The show, which made its debut in 2007 and has been performed in more than 60 cities in about two dozen countries, comes to the site of the former Laguna Hills Mall from June 8 through July 21. Tickets are on sale to Cirque Club members starting today, Jan. 29, and go on sale to the general public Feb. 5.

The show pays homage to the traditional circus, albeit Cirque du Soleil-style. It follows the story of The Innocent, a and naive clown who is flying his kite one day when a mystery item arrives that sends him on a bizarre journey.  Audiences will be taken along on a trip that includes live music, feats of strength and jaw-dropping tricks including high-wire acts, the Teeterboard and the frightening Wheel of Death acts all mixed in with old-fashion circus clowning and slapstick comedy.

Besides old-school circus entertainment the show also touches on deeper topics of  strength and fragility,  fear, and identity. “KOOZA” is one of several shows that make up the traveling  Quebec-based Cirque that, since its founding in 1984, has grown from a group of 20 street performers to an organization with thousands of employees and  performers.

For tickets go to cirquedusoleil.com/kooza.

MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide

Name: Dom Jones

Current Job Title: Businesswoman + television host

Political Party Affiliation: Democrat

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: None

City where you reside: Huntington Beach

Campaign website or social media: Website: www.domjones.org; Instagram: domjones.unity

Gov. Newsom has been front and center lately in global affairs, from a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping discussing climate action to a trip to Israel where he met with victims of the Hamas attack. Aside from the governor’s trips, what do you see as the role California should play when it comes to foreign affairs?

California is positioned to become the fourth largest economy in the world, following the U.S., China and Japan. Due to our pivotal role in America’s gross domestic product, I believe California should continue to take a leadership role in strengthening diplomatic and economic relations. This is critical to continue driving economic prosperity for our strong labor workforce and advancing global policy initiatives to combat climate change.

There have been recent efforts at the local level to change voting requirements — from a proposed voter ID requirement in Huntington Beach to an effort to open up voting to noncitizens in Santa Ana. What changes, if any, should be made to California’s voting laws?

I firmly believe in a person’s right to vote and participate in our democratic process. It is well known that voter ID requirements suppress voter participation, particularly among historically disenfranchised Black, Latino, Asian and Native American communities. California has led the way to enshrine and expand on the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and I fully support the laws we have in place that intend to protect voters’ rights and increase voter turnout. I believe the primary and general election days should be designated state holidays to ensure every voter has the opportunity to vote.

The latest state budget projections show California’s deficit has swelled to a record $68 billion, leading to calls for spending cuts. Give us two specific ways California could address the deficit.

California can address the budget deficit through a balanced approach to tax fairness, including requiring the wealthiest individuals and corporations that are currently receiving the largest tax breaks to pay their fair share. And we should be identifying waste and duplication in the budget so we keep it lean and efficient.

Speaking of the budget, what are your top three budget priorities?

My top three priorities are:- Making housing more affordable.- Guarantee access to affordable healthcare to reduce costs and prevent medical debt.- Ensuring our public schools, colleges and career training programs are building opportunities for strong careers.

The legislature garnered national headlines when an effort to increase penalties for child sex trafficking initially stalled. How would you, in the legislature, balance criminal justice reform with public safety concerns?

While there must be a balanced approach to these sensitive issues, the safety and welfare of our children, women, families and communities would be a top priority of mine when making critical decisions dealing with the justice system.

Homelessness continues to be a concern for Californians. While there is no simple solution, what is one proposal you have that could reduce homelessness in our communities?

An effective approach to alleviating homelessness involves streamlining bureaucratic processes at the local level. This enables collaboration among municipalities, nonprofits and the private sector to expedite housing production, meeting the growing demand and enhancing affordability. Implementing incentives that encourage density, transit-oriented development and exemptions to mitigate rising construction costs can yield positive outcomes.

The governor recently signed a law that set a first-in-the-nation minimum wage standard for healthcare workers. Should minimum wage standards vary by industry? Why or why not?

Due to the rising cost of living, I believe we should explore the minimum wage standards across industries. Having been a small business owner, I understand there are concerns about the potential hardship this can place on local businesses. I’m interested in exploring what this may look like for larger businesses and corporations that have the revenue to support a higher minimum wage standard.

What is one environment or climate policy you’d champion if elected?

Climate change is a public health issue and an economic issue. I would champion policies that support protecting and cleaning our oceans, beaches, ports and the communities most impacted by the plastics and pollution we see across the district.

What is one capital improvement project you’d like to see financed and completed in your district?

Our coastline is critical for our economy and way of life. A key capital improvement project for the Orange County coastline would be investing in coastal erosion mitigation measures to protect the beaches and shoreline infrastructure in Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Laguna Beach and Newport Beach. This would include the implementation of critical seawalls, beach nourishment and flood barrier restoration to safeguard against erosion and enhance resilience to rising sea levels.

The state recently began rolling out the CARE Court program in some counties, the state-funded effort that allows first responders, family and other designated people to petition a court to have someone with untreated severe psychotic disorders receive treatment and services. What other ways can the state prioritize mental health care for its residents, including those with less severe disorders?

We must prioritize behavioral health facilities and supportive housing programs with wrap-around services that can provide 24/7 support to people with less severe disorders. These facilities should be rooted in providing humane and holistic approaches, with qualified and trained professionals who can help provide treatment and connect people to further critical resources.

Describe your political philosophy in 10 words or less.

People and solutions, not politics.

What is your go-to campaign trail snack or drink?

Fruit and veggies.

MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide

Name: Diane Dixon

Current Job Title: State Assemblymember

Political Party Affiliation: Republican

Incumbent: Yes

Other political positions held: Former Newport Beach City Councilmember and mayor

City where you reside: Newport Beach

Campaign website or social media: Website: www.dianedixonforassembly.com; Instagram: @Diane_Dixon_

Gov. Newsom has been front and center lately in global affairs, from a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping discussing climate action to a trip to Israel where he met with victims of the Hamas attack. Aside from the governor’s trips, what do you see as the role California should play when it comes to foreign affairs?

California is the fifth largest economy in the world. While I do believe international relations should be handled at the federal level, in extreme circumstances as well as international conflict, constituents should know where their representatives stand.

I immediately condemned the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7 and co-authored Assembly Concurrent Resolution 119. This resolution calls for the release of all hostages as well as condemnation for Hamas’ theft of relief supplies intended for Gazan civilians among many other atrocities.

There have been recent efforts at the local level to change voting requirements — from a proposed voter ID requirement in Huntington Beach to an effort to open up voting to noncitizens in Santa Ana. What changes, if any, should be made to California’s voting laws?

Voting is a right for all American citizens, and while guaranteeing that every vote is counted accurately should be our top priority, we must ensure that the right to be heard is not encroached upon for any voter. Every voter should be able to verify their identity simply to limit any potential fraud and restore faith in our system.

The latest state budget projections show California’s deficit has swelled to a record $68 billion, leading to calls for spending cuts. Give us two specific ways California could address the deficit.

Sacramento politicians have created a bloated government with excess spending, and taxpayers have little to show for it. We must take swift action to address the $68 billion budget shortfall. Let’s start by ending taxpayer-provided healthcare for illegal immigrants which will only encourage more illegal immigration and exacerbate this financial burden.

Our state agencies brag about spending $9.8 billion on a failed high-speed rail project and hundreds of millions of dollars converting the San Quentin Correctional Facility into a resort for criminals. As a member of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, I see almost every bill that has a cost associated with it. On some of these bills, I simply ask my Democratic colleagues where the funding will come from. After telling me they aren’t sure, they still vote in favor of the bill.

Speaking of the budget, what are your top three budget priorities?

Simply put, we need to reel back frivolous spending, and we need to do it now. That is priority No. 1.

Second, we should be focused on eliminating fraud that has impacted state programs like EDD.

Finally, we should consider zero-based budgeting, and every program should justify its need and effectiveness. Overall, the legislature needs to do a better job of prioritizing the dollars we do have to ensure taxpayers get the most bang for their buck. Unfortunately, California has become unaffordable for middle-income residents. We have the fourth-highest income taxes and the highest gas taxes in the country. These taxes and regulations are driving businesses and their jobs out of California. There is much work to be done.

The legislature garnered national headlines when an effort to increase penalties for child sex trafficking initially stalled. How would you, in the legislature, balance criminal justice reform with public safety concerns?

I am married to a 40-year career major crimes prosecutor; public safety is a dinner table conversation. Our lawmakers need to stay focused on victims. When my colleagues in Sacramento didn’t want to increase penalties for child sex traffickers, I was proud to be one of the few to spotlight their pro-criminal policies, and as a proud coauthor, helped pass SB 14.

Legislators need to focus on helping victims of crime, not harming them further. For example, in a reverse situation last year, my colleagues introduced SB 94 which would allow for the early release of the worst of the worst criminals sentenced to life without parole. My fellow Republicans and I were prepared to share victims’ stories to shine a spotlight on how these convicted murderers and rapists could be released into our communities if this legislation was passed. At the last minute, Democrats caved and the bill was pulled from a vote. Policies like this come year after year; this one included. We need to let victims’ families as well as all voters know that their voice matters in opposition to criminal-friendly legislation. We all need to be an activist to keep our communities safe.

Homelessness continues to be a concern for Californians. While there is no simple solution, what is one proposal you have that could reduce homelessness in our communities?

Homelessness is not an issue that the state government can afford to continue burning money with little to no results. More than $20 billion has been spent in the last four years while the problem has become much worse with nearly 50% of the nation’s homeless population living in California. Homelessness has always been an issue handled most effectively at the local and regional levels. In Orange County, sadly, the fastest-growing homeless population is our seniors. I have long been a supporter of increasing affordable senior housing opportunities in my district.

The governor recently signed a law that set a first-in-the-nation minimum wage standard for healthcare workers. Should minimum wage standards vary by industry? Why or why not?

While I do not support government-mandated minimum wages, they certainly should not vary by industry. SB 525 is one of the most costly laws the state has seen in decades. After signing the bill, the governor’s administration projected this wage hike would cost private healthcare providers approximately $4 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year alone. In California, the public healthcare provider costs are an additional $4 billion.

In addition, hospitals that cannot afford to include these higher wages in their razor-thin margins are anticipated to outsource work to people outside of California. We cannot afford to lose these jobs, especially in rural communities that would be the hardest hit, and hospital closures are now becoming real. Over the next year, you will start to see everything increase in cost — driven by the ripple effect of higher wages throughout the workforce. At a time when high inflation is already impacting the average Californian with high food costs and high fuel costs, these wage increases will ultimately be passed to the consumer in the form of higher prices.

What is one environment or climate policy you’d champion if elected?

I represent more than 30 miles of Orange County’s beautiful 42-mile coastline. These coastal cities attract approximately 30 million tourists each year and support our local economies. There is much to be done to protect our beautiful beaches and our economies.

Seal Beach began a long overdue sand replenishment project in December to combat our coastal erosion. In the 2023 budget, I brought in nearly $3 million in state funding for beach protection and accessibility. Part of this funding helped complete the Newport Beach Trash Wheel, a project I started as a councilmember in Newport Beach which will prevent garbage from entering the Pacific Ocean.

In 2024 and beyond, I plan to bring the same technology to Seal Beach where the San Gabriel River collects garbage from 19 inland cities and dumps that waste into Seal Beach. I will also be introducing a coastal package this legislative cycle with the intention of cleaning our beaches and oceans.

What is one capital improvement project you’d like to see financed and completed in your district?

I regularly meet with the elected officials and city staff in each of the eight cities I represent to discuss what I can be doing to help them. Many of the cities have great community projects that I am working to help fund. A key project that would have a significant impact would be a community center in a low-income and English-as-a-second language region of Lake Forest. Built near the 5 Freeway, this community center would benefit residents from Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods and Aliso Viejo.

The state recently began rolling out the CARE Court program in some counties, the state-funded effort that allows first responders, family and other designated people to petition a court to have someone with untreated severe psychotic disorders receive treatment and services. What other ways can the state prioritize mental health care for its residents, including those with less severe disorders?

I led the charge on an audit of the Department of Health Care Services because we need to know what works and what doesn’t. This audit should be completed this year and my colleagues and I plan to use this information to identify and streamline operations that waste taxpayer dollars and promote the programs that help people recover and get the treatment they need.

Describe your political philosophy in 10 words or less.

Fiscally responsible conservative working to make Californians’ lives affordable.

What is your go-to campaign trail snack or drink?

Whether I am running between committee meetings in Sacramento or district events in Orange County, I can’t live without my protein bars.

Jerel Mark Boykins pleaded guilty to murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a gun. He was given credit for 2,316 days behind bars awaiting trial.

Deputies were sent about 2:30 p.m. Sept. 14, 2017, to check on Boykins’ 23-year-old estranged spouse, Yahaira, in the 25000 block of Via Lomas and found her dead of multiple gunshot wounds, according to sheriff’s department spokeswoman Jaimee Blashaw.

After shooting the victim in her bedroom, Boykins drove to Camp Pendleton, where he was detained by Marine personnel, who called sheriff’s deputies.

Friends said the victim had three young children, two of them fathered by Boykins. He had been most recently stationed out of North Carolina, but was staying at Camp Pendleton at the time of the killing.

The couple had split up about six months prior to the killing.

Anyone experiencing or at risk of domestic violence can obtain help by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.

The City Council on Tuesday, Jan. 9, will consider that option and a handful of others, including the continued use of a synthetic herbicide. A group of South Laguna residents concerned about the potential impacts of using Roundup to kill vegetation along trails, hillsides, and streets has been lobbying City Hall this last year to put an end to its use.

The intended goal of killing the vegetation is if a fire were to break out, having cleared the “fuel modification zones” would offer less vegetation for a fire to burn, slowing its advance and giving firefighters a chance to get the upper hand and residents more time to escape.

Hand crews and goats are also used to help eliminate unwanted vegetation to curb fire hazards.

Those zones encompass 400 acres throughout the city. The effort is part of a wide-ranging fire management plan rolled out by the city starting in 2019 with blessings from the California Coastal Commission.

The city contracts with Nature’s Image Inc. to conduct the spraying for the fuel modification efforts and with the Laguna Canyon Foundation to monitor that environmentally sensitive animals and plants are protected – for example, its biologists flagged patches of the Big-Leaved Crownbeard and Coulter’s Matilija Poppy, considered threatened in the state, in the past to be avoided. Around them, any weed removal was done by hand.

Following the complaints and petition effort of the South Laguna residents, city staff are recommending increasing the use of crews using weed whackers and other tools to mow down the plants and grasses before they became 3 feet tall. That would be done three times a year.

The change would come with a cost of $1.3 million a year, compared to the current program, which costs $528,000.

According to the staff’s report to the City Council, 113 acres were treated last year in fuel modification spraying and 3,719 ounces of Roundup were used.

“There is enough concern that this option merits consideration,” said Jeremy Frimond, assistant to the city manager, who also wrote the city’s staff report. “If the council approves this, we’ll do it for 2024 and determine if it can meet the Fire Department’s safety goals.”

While Ramin Pejan, one of the South Laguna residents involved in gathering signatures, praised the city’s proposal to keep Roundup use out of the fuel modification zones, he said they are perplexed that the city proposal includes its use still in habitat restoration areas required by the Coastal Commission.

As part of the permit to remove the invasive plants from the fuel modification zones, the city must identify and restore areas other areas of habitat.

“We are completely confused,” Pejan said. “We made this huge effort to get rid of it, for them now to say we’ll spray it everywhere else in our wilderness and canyons?”

“I appreciate they don’t want to use it near our streets, but to come around and say this is the restoration plan is one step forward and two steps back,” he added.

The resident are concerned the spray is toxic to the community and the environment.

Roundup contains the herbicide glyphosate, which is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the World Health Organization, though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says its findings are the herbicide is not likely carcinogenic to humans when used as directed. Debate and legal challenges have gone on for years.

“Bayer stands fully behind our glyphosate-based products, which have been used safely and successfully around the world for 50 years,” Kyel Richard, a spokesperson for the company that sells Roundup, said in a previous statement to the newspaper in response to the residents’ concerns. “Leading health regulators around the world have repeatedly concluded that our glyphosate-based products can be used safely as directed.”

Frimond said that Roundup would be used in restoration areas far away from the public. One location being considered is about 5 acres in the backcountry near Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.

“It has to be restored to high-value habitat as part of a special condition for our permit,” he said. “It will take three to five years, and a fence would be put around it. We would plant native plants and do targeted removal of the invasives. That’s where the herbicide would come in.”

Pejan said he would also like the city to “present clearer information on the risks of glyphosate since the report still recommends its use for habitat restoration.”

“We believe that using it for habitat restoration still presents major risks to the soil and ecosystem that cannot be glossed over by the council or city staff while it considers using glyphosate for habitat restoration,” he said.

Frimond said he understands the residents’ concerns, but believes the city’s plan is good.

“We wouldn’t knowingly harm the community,” he said, “and don’t believe we are doing that.”

He wanted to strike out on his own, to start a new company and “build a legacy for myself.”

And he wanted his business to be like a family, where everyone gets treated how they want to be treated, with state-of-the-art technology in a supportive environment.

So in January, the 31-year-old Irvine native launched Trusted Mortgage Capital, a mortgage brokerage and loan origination business in Laguna Hills.

Depending on how you look at it, he either had lousy timing or is getting in on the ground floor of the next boom.

On the one hand, soaring interest rates throttled the mortgage business, causing home loan volume to plunge 71% in the first half of 2023 from the 2021 peak. But on the other hand, a wave of mortgage layoffs created a large pool of unemployed talent for Trusted Mortgage to tap.

“It’s all about the mindset you have going on. Even though the business went down by 70%, there’s still a lot of business out there,” said Katifi, Trusted Mortgage’s chief executive.

“In this type of environment, it’s really you building out your engine and sharpening your skill to be the best you’ve ever been,” he said. “And the best time to grow is when it’s slow. Once it’s busy, once the rates are low again, then it will be really hard to capture good talent.”

Trusted Mortgage Capital already scored big in one arena. Even though it’s just a year old, it ranked No. 1 in the small business category of the Orange County Register’s Top Workplaces program.

The selection is based on employee survey responses rating the company.

In one response, an anonymous employee said he or she loves the job because “of the potential to grow.”

The 40-employee company already is licensed to work in 17 states. As of October, license applications were pending in five others.

The firm is both a lender — originating its own home loans to borrowers — and a mortgage broker, acting like a matchmaker connecting customers to other lenders.

During the first 10 months of the year, Trusted Mortgage already had issued 81 loans totaling almost $30 million. That doesn’t include income from the mortgage brokerage side of the business.

Katifi said his company was on track to become profitable by the end of 2023.

The firm has just seven salaried employees and at least 19 loan officers who work on commission. Of those, three to five earn both a salary and commission.

The remaining 14 loan officers are independent contractors, depending solely on commissions. And the company is looking to hire more.

Half of the company’s 6,100-square-foot office is for future growth. The other half, with about 30 cubicles, is festooned with motivational posters, with slogans like, “The only time SUCCESS comes before WORK is in the dictionary.”

Liz Meza, Trusted Mortgage’s compliance manager, said loan officers can earn $3,500 to $50,000 a month.

What makes Trusted Mortgage unique, however, is the free package of services the company provides its loan officers, including marketing, loan processing, technology and lead generation.

“A lot of mortgage lenders and a lot of mortgage brokers have the independent model, which means you have to provide your own marketing, pay for your own processing, pay for everything yourself,” Katifi said. “The difference about us is we provide all that for our branch managers (and) our loan officers … so they don’t need any money out of pocket to be able to work as a mortgage loan originator.”

Katifi said Trusted Mortgage is big on marketing and big on training. New employees start out as junior loan officers, working under the tutelage of a senior loan officer for six months.

They get a week of training at the United Wholesale Mortgage’s headquarters in Pontiac, Mich., and the company gets them licensed.

There are weekly sales and training meetings as well.

“I’m constantly adapting to changes in the industry. I’m constantly updating our approach on how they should approach the clients,” Katifi said. “And just creating a fun environment where people want to come to the office where they don’t watch the clock.”

The company provides lunch every Friday, stages potlucks and celebrates all the major holidays. There are awards ceremonies recognizing the top producers.

The big question is how long can a new company hang on during one of the slowest housing markets on record.

Katifi feels confident that loan volume will pick up as soon as mortgage rates start to subside. A lot of borrowers have high-interest home equity loans. Once rates moderate, they will want to refinance, combining those second mortgages with their firsts.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Katifi said. “Diamonds form under pressure. We’ve got the marketing down. We’ve got the operations down. … There’s still people (who are) going to be buying and selling homes, having to move and needing to get second mortgages for some unexpected expenses.

“So we are here for a long time.”

Trusted Mortgage Capital

Founded: 2022

Headquarters: Laguna Hills

Industry: credit and finance

OC employees: 40

Website: trustedmortgagecapital.com/

Quote: “In this type of environment, it’s really you building out your engine and sharpening your skill to be the best you’ve ever been.” — Ameer Katifi, CEO of Trusted Mortgage Capital

The key, says principal Dan Smith, is putting each team member first, ahead of the profit.

Smith, who’s Anvil’s co-founder and captain of culture, decided early in the 2023 sales slump that keeping his team on the calls would help everyone.

“If we can help our agents make more money, we’ll be more profitable,” Smith says, rather than “how can I make more money off of my agents.”

To make it so, Smith and his wife and co-founder, Melody Smith, started a profit-sharing plan at Anvil.

“Here’s a piece of the company profit back to the agents for participating,” he says. Increased productivity, Smith suspected, would actually make the whole team more profitable.

That combination has put Anvil back in the winners’ circle for the second time, a coup for a company that’s just two years into the 16-year-old Top Workplaces program.

Employees in the survey commended Smith and the management team for helping everyone feel part of the team.

“Anvil knows we’re human, have our own lives but also pushes us to be the best Realtors we can be,” wrote one employee. “No company is perfect but Anvil really makes me feel like I’m in the best place, and I’m not leaving!”

“The captain of culture gives it his all to make sure every one of his agents succeeds,” wrote another.

Smith spoke to us about what has helped keep Anvil’s work culture positive and moving forward in a time when sales are at their slowest pace in 36 years.

Q: Is your market pretty specific to South Orange County?

We’ve actually expanded really, but yes, our market is very specific to Orange County. We have grown and we are in north Orange County as well. And we’re opening an office in Los Angeles, too. And we have an office in San Diego already.

How are you able to expand when so many brokerages are contracting?

We are experiencing growth because our full-time agents and not the non-hobbyists are coming to the business.

Q: So that means you’ve been hiring.

We’ve probably done 300 interviews this year, but only brought on 20 agents. Because 180-ish just weren’t the right fit. Because too many people wanted to do this part-time. This wasn’t going to be their career. So, I’m looking for people who want this to be their full-time job. We hire right. With that kind of ethic, I’m not fighting the normal 1099 (contractor) or a “side hustle” mentality.

Q: We’re reading a lot about how unaffordable homes are now. Your job as the captain of culture must be a lot harder today, right?

Yeah, it’s become a lot more difficult to be a successful real estate agent because there’s a lot less buyers who can qualify.

(Homeowners) want to sell but it’s hard for them to get in with something else. And a 3% reduction in transactions across the board makes it tougher for real estate agents. Four out of every 10 transactions isn’t even there anymore, right?

So it has been difficult for the agents and at times challenging for them, and that’s where the captain of culture comes in. I’m constantly reminding them to look at the bright side, remember that in every adversity they face there’s opportunity as other agents leave the business.

Q: How do you maintain your positivity with sales agents out in the field or working from home?

We’ve adjusted and pivoted probably a couple of times this year. It just depends on the ebb and flow of the market. We do about 25% of our meetings in person and about 25% on Zoom only. And the other 50% of them are usually hybrid meeting. Agents can choose.

Q: And how do you keep the energy high in such a demanding market?

Sometimes it’s a hard struggle for me. I have to be very good at manufacturing energy, manufacturing emotion on those harder days. It just means I have to dig deeper and find it because that’s my job. I don’t sell real estate anymore. So I’m not double-dipping and having to go out and sell a house and then come back and motivate. So I don’t get the luxury of saying, “Oh, I’m having a rough day.”

Q: And what does the captain of culture tell his people when the going gets rough?

When we talk about time management, there are always two things that need to be put onto their time calendar — family and their business. We’re very big on having balance, very big on making sure that you spend quality family time with your loved ones. We are a huge proponent of having the right balance.

Q: And does that investment on work-life balance come back to you?

The most rewarding thing about being the captain of culture is I feel the team’s trust on a daily basis, and that helps keep us all going.

Anvil Real Estate

Founded: 2020

Headquarters: Laguna Hills

Industry: real estate

OC employees: 62

Website: anvilreinc.com

Quote: “The most rewarding thing about being the captain of culture is I feel the team’s trust on a daily basis, and that helps keep us all going.” Dan Smith, co-founder of Anvil Real Estate

A lot of that was due to the company focusing on employees’ needs, said Sidepath co-owner Patrick Mulvee. The company has had less than 10% employee turnover in the past 13 years and has been honored as a Top Workplace for nine consecutive years.

Having a “positive team culture and staying focused and executing on goals through teamwork and collaboration,” is the key to happy employees and high retention, Mulvee explained.

The company owners made a commitment in the beginning to keep the firm small with about 50 employees. It helps senior management connect with every team member. This year, Sidepath edged upward, growing to 51 employees.

The Sidepath staff love their job because they are “cared for as a team member as well as a person.” The company “cares about what’s going on in your life and with your family,” employees say. And “flexibility for work/life balance along with the trust in my ability to get the job done.” The team is offered “opportunity to learn new skills.”

We spoke with Mulvee about how the team keeps its culture while growing the company. His answers have been edited to length.

Q: Have rising prices affected company perks?

A: We haven’t eliminated any company perks. Post-pandemic, we finally were able to have our company trips that were delayed due to Covid. We did a trip to Costa Rica in April for a week. We did some cool events like biking, zip lining and stargazing. We also did a nice snorkel cruise.

And then my business partner hosted a trip to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico for anyone that didn’t do the Costa Rica trip. To Cabo, they were allowed to bring family.

But we’ve allowed some people to move around. A couple of folks actually moved out of Southern California for different reasons and were able to stay with the business. So it’s been good in that sense.

Q: Have you had to reduce staff? 

A: We lost four employees at the end of June because of the acquisition of our sister company in Nevada. These four individuals still work and partner with Sidepath and participate like they are still part of the family. We hired eight new employees this year — four men and four women. We currently have 51 employees.

Q: How have you rebuilt team morale post-Covid?

A: One thing we’ve done quite a bit is cater lunches at the office as a little incentive to come in. We’re also hosting a Christmas party at the Ritz-Carlton this year.

We’ve also invested in “lightboard studios” so we can host really good Zooms or Microsoft Teams meetings. We have three of them. One in our office on Lake Forest Drive, one in San Diego and then one in North Carolina. And it allows the engineers to not have to travel as much because they can do a lot of work remotely.

It’s been a cool, interactive way to meet with clients, solve their problems and design a solution that makes sense.

Q: In what ways have these “lightboard studios” benefited the company?

A: It’s allowed us to collaborate better as a team and more flexibility to get more done. It’s also allowed us to earn new business in areas we wouldn’t in the past. We’ve done deals out in Minnesota, Arizona and New Mexico.

In the past, we primarily did business in Southern California, but this technology has allowed us to expand nationwide. And in the past, we would hire people almost exclusively in Southern California. And now what we realize is we can hire the best person for the job, who may or may not need to live in Southern California.

Q: What is your best advice on how to keep your business going amid shifting economic factors?

A: I mean, I feel like it’s coming, this recession. You turn on CNBC and that’s all you hear about.

We’re hiring the right people, methodically and slowly. As we expand and grow, we need that support team so that we continue to offer quality. I think that’s a big differentiator for us, is being able to maintain quality through not only having great engineering but also being able to support our customers.

And so we’re definitely cautious and being extra thoughtful about who we hire, but we have a great opportunity to win, as everybody’s letting people go and there’s a great opportunity to pick some of those people up and really build for the long-term future.

Sidepath

Founded: 2002

Industry: Information technology

Headquarters: Laguna Hills

OC employees: 51

Website: sidepath.com

Quote: “Stay focused on your core business and values. Appreciate all the hard work and celebrate successes together.” – Patrick Mulvee, Sidepath co-owner

The district provides water and wastewater treatment services to more than 170,000 customers in South Orange County, including the cities of Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano.

This is the seventh consecutive year that the public agency has been honored in the Top Workplaces program.

Opportunity and a sense of fairness were mentioned several times by employees in the anonymous Top Workplace survey.

“I am trusted and respected,” wrote on employee. “My opinion is valued and I am valued as a person, not just as a team member but on a personal level.”

Another wrote: “I fully trust our general manager and the direction she is taking the district. Her genuine concern for our overall well-being is tangible. The reason I love my job the most is the people!”

We asked Kim-Lopez to tell us more about the company’s approach, which she said is not to change employees but to change their workforce. Her answers have been edited for length.

Q: What have you learned in the past year that has helped create a working environment that people feel safe and welcome in?

Organizations, just like people, change. So as someone who leads an organization, we have to evolve in order to meet the changing demands and expectations of our employees.

The other thing that we learned is we’re growing as an agency and when there’s growth, it’s just like the human body, there are growing challenges and pain. We all have to embrace that and really emphasize the importance of communication because that’s how we hear from one another, voice our concerns, our opinions.

We’re really trying to make that a focal point because it’s a lot easier said than done. During and after Covid, all of our work schedules have evolved and changed, and it’s really important to be conscientious about how we communicate with each other.

Q: How do you keep all the negativity in society from affecting the work environment?

We talk about it. I think it’s important to acknowledge what’s happening because whether it’s what’s going around the world or what’s happening in our daily lives, everyone has their struggles. I do think it’s important to acknowledge that.

But it’s also important to stress the criticality of maintaining our focus and being lifted because it’s easy to get very down when bad things are happening around the world, but it’s important to celebrate the things that we have, the goodness that we have.

Q: What does success look like to you and how do you share that with your team?

Success for me really is a combination of employees who feel fulfilled to be at work. As the general manager, have I created a safe environment emotionally, physically and mentally? Do we feel safe? To me, that’s an important part of success.

The other success, of course, is a business and it’s about how we perform. Are we delivering on our promise to our customers and to our communities? Are they satisfied? Because that’s really important. We’re a public agency providing the most critical resource.

Q: How do you deal with the days folks are feeling down or less appreciated?

We all go through things in life, and I absolutely am sympathetic to things that happen in our lives, and I try to work with them as much as possible to give them the time and the space to take care of what they need to do. But the workplace is not where you come to take it out on people. When you come to work, it’s not time to take out on others what you’re going through.

As far as employees not being happy at work, there are a variety of reasons that happen. Some people may feel that they should have been promoted or they should make more money. Those are very natural things that happen in our organization. We deal with those things with very honest and open communication.

Those who ask, those who are curious, we tell them what they need to do to advance. We tell them how they’re doing, honestly assessing their performance or potential, but also supporting them in getting to where they want it to be.

Ultimately, my goal is to make sure that if they can’t be happy in this organization, I also support them in finding opportunities outside the organization. Sometimes it’s not possible to have 25 superintendents and 10 assistant general managers and three general managers. So there is a sort of realistic or practical restraint. But for those who want to achieve, I always create a path within the organization, even outside of our organization. I call that spreading the goodness.

Moulton Niguel Water District

Founded: 1960

Headquarters: Laguna Hills

Industry: government utility

OC employees: 180

Website: mnwd.com

Quote: “Moulton Niguel is a very special place. We call it the ‘Moulton Magic,’ but it’s not magic. Having a top workplace, having a great culture that employers want to stay at, that employees want to work for, that doesn’t happen by chance. It takes a lot of work at all levels.” – Joone Kim-Lopez, general manager of Moulton Niguel Water District.

We all know the people who are in the spotlight all year, but what about those who do amazing things in the background? We count on you to let us know about the teachers, medical professionals, volunteers and amazing kids who did incredible things outside the spotlight. If you know someone whose story should be told, please tell us.

Please nominate someone who has done something exceptional in 2023 using the form in this link. We’re looking for people who live or work in Orange County and truly made a difference this year.

The deadline for your nominations is Friday, Dec. 1 at 5 p.m.

Thank you.

By the way, here’s a look at our selections from the past several years:

• 2022
• 2021
• 2020
• 2019
• 2018
• 2017
• 2016