Friday Focus is Still Kicking

Submitted By Aaron Irving

Rumors of the demise of Friday Focus have been greatly exaggerated. Over the 15-20 years of the existence of Friday Focus, it has evolved in many ways. When I first came to Carlsbad in 2010, Friday Focus was run by the Chamber of Commerce, and breakfast was sponsored by businesses that wanted to present to the attendees. With a weekly attendance of 50-60 people, it was a great opportunity for all involved.

Over the years, as the price of the meal increased and the number of people who wanted to meet for breakfast at 7 a.m. decreased, the economics of businesses sponsoring the event became less viable. The location was changed to reduce the cost, and Friday Focus continued with the same setup in a different place. As the number of weeks without sponsoring businesses increased, the Chamber of Commerce, as the sponsor of last resort for each of those weeks, had to pull the plug on the program as it was.

Several of the regular attendees didn’t want to see the program end, so we worked with Melody at I-Hop to restructure Friday Focus as a non-sponsored community breakfast where each attendee would pay a set amount, which would cover their breakfast, a tip for the server, and breakfast for a speaker. Aside from a pause for several months during 2020, Friday Focus has been operating consistently in this fashion for several years. As with everything else, the price has increased, but it is still cheaper than a basic breakfast at most fast-food restaurants.

Friday Focus is still meeting on Friday mornings in the I-Hop meeting room from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Anyone is welcome to attend as long as they pay the set price for breakfast (currently $10). Those wishing to be a speaker at Friday Focus can reach out to Aaron Irving at 575-887-7075 or by email at Aaron.Irving@LPL.com.