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Foolproof Steps to Help Your Business Bounce Back from a Major Setback

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Foolproof Steps to Help Your Business Bounce Back from a Major Setback

By Michael Deane – Contributing Writer for Inland Empire Business Journal

According to a study by the U.S. Small Business Administration, about half of small businesses cease operation within 5 years. Entrepreneurship is an unpredictable journey. No matter how hard you work, you can expect to encounter a few setbacks.

It can be a major flaw in the manufacturing process, the loss of a big client, or a great economic disturbance such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. What you do to deal with setbacks is what will define you as an entrepreneur.

So, to find success, first you need to push past the disappointment. Here are a few steps you can take to help your business recover from a major setback.

Stay Calm and Acknowledge the Problem

To help your business prevail, you need to keep a cool head. Usually, our first instinct is to panic when something goes wrong.

But, when you have employees that look to you for leadership and direction, it is even more important to keep a cool head. If you take the next steps calmly, your odds of success will increase.

If the setback is caused by a business mistake, it is key to own up to it. You will only make matters worse if you let your pride get in the way or if you go into denial. You should take responsibility, and you should also avoid blaming others or yourself for the setback.

Put The Problem Into Perspective

Don’t allow yourself to go into “the sky is falling” mode and start blowing problems out of proportion. Not every setback you encounter will put you in a grave situation.

In the grand scheme of things, how significant is the predicament? Is it a legal issue? Is it a brand image problem caused by product flow?

Is it a financial issue caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic? If so, take a moment to realize how many people are going through the same situation and find out if your government is offering any COVID support you can take advantage of.

Before you jump into crisis mode, try to evaluate the impact of the setback.

Put Effort Into Determining What Went Wrong

Before you can fix the problem, you need to determine what caused the setback. This requires objective evaluation.

Did your team fail to do enough market research? Was it because your customer service reps didn’t know how to handle the situation? Was it due to unclear language in your agreement with a client?

To ensure it doesn’t happen again, start laying out what you can change. For instance, if your contact center cannot handle increased call volumes caused by the lockdown, you may find a call deflection bot to be the best solution.

You may need to enlist the help of a professional or a company that specializes in certain business disciplines, such as PR, HR, taxes, finances, law, etc. When you determine the cause of the setback, you need to come up with a clear plan for what you need to do differently.

Reach Out to Trusted Advisors

When the going gets tough, don’t hesitate to ask others for advice and help. No matter the setback, you don’t have to deal with it alone. Look for a trusted advisor who can offer you some support, insight, and guidance.

You can connect with a business coach or a mentor, such as a SCORE mentor. You can also look for a business owner who has experienced a similar problem.

Whatever difficulties you are facing as a business owner, you can rest assured that there’s a seasoned entrepreneur out there who has suffered through the same setback. Talk through your problems with someone who knows what it takes to overcome such issues.

Embrace It as a Learning Moment

Setbacks in business may benefit you in the long run—as devastating as they might be. Consider the wise words of Malcolm Forbes, “Failure is success if we learn from it.” To improve your business, you need to look beyond the dismay.

Embrace the experience as a learning moment. For instance, the loss of an important customer may lead to a new customer loyalty program that will improve customer retention.

If the setback is caused by a bad hiring choice, it may lead you to realize that you need to improve your candidate vetting process.

Reset Your Vision

A setback is a comma, not a period. You can easily get off track when you are going at a rapid speed.

When a slowdown occurs, it is a great time to re-evaluate your vision and revisit your mission statement. The setback gives you that coma, the pause you can use to achieve this.

Why did you start your business? What do you want to accomplish moving forward? Business owners change and grow, and so do markets.

The problem is, their businesses often run on old ideas. This is a great chance to determine what you want to achieve long-term.

Celebrate Small Wins

Create small wins for yourself. This will help you regain momentum. But, don’t attach the win to the results of your actions. The steps you take are a win in themselves.

Non-judgement is the best way to face difficulties in business. It’s easy to get emotionally-tied to your entrepreneurial journey.

But you can prevent this if you avoid thinking of setbacks as failing or losing. You will emerge even stronger if you take advantage of the downtime.

 

Michael is a contributing writer for the Inland Empire Business Journal. He has been working in marketing for almost a decade and has worked with a huge range of clients, which has made him knowledgeable on many different subjects. He has recently rediscovered a passion for writing and hopes to make it a daily habit. You can read more of Michael’s work at Qeedle.

Michael is a contributing writer for the Inland Empire Business Journal. He has been working in marketing for almost a decade and has recently rediscovered a passion for writing.

Business

Unisource Solutions Grows Its Inland Empire Presence with the Addition of TOTALPLAN Business Interiors

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Southern California’s leading workplace design and furnishings resource deepens its regional presence by uniting with a 57-year Inland Empire institution. 

Unisource Solutions, California’s Haworth Best in Class dealership and a comprehensive  workplace design resource, has announced the acquisition of TOTALPLAN a fixture of the  Inland Empire business community since 1969. The strategic partnership brings together  two organizations with a combined heritage of more than 80 years of expertise, unifying  their complementary strengths to better serve businesses, architects, and interior  designers across the Inland Empire. 

Founded in 1987, Unisource Solutions has built its reputation as far more than a furniture  dealer. The company operates as a full-service design resource — offering space planning, workplace strategy and analytics, installation services, project management, and custom furnishings through its in-house brand, Platform by Unisource Solutions. With access to more than 300 manufacturers, Unisource serves clients across corporate, healthcare, higher education, and financial sectors. 

TOTALPLAN has spent more than five decades cultivating trusted relationships with  businesses of all sizes throughout the Inland. Under the leadership of owner Denny  Fosdick, TOTALPLAN earned a reputation for quality service, community investment, and a deep understanding of the regional market. 

“For over 57 years, TOTALPLAN has been dedicated to providing exceptional workspace solutions throughout the Inland Empire and beyond. Now, we’re excited to join forces with Unisource Solutions. This partnership brings together our deep community roots with Unisource’s extensive resources and capabilities. I’m proud to pass the torch to a fellow Inland Empire resident who understands this community and will carry on the legacy we’ve built here.”  —Denny Fosdick, Owner, TOTALPLAN Business Interiors 

Jamal Nasserdeen, President of Unisource Solutions, who grew up in the Inland Empire,  expressed the personal significance of the acquisition and its implications for Unisource’s  long-term growth strategy in the region. 

“Growing up and living in the Inland Empire, it’s a true honor to build on the tremendous 57-year legacy that Denny and his team have established. This partnership marks a pivotal moment in our growth journey, significantly expanding our capabilities throughout the region and strengthening our position as Southern California’s premier workplace solutions provider. It’s a privilege to bring TOTALPLAN into the Unisource Solutions family.”  — Jamal Nasserdeen, President, Unisource Solutions 

The partnership also carries the endorsement of Haworth, the globally recognized  furniture manufacturer for which Unisource holds its Best-in-Class dealer designation.  Tom Peyton, Haworth’s Regional Vice President for the West Region, noted that the  partnership reinforces the strength of Unisource’s regional coverage and honors the  trusted relationships TOTALPLAN has spent decades building. 

The combined organization now brings a unified offering across workplace design, multi brand furniture sourcing, custom fabrication through Platform by Unisource Solutions,  and comprehensive facilities services including delivery, installation, reconfiguration, and relocation support. Clients across architecture, interior design, and corporate facilities teams will benefit from a single, deeply resourced partner capable of supporting  projects from initial concept through move-in. 

For businesses in the Inland Empire seeking to transform their workspaces, the new  partnership signals expanded local access to a nationally capable team, one that is deeply  invested in the communities it serves. 

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Business

Ontario Set to Open Newest Play Street Museum Location

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A children’s museum and indoor play area that lets imaginations wander open soon to local community 

Play Street Museum, an interactive children’s museum and indoor play area purposefully designed to encourage a young child’s sense of independence, exploration, and creativity, will be opening its newest franchise location in the coming weeks in Ontario, California. Locally owned by Teresa and Sergio Carreras, the coming location marks a key milestone in an expanding franchise program, with its first location in California. 

“We’re thrilled to bring the newest Play Street Museum to Ontario for our local community to enjoy,” shared Teresa and Sergio Carreras. “After visiting Play Street Museum with our grandchildren, we knew we had to bring a location to California, and we’re excited to share it with the community and hope it serves Inland Empire families in big ways.” 

“We’re proud empty nesters and even prouder grandparents of five wonderful grandchildren. Becoming grandparents has been one of the greatest joys of our lives. This season of life has given us the opportunity to slow down and truly savor the wonder of childhood again,” continued Carreras. “We look forward to welcoming local families, schools, and community groups to experience everything the new Play Street Museum has to offer.” 

Teresa and Sergio Carreras believe children learn best when they’re having fun and can touch, build, pretend, and explore. Every exhibit at Play Street Museum Ontario is designed to spark curiosity, creativity and confidence. Whether children are running a pretend grocery store, experimenting with simple science, creating art, or climbing into imaginative worlds, children are learning skills that will stay with them for a lifetime. “This space is not just for kids. It’s for grandparents who cherish story time in a cozy corner. For parents who light up watching their child try something new. For caregivers who treasure the laughter and togetherness of play,” shared Carreras. 

Play Street Museum offers an expansive, rotating curriculum at each location specifically designed for children under nine years of age. Everyday and every week is different at Play Street Museum, providing motivation and justification 

for a scheduled time in families’ busy calendars. Play Street Museum Ontario also offers one-of-a-kind birthday parties, complete with comprehensive themes and options for parents from “Do-It-Yourself” to “Sit Back & Relax”, in addition to special events and activities during evenings and weekends. 

In Scientific American’s article, “The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development”, Yale professor Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman summarized the last 75 years of research by declaring imaginative play as a “vital component to the normal development of a child.” By narrowing the focus of Play Street Museum and its indoor play areas to the interests and imaginations of children eight and under, young explorers discover educational exhibits and activities in a world specifically crafted just for them. The deliberate and manageable scale enables children to self-navigate throughout the children’s museum and indoor play area to engage deeply in activities about which they are most interested and passionate. This freedom reinforces independence in the child and also has the benefit of creating a more relaxed and accommodating museum experience for the caregiver. 

“Play Street Museum is thrilled to welcome and open the Ontario location soon with our incredible partners, Teresa and Sergio Carreras. As parents and grandparents, they understand the powerful impact of play and intentionally sought to bring its benefits to this part of the Ontario area. They’ve taken their passion for children, education, and play and applied it to building a dynamic, local business that will support the health and well-being of their own community,” commented Play Street Museum Founder and CEO, Courtney Muccio

Located at 910 North Haven Avenue, Suite 150, the new Ontario location makes the extensive, and well researched benefits of play easily accessible to the local community. The museum’s team of highly knowledgeable associates can provide guidance on additional opportunities to expand the play and learning, either on site or at home, from corresponding activity kits, to pottery, to slime kits, to sensory kits. Customers can also book their play time in advance in addition to schedule birthday parties or private events. 

Families and customers can visit 

https://www.ontario.playstreetmuseum.com/ to book playtime, birthday parties, field trips, and to check out special events. 

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Business

Sweet Success: The Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce Teams with The Freaky Cookie to Elevate Local WBENC-Certified Business

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How The Freaky Cookie Grew with Chamber Support: A WBENC Success Story in the Inland Empire

At the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce (IERCC), we pride ourselves on championing business growth and recognizing the powerful stories of our members. One standout example is Sheila Cavalier, founder of The Freaky Cookie—a fun and rebellious cookie catering company she launched in 2018 alongside her son, Marcus.

What began as a direct-to-consumer venture has grown into a business-to-business powerhouse, fueled by innovation, strategy, and strong community ties. The Freaky Cookie specializes in custom-labeled, individually wrapped cookies for corporate gifts, bulk orders, and special events. Their nostalgic family recipe, dating back over 90 years, delivers both flavor and flair. As Cavalier puts it, “There’s never not a need for a large amount of cookies.”

Recognizing a unique market opportunity during the pandemic, Sheila pivoted the business model to focus on custom-branded cookies—meeting the surge in demand for individually packaged baked goods that also serve as creative marketing tools. “Corporations were tired of traditional marketing,” she recalls. “Our custom-labeled cookies became a fun, fresh alternative.”

In 2022, Sheila connected with IERCC President Edward Ornelas Jr. during the Multi-Chamber Mixer at Ontario International Airport. That meeting led to The Freaky Cookie joining IERCC, which soon opened doors to strategic partnerships and increased visibility. Through the chamber’s vast network and advocacy, Sheila has built relationships with organizations such as Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Top Golf, and Southwest Airlines, which featured The Freaky Cookie in their 50th Anniversary celebration at ONT.

“The IERCC has been a warm and welcoming space,” Cavalier said. “Having the chamber validate our business really means something. It’s helped us get our foot in the door with so many great companies.”

The impact has been tangible. With increased revenue and expanded operations, The Freaky Cookie is no longer just a clever name—it’s a growing force in regional commerce. As Sheila puts it, her goal now is simple but powerful: “Deliver smiles.”

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