Not just a time for personal resolutions, the start of a new year can breathe life into your small business goals. While some resolutions are abandoned, others are turned into full-fledged action plans that can transform your life, your business, or both.  That is precisely what local photographer Ryan Greenleaf is up to as he begins 2013. He was chosen as one of three photographers from across the country to participate in the “Restart: A Photography Business Makeover” course offered by renowned photographer Jasmine Star. Over the next three months, Greenleaf will take part in a workshop that will look at his business and “turn it inside out.” He’ll work on things like branding, marketin

If you’ve seen him, you remember him. Even sans his slick sharkskin suits, Rick Estrin cuts a remarkable figure in his Buddy Holly specs and perfectly coiffed pompadour. You may even have seen him cruising in a vintage Cadillac, and looked to see how soon the rest of the parade would follow. These days, the cars spend most of their time in the garage, but for the past few years, Estrin has been leading Rick Estrin and the Nightcats through performances from Tennessee to Turkey I’ve been a fan since the eighties when Little Charlie and the Nightcats used to play Melarkey’s and Sutter Street Saloon with great regularity. The band had drew was a friendly and familiar crowd, who weren’t con

Husband-and-wife team Randall Selland and Nancy Zimmer, who are the co-founders, executive chefs and owners of The Selland Group, will celebrate the 20-year success of The Kitchen restaurant by opening up another Selland’s Market-Café in El Dorado Hills on Nov. 24. The Kitchen started in May 1991, offering Sacramento the revolutionary demonstration dinners while providing a personal and intimate experience by talking with guests while cooking in front of them. Prior to cooking, Zimmer and Selland were both involved in art. Zimmer worked at an art gallery when she and Selland first met, Zimmer said. “I always had an interest in cooking, and I just loved to cook. (Selland) was always just

Sacramento artist Skinner said his interest in art began in preschool when he would try to draw Hulk Hogan’s muscles. The 32-year-old’s art – a far cry from drawings of Hulk Hogan and brontosauruses – has been shown across North America and Europe. His most recent international show was a 10-day event in Moscow two weeks ago. His work includes paintings, wall murals, toys, album covers and sculpture as well as music, which he said he picked up in high school – playing guitar and singing. Some of his work has been featured on snowboards, skateboards, snowboarding goggles and even a poster campaign for the Quentin Tarantino film “Inglorious Basterds” that ended up not being used. Born Wa

Sacramento River Cats fans may have noticed something different about their favorite baseball team’s Facebook page. On June 30, the River Cats minor league baseball team’s Facebook fan page and profile were hacked into and then deleted. The River Cats were not aware the account was hacked until they received an e-mail from Facebook saying the account had been deactivated. Although the Facebook profile was recovered, the River Cats relaunched a new fan page Tuesday night. Nick Lozito, coordinator of media relations in interactive media for the River Cats, said he contacted Facebook to let them know of the issue last week and received a response that said they will "look into it." After

 *   You have likely heard the old joke that lab rats are being replaced by lawyers because the lab workers do not get emotionally attached to lawyers.  Or the one about a thousand lawyers being chained together at the bottom of the ocean being a “good start”.  As these jokes (and the hundreds of others) show, lawyers have a bad reputation.  Personally, I have never had the need for one and only know a few, and I have worked pretty hard at maintaining the status quo on both of those points.  It seemed to me that lawyers are for people who live near secret toxic waste dumpsites.  Recently, my work helping small businesses with marketing led me to a local Law Firm and Real Estate company