Steve Traves

AMI Outfitters Coastal Gear and Apparel
Anna Maria Island Hospitality/retail

Business: A former commercial photographer and software developer, Steve Traves opened the outdoor products store last year. It sells kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and fishing equipment, in addition to gear from Patagonia, Simms and other brands. Traves spent about $100,000 to open the 1,000-square-foot store, a renovated Sears & Roebuck mail-order-kit home from the 1930s.

The first year in business, says Traves, exceeded his projections, and he doubled the inventory for 2014. He also plans to move ahead with a small business staple of growth: hiring employees. He intends to hire at least one clerk, probably in January. Says Traves: “We are expecting to have a real solid year.”