BBB’s Breakthrough Accelerator focuses on helping local small businesses scale their operations and strengthen their foundations. With a flexible format and access to real-world guidance, it gives participants something many early-stage entrepreneurs struggle to find: space to focus and support they can trust.
“The BBB Breakthrough Accelerator program offers an incredible platform for small business owners to grow both personally and professionally,” said Medeliza Roel of Sbay Print and Design. “What sets it apart is the emphasis on real-world application and community—you’re not just learning concepts, you’re building connections and implementing strategies that make an immediate impact.”
The accelerator blends group learning with personalized mentorship, offering more than 40 hours of guided sessions and over five unique mentorship and one-on-one coaching opportunities. Topics span operations, marketing, branding, financial planning, and leadership.
“This program felt like the greatest gift an entrepreneur could receive,” said Leslie Patino. “I remember there being points in the middle of class where I felt tears coming because I was just so grateful to be in a room with such genuine, successful, giving people.”
An Evening of Celebration and Connection
Graduation night served as both a ceremony and a community gathering. The event featured cocktails and delicious food by graduates of the program, such as Majestic Mix Bartending, Mielimón Bakery, Love & Bake, and charcuterie by Fabilous. Local musicians provided the soundtrack to a night filled with laughter, storytelling, and shared pride.
It was a celebration of growth, but also of accessibility. On-site childcare from Destination Baby Co. was available throughout the program, a thoughtful solution that allowed parent entrepreneurs to participate fully without sacrifice. That same spirit of inclusion shaped the entire accelerator experience.
Matthew Fehling, BBB President & CEO, addressed the graduates with a message that underscored the night’s importance. “This evening isn’t just about completing a program. It’s about recognizing the hard work, the sacrifice, and the determination that brought each of you here,” he said.
That sentiment was echoed by Samantha Scholl, BBB’s AVP of Innovation & Entrepreneur Programs, who described the graduation as a moment of “momentum in motion.” As she put it, the joy of seeing entrepreneurs pitch ideas, rebrand businesses, and open storefronts speaks volumes about what’s possible when the right resources meet real ambition.
What’s Next for the Breakthrough Program
Applications for the next cohort are now open, with hybrid learning sessions set to continue at ignite sparked by BBB and online.
Entrepreneurs pay only a $99 program and materials fee. With included benefits and in-kind donations, the program is valued at over $5,000.
Participants receive a $1,000 business development grant upon successful completion of the program, a meaningful boost for those navigating the realities of running a business in today’s economy.
As the first group of graduates heads back into the world with new tools and connections, one thing is clear: the BBB Breakthrough Accelerator is helping reshape what local business support looks like in San Diego.
Interested in joining a future cohort or supporting the program? Learn more at ignitesparkedbybbb.org
A perfectly designed home rarely happens by accident. Those kitchens that feel effortless and rooms that seem to tell a story the second you walk in? They’re usually the work of someone who knows exactly what they’re doing.
It’s knowing which ideas will actually work, which materials will hold up over time, and how to turn a collection of choices into a space that feels intentional. That’s where a professional interior designer comes in.
For the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) California San Diego Chapter, the goal is to help people see interior design as more than just the finished look. Behind every well-designed space is a process built on technical expertise. Designers are educated in everything from professional software and construction details to building codes, space planning, materials, and functionality.
Courtesy of ASID
“People don’t always realize how much goes on behind the scenes,” Kirsten Recce , current president of the ASID California San Diego Chapter, says. “Our designers are not just doing furniture placement and color selection and picking out new fluffy pillows. That’s not what they’re trained for.”
ASID members bring formal education, continued learning, and industry knowledge to their projects, helping create spaces that are not only beautiful, but designed to work. A paint color that changes completely depending on the lighting. A material that looks beautiful in a showroom but doesn’t make sense for everyday life. A layout that photographs well but doesn’t function for the people living there. These are the details where professional guidance can make all the difference.
Still, one of the biggest misconceptions about hiring an interior designer is that it’s reserved for massive renovations, luxury homes, or people who already know exactly what they want. The process can feel intimidating. Where do you begin? Is a designer worth the investment? What if you only need help with one room?
ASID’s answer: start with one hour.
ASID’s Spruce Up events break down one of the biggest barriers between homeowners and professional design: knowing where to begin. Held twice a year, the community program gives homeowners the chance to work directly with an ASID designer through a one-hour, $125 consultation in their own home. Whether you’re looking for advice on furniture placement, window treatments, kitchen and bath updates, remodeling ideas, vacation rentals, color selections or something else entirely, the upcoming September 2026 event offers an approachable way to get expert guidance before committing to a full project. Signups are open through Sept. 7, with consultations taking place Sept. 21 through Oct. 31. Proceeds benefit ASID San Diego’s educational and community programs. Register here!
Courtesy of ASID
“It’s a great opportunity for people who are in that exploratory phase,” Recce says. “Maybe they’re not sure they want to hire an interior designer yet, or they think it sounds daunting or expensive. This gives them a chance to discover what working with a designer is actually like.”
Design is personal. A good designer isn’t just creating a beautiful room; they’re helping create a space that fits the way someone lives.
“We’re a resource to all of San Diego County,” Recce says. “It doesn’t cost anything to pick up the phone and call and ask. We’ll answer.”
Growing up, Laika Nur, MD, Scripps Clinic sports medicine specialist, loved watching beach volleyball when the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour came to her hometown of Chicago. A talented volleyball player herself, she remembers sitting in the stands all day, and once, even got a couple autographs. Years later, Dr. Nur was attending a professional event focused on women’s sports, and the discussion turned to a new professional women’s volleyball league. The general manager and coaching staff for San Diego’s team, the Mojo, happened to be in attendance, and Dr. Nur took the opportunity to ask them if they needed a team doctor. Flash forward to the Mojo’s inaugural 2024 season, when Dr. Nur officially became the team physician. Click here to read more about Dr. Nur and how she incorporates lessons she learned on the court into her practice.
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Your feet and ankles probably aren’t something you give much thought to—until something goes wrong. Orthopedic surgeons at Scripps Clinic are on the leading edge of foot and ankle reconstruction, treating patients with sports injuries, deformities, traumatic injuries and other conditions. That includes repairing torn Achilles tendons with a minimally invasive procedure that shrinks the incision site to less than a centimeter, and performing advanced ankle replacement on some patients with ankle arthritis. Read more about Scripps’ innovations in foot and ankle care here.
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Mai Vue was just 34 weeks pregnant when she delivered her baby. Her pregnancy had been complicated, and she’d had a recent second trimester pregnancy loss, which led to her receiving specialized care from Sean Daneshmand, MD, a Scripps Clinic perinatologist who oversees high-risk pregnancies. Dr. Daneshmand and his team took care of Mai during her pregnancy, through the birth of her healthy baby girl and beyond. Mai was part of a program Scripps launched to provide support to new moms in the weeks and months after delivery. The postpartum program, known as Scripps Health’s Fourth Trimester Continuum of Care, provides care for women with high-risk pregnancies to optimize their health after childbirth and reduce the risk of complications in future pregnancies. Click here to learn more.
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It’s estimated that one in five people in the U.S. will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives. When you factor in living in a sun-soaked city like San Diego and the outdoorsy lifestyle that comes with it, that figure can jump to as high as one in three, which makes early detection and intervention all the more important. Dermatologists at Bighorn Mohs and Dermatology Center are using innovative imaging methods and advanced surgical techniques to diagnose and treat skin cancer. For certain cancers in sensitive spots, like the face, dermatologists perform Mohs surgery, removing skin tissue layer by layer until reaching healthy, cancer-free tissue. They also use a process called immunohistochemistry to view tissue samples taken during Mohs surgery in far greater detail than previous methods. Read more about how Scripps is advancing skin cancer care here.
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When endurance athlete Isaac Sanchez learned he had cancer, he felt blindsided. He was healthy, surfed often and was training for an Ironman triathlon. But he had to put that on hold to undergo treatment. His physicians at Scripps Cancer Center developed a plan to treat the cancer in his tonsil and lymph nodes that included six-and-a-half weeks of near-daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy. He also worked with a Scripps Cancer Center dietitian to enhance his nutrition to promote strength and healing. Today, Isaac’s back to doing what he loves. Read more of his story here.
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