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Entrepreneurs

    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • November 16, 2007
Customer Repo

A Sarasota auto-related business hopes to plug up its quarterly and yearly losses by buying a competitor. Big potential brings big risks.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • November 9, 2007
'Good Golly, Miss Molly'

Larry Thompson, known for overcoming big obstacles in big jobs, has a doozy on his hands: Infusing business principles into an arts-focused college.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • November 9, 2007
The Hotel Man

Lou Plasencia left brokerage Grubb & Ellis to start his own hotel advisory firm in Tampa in 1993. It now has several offices nationwide.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • November 9, 2007
Florida 'edupreneurs'

Donald Jones and his family have created and managed schools and career colleges all over Florida. Their formula for success has been based on this basic business tenet: Pay attention to the customer.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • November 9, 2007
e-Learning Entrepreneurs

Brent and Rachel Fisher have created a company that offers online education to businesses, non-profits and organizations, such as school systems.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • November 2, 2007
School of Steel

Ralph George transferred his military-trained mind to his business. The result is a textbook-like training ground for building from within.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • November 2, 2007
Sign of the Times

Creative Mailboxes and Signs does more signs these days, preparing its workers for the transition.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • November 2, 2007
High-Tech Shield

I.D. Rank Security began offering a suite of software this year that protects clients from information theft.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • November 2, 2007
Signs of Hope

Lee County is widely considered ground zero for the state's housing bust. But there are finally some tentative signs of the market's recovery.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • November 2, 2007
Focus on Fuel

A national power company chief executive - whose livelihood depends on more energy usage - publicly supports power conservation.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • November 2, 2007
Power Mower

Sarlo Power Mowers has slashed through Florida grass for decades. It's not afraid of cheap Chinese replicas.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • October 26, 2007
Beyond the Classroom

Rick Gallegos has found that training managers and employees about collaboration, leadership and selling is increasingly needed on site rather than bringing people to a training center.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • October 26, 2007
Fear Factor

The commercial real estate investment boom may be topping out as buyers become more cautious. Some investors expect prices to fall in many areas of the Gulf Coast.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • October 26, 2007
Build-A-Brand

Honing a corporate identity, while an important task for any business, falls short of true company branding. A Gulf Coast marketing guru highlights the differences.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • October 26, 2007
Water Built

Thomas Missimer, one of the best-known water experts in the world, is also a successful entrepreneur who built three companies. Oil colossus Schlumberger recently bought him out.

  • Entrepreneurs
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