Oakland Zoo has been an institution of Oakland’s community since 1922, with a rich history and tradition as part of Oakland’s fabric. Kids have grown up and taken their kids to the zoo. Some might say that zoo means as much to the community as the Tribune building in Downtown Oakland.

The zoo has gone through many developments, raising money to develop different exhibits, such as the African Veldt exhibit (1965), the Australian Outback (1975) and the original tiger exhibit (1980). Today, the zoo is home to over 660 native and exotic animals and is nationally known for its excellent elephant exhibit.

There they were on a sunny Sunday afternoon, 800 school kids from the Oakland Unified school district, enjoying a catered box lunch while watching the Oakland Raiders get their first win of the year against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

29Is your business being held back by unsold inventory? Whether you’re struggling to sell a formerly popular product or facing a decline in demand due to a change in the market, selling excess inventory is a great way to get your business back on track.

1. Go mobile. Undoubtedly, smartphones are revolutionizing the way people make purchases, look for businesses, seek and consume information, connect with brands, hold meetings and much more. Now with over a billion smartphones buzzing 24/7, it’s important that all businesses (not just the big guys) adopt a mobile strategy. A simple tip is to make sure that your website and email communications are optimized for mobile devices (smartphone and tablets). You should be able to not only easily search and pull up your website but the buttons should be large enough and text easy to read on the smaller screens. (Take your mobile strategy to the next level with BizX members, Labs8, iLocal and Apex Datacom).

Business barter networks make it easy for your business to sell products, meet new clients, and operate more smoothly. If you’re looking for ways to expand your sales figures and grow your business, a barter network could be an excellent choice.