A Few Words from Jim – Let’s Grow

Last month’s issue celebrating Black History month was mostly dedicated cover to cover to Black owned businesses in Southern Oregon. It was wildly successful. It is the most read issue so far and the most commented on. It was the most shared on social and the most positively responded to issue. It was surprisingly also the most controversial. I had to block two posters on our Facebook page for the terrible and sad remarks they publicly made. 

The Southern Oregon Business Journal continues to be what it has been from day one. A conglomeration of news and posts that are found online and aggregated into a monthly journal to make it easy for you to digest relevant news. 

The February issue was a shift because it contained a lot of interviews that I had with Black business owners and hours and hours of editing and writing. It wasn’t my intent, it just grew into it. 

This month I’m getting back to aggregating business news relevant to Southern  Oregon but I am including my breakdown of a panel discussion on cannabis and it’s challenges and impact on the community. 

Grown Rogue is a husband and wife run company and fundamentally they are trying to run a business the right way. It is highly regulated, hyper competitive and has stigmas associated with it. I encourage you to read the article Building Positive Partnerships Between The Cannabis Industry & Community starting on page 24 and learn from Obie what you can do in your business to build community and your business. 

Another intentional move in this months journal is to focus more on Agriculture as well as Coos, Curry, Josephine and Klamath County. The February issue had readers thanking me and asking for more news about those counties and I heard you. Please keep providing feedback. 

Next month we will celebrate the retirement of a Southern Oregon leader with a feature story on him and his organizations growth during his run. 

Finally, let me share with you that sometime soon, the monthly journal might go away and be replaced with daily news. 95% of you read the news posts on the website and never open the digital journal layout. That takes me the most time to create and the writing is on the wall. Let me know what you think.

I am about 5 years from retirement and being able to spend more time with this side hustle I took over from Greg. Until then it’s one of several jobs I have, so bear with me as it grows. 

 Looking forward,

Jim
Jim@SouthernOregonBusiness.com