Fresh air and sunshine does strange things to people….it makes them giddily happy in a way not even money can match.   Sunshine and breeze, though, has an even more drastic effect on the business world.  And, as Friday’s Culver City Business Expo proved, if you take business people out into the calming peace of a beautiful day, the whole notion of business changes.  Gone are stuffy conversations around a water cooler, replaced with slap-happy joking and summer time lemonade and barbecue.      It was like a friendly company picnic where everyone was working for the same boss…sunshine.  

Culver Studios - Location of Culver City Chamber of Commerce Business Expo

 The Culver City Business Expo, held on the well-manicured lawn of the Culver Studios, was a Chamber of Commerce event with all of Socal’s favorite characters onboard to spread the word that Culver City is the place to do business.  The Friends of the Culver City Dog Park had a table set up asking support for their continual push to turn an old bone yard into a safe haven for exercising your dog.  La Ballona Creek lovers were also on hand to explain the pluses of keeping the creek beautiful and clean.   

 But, as the title of the event demonstrates, there was more happening than donating to a handful of Culver City causes.  Big business took a break from carving up the world for itself to spend a little time getting to know the community in which they make their money.  Kinkos had a Wheel of Fortune-style prize wheel that was popular with kids young enough to still marvel at the complexity of photocopying.   The Culver City YMCA had the full-effect table with freebies and logos.  Apparently, the name of the game at the Culver City Business Expo is for companies to put their individual logos on the zaniest, most fun things they can find.  Frankly, pens just don’t cut it anymore.  Soaps, balloons, prize wheels, costumed animals…..companies don’t really have logos anymore, they have traveling circuses.

The location and weather were perfect on Friday.  It was the most-believably summer day Culver City had seen so far this year.  It was warm so that the air felt simply like an extension of the fingertips, which made grabbing for the table-top freebies an even more enjoyable activity.  It reminded me of the Plano Hot Air Balloon Festival held every fall in Plano, TX.  And the message is nearly the same:  Culver City businesses are a colorful lot ready to blast off, and you had best get in when they’re still on the ground. 

Everyone you looked, change was finally being heeded, like an entire city reaping a new image out of a long-growing harvest.  The Dog Park cause is steadier than ever.  The revitalized downtown is drawing all kinds of people to Culver City.  The YMCA is renovated and is out-performing its brand name competitors.  What better place to enjoy the rewards of a city working hard than in the sunshine with some of your closest neighbors?  Culver City has an approach to business that’s as fresh as its air.    You’ll have to wait until next year for the next Chamber of Commerce Business Expo.  But, if you want to check out everything that went on, click on the exclusive Socal streaming video.

Remember, if you’ve got to do business, you might as well enjoy it.