Tucked away in the Sierra foothills, just north of Nevada City, is the Ananda World Brotherhood Colony. And while many spiritual communities like Ananda often fail after a few years, this one has managed to last for nearly 50 — partly because the advent of online commerce has made it easier for people in rural areas to support themselves.

The narrative of Andrew Susac’s 2014 season did more than just further his promising baseball career. The Roseville native’s sudden ascent in late July from minor leaguer to eventual World Series champion opened up a breadth of new financial opportunities, too.

California’s business climate is well-known for being unfriendly. CEO Magazine has rated California as the worst state in which to do business for more than eight years running.  Undoing Proposition 13’s provisions, as is currently being proposed, will make a big problem even worse by increasing taxes on the very businesses that create jobs and contribute to our economy.  

Whether or not a sale makes sense, the economic recovery that has fueled the growth of many businesses suggests that it’s a good time for business owners to re-examine the value of their business and to revisit — or put in place — a succession plan which may or may not include the prospect of a sale.  

Here’s a recipe to breathe new life into a lifeless block of R Street: Start with a 5-story warehouse made of solid concrete, suitable for loft conversion. Add subsidized rents. Then attract artists, writers and other creative types, plus their spouses, lovers, kids and hangers-on. Sprinkle in baby strollers, coffee shops, galleries, some painful-looking piercings and plenty of ink on skin.

Improving the minimum wage and making Sacramento a better place to do business are not mutually exclusive goals. Done properly, an increase to the minimum wage targeted at Sacramento’s working poor will strengthen the economy, benefit the entire community and help create the Sacramento that we all want.   

Peer-to-peer lending platforms have hit their stride, and the number of peer loans has grown 84 percent per quarter since Prosper launched in 2006. In that same period, originations for other types of consumer loans have fallen 2 percent a quarter.

We are at a critical point in history. Longstanding social issues like hunger, poverty and lack of access to quality education continue to plague the world. All the while, wealth continues to grow at a staggering rate. This global dichotomy has given rise to new philanthropists who approach their discipline in a radically different way.

#GivingTuesday is a global day dedicated to giving back. You’ve given thanks. Today, we’re celebrating generosity. 

California’s business climate is well-known for being unfriendly. CEO Magazine has rated California as the worst state in which to do business for more than eight years running.  Undoing Proposition 13’s provisions, as is currently being proposed, will make a big problem even worse by increasing taxes on the very businesses that create jobs and contribute to our economy.