Hi. My name is Nat Ferguson. We may not have met yet, but I believe a proper introduction is due before we start talking about business. Understanding a little bit more about me will add depth and value to the perspective I will be bringing to the Seal Beach business community.
A Seal Beach local since birth, four generations of my family have been proud to call Seal Beach home.
With the birth of our daughter last year, that has grown to five generations, which has created an intimate link between my family and the community.
We reside in Old Town and enjoy the simple pleasures of walking to the beach or riding our bikes to Main Street for dinner.
After starting my real estate business in 2003, I became intrigued with what made the local business community tick. For such a small beach town, our city offered a diverse list of businesses from large corporations to small nail salons and coffee shops.
Being a young business owner then, I couldn’t quite see where I fit in yet. But soon that would all change with an invitation to the Chamber of Commerce breakfast.
After meeting a lot of people I already knew (and many I didn’t), I knew membership in the Chamber was an easy decision for me.
Eager to get involved, I volunteered to help park cars for the annual classic car show which I had enjoyed as a spectator for as long as I could remember. That was quite an experience since I had no idea how much planning, communicating and volunteer hours went in to producing such an event.
Though some years have passed since my initial involvement with the Chamber, you can still find a core group of individuals and businesses that quietly volunteer to put on the event’s we enjoy regularly.
Admittedly I was absent from the Chamber between the time when I got married until after the birth of our daughter, when I felt the calling to return. When I was recently offered the opportunity by Erik Dryer-Goldman to serve as president, I recognized the chance to give back at the highest level and took it.
It’s my hope that my unique perspective of living and working in Seal Beach will give me better insight into solutions to help other business owners. I know we are in a challenging economy and people are struggling to make ends meet. I also know that the creative power of a focused group of professionals can think their way out of any situation. Together with our city and elected officials, that is exactly what the Chamber seeks to accomplish. Another huge component of our local economic success is you, and all the other residents of our beach town.
The decisions we make daily about where to shop, dine, purchase clothes, or buy hardware all determine the quality of life we want to support in Seal Beach. Supporting our merchants by shopping local is the first step in creating a better tomorrow for our local economy. I assure you that local businesses are working hard to be competitive with the price of their products and services.
They want your buying decisions to be local and so do I.
I know I won’t be able to solve all the challenges before us, that is why I want to ask for your help.
If you are a local business owner that has special needs or new ideas, I want to hear from you. If you are a resident with business experience or a desire to volunteer, I want to hear from you too. I’m always available to chat online and can be reached directly at www.Facebook.com/SealBeachRealEstate with your comments, suggestions or even to just say hello.
Nat Ferguson is the current president of the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce.
