Economic forecast: James Ramos, founder and CEO, Ramos Companies, Tampa

Company: Ramos, whose multifaceted company handles everything from real estate sales to design, construction and property investment, says his goal for 2019 is to maintain the firm’s footprint while growing “interrelated company conversions.” That means, he says, “doing a better job of taking someone who’s closing on a sale and having them use our internal services, whether it’s title or mortgage, or selling them products for a renovation.” Ramos sees renovations, as opposed to ground-up construction, as being a big revenue driver in 2019 for his firm. That's because existing homeowners are looking to stay where they are and build value, while buyers are targeting particular neighborhoods to the point where they’re willing to settle on homes that need substantial work.