The Catalyst by the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce

What happens when a professional singer nearly loses his voice? Or when life throws cancer, heart failure, addiction, and homelessness into the mix?

For Bill Grissolia, founder of the Long Beach Blues Society, the answer has always been to keep going, keep believing, and keep making music.

In this episode of The Catalyst, Stuart Takehara sits down with Bill to explore a remarkable journey through the music industry, personal adversity, and a lifetime of giving back.

From bringing blues music into schools, senior centers, and veterans' communities to creating opportunities for the next generation of arts professionals, Bill has made music about much more than entertainment.

He also shares how an unexpected partnership helped secure a $3.5 million building for the Long Beach Blues Society and the emerging Long Beach Music Museum.

Along the way, Bill offers advice for entrepreneurs facing their own challenges, talks about the importance of persistence and community support, and explains why sometimes the best thing you can do is keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Because sometimes the blues aren't just something you play. They're something you overcome.

The Catalyst is presented by the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, featuring the people, businesses, and organizations helping move Long Beach forward.

Finding quality child care isn't always easy. In fact, Long Beach is considered a child care desert, meaning there simply aren't enough licensed child care providers to meet the needs of local families.

In this episode of The Catalyst, Stuart sits down with Crystal Stringer, founder and owner of Heaven's Angels Academy, to discuss her journey from operating a successful family child care program in Carson to opening a brand-new early learning center in Long Beach.

Crystal shares the challenges of opening a licensed child care facility, why she chose the Wrigley neighborhood, how the pandemic changed child care, and why creating a welcoming environment for children is about much more than colorful walls and toys.

If you're a parent, entrepreneur, or simply interested in how businesses grow while serving their communities, this conversation offers an inside look at what it takes to build something that truly makes a difference.

00:00 Welcome to The Catalyst

00:44 What is Heaven's Angels Academy?

01:33 From an in-home daycare in Carson to a second location in Long Beach

02:00 Why Crystal chose Long Beach and what it means to be a "child care desert"

02:52 Why the Wrigley neighborhood became the perfect location

03:57 The reality of opening a child care center: permits, licensing, and a three-and-a-half-year journey

06:15 How COVID permanently changed child care and today's flexible scheduling needs

08:22 Supporting parents with non-traditional work schedules

09:28 The inspiration behind designing a warm, welcoming learning environment

11:57 Why early childhood education is about much more than babysitting

14:32 Outdoor learning, movement, and helping children develop through play

16:00 Building community while investing in Long Beach's future

17:33 What families can expect from Heaven's Angels Academy

18:35 Final thoughts and how to schedule a tour

• Long Beach has a significant shortage of licensed child care providers.
• Opening a child care center requires years of planning, permitting, licensing, and construction.
• Child care has evolved to meet today's flexible and hybrid work schedules.
• A thoughtfully designed learning environment can shape how children learn, explore, and grow.
• Play-based learning builds social, emotional, and academic skills long before kindergarten.
• Community partnerships are essential when launching a new business.

To learn more about Heaven's Angels Academy, schedule a tour, or explore enrollment opportunities, visit their website or contact the academy directly.

https://www.heavensangelsacademy.com/

The Catalyst is produced by the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, highlighting the businesses, leaders, and organizations making a difference throughout the Long Beach community

Joining the Chamber is the easy part. Getting involved is what turns your membership into something valuable.

In this solo episode of The Catalyst, Stuart Takehara, Vice President of Membership at the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, talks about how members can get more from their Chamber membership by being intentional about why they joined, building the right relationships, and becoming strategically involved in the business community.

Stuart shares practical advice for approaching Chamber events, including why collecting business cards is not the goal, why you should focus on having conversations worth continuing, and why trying to sell your product the first time you meet someone is usually the wrong approach.

The episode also explores the Chamber’s business councils and how members can use smaller groups to build stronger connections, get involved in conversations that matter to them, and become known within the Long Beach business community.

Most importantly, Stuart explains why simply joining the Chamber does not create value. Members have to show up, build relationships, follow up, and stay involved.

In this episode:

• Why joining the Chamber is just the beginning

• How to decide where to spend your time and get involved

• Why meeting the right people matters more than meeting everyone

• How being useful helps you become known, liked, and trusted

• Why you should build relationships before you need them

• How the Chamber’s business councils can help you find the right rooms and conversations

• Why showing up consistently matters

• The importance of following up after events

The key takeaway:

Joining the Chamber gives you access. Getting involved turns that access into value.

That value is built through connection, community, and conversation.

Learn more about the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, explore upcoming events, and discover opportunities to get involved through the Chamber’s website.

TimeStamp

00:07 Welcome and Introduction to Chamber Membership

02:39 Understanding the Value of Membership

05:13 Building Meaningful Relationships

08:01 Engaging with Business Councils

10:53 Strategic Involvement vs. Busywork

13:42 The Importance of Follow-Up

For the past several weeks, we’ve sat down with restaurant owners, retailers, fitness entrepreneurs, service providers, and business leaders from across Long Beach as part of our Small Business Resiliency Series.

Although every business has a different story, one thing became clear. Many are facing the same challenges and discovering many of the same solutions.

In this special recap episode, Stuart Takehara shares the biggest themes that emerged from the series, along with powerful soundbites from local business owners themselves.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Why consumers are still spending, but spending differently

• Why customer frequency has become more important than average ticket size

• How successful businesses are creating reasons for customers to come back

• Why community has become a competitive advantage

• The importance of adapting instead of standing still

• The challenges businesses continue to face with staffing

• How AI and technology are changing the way small businesses operate

• Why visibility and marketing matter now more than ever

• Why entrepreneurs continue to invest in Long Beach despite economic uncertainty

• The message of optimism every business owner needs to hear

Featured guests include:

• Robb Smith, Alley Cat Deliveries

• Jax Diener, Watch Me Sports Bar

• Caprice Kindgren, Urbane Cafe

• Joseph Michael Gray, HOTWORX Long Beach

• BC Hoffman, BC’s ICY’S

• Thea, Wicked Wolf

• Leonard Chan, Midnight Oil

• Dave Garden, Kiwi

This episode is more than a recap. It’s a snapshot of where small business stands today and where it’s headed tomorrow.

Support local. Support small business. Because behind every storefront is someone working hard to build something that matters.

How do you know if your business is truly the right fit for a community?

In this final episode of the Small Business Resiliency Series, Stuart Takehara talks with Joseph Michael Gray from HOTWORX Long Beach about what it takes to open a new fitness studio in a competitive market.

Joseph shares how the HOTWORX team evaluated Long Beach as a location, what factors mattered most in choosing the Spring Street and Los Coyotes area, and why community fit, visibility, demographics, and accessibility all played a role in the decision.

The conversation also explores the real challenges of buildouts, brand awareness, pre-opening marketing, pricing, customer objections, and how businesses can show value when consumers are paying closer attention to every dollar.

For small business owners, this episode is a reminder that success is not just about having a good product. It is about doing your homework, knowing your customer, choosing the right market, and making sure the value is clear.

• What HOTWORX is and how the concept works

• Why Long Beach was chosen for the next studio location

• How demographics, density, rent, and community fit shape site selection

• The importance of accessibility and neighborhood reach

• Lessons from the buildout process

• How to build awareness before opening

• Using grassroots marketing and community partnerships

• Marketing to college students the right way

• Handling price sensitivity in today’s economy

• How to make the value of your product clear

• Advice for entrepreneurs choosing a business location

00:23 Introduction to the final episode of the Small Business Resiliency Series

00:53 Meet Joseph Michael Gray from HOTWORX

01:04 What HOTWORX is and how infrared fitness works

01:43 Stuart’s experience trying HOTWORX workouts

03:07 Opening San Pedro and preparing for Long Beach

03:23 Why HOTWORX chose Long Beach

03:41 Evaluating demographics, density, rent, and community fit

05:19 Building brand awareness in a new market

06:08 Choosing the Spring Street and Los Coyotes location

07:55 Why access and community reach mattered

08:36 The Long Beach buildout process

10:20 Operating a 24-hour fitness studio in Long Beach

11:28 Building the first 300 members

12:00 Grassroots marketing and open houses

13:45 Reaching the college student market

16:18 Why business owners need to put in the marketing work

16:47 Comparing the San Pedro and Long Beach markets

17:38 Price sensitivity and membership objections

19:41 The challenge of fixed pricing in different markets

21:45 Helping customers understand value

24:36 Advice for future business owners

25:41 Selling through connection, not pressure

26:13 How to connect with HOTWORX Long Beach

27:03 Final thoughts and closing

Before opening a business, do your homework.

The right location is not just about traffic or rent. It is about whether the product, price, customer base, and community all fit together.

Customer behavior has changed, and restaurants that want to survive need to change with it.

In this episode of the Small Business Resiliency Series, Stuart Takehara talks with Caprice Kindgren, Director of Marketing for Urbane Cafe, about how the fast casual brand grew from one location in Ventura to 44 locations across California and Las Vegas, including two in Long Beach.

Caprice shares how Urbane Cafe adapted during COVID, why online ordering permanently changed the restaurant business, and how the company uses loyalty programs, community partnerships, catering, customer data, and AI to keep growing in a tough economy.

This conversation is packed with practical lessons for restaurant owners, marketers, and small business leaders who are trying to bring customers back, increase repeat visits, and stay relevant as spending habits change.

• How Urbane Cafe grew from one location to 44

• Why COVID permanently changed restaurant customer behavior

• How online ordering reshaped store design and operations

• Why loyalty programs matter more than ever

• How to turn first-time customers into repeat customers

• Why community partnerships drive local growth

• How catering can become a major growth opportunity

• How AI can help small teams work smarter

• Why employee development improves retention

• Advice for entrepreneurs and marketers

00:23 Introduction to the Small Business Resiliency Series

00:44 Meet Caprice Kindgren from Urbane Cafe

00:55 Opening Urbane Cafe’s 44th location and second Long Beach location

01:20 The origin story of Urbane Cafe

02:56 Urbane Cafe’s two Long Beach locations

03:58 How COVID changed the restaurant business

05:56 The shift from in-store dining to online ordering

06:41 How loyalty programs help drive repeat visits

07:12 Why newer restaurant footprints are smaller

07:48 Will dining habits ever go back?

09:00 The challenge of opening restaurants today

09:33 Why catering is a major growth opportunity

10:45 Advice for aspiring restaurant entrepreneurs

11:20 Why community relationships matter

13:18 Current economic challenges in 2026

14:30 How price sensitivity is changing customer behavior

15:36 Using loyalty programs to increase customer frequency

16:12 Turning first-time guests into repeat customers

17:00 How Urbane Cafe uses community givebacks to build trial

18:04 The power of cookies and first impressions

19:06 What makes Urbane Cafe unique

19:48 Career and marketing advice

20:56 How AI is changing marketing and operations

23:02 Employee retention and developing people

23:51 How to find Urbane Cafe

Customers may be spending less often, but they still reward businesses that deliver value, convenience, consistency, and community connection.

For small businesses, the lesson is clear: get people to try you, capture the relationship, give them a reason to return, and keep adapting as customer habits change.

Can you successfully open a business in an industry you’ve never worked in?

Jax Diener did exactly that.

With no hospitality experience, no restaurant background, and plenty of people telling her it was a bad idea, Jax launched Watch Me Sports Bar, California’s first women’s sports bar. Two years later, the business continues to grow, evolve, and adapt in one of the most challenging economic environments for small businesses.

In this episode of the Small Business Resiliency Series, Jax shares the realities of opening a business from scratch, the challenges of building a customer base, the importance of constant innovation, and why believing in yourself may be the most important business skill of all.

From project management and event planning to staffing challenges, unexpected repairs, and creating a space where everyone feels welcome, this conversation is packed with lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs and established business owners alike.

• Opening a business without industry experience

• How Watch Me Sports Bar became California’s first women’s sports bar

• Building a brand around community and inclusion

• Why entrepreneurs must constantly adapt and evolve

• Creating events that drive customer engagement

• Staffing challenges in hospitality

• Managing unexpected expenses and operational issues

• The importance of believing in yourself

• Advice for entrepreneurs considering taking the leap

00:23 Introduction to the Small Business Resiliency Series

01:19 What makes Watch Me Sports Bar unique

02:02 Opening California’s first women’s sports bar

02:36 The roller coaster of the first two years

03:52 Building a business with no hospitality experience

05:34 Becoming an event planner to drive business

07:50 Creating community through sports

09:03 Staffing challenges and leadership lessons

10:31 Adjusting operating hours and adapting to demand

12:14 Building a niche brand while staying inclusive

13:18 The reality behind entrepreneurial success

14:19 Unexpected expenses and operational challenges

16:05 Choosing the Long Beach Marketplace location

17:25 The journey from idea to opening day

20:58 Opening in a post-pandemic environment

22:03 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

23:39 How to connect with Watch Me Sports Bar

You don’t need to know exactly how you’re going to get there.

You need to believe strongly enough in the destination that you’re willing to figure it out along the way.

What happens when a delivery business becomes more than a delivery business?

In this episode of the Small Business Resiliency Series, Stuart Takehara sits down with Robb Smith, founder of Alley Cat Deliveries, a Long Beach-based personal errand, delivery, shuttle, and logistics service built around one simple idea: people over profit.

Robb shares how Alley Cat started on a bike after a major life change, grew during the COVID era, and became a trusted local resource for everything from airport rides and business logistics to emergency community support. He also talks openly about the rising cost of fuel, slower consumer spending, the challenge of competing with major delivery apps, and why local businesses need local customers now more than ever.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that small businesses are not just storefronts or services. They are neighbors, helpers, connectors, and sometimes the people who show up when nobody else can.

• How Alley Cat Deliveries started and grew over seven years

• Why Robb built the business around personal service

• The real impact of gas prices and rising costs

• Why big delivery apps hurt local businesses

• How small businesses can pivot when sales slow down

• Why “support local” has to mean more than just a slogan

• How Alley Cat helped during regional wildfire relief efforts

• Advice for entrepreneurs who are scared to start

• Why people over profit can still build a strong business

00:23 Welcome to the Small Business Resiliency Series

01:08 What Alley Cat Deliveries does

01:30 The unusual requests Robb gets from customers

02:42 How Alley Cat started seven years ago

03:24 Surviving COVID and entering a new economic challenge

03:53 The impact of fuel prices on a delivery business

05:03 Why customers are spending less right now

05:30 The problem with big delivery apps

06:30 Why local dollars need to stay local

07:00 How Alley Cat supports restaurants and small businesses

08:11 How rising costs are affecting small businesses

08:52 Pivoting away from food delivery

09:46 Knowing your worth as a service business

11:02 What keeps Robb up at night

12:19 What small businesses can do to stay relevant

13:12 Why Long Beach needs more people supporting local businesses

14:51 Why some businesses catch fire while others struggle

15:51 Robb’s “people over profit” philosophy

16:42 How Alley Cat helped during the wildfire relief efforts

20:14 The community response at Expo Arts Center

21:18 Advice for new and struggling business owners

22:35 Why supporting small businesses helps everyone win

23:08 How to contact Alley Cat Deliveries

Small businesses survive when the community chooses them.

Robb’s story shows that resilience is not just about working harder. It is about adapting, serving people well, building trust, and creating a business people believe in enough to recommend.

What do you do when life forces you to hit pause?

After emergency heart surgery left him unable to work, travel, or continue his fast-paced hospitality career, BC Hoffman found himself searching for a creative outlet. What started as homemade Italian ice made from fruit growing in his backyard eventually became BC’s ICs, one of Long Beach’s newest artisan food brands.

In this episode of the Small Business Resiliency Series, BC shares how a major health challenge became the catalyst for a new business, the role community support played in his success, and why collaboration between small businesses can be one of the most powerful growth strategies available.

BC also discusses the realities of scaling a startup, navigating permits and regulations, managing self-doubt, and taking the leap from employee to entrepreneur.

Whether you’re running a business, thinking about starting one, or facing a major life transition, this conversation offers practical lessons on resilience, persistence, and believing in your ideas.

• Turning a personal setback into a business opportunity

• Overcoming imposter syndrome as an entrepreneur

• How Long Beach’s small business community helped BC’s ICs grow

• The challenges of scaling from hobby to business

• Navigating permits, regulations, and startup logistics

• Why collaboration beats competition

• Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs ready to take the leap

00:00 Welcome to the Small Business Resiliency Series

01:17 BC’s journey from chef and bartender to entrepreneur

02:00 Emergency heart surgery changes everything

03:15 Rediscovering Italian ice and finding a creative outlet

05:36 When a hobby starts becoming a real business

07:00 From backyard batches to commercial production

08:00 The first pop-up events and selling out

10:00 How Long Beach Creamery helped accelerate growth

12:00 Small businesses helping small businesses

13:00 Why collaboration beats competition

15:00 Building stronger communities through local business

16:53 Challenges of launching a startup in today’s economy

18:00 Permits, regulations, and navigating bureaucracy

20:00 Scaling from passion project to full-time business

21:30 Finding mentors and learning from other entrepreneurs

23:00 Rising costs and pricing an artisan product

24:49 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

26:00 Why fear shouldn’t stop you from starting

27:45 Where to find BC’s ICs

28:52 Growing the team and hiring help

29:57 The Shark Tank question

30:18 Final thoughts and closing

“The fear of jumping is nothing compared to the regret of never jumping at all.”

BC’s story is a reminder that resilience isn’t about avoiding challenges. It’s about finding opportunity on the other side of them.

What happens when customers love your business, but they use it differently than you expected?

In this episode of the Small Business Resiliency Series, Stuart Takehara talks with Leonard Chan, owner and founder of Midnight Oil in Downtown Long Beach, about building a bar and restaurant concept in one of the city’s most active and competitive neighborhoods.

Leonard shares how Midnight Oil came together, why he chose Downtown Long Beach, and how the business evolved into multiple immersive bar experiences under one roof. He also talks about the challenge of opening after the pandemic, changing customer habits, shorter visits, less alcohol consumption among younger guests, and the need to create community-driven events that give people more reasons to come in.

For small business owners, this conversation is a strong reminder that the original concept is only the starting point. The real work begins when customers show you how they actually want to use your business.

• Why Midnight Oil chose Downtown Long Beach

• How the concept evolved into multiple bar experiences

• Opening in a post-pandemic business climate

• Creating immersive spaces that feel like different destinations

• Why customer behavior in Long Beach is different from Orange County

• How shorter visits impact staffing and reservations

• Responding to younger customers drinking less alcohol

• Using food specials, mocktails, events, and pop-ups to drive traffic

• Why community may matter more than cocktails

• Advice for aspiring bar and restaurant owners

00:00 The challenge of adapting to Long Beach customer behavior

00:53 Introduction to the Small Business Resiliency Series

01:23 How long Midnight Oil took to develop

02:27 Opening a restaurant after the pandemic

03:22 Why Downtown Long Beach felt like the right fit

04:20 Building a unique cocktail and bar concept

05:00 How the concept changed to avoid competing with nearby businesses

06:07 Leonard’s background in restaurants and bars

07:00 Creating three bar experiences under one roof

08:21 The hidden back room and immersive bar design

08:44 Why Midnight Oil evolved the back-room concept

09:53 Making one space feel like three different destinations

10:31 The biggest hurdles of opening in Long Beach

11:00 Learning that Long Beach customers move between multiple spots

12:23 Bringing people back out after the pandemic

12:45 Using collaborations, pop-ups, specials, and events

13:26 Responding to younger customers drinking less alcohol

14:31 Why Midnight Oil is becoming more community-driven

15:37 What Downtown Long Beach needs next

17:12 Advice for aspiring bar and restaurant owners

18:00 Why partners, written agreements, and support systems matter

19:03 How to visit or contact Midnight Oil

Customers will tell you what your business needs to become.

Midnight Oil’s story shows that success is not just about having a creative concept. It is about watching how people actually behave, adapting quickly, and building reasons for them to come back.