REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Jason Simpson, City Manager
Prepared by:Gina Gonzalez, Director of Economic Development and Legislative Affairs Date:August 26, 2025
Subject:2025 Lake Elsinore Small Business Walk Survey Results Recommendation
Receive and file the 2025 Lake Elsinore Small Business Walk Survey Results.
Background
The Economic Development Department, in partnership with the Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce, held the inaugural Lake Elsinore Small Business Survey Business Walk in the summer of 2025 as part of the city’s B3 (Building Better Businesses) business retention program as part of the city’s Dream Extreme 2040 plan. Small businesses make up 60% of a city’s local economy backbone, and business retention programs are the quickest way to grow businesses and account for 70% of job creation growth (Small Business Association). The purpose of the annual Business Walk aims in assisting local businesses with increasing their competitive advantage, retain and grow jobs, survive economic difficulties, understand immediate needs, and provide feedback as a tool to improve the way Lake Elsinore and the Chamber do and grow businesses locally.
Discussion
For this year’s annual business walk, 100 storefront businesses were randomly selected in coordination with City staff and the Chamber using the finance departments business license list, and businesses were either contacted via in-person, or by email or by phone (as a last resort) starting May 2025. The Chamber Board of Directors and Chamber members played a large role in this event and worked alongside Economic Development City staff to complete the surveys.
The overall surveys covered various aspects of doing business in Lake Elsinore, including finances, economic impacts they maybe experiencing, needs moving forward, workforce, space, certainty and more.
2025 Survey Results
In addition, the surveys asked Lake Elsinore businesses questions regarding certainty when it came to growth and expanding, requesting financial assistance, how the City and Chamber can assist moving forward, and issues they are experiencing for growth and financial health. The results of the surveys assist the Economic Development Department and the Chamber with shaping business and program strategies, initiatives, and workshops for current and future years.
The topics for the workshops are decided upon from the results of the business surveys. For example, the contract with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides free workshops to our business community based on the survey results, and also assists the Chamber of Commerce with their business retention programming on value added programs for their membership, and also assist the Economic Development Department on program ideas and services provides to existing businesses such as programs, services, site selection, or those needing to be triage.
The 2025 Lake Elsinore Small Business Impact Report revealed that businesses are seeking assistance in marketing, safeguarding their business, website/google search optimization, advertisement assistance, signage opportunities, and sporting event connections and city event opportunities to help grow their business, and would like to see workshops in Marketing 101, Business planning, quick books, cybersecurity, site selection and taxes.
Additionally, the results also showed that 31% of businesses are looking to hire within the next year, and that over the next 3 years that close to 50% of business are looking to expand, with 46% remaining stable, and 16% think space is a concern for expansion. The survey also identified business challenges and assistance they need to improve their business climate within the city such as graffiti, commercial center cleanliness, landscaping, and sign pollution, and signage issues at centers that they believe make it hard for business awareness.
As a result, the Lake Elsinore Economic Development Department and the Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce will continue to survey the small business community annually and reposition programming based on feedback and the needs of the small business community.
Fiscal Impact
None
Attachments
Attachment 1- 2025 Lake Elsinore Small Business Walk Survey Results Economic Development