What It Takes to Build a Business That Lasts with Sal Usman of Copy Cove

What It Takes to Build a Business That Lasts with Sal Usman of Copy Cove

How does a local brick-and-mortar business survive for nearly half a century, outlast massive economic shifts, and thrive in a digital world? It all comes down to deep community roots and a willingness to evolve. In this episode, Jim sits down with Sal Usman, the owner of La Jolla Copy Cove, a legendary family-owned printing business located right in the heart of the village. Copy Cove has spent decades serving as a cornerstone of the neighborhood. Fulfilling their promise of quality printing on time as their mission. Inside the Episode: * A 50-Year Family Legacy: * Milestones & Memories: * Commitment to the La Jolla community * Adapting for the Future Whether you're a local resident who has walked past their doors for years or an entrepreneur looking for the ultimate blueprint on business resilience, this conversation is packed with incredible insight. 🔔 The episode is officially LIVE! Hit that subscribe button to stay updated with the incredible business owners and visionaries shaping La Jolla! 📲 CONNECT WITH US 📸 Instagram (Discover La Jolla): @discover.lajolla 📸 Instagram (Jim McInerney): @jimmcinerney_realestate 📝 CONNECT WITH COPY COVE 🌐 Website: https://www.copycove.com [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUh6dUJ2dTUyZDJ2bl9OdWRfQ0hoVGVpbFVCQXxBQ3Jtc0trbVN5SDc5dTlYSXhjbTI3V2dEaFJiSGE1Y2NoX2tHYkJXaFlQUnZXak5JZ3VBLVQ2bjJvMlI1Q21ZREZZUlBabnB2bmI1ejhKS0Q0S2pLb0FfdFBEOVVtSFY4STBGZmFadlhkMm5Na2JrQ1hCM0xGYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.copycove.com%2F&v=XizaWoxSvUo] Do you have a favorite local business that has been around for decades? Let us know in the COMMENTS, and don't forget to LIKE and SHARE this video! 🦍 #DiscoverLaJolla [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/discoverlajolla] #CopyCove [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/copycove] #SalUsman [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/salusman] #LaJollaBusiness [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollabusiness] #SanDiegoPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegopodcast] #92037 [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/92037] #EntrepreneurLife [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurlife] #LaJollaLocal [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollalocal] #FamilyBusiness [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/familybusiness] #SmallBusinessSuccess [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/smallbusinesssuccess] #SupportLocal [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/supportlocal]

The Eco-Tech Revolution Hiding in Your Neighborhood. | Discover La Jolla Episode 78

Did you know that a major California state mandate (SB 1383) now requires the strict maintenance and cleaning of compost bins? Most people never think about their trash cans after pickup day, but raw food scraps are quietly turning neighborhood bins into a breeding ground for bacteria, intense odors, and toxic infestations. In this episode, Jim sits down with Nick Petro, the co-founder of Clean Waste Bins (CWB), to discuss how he is entirely revolutionizing the sanitation industry using cutting-edge robotics. What started as a local "mom-and-pop" operation knocking on doors right here in La Jolla has evolved into a full-scale tech powerhouse. Thanks to an innovative, patented truck designed by robotics engineers, CWB is scaling utility-scale infrastructure nationwide to help cities, waste haulers, and HOAs meet strict new government ordinances. 🛑 Inside the Episode: Robotics on the Move: How CWB’s automated trucks clean up to 500 bins a day—matching the fast pace of standard waste haulers without the driver ever needing to step out of the vehicle. The 200°F Blast: A look at the eco-friendly technology that utilizes high-pressure water heated to 200°F to instantly kill 99% of bacteria while capturing and recycling 100% of the water used. The Massive Market Gap: Why 70% of people still have no idea professional bin sanitation exists, yet the service maintains a massive 90% customer retention rate once people experience the difference. Don't let your neighborhood bins become a community health hazard. Tune in right now to see how local innovation is keeping San Diego clean, compliant, and green! 🧼🌱 🔔 The episode is officially LIVE! Hit that subscribe button to keep up with the local visionaries and entrepreneurs redefining our coastal community. 📲 CONNECT WITH US 📸 Instagram (Discover La Jolla): @discover.lajolla 📸 Instagram (Jim McInerney): @jimmcinerney_realestate 🚛 CONNECT WITH CLEAN WASTE BINS 🌐 Website: https://www.cwbins.com [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmFhNGw2LXNfZi14YW52bVdpTFdQR0pJalVhd3xBQ3Jtc0trR3FtU1E5MHlIclJyLWVVSlZ2U3AwLXpFU3B4RHRXMy1WTU5hcE5VbWV4cVhENkQzbGxpQktjc0tWemJ0RnJ2OExKbzVjMkFvRGUtUmVTVGdmbzRnX2VBRnRnZ2UzMG40V01iUDluenk5YzEyVV9faw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cwbins.com%2F&v=2tthgh9YEmE] Don't forget to LIKE and SHARE this episode! 🦍 #DiscoverLaJolla [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/discoverlajolla] #CleanWasteBins [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/cleanwastebins] #SanDiegoBusiness [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegobusiness] #Sustainability [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sustainability] #WasteManagement [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/wastemanagement] #SB1383 [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sb1383] #LaJollaLocal [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollalocal] #92037 [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/92037] #SanDiegoPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegopodcast] #GreenTech [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/greentech] #Automation [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/automation]

La Jolla pays San Diego millions a year in taxes. What does it get back? One man is done asking

#SanDiegoNews [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegonews] #SanDiego [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiego] #CommunityFirst [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/communityfirst] Jack McGrory has seen San Diego from the inside — seven years as City Manager, key player in building Petco Park, and CEO of a company that expanded across two continents. Now he's focused on something closer to home: making La Jolla an independent city. In this conversation, Jack breaks down exactly why the movement is gaining serious momentum — over 9,000 signatures already accepted — and what it would actually mean for our community. From long-delayed projects on Girard Street to benches that took years and a small fortune to approve, he paints a clear picture of why locals feel San Diego's bureaucracy is holding La Jolla back. We cover: -How the cityhood process actually works (and where it stands today) -The fiscal plan — and why it's designed to be fair to San Diego -The road to a November 2028 vote -What a professionally managed, locally governed La Jolla could look like Whether you're all in, skeptical, or just curious — this is a conversation every La Jollan should hear. What do you think — should La Jolla go independent? Drop your take in the comments 👇 #LaJolla [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajolla] #LaJollaCityhood [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollacityhood] #SanDiego [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiego] #DiscoverLaJolla [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/discoverlajolla] #LocalGovernment [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/localgovernment] #LaJollaNews [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollanews] #CommunityFirst [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/communityfirst] #SanDiegoNews [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegonews]

Should La Jolla Leave San Diego? Liv Johnson on Citihood & Freedom Fest | Discover La Jolla Ep. 76

Should La Jolla Break Up with San Diego? It’s Nakey Time to Talk Citihood. 🌊🗳️ In Episode 76, host Jim McInerney sits down with Liv Johnson — fifth-generation San Diegan, La Jolla native, festival producer, and one of the leading voices behind the movement to make La Jolla an independent city separate from San Diego. Liv's journey started early. She launched Almost Nakey out of a Volkswagen bus while still in high school, and by 16 was already producing music festivals drawing thousands of attendees. Today she runs some of Southern California's most exciting events — including the Almost Nakey Freedom Fest, festivals at Belmont Park, and weddings at the iconic La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. But this conversation goes far beyond festivals. Liv opens up about why she believes La Jolla must separate from the City of San Diego — deteriorating infrastructure, overcrowded beaches, neglected sidewalks and beach stairs, and a bureaucracy too slow for a community that deserves real attention. With over 9,000 verified signatures and a fiscal analysis underway, the City of Hoya movement is closer than ever to appearing on a real ballot. What we cover in this episode: Building Almost Nakey from a VW bus into a Southern California event brand Almost Nakey Freedom Fest — San Diego's most unique outdoor festival The La Jolla cityhood movement and why it matters in 2024 La Jolla's history as an artist colony and how independence could restore its culture, Infrastructure, local governance, and what separating from San Diego really means. Want to find out how to get involved and support the La Jolla Citihood initiative? Subscribe to our channel and 📲 Almost Nakey: @almostnakey , almostnakey.com 📲 Liv Johnson: @livnakey 📲 Freedom Fest: @almostnakeyfreedomfest 🎙️ Discover La Jolla is a monthly podcast featuring the entrepreneurs, creatives, and community leaders shaping La Jolla and greater San Diego, California. Subscribe and hit 🔔 #DiscoverLaJolla [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/discoverlajolla] #LaJolla [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajolla] #AlmostNakey [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/almostnakey] #LivJohnson [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/livjohnson] #FreedomFest [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/freedomfest] #SanDiegoFestivals [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegofestivals] #SoCalFestivals [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/socalfestivals] #SouthernCaliforniaEvents [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/southerncaliforniaevents] #LaJollaPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollapodcast] #SanDiegoPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegopodcast] #LaJollaCityhood [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollacityhood] #SanDiegoIndependent [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegoindependent] #OutdoorFestivalSanDiego [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/outdoorfestivalsandiego] #SanDiegoMusic [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegomusic] #LaJollaLocal [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollalocal] #92037 [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/92037] #SanDiego [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiego] #EventProducer [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/eventproducer] #FestivalProducer [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/festivalproducer] #BelmontPark [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/belmontpark] #LaJollaBeachAndTennisClub [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollabeachandtennisclub] #SanDiegoEvents [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegoevents] #CaliforniaFestivals [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/californiafestivals] #SoCalMusic [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/socalmusic] #SanDiegoLocalBusiness [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegolocalbusiness] #LaJollaHistory [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollahistory] #SanDiegoLifestyle [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegolifestyle] #CoastalCalifornia [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/coastalcalifornia] #VisitLaJolla [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/visitlajolla]

Roppongi Is BACK | The Comeback San Diego Has Been Waiting For | Discover La Jolla Ep. 75

La Jolla just got its soul back. For over a decade, one question kept coming up at every dinner table in the 92037 — "Do you remember Roppongi?" The answer is yes. And now it's back. In Episode 75 of Discover La Jolla, host Jim McInerney sits down with Alfie Szeprethy, Executive Chef behind the most anticipated restaurant reopening in San Diego. Originally opened in 1998 and gone since 2015, Roppongi has returned to its iconic home on Prospect Street — stripped to the concrete, rebuilt from scratch, and better than ever. This isn't just a restaurant story. It's a La Jolla story. 🍜 What We Get Into: The Comeback — 10 years gone. What it actually took to bring San Diego's most missed restaurant back to Prospect Street The Renovation — Gutted down to bare concrete and iron rafters. Why they keep the original kitchen layout and completely reimagined everything else The Menu — Your favorites are back. Crab stack. Hot rock. Kung pao calamari. Plus a brand new sushi program, an in-house dumpling program, and a full wok station The Empire — How Alfie oversees 15 locations across three concepts, including Toasted Gastro Brunch, Sammy's Woodfired Pizza, and airport locations in LA and Las Vegas What's Next — Exclusive chef-driven dinner series and wine dinners with visiting winemakers are already in the works If you've been waiting for Roppongi to come back, it's here. And it brought its A-game. 📍 Roppongi | Prospect Street, La Jolla 📸 @roppongi_lajolla , https://roppongilajolla.com [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2lybmR6VXJVblVmRXk2QjN4MUR5ZjBQdzNlZ3xBQ3Jtc0trM0YySDdWSnFOMEZsNlk1TXVndzd3Yks4OURELWdQR3R0blpqODRZLWw5QXRxcV9fLU10QnBRYVMybmhLWWpTbVhVNXh4Rk90SWhfOTNCQWZPMWlyY3dPYmVWXzVScF9XbjRUa1RkaThSWTZNS1Ezbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Froppongilajolla.com%2F&v=nIC06Wbak7s] 🌐 Find Roppongi on Instagram and reserve your table now 🎙️ Discover La Jolla is a monthly podcast featuring the entrepreneurs, creatives, and community leaders shaping La Jolla and greater San Diego, California. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell — new episodes every month. 📸 @discover.lajolla #Roppongi [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/roppongi] #RoppongiLaJolla [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/roppongilajolla] #LaJollaRestaurants [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollarestaurants] #SanDiegoFoodies [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegofoodies] #SanDiegoEats [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegoeats] #SanDiegoFood [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegofood] #LaJollaFood [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollafood] #ProspectStreet [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/prospectstreet] #LaJollaLocal [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollalocal] #92037 [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/92037] #SanDiegoDining [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegodining] #AsianFusion [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/asianfusion] #PanAsian [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/panasian] #SushiSanDiego [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sushisandiego] #FoodiesSanDiego [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/foodiessandiego] #LaJollaVillage [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollavillage] #ChefLife [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/cheflife] #ExecutiveChef [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/executivechef] #SanDiegoChef [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegochef] #RestaurantReopening [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/restaurantreopening] #SanDiegoRestaurants [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegorestaurants] #LaJollaDining [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajolladining] #HappyHourSanDiego [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/happyhoursandiego] #SanDiegoPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegopodcast] #LocalEats [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/localeats] #CoastalDining [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/coastaldining] #SanDiegoFoodScene [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sandiegofoodscene] #DiscoverLaJolla [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/discoverlajolla] #LaJollaCalifornia [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lajollacalifornia] #FoodTok [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/foodtok]