Kickin' It

When Sarasota technology executive Dan Miller moved to the region from Boston in 2001, he was missing more than cream pie and clam chowder.

Miller also quickly found there was no organization in town set up as a support group for local entrepreneurs and business owners, at least none like he was familiar with in Boston. Miller had been a leading member of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization in Boston, a group that he says was essential to his first business success: Building an online recruiting and jobs company that he ultimately sold for more than $10 million.

So Miller formed his own CEO peer group after he relocated to Sarasota to launch more startup technology companies. Eight years later that group has turned into a unique gathering of local executives and entrepreneurs: Five of the 10 members of Miller's CEO peer group are black belts in taekwondo. Three other local business executives that aren't official members of the peer group train in taekwondo with the gang.