While a visit to a printing museum might not necessarily be near the top of your to-do list, the International Printing Museum is a hidden gem that has a lot to offer in terms of both history and education.

Located in Torrance, the International Printing Museum captures the history of the development of books and printing with what many consider to be one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of historic graphic arts equipment in the world. The collection includes a replica of the Gutenberg Press as well as the third oldest printing press made in America.

The museum, though, is much more than just one of the largest collections of antique printing presses in the United States. It hosts numerous school outreach programs and events, live theater performances, year-round classes in The Book Arts Institute and five different interactive group tours geared toward bringing their world-class collection to life. The staff and volunteers that help explain the significance of the antique machinery and the lives of historical figures like Benjamin Franklin are extremely knowledgeable and great at keeping the stories interesting. That’s great for the kids, and with more than 500,000 students and visitors through the doors since it opened in 1988, they know what they’re doing!

The museum’s Facebook page has many photos posted that give you a good idea of the experience.

The International Printing Museum also hosts the annual Los Angeles Printers Fair the first weekend in October every year. Billed as a “celebration of paper and printing,” it brings together the worlds of letterpress printing, book arts, printmaking, papermaking and collecting as the largest gathering of its kind in the West.

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and by appointment from Tuesday through Friday. Admission is $8 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. A public non-profit, the museum was founded by David Jacobson and Ernest A. Lindner.

Whether you're looking for a stellar cup of joe or a nice quiet place to work, the South Bay boasts many great local options. Here are four caffeine fuel stops you should be sure to check out!

Java Man (Hermosa Beach)
Best for: a nice place to work for a couple hours, free wifi, local feel
Don't miss: the delicious baked goods, including sugar free and gluten free options!
157 Pier Ave
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 379-7209
http://www.javamancoffeehouse.com

Two Guns Espresso (Manhattan Beach)
Best for: superb espresso and coffee, quick stop, to-go, Aussie flavor
Don't miss: the flat white
350 N Sepulveda Blvd Ste 7
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 318-2537
http://www.twogunsespresso.com

Sea Beans (Palos Verdes)
Best for: top notch service, resort feel, unlimited refills
Don't miss: the gourmet chocolate goodies
100 Terranea Way
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
(310) 265-2800
http://www.terranea.com/

Catalina Coffee Company (Redondo Beach)
Best for: a cozy place to curl up, unique library feel, comfy sofas
Don't miss: the chai tea
126 N Catalina Ave
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 318-2499
http://www.catalinacoffee.com/

In the most simple from, trust is the key to every relationship. That, of course, includes business relationships.

But how do you earn trust? Simple body language is an excellent place to start. Nonverbal communication has a much greater impact than many believe, and research indicates that 70 percent of our communication is perceived nonverbally in face-to-face conversations, according to Lifehealthpro.com.

Creating a solid foundation of trust and rapport is critical in face-to-face interactions, and it’s not always based on the words you use. Here are seven simple body language techniques to use to build trust with others in business settings.

Start with a genuine smile. A simple smile has an instant effect on others, telling them nonverbally that they can relax and trust you. A gentle, casual smile will make others feel more open and willing to share information.

Make eye contact. A strong level of eye contact shows you are interested in what others are saying, they matter to you, and you feel comfortable. Eye contact lets others know you have nothing to hide.

An open posture. First impressions are crucial, and posture can reveal much about how you feel. Have open arms, stand tall, nod in agreement and use simple hand gestures that act in concert with your words.

Utilize facial expressions. Smile slightly while you talk to convey that you are positive about what you are saying. Give face-to-face attention and react when others are speaking while making eye contact. These facial gestures create a circuit between two people.

Add the impact of a handshake. Shake hands at both the start and end of a conversation to come across as confident and charismatic. Handshakes are underused, and can add impact when meeting, thanking or congratulating someone. It’s believed that saying your name with a handshake when you meet someone makes it 75 percent more likely to remember your name.

Maintain extra eye contact. Looking someone in the eye for an extra moment when shaking hands can create a great deal of extra impact in how you are perceived. When you maintain eye contact for longer than usual throughout conversation, you will be more memorable.

Learn about matching and mirroring. The ideal way to portray yourself is to match and mirror the body language of who you’re speaking with. Reflecting back the same gestures makes others feel relaxed and comfortable. It conveys that you are in agreement, and most people want to do business with others whom they believe have similar interests and goals.

First there was cold calling. Then, with the digital age, there was cold emailing.

For many in business, cold emailing is the most effective and untapped form of networking, sales, and development. Many people are impressed with initiative, and cold emailing is a way to build a broader network without relying on already established contacts, and for a very low cost (just your time). 

Cold emailing doesn’t always work, and it can take a lot of nerve. But with a little bit of tact and some strategic tips, you can get results. Here are seven tips for cold emailing effectively:

Make a contact list. Create a list of companies and people you really want to reach and see who is active through networking sites, social media, blogs, and company websites. A targeted list is a more effective list given your valuable time. Go after low-hanging fruit.

Find email addresses. Keep in mind there are many, many creative ways to track down email addresses. Some utilize their networks, others take advantage of social media, while others use known email addresses within a company to determine email address formats. Still others use tools like Rapportive to check addresses until they find the right one.

The right subject line. This is your chance to make a first impression and is one of two things they will see before opening any email. What would make you want to open an email? Utilize customer attributes and power words and get right to the point to pique interest and create a sense of urgency.

Keep it short. Just like you, people are busy. Just like you, they get inundated with email. Just like you, they don’t always have time to read them all. Cut through the buzz by keeping it short and formatted so it’s easy to read in about 30 seconds.

What’s in it for them? Beyond your subject line, the body of your email needs to pique interest right off the bat. Be relevant in what delivering and create a call to action – make a reason for them to answer.
 
The all-important follow-up. It’s common that you won’t hear back from cold emails. Give it a few days, and follow with a short, detailed follow-up email suggesting a conversation. Utilize third-party tools like Yesware (records if your email was opened and forwarded) and Boomerang (reminds you of emails to follow-up with) to keep you organized. 

It’s not personal. When following up feels like a brick wall, remember it’s not personal – some people get thousands of emails a day. Continue to follow up, with a week in between. Some might consider you annoying, but others will admire your persistence and will eventually respond. Cold emailing requires persistence and patience.

The process of scaling a business of any size into a sustainable, high-growth operation can be a challenge that many fail to meet. It is an inherently a bumpy road, and even many of the most ambitious and fastest growing startups and small- to mid-sized businesses reach a point where they are held back from expansion and growth.

Experts often point out that in order to grow your business, you must be able to scale effectively. But what exactly is scalability?

In laymen’s terms, scalability in business implies that the underlying model offers the potential for economic growth within the company. Scaling your business operations is the process of managing and eliminating the issues associated with fast growth. Being ready to scale means you have a proven product, a proven business model, and you are about to expand to new markets.

While there is plenty of advice toward the strategy of scaling your business, the execution is where challenges are commonly encountered. Here are six tips to streamlining your business for scalability.

Start with operational infrastructure. Put the basic elements in place, like an organizational chart, clear reporting lines and well-defined channels of communication.

Build the right team. Develop a plan to assess future needs while evaluating functions and productivity. Build a strong team that can run the scaled business without previous executives, moving it toward organizational processes and cross-functional teams.

Empower and delegate. A new org chart doesn’t mean much if founders and executives don’t empower and delegate to new leaders. Establish policies, disciplines, and standard protocols that allow people to do their jobs.

Outsource what is non-strategic. Scaling requires optimizing your leverage by utilizing outside resources for areas outside of your core competencies. Growing internal expertise in every area is slow and expensive.

Passing the knowledge. At some point, effective scaling involves writing down how things are best done, no matter how cool and hip your company is. It isn’t necessary for new employees to waste time reinventing what your company has already figured out.

Audit your business model. Build a strategy and plan that is focused on continuous innovation and solutions. Be clear on your business model and find new ways to test and define your success metrics.