By Ben Sanchez

When we originally started wrapping up our fourth episode of the vlog, we wanted to have an ending with Renee and Jason. I knew this was their final vlog episode and I wanted them to address everyone with their last thoughts before moving on to other amazing things. We have all worked hard to develop something that can highlight spaces downtown, and I thought it would be fitting for them to say a personal goodbye to you. 

An alternate ending from episode 4!

While Jason was always behind the camera in each episode, this would be one of the rare times he is in front of the camera. Along with Renee, we asked Nessie from FarOut Foliage to use her space to shoot this ending. Of course, Nessie came through for us! We helped her spruce up the place before deciding to film a few takes for our ending. With lots of laughs and hugs, both did a fantastic job on this project. Check our YouTube channel for the uncut ending!

Forever Falafel. 

In this episode, Renee and I wanted to feature an older restaurant establishment. According to the people in downtown, Yasoo Yani is considered one of these “hidden gem” restaurants. The space is nestled in between the Courthouse Plaza and Stockton Collegiate just kitty-corner from Cort Tower. 

During our conversation, I turned to her and asked, “Do you like Mediterranean food?” 

She instantly replied, “Yasoo Yani!” 

Part of the idea we both had for vlog food segments is to highlight a new place and an old place from downtown Stockton. We messaged Nessie to meet us for lunch and ordered the falafel. A first-time for Nessie, I always suggest falafel with the tzatziki sauce. Apparently, they also offer and serve a red sauce at Yasoo Yani (Who knew!) The Gyro is a nice, soft (no pun intended) introduction to someone who has never tried Greek food. It is also a bonus if you are vegetarian, but they have other lamb and chicken options for gyros.

After describing the falafel ingredients to Nessie and doing the initial first bite (a coordinated effort I might add), we can say it was an enjoyable experience.  

The owner, Jim Aftias, stopped by to introduce himself. He intricately described the ingredients and process of making baklava and falafel. As I peered across the table, everyone fixated to every word, as he shared stories about the Greek festival and the restaurant. The wonderful thing about small businesses is meeting the people behind them. I am always fascinated with their story, and it gave me more insight into why I enjoy Mediterranean food and appreciate Greek culture. 

I want to ride my bicycle.  

A portion of the episode are places I had to visit on my own. On our visit to the HUB (Helping Urban Bicyclists), I introduced our team to Deacon Steve Bentley. He does a lot for the community at Helping Urban Bicyclists.  

Fun fact, he fixed up my bike years ago when I decided to participate in a Full Moon Ride in downtown Stockton. Coincidentally, he participated in the exact same ride pulling up beside me to ask how it felt to take the old bike out for a spin. It felt good. 

I imagine this is the feeling everyone has when they leave his shop on their bicycle. Veterans. Homeless. People from all walks of life enter the shop either looking for a used bike for work or need help fixing their old ride. If you are looking to donate an old bike to his shop or in need of fixing up your current bike, ask Deacon Steve.  

Goodstock Productions. 

We scheduled some time with Amy Sieffert and her team at Goodstock Productions to find out “What’s good with Goodstock?” 

Trail Coffee Roasters is a workspace the team uses consistently. The hangout. In my freelance career as a writer, coffee shops are amazing spaces for work. Good coffee, good people, and good food (The scones are to die for at Trail!) Speaking of good, Amy and I met back at a Stockmarket event years ago and talked about Goodstock Productions. 

Their flagship event, Stockmarket, is a pop-up event for local makers and vendors looking to sell their goods to the community. The event became a platform to help them achieve that goal. The company brought awareness for these entrepreneurs looking to build something great in the city of Stockton.  

My initial introduction to Goodstock Productions was at Stockmarket, assisting vendors and helping move tables and boxes during event setup. I worked at a local nonprofit table and sold local honey. It felt like a rite of passage. As a vendor, you get curious about other vendors and the goods they brought out for the day. But what really piqued my curiosity are the people behind the event?  

Who is the team behind the curtain making the magic happen?  

In this episode, Amy tells us what they do, how they do it, and the core idea behind Goodstock Productions. I bet you have seen her in the media. She has been featured on radio and television spots promoting her brand. The event planning company is the crème de la crème in Northern California. Have you thought about hosting an event, but do not know where to start? Hire Goodstock Productions. No, seriously, contact them for a consultation. They produce elaborate, elegant events tailored to your dreams. I guarantee it will be the best investment you make to see your creative visions come true. 

Guest Appearances

• Nessie Huffhines, owner of FarOut Foliage
• Amy Sieffert, owner of Goodstock Productions
• Deacon Steven Bentley, owner of The HUB
• Jim Aftias, owner of Yasoo Yani
• Jason Millner – University of the Pacific alumni
• Renee Icasiano – University of the Pacific alumni
• Ben Sanchez – University of the Pacific alumni

By Ben Sanchez

Throughout our adventures in downtown Stockton, we prepare to meet entrepreneurs opening their doors on a Friday afternoon. This Friday is different from the normal Friday because it is a ‘Fired Friday.’ Fired Mobile Pizza mysteriously rolls up to the front of the Sycamore in downtown to offer an alternative lunch special to local workers and community members. 

On this particular outing, we thought it would be appropriate to give our intern some practice with the camera. We had him follow us around downtown and capture footage of our walk over to the Sycamore. 

The Sycamore is a venue space with this semi-rustic feel when you step into the building. Located on Weber Avenue, Stockton natives might remember the venue as The Plea for Peace Center that promoted all types of rock shows and community events in downtown. Today, Fired Pizza occupies the parking lot space just outside the Sycamore. Large iron gates roll away as setup begins for the lunch crowd on Friday.

Fired Mobile Pizza.

Jason and I got a message from Daniel Correa, owner of Fired Mobile Pizza, about doing some pizza delivery work. When we arrived at the parking lot, all of us ordered our own Neapolitan Artisan Style Pizza. The truck, like any great food truck in Stockton, has a loyal fan base monitoring their next popup location across the city. 

We introduced Nessie Huffhines, owner of FarOut Foliage, to the pizza spot for the vegetarian options they offer to customers. Once the fire was lit, pies were flying into boxes and prepped for delivery. 

We dropped by two specific locations for each delivery. Uniqo Salon on California Street and Plaza Perks inside Courthouse Plaza. 

None of this was scheduled to be a part of the vlog and happened about 30 minutes before we were preparing to shoot content. 

I love the spontaneity of the vlog. I think this is genuinely the best part for Jason and I because it keeps us on our toes. Creatively, it allows us to develop and showcase the experiences you see downtown in the vlog. 

UNIQO.

Patty Ayala, owner of Uniqo, knew ahead of time we were dropping by with pizza for her staff. Since Jason is a super fan at Uniqo, he dialed up Patty to give her a heads up on the delivery drop at noon.

Plaza Perks.

Plaza Perks had no clue we were dropping off pies. The staff was genuinely surprised and I think everyone that played the part, delivered in spades. I even got to say hello to the Executive Director of Parents by Choice, Tony Yadon. We caught the staff at the right time during a team meeting. I offered some fun facts about Fired Pizza before they opened the boxes to get a whiff of the amazing, specialty pizza. 

Support Local.

I think the importance of these experiences show you the people behind the counter and connect us with entrepreneurs in our community. The key element for small businesses is the people. The clients get a sense of the entrepreneurs behind the brand. You learn who they are and hopefully, you stay to listen to their story. They are trying to build lifelong relationships with you. If I feel welcome at these establishments and get a sense of belonging, I most likely will return to grab a coffee, eat a sandwich, get a haircut, and watch a musician perform in downtown Stockton (Not particularly in that order).

Overall, our experience was positive. When you support local businesses, you do more than just buy a product or service — you help build their dream. These people take risks everyday to chase the dream, develop it, and execute their lifelong plans. Most of the time, we are all along for the ride. I can tell you first hand when I started writing about students at University of the Pacific, I never thought that hands-on experience with the marketing team at Thomas J. Long school of Pharmacy would lead me to the coworking and startup culture. I was honing my craft in small increments and learned about entrepreneurship. Adding skills to the toolkit, as my professor would tell me. My writing would lead to developing small business articles in San Joaquin County. 

Thanks for sharing!

My goal was always to listen, create, and deliver the best story for each entrepreneur. I was merely the passenger working alongside these individuals to get that story to a larger platform. 

They all have stories to tell, we just need to take the time to listen. While all the compliments I received about my work from experienced writers have been positive, the best compliment is directly from the individual I interviewed for the story. The people who struggled to maintain the business. The people who, despite everyone telling them no, went ahead with their plan and did it anyway. The people who followed their passion to develop an idea and push it out into the world. Thank you for taking the time to share your stories with me. Without you, there would be no story. 

Guest Appearances

• Nessie Huffhines, owner of FarOut Foliage
• Daniel Correa, owner of Fired Mobile Pizza
• Patty Ayala, owner of UNIQO
• Plaza Perks staff
• Jason Millner – University of the Pacific alumni, UNIQO Top Fan
• Renee Icasiano – University of the Pacific alumni
• Ben Sanchez – University of the Pacific alumni

By Ben Sanchez

As the season changes, the leaves flutter in the wind across downtown Stockton. The air surrounding us shifts as we move in a different direction this month. The last episode with our influencer, Renee Icasiano, comes to an end on the vlog. My original pitch of 7 episodes for a vlog with an influencer was successful only to a point. Renee was only going to be a part of 4 episodes before we moved in a different direction with our final 3 episodes. 

Hopefully, all of you have enjoyed what we put together over the summer. There was a lot of great talent involved creating this project. We did some fine tuning to our introduction and the flow of episodes synced up to create new content for downtown. I picked music that would be copyright friendly (Thanks Otis McDonald!), but also encompass the vibe of what we were looking for with the vlog. In each episode, not only did we highlight small businesses in downtown, we got to meet new people building something great in our city. Before we say goodbye, I want to give you some ‘behind the scenes’ and share a brief story with you about Renee.

Renee Icasiano.

Renee was always my first choice as an influencer because she lived in Stockton, built a great rapport in the community, and continues to be a positive influence with her brand. She checked a lot of the boxes I was looking for not because of her experience in Stockton, but her familiarity in front of the camera as a performer.

Renee and I initially met back in 2009 at University of the Pacific in Communication. Our mutual, late friend, Angela Karim, made the introduction, but we never did cross paths again until 2017. Renee moved on and served in the Army for 4 years right after we met in 2009.

Around 2017, I assisted my artist friend at a local event in downtown Stockton. The event promoted local artists, musicians, and small businesses. One of the performers on stage was Renee. I saw this woman in heels wearing an elegant outfit step onto the stage at Channel Brew Company to perform music. I recognized her voice during the introduction and to my surprise, she started performing hip hop.

After her performance, she purchased some art from my friend and I went to reintroduce myself. Since then, we reconnected and worked on several projects together throughout the Stockton area.

With an elegance and professionalism that is unmatched in the 209, she required little direction from me on how to approach the vlog. She understood the vision of where we wanted to take each episode. I valued her creative input when we reviewed content, and we often had great synergy on the places we wanted to visit throughout our 4 episodes together. 

I brought along a great group of people on this journey. Each of them contributed to what you see on YouTube. This was not a project developed solely by one person. There were roadblocks and challenges we met along the way, but we slowly overcame them in each episode.

Not only do we bid adieu to Renee, but we also say sayonara to Jason Millner. 

Jason Millner.

Jason was the ‘man behind the cam.’ My professor told me once in my studies that certain individuals have the eye for camera work.

You can’t teach it. You either have it or you don’t.

I can definitely tell you after working with a few skilled videographers that Jason has ‘the eye’ for it.

The shift in marketing this past Spring left Jason wondering what type of work the department would produce moving forward.

I still laugh when we had our initial conversation about pitching the vlog, developing reels, and fine tuning the Doorways to Downtown episodes. He told me he thought he would have to ‘carry the new guy’ over the summer.

With only five months of working together, I can say it was an honor to work with Jason on this project. I am not the only one that can say that either.

Several people downtown who got to know Jason and work with him can see the skill and passion he brings to each video project. Many business owners recognized his talent and hired him to help their business. Jason knew the vision of what we were trying to achieve with the vlog and loved helping small business thrive in downtown Stockton.

While he prepares for his next journey, I am excited to see where the camera will take him. He has incredible potential to hone his craft and continue visual storytelling.

Surprise.

For episode 4, I can say it was full of surprises and experiences that happened last minute. Each episode had unexpected turns and natural conversations.

I never scripted anything (Napkin notes).

I never scheduled half of those people to appear in our episodes.

When Renee asked one of the workers at the Waterfront about a new business opening in September, we had no idea the owner was available to chat with us about the business.

We got curious. 

We told the waitress about how great our food tasted at Yasoo Yani, 10 minutes later the owner drops by our table to explain the method of making baklava.

I always pitch “Be curious” to students when I do guest speaking for colleges in Stockton and Sacramento. Out of the ten fundamentals of public relations, curiosity is always my number 1. It opens up dialogue with people. If we didn’t ask those questions or inquire about something specific, how would we know? How would we hear their story? Storytelling is a key component in any form of content you create with a brand. It unfolds naturally in the vlog. I hope we were able to capture that and convey it to you in our content. 

As the director/producer, I have to coordinate schedules and dates for the places we visit. What happens along the way is magic. Who could we meet? What can we experience in that episode? 

I do a lot of improvisation. I might give a general idea of where to shoot it or what to look for, but everything just happens when it needs to. I have ideas for bits, but when we all get together some unexpected event unfolds for us. We brought along friends who felt comfortable with us. I think that is important. How can we get the best story out of you if you feel uncomfortable? We ran into a lot of people who just wanted to talk with us. I bet with all the b-roll, we probably could give you more than 7 episodes! For everyone who popped up in the first 4 episodes, thank you! This project would not be where it is now without some of you agreeing to be on camera. 

Thanks!

With that said, I also want to thank Jason and Renee. Both were a huge part in why the vlog was successful! I hope you can take these vlog experiences with you and tell people about it. Share it with those people who don’t know about Stockton and continue to create positive content in future projects.