INNOVATION NEWS

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Doug Erickson Doug Erickson

Craig Vachon Drops Two Books in Two Weeks Because Pacing Is for Other People

Santa Cruz's entrepreneur-investor-author just released Experts Remain Divided, an AI novella narrated by a sixteen-year-old prodigy in short, devastating sentences, one week after publishing Book 2. Chronology matters. Warning: SCWorks attempts to mimic Vachon's’ writing style of clipped, telegraphic fragments; similar to Joyce and Vonnegut, but no one is as funny as Vachon.

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Neil Erickson Neil Erickson

Only 18% of Homes Lost in the CZU Fire Have Been Rebuilt. Why?

More than five years after the CZU Fire, only 18% of the homes destroyed have been rebuilt. This article examines the county’s early promises, the barriers that slowed recovery, and what the process reveals about housing, permitting and disaster response in Santa Cruz County.

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Neil Erickson Neil Erickson

The Surf Brand That Outgrew Its Own Success

Santa Cruz apparel founder Megan Thorn grew her company from a garage operation into an $8 million business, but disconnected inventory and sales data made fast decisions difficult. By bringing Shopify, wholesale, warehouse and margin information into one daily briefing, Cardyn helped her identify risks earlier, avoid costly stockouts and plan production with greater confidence.

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Neil Erickson Neil Erickson

How Google’s AI Search Shift Could Change Online Visibility

Google is reshaping Search around AI-generated answers, changing how users discover websites and how businesses measure online visibility. As more research happens directly within search results, companies will need clear, detailed content that AI systems can understand, reference and recommend.

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