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Nearly three dozen business people, chamber and city officials are on the streets of Rancho Cordova today, Thursday, Oct. 22, finding out how business is doing and collecting comments on how things can be improved.

The Rancho Cordova Business Walk is part of the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s year-long series in partnership with local chambers and cities and counties to improve the local economy. Business Walk participants ask three basic questions: How’s business, what do you like about doing business here and how can things be improved.

Says Rancho Cordova Chamber Chair Brandon Ivie: “The Business Walk lets the local business community know we care.”

This is the second Rancho Cordova Business Walk. The first was held last year, and a report of its findings is available online here.

The annual Business Walk series is part of the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s Metro Pulse economic development program to retain and build businesses in the region.

“Metro Pulse is a strategy to stretch economic development dollars and have greater impact,” said Matt Yancey, director of economic development for the Metro Chamber, which manages the program for 15 regional partners.

The Rancho Cordova Business Walk is a partnership of the city of Rancho Cordova, Rancho Cordova Chamber and the Metro Chamber, with sponsors Volt Information Services and Hotel Sierra. The walk was underwritten by a grant from SETA Sacramento Works, Inc. After findings are tabulated, a report on the Rancho Cordova Business Walk will be available online here.

One business visited, the UPS Store on Olson Drive, reported a year that was a “rollercoaster,” beginning slow but now picking up.

Co-owner Tom Nguyen said his business is influenced by the pace of retail sales. “If Macy’s is not doing well—if they don’t buy it—they’re not going to ship it.”

He sees the economy having “bottomed out.”

As to the location of the store, Nguyen said it is very strategic, with a good mixture of business and residences and people.

Rancho Cordova Economic Development Director Curt Haven said to participants that he was amazed at the level of satisfaction of business owners and managers.

“It’s not all doom and gloom in Rancho Cordova,” Haven said. “When you talk to business owners, they are satisfied. They know they have to correct for the downturn and are now turning to planning for the future.”

Businesses visited are also able to report to city officials like Haven situations that impede doing business—such as traffic and security issues. With this direct kind of input, problems can be solved quickly.

As UPS store co-owner Tom Nguyen said, “Thanks for asking—this is way refreshing!”