Briefly In Business

‘Taste of Laguna’ expo set for Oct. 8

The Taste of Laguna & Community Expo, sponsored by the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce, takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 8 in the upper level of the Glenneyre Street parking structure. The annual event is an opportunity for businesses to showcase their products and support the community.

Live entertainment, including local rock ‘n’ roll favorites, will be featured, along with 80 businesses, food and beverages from local eateries. Admission is $10.

Businesses may register to participate by calling (949) 494-1018.

LRM Interior Design wins two awards

Lisa Rachelle McDennon, principal of Laguna Beach-based LRM Interior Design, was honored in the Living Rooms and Special Rooms category recently during the ASID 2009 Design Awards event.

ASID President Diane Sparacino noted that LRM Interior Design was the only nominee to win more than one award.

The awards were judged by design industry professionals and professors from Los Angeles and kept completely anonymous. Candidates were judged solely on their entries, not by their name or reputation.

For more than 10 years, LRM Interior Design has provided Orange County and the international community with full-service residential design, assistance with the selection of architectural details, architect and builder collaborations, creating functional living spaces and designing custom furnishings.

For more information, visit www.lrmdesign.com, or call (949) 497-6806.

H1N1 guide for small businesses

The Small Business Administration has created a preparedness guide designed to assist small businesses in planning for the possibility of an H1N1, or swine flu, outbreak this fall. The guide was announced recently by SBA Administrator Karen Mills and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

“Small-business owners should take the time to create a plan, talk with their employees and make sure they are prepared for flu season,” Mills said. “For countless small businesses, having even one or two employees out for a few days has the potential to negatively impact operations and their bottom line. A thoughtful plan will help keep employees and their families healthy, as well as protect small businesses and local economies.”

Outbreaks of H1N1 flu are occurring now across the country and will likely coincide with the return of seasonal flu this fall and winter. The preparedness guide offers small-business employers tools and information to help them plan for and respond flexibly to varying levels of severity of an H1N1 outbreak.

Employers are encouraged to put strategies in place now to protect their employees and their businesses in advance of the fall flu season. Included in the preparedness guide are tips on how to write a continuity-of-operations plan, steps for keeping employees healthy, frequently asked questions about the 2009 H1N1 flu and a list of additional resources that employers can access online.

To download the booklet, visit www.sba.gov/flu.