There are more than 3,000 influencers in Sacramento, who make their living by building an audience, establishing a brand and creating compelling content online. We asked a few of the most prominent how they learned to turn their lives into art -- and commodify it.
Written by Vanessa Labi
Read and produced by Robin Epley
Q: An employee who has been here only three months just quit. In his exit interview, he said there wasn’t enough work to do within his department, and he was bored, so he looked to move on. I asked why he hadn’t applied for any number of open positions we have. He said he didn’t because his manager said he couldn’t change jobs when he’d been here less than a year. This is true. Is this a policy we should keep?
This Evil HR Lady column ran in the January 2020 issue of Comstock's magazine.
Written by: Suzanne Lucas
Read by: Shoka
Produced by: Robin Epley
Read more here: https://www.comstocksmag.com/article/dilemma-month-why-new-employee-looking-transfer
We are planning to make a job offer to a very strong candidate. Of course, salary is negotiable, but what about other things that a candidate wants to negotiate?
This Evil HR Lady column ran in the December 2019 issue of Comstock's magazine.
Written by: Suzanne Lucas
Read by: Shoka
Produced by: Robin Epley
Read more here: https://www.comstocksmag.com/qa/dilemma-month-are-perks-and-benefits-negotiable-salary
I just found out a coworker is making more than I am, even though I have been here longer. How can I bring this up to my manager without giving away how I found out? Can I use this as leverage for a raise?
Written by Suzanne Lucas
Read by Shoka
This column appeared in the November 2019 edition of Comstock's magazine.
Comstock’s Talks features audio versions of some of our top stories, including our popular Evil HR Lady series by Suzanne Lucas, print features on topics such as the effects of COVID-19 on the arts industry and the fight over water rights in the Central Valley, and other news that will help you stay up to date on the state of business in the region.
Reader: Shoka, associate editor
Producer: Robin Epley
Music: Red Wing by A.A. Aalto (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Last year had been a strong year for the performing arts in the region, and 2020 was building on that success, which has led to hope from some local arts leaders that this progress will continue despite the unprecedented shutdown. Read more at https://www.comstocksmag.com/longreads/out-spotlight.
If employees are scheduled to begin working at 6 a.m., but no one from management shows up until 7 a.m. to unlock the doors, can the workers be penalized and docked an hour of pay?
Jennifer Siebel Newsom is passionate about several issues, but perhaps none more than the gender wage gap. And she’s using her clout as California’s first partner and a celebrated documentary filmmaker — whose work and advocacy primarily focus on cultural issues and empowering women — to raise awareness.
Only a handful of breweries in the Capital Region focus on these classic styles, yet some area brewers believe the balance is starting to shift back from ales to lagers. As the Sacramento craft beer scene continues to mature, will local drinkers abandon their ales and learn to love the lager?
The Capital Region offers a mix of destinations within an hour's drive of Sacramento. We profile four of them. (Read by Robin Epley; original story by Graham Womack)
A growing movement of farmers is focused on agricultural practices that can mitigate or adapt to an uncertain future brought by climate change.
The way we're getting around is rapidly evolving, and more change is coming. Original story by Eric Johnson, narration by Robin Epley.
One year after the Camp Fire, some business owners have gambled on making a go of it again — but others see no reason to return.
Our October 2019 cover story. Comstock's had unprecedented access to John, Dilyn and Andrew Radakovitz, the family behind Dimple Records during the final weeks of the business. Listen as Comstock's unfurls the history of Dimple, its connection to Record Store Day, why the owners chose to close and what comes next. Story by Matthew Keys; Editing by Sena Christian and Tom Couzens; Audio version narrated by Bethany Crouch.
In this miniseries of Action Items, Comstock's tackles the implication of Senate Bill 826, which requires publicly traded for-profit companies headquartered in California to ensure gender diversity on the boards as well as how to go about positioning yourself for a board of directors seat. Here, we talk to Diane Miller, a corporate governance expert and President & CEO of Wilcox, Miller & Nelson. She has served as a director on the boards of the California Chamber of Commerce, University of Pacific, AARP Foundation, as well as Umpqua Bank and Humbolt Bancorp. Currently she serves on the advisory board for LeaderXXchange
Produced by Flores Podcast Consulting
In this miniseries of Action Items, Comstock's tackles the implication of Senate Bill 826, which requires publicly traded for-profit companies headquartered in California to ensure gender diversity on the boards as well as how to go about positioning yourself for a board of directors seat. Here, we talk to Barbara O'Connor, a nationally recognized expert in the fields of political communication and telecommunications policy and applications. She recently completed a six year term on the national board of directors of AARP in Washington DC and continues to serve on the boards of Capitol Public Radio and The California Conservation Corps.
Produced by Flores Podcast Consulting
In this miniseries of Action Items, Comstock's tackles the implication of Senate Bill 826, which requires publicly traded for-profit companies headquartered in California to ensure gender diversity on the boards as well as how to go about positioning yourself for a board of directors seat. Here, we talk to Kim Box, a former vice president of HP and current CEO of Gatekeeper Innovation. She is a Past Board Chair on the American Red Cross Board, Gold Country Chapter and currently serves as a director on the board for American River Bank well as on the board for McGrath Rentcorp.
Produced by Flores Podcast Consulting
In this miniseries of Action Items, Comstock's tackles the implication of Senate Bill 826, which requires publicly traded for-profit companies headquartered in California to ensure gender diversity on the boards as well as how to go about positioning yourself for a board of directors seat. Here, we talk to Erica Dias, senior vice president and director of marketing and community engagement for American River Bank. She is also the Sacramento chair for the 2020 Women on Boards national campaign.
Produced by Flores Podcast Consulting
For our grand finale, we decided to do things a little different and give you an inside look at the season from the creators themselves. In this episode, Action Items executive producer and Comstock’s editor in chief Allison Joy, managing editor Sena Christian and Action Items technical producer Johnny Flores join host Tre Borden to discuss what we learned over the season, check in with past guests to see where they are at now and discuss areas for improvement for season two.
Music: "Thinking Time" by Lunaverse; "Motivation" by Scott Holmes
What if things like “butterflies in your stomach” are more than just cutesy cliches? Scientists are discovering that our guts are more complex and influential than we had fathomed. Our stomachs don’t merely send messages to our brain regarding digestion or if we’re hungry. The signals can have a fundamental impact on how we feel throughout our bodies. The gut is now being called the body’s “second brain,” and understanding its secrets can help us boost our mood, sharpen our memory and even live longer. (OK, it can also keep us regular.)
Written by Jeff Wilser; read by Katie Tortorice
On this episode of Action Items, Sacramento State President Dr. Robert Nelsen and Dr. Ting Sun, executive director of the Natomas Charter School and member of the California State Board of Education, join host Tre Borden to discuss K-12 public education, and college and workforce preparedness.
Music: "Thinking Time" by Lunaverse; "Motivation" by Scott Holmes
In the throes of the recession, many trade workers moved on to other industries. The Sacramento Area Council of Governments reported that between 2013 and 2021, the region needs to build about 105,000 housing units to meet demand. Dividing that number by the nine years means almost 12,000 units per year. This year, the greater Sacramento region is on track to hit about 6,000. Also looming over the industry is the idea of a prevailing wage.
Written by Russell Nichols and read by Allen Young
On this episode of Action Items, Dr. Jessica Kriegel, an organizational development consultant at Oracle and author of the book “Unfairly Labeled: How Your Workplace Can Benefit From Ditching Generational Stereotypes,” and Angélica Quirarte, a government innovations strategist for the California Government Operations Agency, and join host Tre Borden to discuss how the State — and private organizations — can address an aging workforce and prepare for a younger generation of workers.
Music: "Thinking Time" by Lunaverse; "Motivation" by Scott Holmes
Since the first Punjabis emigrated from India to California at the turn of the 20th century, this population has carved out a prominent role in the economy, culture and identity of Yuba City, despite decades of laws that prevented immigration, citizenship and land ownership for Indian Americans. The Yuba-Sutter area boasts one of the largest Sikh populations in the U.S., estimated to be over 15,000. Back in Punjab, Yuba City is a desired destination where Punjabis of all religions know they can find friends and family thousands of miles away from their homeland. This city, rooted in agriculture, is an unassuming place where the American Dream, elusive to so many, is alive and well.
Written and read by Sena Christian
With a new federal administration has come a promised immigration clampdown. In the Capital Region, the effects of the new policies may be felt most acutely by farmers. But some restaurateurs, builders and labor contractors also say the immigration squeeze will shrink their already-tight labor pool. The departure of long-established but undocumented Mexicans from California is a signal that the flow of unauthorized immigration is shifting direction, perhaps dramatically. And that will have implications for Sacramento businesses.
Written by Steven Yoder; read by Allen Young