Colby Yoshimura

Q2 2025 brought an array of developments to the San Diego startup ecosystem, despite a notable global and local venture capital slowdown. Business San Diego's recent VC report highlights both the challenges and triumphs faced by our city's innovative companies. Here are some key takeaways: 🔹 Funding Landscape: - Q2 startup funding reached $500 million, a decline from $1 billion in Q2 2024. - Major investments in late-stage companies: RayThera ($110M), Biolinq ($100M), Linear ($82M), and more. 🔹 Top Deals: - Bio sector: RayThera ($110M), Actio Biosciences ($66M), HAYA Therapeutics ($65M) - Tech sector: Linear ($82M), Flock Freight ($60M), Clearspeed ($60M) - Seed stage: WeGive ($2M), EyePop AI ($3M), RetroRate ($2.6M) 🔹 Rankings and Transactions: - San Diego holds the 7th position in the US for venture capital activity. - Deal activity fell to 37 transactions, down from 48 in Q2 2024. 🔹 IPO and M&A Highlights: - Aardvark Therapeutics is the only company to have gone public this year. - Carlsbad-based Carlsmed filed for a $100M IPO, signaling growth in medtech. The resilience and innovation within San Diego's startup community continue to shine. #VentureCapital #SanDiegoStartups #Innovation

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𝗟𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗔 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗽 (2026), 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘄𝗹 𝗟𝗫𝗜 (2027), 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗔28 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸-𝘁𝗼-𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for SoCal hospitality. Or a once-in-a-generation staffing headache waiting to happen... Many operators want to wait and see how things develop. From what I’m seeing, starting to hire just six months before kickoff won’t cut it. And hiring is generally taking more time than it used to. The competition isn’t just the restaurant down the street. Hotels, event venues, and global brands will all be going after the same talent pool. The time to start building your leadership team is NOW. Here are a few reasons why: 1️⃣ 𝗔-𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆. While some operators hold off, the ones who move fast are already locking in solid GMs and Chefs before the market heats up. Wait too long, and you're stuck with what’s left. 2️⃣ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘆. Someone hired today has time to learn your systems, shape your culture, and actually lead. Waiting until the frenzy hits means hiring warm bodies just trying to stay afloat. 3️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴. Your top leaders will be targeted hard. Competitors will throw serious money at them. Retention plans aren’t optional anymore. They’re basic survival. 4️⃣ 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲. Even one open seat during peak times causes burnout, bad guest experiences, and lost sales. Those guests won’t come back, and they’ll tell others why. This isn’t just about filling roles. It’s about having a plan to protect your business. We’ve already started helping partners shore up their teams with the coming events top of mind. 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢, 𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚? 🔔 Tap the bell to get notified of future posts.   𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 / 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 to join my network. EHS Recruiting Company - Southern California

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Why pay $3,000 for one employee when you can hire five high-quality Virtual Assistants? Remote hiring is not just cheaper; it's a scaling strategy. Discover how multiplying your workforce instantly turns 40 hours of your time into 120 hours of effort, giving you a massive advantage with dedicated, highly-motivated people.

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📉 Hiring outlooks are shifting — but strong finance talent is still essential. Recent data from the Vistage CEO Confidence Index highlights some important trends for SMBs: 🔹 Only 42% of CEOs plan to hire in the next 12 months — a sharp drop from 65% in late 2024. 🔹 13% expect to reduce headcount, citing economic uncertainty, AI disruption, and shifting trade policies. 🔹 Yet, layoffs remain historically low, and 54% of CEOs still anticipate sales growth this year. The takeaway? Businesses aren't retreating — they're recalibrating. And in this environment, accounting and finance professionals are more important than ever, guiding companies with: ✔️ Smarter forecasting ✔️ Tighter cost control ✔️ Strategic planning 💬 How is your company approaching hiring in the second half of 2025? Are you staying the course or making adjustments? Let me know in the comments — or reach out if you'd like to compare notes or explore how we can support your talent strategy. ConnectPoint Search Group Sacramento Region’s Premier Boutique Search & Staffing Firm www.cpsg.com

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As President of California Staffing and Recruiting Professionals Association, I’ve had countless conversations with leaders across the California staffing & recruiting industry and one thing is clear: This market is not getting easier. It’s getting sharper. Let’s look at what we’re navigating right here in California: * California had 588,000 open jobs as of late 2025 but demand is inconsistent and shifting fast * The state took 64 months just to recover jobs post-pandemic slower than most of the country * Talent is leaving California has seen a net loss of professionals to other states due to cost pressures And on the ground, we all feel it: 👉 Fewer qualified candidates despite open roles 👉 Clients more cautious, budgets tighter 👉 Longer hiring cycles and more competition per req 👉 Burnout across sales + recruiting teams This is the California reality. And it’s exactly why investing in ourselves and our people is no longer optional. If we want to: ✔️ Grow revenue in a tightening market ✔️ Win new business when clients are more selective ✔️ Help our recruiters stand out in a crowded field ✔️ Build teams that can actually sustain performance We have to get better. Period. That’s why California Staffing and Recruiting Professionals Association exists. June 3–5 | Rancho Mirage, CA This is not just another event. It’s where California staffing leaders come together to: * Share what’s actually working in this market * Level up sales and recruiting performance * Build real relationships that turn into real growth * And invest in the one thing that drives everything our people If you’ve been before… you already know. You know the conversations. The energy. The community. If you haven’t 👉 This is your chance to step into a community that genuinely cares about your well-being and success in the California staffing industry. In a state this competitive, you don’t win alone. You win with the right people and in the right room. And this is that room. #CSP #Staffing #Recruiting #California #Leadership #Sales #Growth #RanchoMirage #Community #TeamDevelopment

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Many large staffing agencies are making a big push to transition into selling project-based "managed services" vs solely selling staff augmentation as their main value prop. This concept started being introduced over the past ~5+ years, but really started gaining momentum within the last 1-2 years as the staffing marketplace has undergone widespread changes. Before I got into recruitment, I worked for a consulting firm so I understand why staffing firms want to morph from being a single-service "staff aug" firm to a full-service "managed services" provider. Big agencies with 10k+ account managers/recruiters can fairly easily adopt a "managed services" model since they have huge delivery/implementation teams in place to scale delivery for new service offerings ASAP. Although big agencies have the delivery infrastructure in place, they're still fighting an uphill battle in the marketplace to rebrand from being solely staff aug firms -> managed services consulting firms. Agency salespeople/AMs are handling these client convos, BUT many agencies haven't appropriately re-structured their comp plans to incentivize their salespeople to sell BOTH project-based managed services (that tend to have a longer sales cycle & require a different approach) AND basic staff aug services. Agencies that are morphing into "staff aug + consulting" firms have the HIGHEST odds of competing in the current marketplace, since providing a one-stop "managed services" package to clients is a proven path to become more competitive against ALL the firms entering the marketplace that used to ONLY be occupied by staffing agencies. However, there IS still tension around staffing salespeople's comp at many agencies since many agency account managers (staffing salespeople) are now tasked with selling staff aug AND managed services... BUT most agencies haven't appropriately adjusted their comp structures to reflect this requirement. Anytime salespeople are required to sell anything that benefits their COMPANY, but does NOT benefit their pocket - this is a big risk area. I've recruited full-desk recruiters & staffing salespeople for the past ~8 years - from my observation, their psychology is simple: They want to do the LEAST amount of work for the MOST amount of money with MINIMAL headaches. If an agency is frustrated that their salespeople aren't focused on fulfilling their # 1 priority, it is almost ALWAYS because their comp structure isn't set up to reflect their priorities. Incentives drive behaviors! When agencies diversify their offerings, they HAVE to update their comp plans to INCENTIVIZE salespeople to sell their new FULL suite. This seems like common sense, but nowadays it's a popular move for agencies to CUT their sales/recruiting comp plans, while expecting ppl to bill MORE! This approach almost never works out in agencies' favor. If you want salespeople to sell X, pay them more $ to sell X. It's not that hard LOL.

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This guide is a GOLDMINE of data-led insights around how to take that critical move from founder-led sales, to hiring those early, vital GTM people.

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‘I don’t have enough experience’ is the biggest lie an SDR candidates tell themselves (trust me). Most hiring managers know they’re getting raw talent. What they want is coach-ability and hustle. Stop selling your lack..start selling your growth and mindset. Need proof? Watch this 90 minute video I created for any current or future SDR on the market. https://lnkd.in/gzbtYTiH

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Q4 Hiring Momentum is Strong Across Utah & Nationwide! 🚀 Teams are ramping up hiring—especially in warehouse and production. 📊 Labor Market Snapshot (Q4 2025) 👉 U.S. hiring outlook: +28% (one of the strongest globally) 👉 Utah unemployment: 3.3% (well below national ~4.2%) 👉 Utah job growth: +40,300 jobs YoY (+2.3%) 👉 Job openings: 77,000 in June, up from 68,000 in May 👉 39% of employers hiring are expanding teams 👉 Top demand areas: Manufacturing, Transportation, Logistics 🏭 On the Ground Insights ✅ High demand for Pickers, Forklift Operators, Loaders, and Shipping/Receiving Clerks ✅ Assemblers, Leads, Machine Operators, Supervisors remain highly sought-after ✅ Skilled Trades—Maintenance Techs, Welders, Electricians—are still scarce ✅ Reshoring & automation are creating new opportunities ✅ On-the-job training helps close skill gaps ✅ Safety, compliance, and shift coverage are prompting faster hiring decisions 💡 If your team is looking to source talent now, I can share what’s working for other teams—worth a couple of quick messages to compare notes! DM here or Drop me a note: ADiamond@SmartResources.com

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From Temporary to Direct-Hire: How San Bernardino Contractors Are Changing Staffing Models with K2 Staffing's Support: San Bernardino contractors are reevaluating their team-building strategies, shifting away from recurring temporary staffing cycles toward more strategic direct-hire approaches. This shift is transforming how local construction, manufacturing, and industrial companies address their biggest hiring challenges, with K2 staffing services leading the way. This guide is for: San Bernardino contractors, project managers, and business owners… The post From Temporary to Direct-Hire: How San Bernardino Contractors Are Changing Staffing Models with K2 Staffing's Support appeared first on K2 Staffing. https://bit.ly/48jgxXY

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