Services

Downtown Management

L.L. Consulting has assisted numerous communities with evaluating their current downtown revitalization efforts and providing consulting services and technical assistance to assist with developing short and long term policies and objectives targeted at fostering partnerships, enhancing long term sustainability of the organization and improving the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the entire community’s revitalization efforts.

California municipalities that Ms. Lott has provided services specifically for its downtown districts include:

• City of Auburn – Downtown Auburn, Historic Downtown Auburn and Midtown 

• City of Chico - Chico Downtown Business Association

• City of Crescent City, Downtown Crescent City Merchants Association

• City of Dixon - 
Dixon Downtown Business Association

• City of Galt – City of Galt Council

• City of Gridley – Gridley Downtown Business Association

• City of Lancaster – Downtown Lancaster BID

• City of Marysville – Downtown Marysville BID

• City of Roseville – Vernon Street Merchants and Old Town Roseville

• City of Santa Clarita – Old Town Newhall Association

• City of San Mateo  - Downtown San Mateo Association and 25th Avenue San Mateo BID

• City of South Lake Tahoe – Ski Run Blvd

• City of Yuba City – Yuba City Downtown Business Association

• County of Placer - 
North Tahoe Business Association and Tahoe Downtown Business Association

Additional Agencies and/or Organizations that Ms. Lott has provided consulting and technical assistance services for:

• Downtown Lincoln Association

• Napa Business and Professional Association,

• Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation - Downtown Mesa, AZ

• Nevada County Economic Resource Council - Tourism Department

• Roosevelt Rowe, Downtown Phoenix, AZ

• Trinity County Chamber of Commerce

• Vacaville Business Improvement District

• Walnut Creek Downtown Business Association

• Weaverville Chamber of Commerce

• Yolo County Visitors Bureau, Davis, CA

national main street four point approach program

Ms. Lott has over 28 years in the field of downtown and commercial district revitalization utilizing the National Main Street Four Point Approach.  Services have included launching a Main Street programs, working with the local stakeholders and parterns to intergrade the Four Point Approach into their existing downtown revitalization efforts and/or assisting existing Nationally recognized Main Street programs with sustaining and growing their efforts.  

 Arizona Main Street Program - For the last two decades, Ms. Lott has been one of the core consultants providing services, ranging from board training, strategic planning, fundraising strategies, business development and market opportunities plans and volunteer management for Arizona Main Street Program assisting the following communities:

• Apache Main Street Program

• Buckeye Main Street Program

• Casa Grande Main Street Program


• Cottonwood Main Street Program


• Florence Main Street Program


• Holbrooke Main Street 

• Parker Main Street Program

• Nogales Community Development Corporation

• Town of Payson Green Valley Redevelopment/Main Street Program


• Pinetop Lakeside Main Street Program


• Prescott Downtown Partnership, Inc.

• Sedona Main Street

• Show Low Main Street Program


• City of Stafford Main Street Program

• Vail Connects Arizona

• Williams Chamber of Commerce/Main Street

California Main Street Programs that Ms. Lott has provided services for include:

• Davis Downtown Business Association

• Grass Valley Downtown Association

• Eurkea Main Street

• Main Street Hanford


• Hollister Downtown Association


• Kings Beach Main Street Program

• Main Street Martinez


• North Park Main Street

• Paso Robles Main Street


  Ocean Beach Main Street Association

• Pleasanton Downtown Association


• Viva Downtown Redding


New Mexico Main Street Program - In 2005, Ms. Lott began to work for the Department of Economic Development, New Mexico Main Street program providing assistance to the local Main Street communities including business development, business coaching, organizational assistance, promotional strategies, fundraising plans and survey work.   

• Artesia

• Carlsbad

• Clayton

• Clovis

• Corrales

• Deming

• Downtown Albuquerque

• Farmington

• Grants

• Las Cruces

• Las Vegas 

• Nob Hill 

• Raton

• Roswell

• Silver City

State Main Street Programs - Ms. Lott has also consulted for the following State Main Street Programs:

• Iowa Main Street Program

• Maine State Main Street program

• Nevada State Main Street Program

• New Hampshire Main Street program

• Vermont State Main Street

• Washington State Main Street

Community Outreach

Ms. Lott is a skilled facilitator and thoroughly enjoys working with community groups, nonprofits, municipalities, chambers of commerce, tourism agencies and etc. Her consulting practices often includes preparing and distributing on-line surveys, conducting large community visioning sessions, facilitating small group work sessions, presenting final reports to local leadership including state agencies, County boards and City councils, acting as a guest speaker at annual meetings and luncheons and/or participating as a panelist.  Over the last two decades, below is a sampling of specific projects that Ms. Lott has provided community outreach and technical assistance services for.

• Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC). Worked with CPLC Workforce Solutions in Maryvale to ask with identifying the skills that are required for in-demand, entry level positions within the hospitality, manufacturing and retail sectors to advance the Maryvale workforce into mid- level positions. Acting as the project manager, Ms. Lott provided services that included (1) identifying the various sector businesses in the Maryvale Proper and Maryvale + zip codes; (2) conducting a series of interviews with the appropriate representatives from each sector to identify the entry-level positions that businesses are currently hiring for and/or are in high demand, the types of skills are required for the in-demand, entry-level positions and the opportunities for advancement within these entry level positions (3) outlining the trainings that are currently offered (State, regional and/or local levels) that match the type of training needed to support the skills needed for both in demand, entry level positions as well as for upscaling opportunities and (4) Identifying any gaps in training and possible sources/programs to fulfill the need. This project was launched in January 2020 but was put on hold on March 30, 2020 due to COVID-19 and has the project has not been completed.

•  NEDCO – Light Rail Extension Project. NEDCO contracted with Ms. Lott to work with the retail sector in Downtown Mesa as part of the assistance offered during the Light Rail Extension Project. Services included a monthly workshop series, conducting one-on-one business advising with the various retail businesses located in the project area, monthly reporting and invoicing to NEDCO and participating in team meetings throughout the year period.

• City of South Lake Tahoe Redevelopment Agency – Ski Run Boulevard.  Three community visioning meetings to vision for the Ski Run Boulevard area, five small group meetings to form committees and build consensus around two-year action plan.

• County of Placer, CA – Tahoe City Downtown Association –  Three community visioning meetings to discuss formation of Property based Improvement District, numerous small group meetings to build consensus on five-year management plan, numerous one-on-one meetings with key stakeholders to foster agreement on plan.  

• Town of Superior Community Development Plan.  Working with the Arizona Department of Commerce and the Town of Superior, Ms. Lott assisted with the development of a Town strategic community development plan.  Services included consensus-building, facilitation of community visioning meetings, policy development, formation of five community development committees, drafting five-year strategic plan and funding plan, and work plan development for each committee.

• City of Globe – 60/70 Highway Curb Appeal Plan.  Ms. Lott assisted the City of Globe and the Globe Main Street program with developing a strategic plan to enhance the 17-mile stretch along Hwy 60/70 between Miami and the San Carlos Casino to spur business and economic development.  Services included facilitation of three community forums and development of strategic plan with measurable outcomes and benchmarks and a fundraising strategy to support short-term priorities

• City of Kingman – Downtown Visioning Town Hall and Main Street Approach.  Ms. Lott conducted the "Arizona Main Street Kingman Town Hall Visioning Session" with over 120 individuals attended representing a strong cross-section of the community that included downtown business and property owners, City elected officials and staff, partnering organizations, and residents.  Ms. Lott then conducted a second community meeting to solidify the vision for downtown Kingman, identify top priorities, and launch the Main Street Four Point Approach. As a result of the community meetings, two volunteer-based work groups were formed and over the last year, have made great strides in implementing several key projects. 

• Arizona Commerce Authority -  Ms. Lott has been on contract with the Arizona Commerce Authority for the last five years working directly with the Vice President of Work Force  assisting with the formation and management of the Aerospace and Manufacturing Sector Partnership, IT Sector Partnership and the Retail Sector Partnership. Services include facilitating visioning sessions with the various sector partners, assisting with the implementation and analysis of on-line surveys, forming committees within each of the three sectors, developing specific work plans for implementation, assisting with managing the committees and preparing reports as needed. 

•  International Sonoran Desert Alliance - Historic Ajo Town site Project, Ajo, AZ.   The International Sonoran Desert Alliance (ISDA) was funded through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Our Townprogram to improve livability in the town of Ajo, Arizona through creative place-making strategies.  ISDA’s main partners on the project were the Pima County and the Conway School of Landscape Design.  The focus of the work was on the town’s core public spaces within the Historic Ajo Plaza and the Historic Curley School Campus (approximately 13 acres). Working as part of the design team, Ms. Lott developed and implemented a comprehensive community outreach process that included a series of surveys, focus group interviews, public visioning meetings and community open houses and prepared a written report outlining the results of the survey work, findings and recommendations.

• Nogales Port Authority – Conducted a series of community visioning meetings to initiate strategic planning process, small group meetings to define plan and build consensus around priorities, facilitated strategic planning with the 20 member Nogales Port Authority Advisory Board and prepared written five-year strategic plan.   

• Gilbert Historical Society/Gilbert Historical Museum, Gilbert AZ.The Gilbert Historical Society (GHS) is a private, nonprofit museum and serves as the historical legacy of Gilbert, Arizona.  Ms. Lott was contracted to assist the GHS with developing a plan to help ensure the Museum’s future viability and sustainability. Working closely with GHS’s Development Committee and Ms. Kayla Kolar, GHS Executive Director, services included conducting numerous focus group interviews and one-on-one interviews, assembling a Cultural Center Steering Committee and facilitating a series of visioning meetings to reach common goal for potential Center and objectives and assembling a group of prominent Valley architects and landscape architects for a month-long Design Charrette process to provide feedback on planning to date and ideas for the future.

Tourism, Marketing and Branding

Ms. Lott has worked with numerous communities assisting with drafting comprehensive marketing strategies, developing brand recognition programs and outlining promotional and event tactics. Clients that Ms. Lott has provided marketing, tourism development, branding, special event and/or promotional assistance include: 

• Nevada County Economic Resource Council – Tourism Manager .  Ms. Lott was on contract with the Nevada County Economic Resource Council overseeing their tourism division.  Services included interfacing with the Tourism Advisory Committee, developing and implementing an eight-month tourism marketing plan that includes trade shows, print and on-line advertising, FAM tour, public relations, consumer e-newsletter and serving as the County’s representative to the State of California’s VisitCalifornia Tourism Commission as well as the Gold Country Visitors Association representing the nine counties along Highway 49.

• Michael Baker International, Phoenix Office Urban Planners. Ms. Lott has acted as a specialist for serveral Michael Baker International Consulting teams assisting with the Town of Carefree - Town Center Specific Plan and the City of Peoria - Old Town Block Strategy. Ms. Lott’s primary focus was to assess current downtown promotional and marketing efforts, creating a skeleton Marketing Plan that included new events, promotions and advertising strategies to help strengthen the community’s image or brand as a destination.  Services included conducting a series of visioning and community meetings, online surveys, focus group interviews, conducting an assessment of all marketing and promotional activities and preparing goals, objectives and actions as part of the final plan.

• RBF Consulting Urban Design Studio. Ms. Lott has acted as a specialist on numerous RBF Consulting, Urban Design Studio consulting teams including the City of Mesquite, NV, City of Perris, CA, the City of Lancaster, CA and the City of Sonora with creating a Downtown Specific Plan for their related downtown business districts. Ms. Lott’s primary focus was to assess current downtown promotional and marketing efforts, creating a skeleton Marketing Plan that included new events, promotions and advertising strategies to help strengthen the community’s image or brand as a destination.  Services included conducting a series of visioning and community meetings, online surveys, focus group interviews, conducting an assessment of all marketing and promotional activities and preparing a marketing plan for the Downtown Specific Plan.

• PMC. Ms. Lott joined the PMC Consulting team to assist with the Logan Utah Downtown Specific Plan and the Manhattan Beach Downtown Specific Plan.  Ms. Lott’s primary focus has been conducting a market study and retail strategy, assessing the promotional and marketing aspects of the plan including conducting a comprehensive survey of the 300 + downtown stakeholders, conducting two workshops on marketing downtown utilizing special events, promotional activities and image campaigns, drafting a marketing plan to support marketing downtown as a destination for residents, visitors and investors. 

• Suisun Valley, Solano County. Consultant for a comprehensive marketing plan to promote the Suisun Valley area between Sacramento and San Francisco, a relatively unknown destination of wineries and farm stands.  The marketing plan was targeted at helping establish the area as a regional agritourism area. The process included a full assessment of the existing promotional and marketing programs, numerous business, individual and group interviews and outreach efforts, working closely with the Suisun Valley growers, City of Fairfield and the Solano Irrigation District, and producing a full marketing plan including goals, objectives, timelines, responsibilities and budget. 

•  City of Marysville. Worked with the City of Marysville and Marysville BID to develop a comprehensive Marketing Plan for the downtown area.  Scope included review of all marketing, promotional and event materials, assessment of large events, survey and focus group interviews, brand and logo development, business recruitment marketing piece and written marketing plan that included detailed goals, strategies and action plan, budget and timeline.

Small Business Consulting and Advising

Business Advisor for California Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) - For the last 20 years, Ms. Lani Lott, President of L. L. Consulting, has provided marketing and promotional consulting services for various Northern California Small Business Development Centers (SBDC). Services have included, but not limited to, assisting clients with conducting customer discovery and market analysis, supporting the development of comprehensive marketing plans and strategies, assisting with social media and branding strategies, website development, outlining advertising and public relations tactics, assisting in the preparation and successful execution of trade show, event and networking opportunities and conducting an array of marketing and promotional related workshops. Ms. Lott works with pre-venture, start up and mid-sized companies assisting with business plans, market analysis, financial projections, assessment of capital needs, employee management, business feasibility, growth and expansion, and success planning. In addition to providing one-on-one consulting services for individuals businesses, Ms. Lott has conducted workshops for pre-venture, start-up and/or existing businesses on topics that include business planning, starting a business, market research, addressing the needs for the retail, creative sector (artists) and restaurant sector, and succession planning. During COVID - 19, Ms. Lott assisted businesses with the SBA - Economic Injury Disaster Loan and the Paycheck Protection Plan, conducted numerous webinars on how to navigate through the pandemic and pivot business models and worked one-on-one with individual businesses addresses their specific operational and marketing issues. Ms. Lott has provided one-on-one consulting and workshops for the following SBDC networks:

• 2006 - Present - Shasta Cascade SBDC serving Shasta and Trinity Counties.

• 2017 to Present - Siskiyou SBDC serving Siskiyou County.

• 2020 to Present - Sierra SBDC serving Nevada, Placer, Sierra, El Dorado, Plumas, Lassen and Modoc Counties.

• 2020 to Present - West Business Development Center

• 2006 - 2008 - Butte College SBDC serving Butte, Glenn and Tehama Counties.

• 2001- 2014 - Sierra College (and then the Greater Sacramento/Sierra SBDC) serving Sacramento, Placer, Nevada, and El Dorado Counties.

Specialized Services for SBDC’s:

• March 2020 - Present - Central CA SBDC Network - Ms. Lott is work with the Central California Small Business Development Center to coordinate a series of trainings and advising services for the five Centers within the Network which included the Valley Sierra SBDC, Bakersfield SBDC, Fresno SBDC, Cal Coastal SBDC and San Luis Obispo SBDC.  Ms. Lott is working with each Center to develop and schedule a week-long series of services for each specific SBDC and their various communities within each of their service area.  Consulting services and trainings will include a specialized combination of business trainings, one-on-one business advising, roundtable discussion with a specific business sector (such as restaurant sector, retail sector, tourism related businesses, service based sector, etc.) and/or a meeting with business support organizations (such as the downtown association, chamber of commerce committee, tourism agency, etc.)

• 2016 and 2018 - Valley Sierra SBDC - In partnership with the Tuolumne Economic Development Council, City of Sonora and Calaveras County Visitor Bureau, Ms. Lott conducted in 2016 and then again in 2018 a week- long series of workshops, round table discussions, keynotes and business consultations covering branding, social media, marketing strategies, tourism development and retail strategies.

• 2016 - Napa SBDC - In partnership with the Napa Redevelopment Agency and the Napa Downtown Association, Ms. Lott conducted a week-long series of one-on-one business consultations and workshops covering visual merchandising assistance, marketing and promotional strategies, social media assistance, storefront and image assistance and branding recommendations.

• 2007 Sierra College SBDC - In partnership with Nevada County CalWORKs, Ms. Lott conducted a 10-week business planning course for income qualified pre-venture/start up business owners located within Nevada County. The 10-week course included teaching a three-hour course each week, assisting with market research and helping each business owner with writing and presenting their final business plan targeted at obtaining funding. In 2006 - 2008, Ms. Lott also taught a two-part business planning course through Sierra College Community Education. In 2007, in partnership Sierra Economic Development District (SEDD), Ms. Lott participated as a team consultant in an 8-week Boot Camp focused on taking businesses to the next level.

• 2013 - 2017 Shasta Cascade SBDC - Ms. Lott worked directly with Trinity County and Weaverville Chamber of Commerce leaders and business community to develop a business plan for the revitalization of Historic Downtown Weaverville. Working with the Trinity County and Weaverville Chambers of Commerce along with their respective partners and businesses, Ms. Lott assisted in preparing the community for hosting the World Endurance Mountain Bike Race. Services included conducting a series of customer service workshops and developing a business plan to assist the community with all of the aspects of preparing and successfully hosting the event. Ms. Lott conducted strategic planning sessions for the Trinity County Chamber, the Weaverville Chamber and the Trinity County Arts Council. Services included conducting a business survey to all of their perspective members, hosting three community town hall meetings and preparing the final plan for each organization which in turn each agency presented to the County Supervisors as part of receiving their annual Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) funding.