MAY 15, 2021

To support, strengthen and enrich our community with a business culture that provides for a strong economy.
"Your success is our success."
Credit: Southern Living

"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." - Zig Ziglar
Benefits Of A Freelance Workforce
 
If you are considering hiring a freelance team, it’s a good time to look carefully at the pros and cons. Freelance workers today can be an asset to your business. They are likely to have a broader range of experience than someone who has been a full-time staffer for years. But even more importantly, hiring freelancers could mean cost savings for your small business.
 
FREELANCERS MAKE FINDING EXPERTS SIMLE
When it’s time to get help for your business, you could go through the motions of hiring an employee. You write an advertisement, interview multiple people, check references, and hope they work out because now you’ve invested time and money in selecting the right fit for your business. By contrast, inserting a freelancer into your organization is simply a matter of scrolling through a job board, looking at their job description and ratings, and reaching out.
 
Because freelance workers are typically experts in a specific field, they know how to do the specific job. Thus, you do not have to spend time and money on training and can have someone ready to go within hours. And, if you don’t like their work, you can pick someone else with no messy legal consequences, such as being accused of wrongful termination.
 
REDUCE TAX COMMITMENT
Freelance workers are independent contractors. From a tax perspective, this means that they are responsible for 100 percent of their own taxes. In other words, they maintain their own businesses and must pay their own employment taxes. 
 
Similarly, because of their independent contractor status, you are not responsible for paying state unemployment taxes or workers’ compensation insurance. As NOLO points out, permanent employees are entitled to FMLA pay as well, and on top of that, they typically receive other benefits like sick time, vacation leave, and a retirement plan. Regular workers expect benefits and must have workers' compensation insurance. This can add up quickly and eat through your profits.
 
DEDUCTIBLE BUSINESS EXPENSE
Even if you are running a small business, there are many expenses that you can deduct from your taxes. These include things like storage rental, postage, and legal fees, but you can also deduct subcontract work.

It is important to get advice and direction from an accountant with extensive tax experience. Using appropriate software to keep tract of the cost of running your business is a must, whether you chose to hire a freelance worker or a full time employee.
 
SAVE ON OVERHEAD
Just as you do not have to pay for benefits, when you have a freelance staff, you also are not out the cost of an office or equipment. Freelancers provide their own tools and working space. Often, they work from home and may be hundreds of miles away from your physical location. Not having to foot the bill for rent or mortgage, office equipment, chairs, utilities, and other expenses associated with a brick-and-mortar business can save you thousands each month.
 
A word of caution, however, as it is not merely enough to call an employee a freelancer. By default, a freelance professional can complete work whenever and however they choose. As long as they meet deadlines and provide a quality product, you do not get to dictate how it happens. IRS guidelines are clear and should be adhered to.
 
There are many benefits of having freelance staff at your beck and call. Not only will you save money at tax time, but you will also have a pool of experts with vast amounts of knowledge in areas where you need it most. And remember, if your freelancer doesn’t work out, there are dozens more that are ready to start when you need them.
 
The pros and cons of hiring freelance staff must be considered carefully when decided who will best serve your business needs. (Elena Stewart)
FEATURED CHAMBER MEMBER
If you have attended a virtual community meeting over the past year, you have likely crossed paths with the Altadena Libraries’ Chloé Cavelier d’Esclavelles. Chloé is the Marketing & Community Engagement Manager at the Altadena Library District, who first joined the Altadena Library team in early 2017, when she was a key member of the team working on Community Conversations throughout Altadena and promoting the Main Library building’s 50th anniversary celebration. Highlights of her work at the District have since included transforming the District’s branding, designing and developing the new library website, marketing the thousands of annual library events and offerings, and building key partnerships in the community that have expanded the reach of library resources in Altadena.
 
Over the past year, Chloé’s focus on community partnerships became an even higher priority, helping bridge technological gaps as needed. Her technical skills have supported numerous community groups around Altadena who needed support with Zoom, livestreaming meetings and events, and developing virtual solutions to help groups carry on their important work in a new, purely digital world. In 2020, she has personally assisted and worked with the Altadena Town Council, Altadena Chamber of Commerce, Jackson Elementary PTA, a local work group addressing hunger needs during the pandemic, Altadena Arts, LA County Department of Parks & Recreation, local efforts with the U.S. Census Bureau, Altadena Historical Society, and more to ensure that meetings could be virtually accessible and enable their efforts to continue amidst the early upheaval of the pandemic. Within days of the first Safe-at-Home orders, Chloé also built out the Altadena Connections website and email service, with the input of key library stakeholders and community partners, and started distributing timely updates about COVID-19 in Altadena and sharing resources relevant to our local community’s response to coronavirus.
 
Chloé’s work has laid a foundation for the work library staff continues to do in building new partnerships and engaging with the community of Altadena.

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce thanks her for her service and commitment to the success of our community.
Governor Newsom announced that the State of California aims to fully reopen on June 15th as long as vaccine supply remains sufficient for Californians 16 years and older also pending as long as hospitalization rates remain low. In preparation for a full reopening, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is working closely with the State of California and the Labor & Workforce Development Agency to connect employers to the COVID-19 Employer Portal. The portal streamlines the process of finding information spread across multiple websites by creating custom “road maps” based on your industry, county of operation, and compliance practices already in place. Information can be printed or emailed for easy reference.
  • One-stop Hub: All applicable COVID-19 business industry guidance organized in one location. Plus, information about benefits for employees, such as paid sick leave, and links to resources they may need during the pandemic.
  • Ongoing Updates: As information changes, the COVID-19 Employer Portal will be updated to reflect changes in county and state guidance.

LEARN MORE  (click)
 
Incorporated in 1924, The Altadena Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association was formed to promote the commercial, industrial, civic and general interests of the Altadena community and its trade area.

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization and relies upon membership dues and volunteer labor to staff an office and provide services to the community.

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce is an equal opportunity organization which strives to reflect the positive and extensive diversity of the community.

Membership is open to any person, assoc., corp., partnership, estate or other business entity sharing the goals and objectives of the Chamber for the betterment of the entire community of Altadena.

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce produces special events, hosts periodic mixers, maintains a web site and provides information about Altadena to visitors, residents and businesses.
Altadena. Chamber of Commerce meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 9am

Meetings are virtual until further notice
Please check website for details
 
Please email us at:

If you would like to be added to the agenda.

The next meeting:

June 1, 2021
PROMOTE YOUR EVENT
Do you have any events, promotions or sales coming up? Let the Chamber of Commerce know! 
We'd be happy to include it in the monthly Newsletter or send out a special announcement to the 600+ members we have on our mailing list. Feel free to contact the Chamber for any information, requests or concerns.

Sincerely,

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce

Give us your email address to add on our listing.
The Altadena Town Council meets every 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7pm. Meetings currently virtual. The next meeting is Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Check web-site for details and find out what's going on in the community:

altadenatowncouncil.org
CHAMBER EVENTS
JUNE

Member Appreciation!

Stay tuned!
PPE for small businesses may include: 
  • Face masks 
  • Hand sanitizers 
  • Face shields

www/PPEunite.org
"A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all."
Contact Us

Altadena Chamber of Commerce
730 E. Altadena Dr.
626-794-3988
Support our Altadena Businesses

Businesses are open

Shop local

Supporting small and local businesses is more important than ever.

Shopping locally is investing in our community.
Our Call Center Can Help Your Business

DCBA has partnered with the Department of Workforce, Development, Aging, and Community Services, and other County and State agencies to bring you the L.A. County Disaster Help Center. The center has resources for businesses as well as employees to help during the COVID-19 emergency. 

Counselors are available Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to help business owners navigate emergency loan applications and help individuals that were recently laid off due to this emergency. Multilingual help is available. 

Contact the Disaster Help Center:
Call (833) 238-4450 

Local Shoppers!
Altadena businesses have partnered with the Altadena Library to give discounts to customers that presents their Altadena Library card at checkout. Check out the Altadena Library web-page to find out participating businesses. click here: altadenalibrary.org/shoplocal/)
YLA County Masking Guidelines For 
Fully Vaccinated People
For the latest updates from the Department of Public Health, visit publichealth.lacounty.gov and follow @LAPublicHealth on Twitter and Facebook.
NEW ALTADENA CHAMBER DECAL
Welcome New Members

Petite Library LLC 

Cuate Publishing - Michael Haggains

Affirmed Housing

CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS


Doug Colliflower, President
Dr. Sandra Thomas, Vice President
Craig Sloan, Treasurer
Judy Matthews, Secretary


************

Vincent Barriors
Melanie Caldwell-Holden
Michell Guajardo
Larry Hammond
Bill Malone
Diane Marcussen
Ed Myers
Barbara Richard King
Maricela Viramontes