Did you make any progress during October’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month? Did you, as I like to say, lock your business’s cookie jar?

By now, most employers know there are certain questions they can ask, and certain questions they must avoid when interviewing a candidate for a job. They know that anti-discrimination laws apply before a worker is even hired, and have heard stories about costly lawsuits resulting from an employer asking the wrong question of a prospective employee during a job interview.

I’ve heard him introduce himself as Woodrowe. I’ve heard him introduce himself as Radio. The first time I met him, he didn’t introduce himself at all. He just sat down next to me and started rapping. Then he started beatboxing (mouth percussion, for those who may not be familiar). He was clearly a talented artist, but the layers of his story began to unfold in our following conversation.

For the past seven years, I have taught a class at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, which is called “The Business of Politics.” As a guest speaker, Chris Micheli has presented a lecture for several years on lobbying at the State Capitol.

It would have been impossible to predict that from the card table in my grandmother’s living room, I would start a business in 1987, now called Byers Enterprises, and 30 years later would have grown it from a single contractor to an 87-employee full-service roofing, gutter and solar business.

My assistant “Jane” has a reduced work week, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. I agreed to this when she was hired. However, two years later, I now need her to work more hours. I don’t need or want to hire an additional person — I just need her to work an 8-hour day. But she doesn’t want to. What can I legally do?

One thing that makes my job so interesting is that Comstock’s isn’t a publication solely focused on disseminating information in the form of news briefs and factoids. We tell stories: of the struggle to succeed, thrills of success, heartbreaks of failure and the quiet fear of finding oneself at a crossroads.

Comstock’s interviewed artist Marianne Bland about her artistic direction and recently being named the first recipient of the Gloria Burt Sacramento Region Arts Fellowship.

New UC Davis Chancellor Dr. Gary May arrived at the university with a stellar reputation for innovation, leadership and academic equality for all students. We sat down with him recently to discuss his plans and goals for one of the region’s landmark institutions.

Stella Premo, executive director of the Capital Region Family Business Center based in Roseville, offers her insight into how her organization works to better serve the unique challenges of family businesses.

On a sunny August afternoon at Selland’s in East Sacramento, I had the pleasure of sharing some French press coffee with Kevin Rahm. You probably know him as Lee McDermott from Desperate Housewives, Ted Chaough on Mad Men or maybe even as your neighbor.

Dr. Jeffery Wajda, chief medical information officer at UC Davis, offers his insight into the future of digital data.

California Gov. Jerry Brown created the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, or GO-Biz, in 2012 to serve as a single point of contact for assisting entrepreneurs and others looking to start, grow or move a business that creates jobs in the Golden State. We recently sat down with Director Panorea Avdis to learn more about what the agency is doing to help California businesses.

Funders may tell you that restricted funding increases nonprofit transparency, but what exactly are funders so afraid nonprofit leaders will do if given the flexibility and implied trust that comes with unrestricted funding?

Priscilla Enriquez, chief giving officer at Sacramento Region Community Foundation, offers her insight into urban farming in the Capital Region.

I recently made an offer to a new director of communications for my company. However, I then found out this individual had posted to Facebook asking friends for feedback on two job offers — one for my company and another for a local competitor. I was horrified and I want to remove my offer. Any advice on how to tactfully prevent this from happening in the future?

“Farm to Fork” is not just an advertising slogan: It reflects a big part of the region’s identity, and that reputation is growing. Wine has become one of California’s most recognizable crops and production has grown tremendously over the last two decades. California is home to 4,700 wineries and produces more wine than any other U.S. state.​

Dr. Daniel Rockers, Sacramento-based psychologist, offers his insight into the psychology of work-related stress. For more from Rockers, check out “Get Focused” in our September issue. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll email you when it’s available online.

Comstock’s monthly look at the business news in the Capital Region. Let’s take a peek at August.

John Paul, CEO of Spiral Internet, offers his insight into rural broadband capabilities. For more from Paul, check out “The Long Reach” in our September issue. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll email you when it’s available online.