BBB, Mountain West & Pacific Southwest

10/12/2026

They found the perfect venue. Paid for it a year out.

Then the business owner got locked out, and $19,000 went with it.

Venues. Flowers. Catering. The DJ. Wedding scams can hit any part of the plan.

Peabody Award-winning investigator Joe Ducey breaks down how to plan your big day without losing your money.

10/09/2026

| Fresno just had its first Breakthrough. 🚀

The very first Fresno cohort of the BBB Breakthrough Accelerator officially kicked off, bringing together local small business owners ready to dedicate time to building what comes next.

Over the next eight weeks, this group will work alongside experts, mentors and each other to tackle real business challenges, strengthen their strategies and put new ideas into action.

There’s a lot ahead for our new Cohort, but this week marked an important first: Breakthrough is officially underway in Fresno. We can’t wait to follow their progress.

A special thank you to our sponsors and community partners for helping make Fresno’s first Breakthrough possible. Your support is creating more opportunities for local small business owners to learn, grow and move their businesses forward.

Calling all Breakthrough Accelerator alumni! 🚀 What’s one piece of advice you’d share with Fresno’s first cohort as they begin their journey? Drop it in the comments!

10/07/2026

Confidence at the repair shop starts long before you hand over the keys.

Talena Handley could only fix so many cars herself. So she started teaching drivers how their vehicles work instead.

That idea became Girlie Garage.

Host of Joe Knows Better - Joe Ducey sits down with Talena, Owner of Girlie Garage, to talk about her journey in the automotive industry and how she helps drivers make informed decisions about their cars.

Make sure you're ready to take notes because there are a lot of good tips in this one.

New episode of Joe Knows Better out now.

10/05/2026

| Welcome to the team, Emma!

We’re thrilled to welcome Emma Herrick as our new Marketing Communications & Outreach Specialist, based at our BBB Lake Havasu City, Arizona office located in Nomadic coworking.

As a local with a deep-rooted love for Lake Havasu City and the community that makes it special, Emma is eager to serve as a familiar face and resource for local businesses. She’s ready to build meaningful relationships with both BBB Accredited and local businesses, helping shine a light on the businesses, people, and the stories that make the Lake Havasu City, community unique.

From connecting with local business owners to creating opportunities for businesses to strengthen their presence in the community, Emma is looking forward to making connections, getting involved, and making a difference.

We’re excited to have her representing Better Business Bureau right here in Lake Havasu City and can’t wait to see the connections she builds along the way. Tag your business to say hello!

10/04/2026

| The person who spends so much time making sure other people’s stories are told is now on the cover herself.

A huge congratulations to Kryistyna Hook, BBB Senior Director of Marketing and Media Relations, on being featured on the cover of Lake Havasu LIVING Magazine’s 2026 Women in Business issue.

Kryistyna has built much of her career behind the scenes helping businesses, community leaders and her colleagues find their voice, share their work and make meaningful connections. This recognition puts the spotlight on the leadership, relationships and community commitment she brings to that work every day.

We’re incredibly proud to see Kryistyna recognized by a community she has spent years serving, growing alongside and championing. Congratulations, Kryistyna. This cover is well deserved. 💙

10/03/2026

| A little friendly competition and a whole lot of fun for a good cause. ⛳

Today’s BBB Integrity Golf Classic brought our business community together at The Legacy Golf Club to support the BBB f.e.e.l Foundation. There were plenty of laughs on the course, stops at sponsor booths and time to enjoy each other’s company before wrapping up with the reception and awards.

Thank you to Yates Buick GMC, Findlay Toyota Prescott, Donley A/C & Plumbing, Salt River Project, Commit Agency, Copper Quail Consulting, National Bank of Arizona, Propulsion, Express Flooring, Desert Financial Credit Union, West Valley Mavericks Foundation, Murphy Consulting Group and Tito’s Handmade Vodka for helping make the day possible!

And to everyone who joined us: thank you for spending your Friday with us and making this event such a good time. We loved seeing our community out on the course, having fun and supporting the BBB f.e.e.l Foundation!

10/02/2026

Storms roll in and so do the scammers.

"We're working on a house next door."
"Noticed your roof needs work."
"Great price if you hire us today."

Same pitch. Every storm season.

BBB Scam Tracker reports keep showing it: fake contractors take big money upfront and never come back.

Peabody Award-winning journalist Joe Ducey breaks down why handing thousands in cash to someone you haven't checked out is asking for trouble.

10/01/2026

| Applications are closed and Fresno’s first Breakthrough cohort is almost here! 👏🚀

ABC30 recently put the spotlight on the BBB Breakthrough Accelerator, and now we’re getting ready to welcome the very first Fresno cohort on October 7.

For eight weeks, local small business owners will step away from the day-to-day and spend dedicated time working on their businesses alongside experts, mentors and other business owners navigating many of the same challenges.

As BBB Central California Regional Director Nathan Gilbert shared with ABC30, “You need a village.”

That’s a big part of what Breakthrough is designed to create.

After successful cohorts in Phoenix and San Diego, we’re excited to bring the program to Central California for the first time and even more excited to see what this first group of Fresno small business owners does with it.

Watch the ABC30 story for a closer look at what’s ahead: https://abc30.com/post/watching-wallet-better-business-bureau-holding-special-program-small-businesses/19840360/

The Better Business Bureau is showcasing their commitment to small businesses with a special program.

10/01/2026

Meet people where they are. That's the philosophy behind WildFire CrossFit, and it's why Owner and Coach Tiffany Divelbiss has built a gym where anyone can walk in and feel welcome.

CrossFit can look intimidating from the outside. Tiffany's approach is simple:
Build a strong foundation. Show people what they're capable of. Help them grow without the intimidation.

On this week's Leadership Lowdown, Tiffany sits down with Jodi Low to talk community, accessible fitness, and what it takes to make everyone feel like they belong.

Leadership Lowdown is powered by BBB and U & Improved. New episodes every Thursday at 10:00 a.m.

10/01/2026

| Strategy came first at our inaugural BBB Content Lab & Mixer, and by the end of the night, those ideas were already becoming creative content.

Led by our Phoenix Campus Community Concierge, Jai Marie, supported by our Director of Innovation Programs & Community Engagement, Khandle Hedrick, the session gave local small business owners time to think more intentionally about how they show up on social media.

Around the tables, attendees worked through content strategy, planned what they wanted to say and bounced ideas off other business owners in the room. Those conversations turned into hooks, content concepts and first scripts built around their own businesses, expertise and customers.

Then the room shifted from planning to production.
Business owners spread out across the ignite sparked by BBB Innovation and Events Hub, setting up tripods and mics, using the Video Production Studio and finding spaces throughout the hub to start putting their ideas into action.

By the end of the evening, people were leaving with new connections in their local business community, content already underway, a clearer plan for what comes next and the confidence to keep creating.

For our first Content Lab, one of the best things we heard all night was: “When’s the next one?”

So we’re asking you: if we bring Content Lab back for a second session, what would you want to learn next? Tell us in the comments.