As Fourth of July celebrations go, this one was a dud.

It was a sparkler when we wanted a Roman candle. A whimper when we needed a bang.

There was no fun to be had at the beaches. No rejoicing to be done at restaurants. No al fresco dining at the Hollywood Bowl. No post-homer high-fives at Dodger Stadium.

It was the right call, of course, for Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state to slam the door shut again after that door had been opened too wide and too fast.

Still, especially for those in the business community, it may feel like many of the hard-earned gains of the past few months have been undercut.

But business, as business thankfully tends to do, goes on and continues to find a way.

This week’s issue carries several good reminders of that, including Hannah Madans’ smart Q&A with Hudson Pacific Properties Chief Executive Victor Coleman, Neal Koch’s insightful look at the ongoing success of mediation and arbitration company JAMS and Mediha DiMartino’s thorough report on the ways Black-owned businesses are forging ahead in pursuit of funding while looking to hold supporters to their recent financial promises.

And while we all navigate this next phase of the pandemic together, there are some encouraging signs. The fear and uncertainty that gripped us in March have been replaced by a more measured response and an understanding, at least in part, of what needs to be done.

No less than Goldman Sachs last week calculated that if everybody did their part by wearing masks and social distancing, we’d prevent a loss of 5% from the gross domestic product.

That’s an easy way to preserve an eye-popping number, and it’s one of those times when common sense and business sense are one and the same.

Now, a sea of masked faces may not give off the same glow as fireworks in full effect over the Rose Bowl or Santa Monica Bay, but it could be a pretty exciting boost for the bottom line.

Notable Recent Moves

Some notable recent moves to flag: Walt Disney Imagineering has named Barbara Bouza as president of business operations, design and delivery. Before joining Disney, Bouza was a principal and co-managing director at Gensler Los Angeles, where she worked with the likes of Netflix, Amgen and City of Hope … John Leano was chosen as chairman of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association for 2020-21. Leano, who has been involved with the chamber for 30 years, was elected to the Chamber Board in 2015. He has been a member of the Executive Committee for the past three years … Chris Allen was named interim chief financial officer at Keck Medicine of USC. Allen previously served as executive administrator for financial planning and decision support for Keck Medicine.