seeing everywhere. These widgets essentially mimic the infamous Facebook “like” button, which adds a unique social dimension to online searches. Public browsing streams already exist, so there’s really nothing novel about this aspect. Resources, such as StumbleUpon, allow users to share and recommend websites as well as pages. User-generated feedback helps develop a brand’s online reputation, but those little pluses serve a dual purpose. Since they come from Google, they’ll give your SEO strategy a quick boost. Encourage your customers to start giving you this nod of approval by integrating the plus button onto your site. Google shows no sign of losing its search dominance, and you won’t risk alienating people through a relatively obscure service.

In its beginning stages, Google Plus appears to be a welcome change of pace in terms of its clean interface. Facebook users often complain about spam and excessive advertising. Google Plus could distinguish itself from the competition by pledging to maintain an ad free zone. That’s unlikely given Google’s penchant for monetization and the massive advertising potential in a project of this nature. For these reasons, small business owners needn’t fear the worst. Rest assured that there will be a place for marketing efforts on Google Plus. Rumors put the Plus for businesses debut in the Fall of 2011.

Lots of people believe that the basis for Plus will be righting Facebook’s wrongs. Perhaps Google won’t place strict limitations on the interaction between businesses and their consumer base. The whole brand/fan dynamic leaves a lot to be desired. Trading direct communication for display ads sounds like a fair exchange. As the features unfold, Plus sounds more and more business friendly. For instance, you’re allowed to sign in with multiple accounts simultaneously. This saves marketing professionals the trouble of having to log in and out to access the pages/profiles they need. Hopefully this is one of many useful tools with advertising in mind.

The LocalPAGES team is pleased to announce our latest Business of the Week Winner, The Urban Frog! Located at 163 North Broadway St. Green Bay, WI 54303, this funky cafe’s motto says it all: “From the Field…To the Frog!”. When most folks think of Wisconsin, cheese, beer, and bratwurst typically come to mind. There’s nothing wrong with indulging in these goodies once in a while, but consuming high cholesterol foods on a regular basis may lead to health problems. The Urban Frog presents a healthy alternative to fast food fare that’s focused on organic indigents as well as flavor. What’s more, the restaurant caters to those with dietary restrictions, such as vegans, vegetarians, and people suffering from gluten intolerance (Celiac disease).

Diners stop by the Frog to grab breakfast, brunch, lunch, or an early dinner. Most of the breakfast entrees feature various scrumptious combinations of scrambled eggs, crisp locally grown veggies, and cheese wrapped in multi-grain tortillas. Carnivores should opt for the hearty Midwest Wrap, which contains nitrate-free ham. Some items come with a side of seasonal fruit, a truly refreshing way to start the day. The lunch/dinner menu delivers a wide range of culinary choices from unique grilled Paninis to specialty sandwiches and nutritious pizza. The unconventional items sound a bit odd at first; skeptics change their tune once they sink their teeth into the Frog’s famous Walnut Burger. Of course, there are more traditional staples for less adventurous guests. The Southwest Chicken Panini delivers a zesty kick alongside antibiotic-free poultry. Lighter eaters may select from a meal sized salads to homemade soups.

Kids tend to be picky about food; parents usually stick to sure fire pleasers such as cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and French fries. While these make kids happy in the short term, they also send a bad message that increases the likelihood of developing Type 2 Diabetes or weight problems later in life. Concerned parents find solace in The Urban Frog because the Kids’ Menu satisfies hunger without reinforcing harmful habits. Little tummies love the classic peanut butter and jelly or cheese quesadilla. Kids and parents both enjoy the tart taste of fresh squeezed juices and energy shakes. Grown-ups in need of a quick pick me up flock to the gourmet coffee bar for espresso, lattes, and cappuccinos. Chi tea served hot or cold brings the desired caffeine fix with a subtle sweetness. Hot drinks appeal to the surrounding community particularly during the cold Wisconsin winters.

In fact, you don’t need to leave the office to score a wholesome meal because The Urban Frog delivers box lunches for worker bees! They also cater for small affairs of up to 10 people. The next time you want to fuel up at a healthy deli in Green Bay, WI before the big Packers’ game, call the Urban Frog at 920-490-1170.