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Entrepreneurs

  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2008
TO WATCH (Tampa Bay): Mihir Taneja

Mihir Taneja, 33, is chief executive officer with GeoPharma, a Largo pharmaceutical and health care products company. He started GeoPharma out of college, with five employees in 1995 in Brandon.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2008
TO WATCH (Tampa Bay): Bob Johnston

Bob Johnston's best decision as an entrepreneur is one he admits he would never recommend to his children.The decision: At 21, dropping out of college, marrying his wife and moving from Tallahassee to Tampa to help run a little fondue restaurant business called The Melting Pot in 1985.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 9, 2008
Merchants of Hope

Providing death with dignity on the Gulf Coast is big business. It requires big-thinking executives.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 9, 2008
Miles ahead

A decision to pump $1.5 million into a company with declining revenues during a deep industry downturn can test anyone's resolve. "My instinct was to build," says Roger Miles.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 9, 2008
Precious and Private

In person or by mail, Suzanne Perry, a former cosmetics executive, sells jewelry to affluent clients, and she likes it that way.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 9, 2008
Building New

Is this any time to start a construction company? Two Gulf Coast entrepreneurs are betting it is.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 9, 2008
Calendar of Events

View business events from around the Gulf Coast for free.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 2, 2008
Sleep on it

Turns out that turnaround jobs of underperforming hotels is management- and labor-intensive work. And a slowing economy only means growing opportunities.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 2, 2008
Calendar of Events

View events from around the Gulf Coast for free.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 2, 2008
Smart Growth?

The slowing economy isn't the only worry facing business owners. Government growth decisionsare troubling some entrepreneurs, too.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 2, 2008
Relative Retirement

Promoting amusement parks in Dubai and China lured a Gulf Coast executive out of his boat.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 2, 2008
A Sales Culture

Be aware, independent insurance firms: Brown & Brown Insurance plans to continue to acquire other insurance brokerages which fit its culture.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 2, 2008
Accident Control

Insurance brokers agree: The best way to control costs is to control accidents and offer employees choices, especially when it comes to health insurance.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 2, 2008
Sweet Carolina

As the economy struggles, one Gulf Coast-based insurance firm's expansion to North Carolina turned out to be good timing. Still, Florida remains a lucrative place to write policies.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • May 2, 2008
Hands on help

The Gulf Coast is full of retired executives who are ready to help budding entrepreneurs. Abbie Sladick turned to them to help her build a successful business around an innovative idea.

  • Entrepreneurs
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