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Entrepreneurs

    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • February 20, 2025
Manatee entrepreneur uses social media to build crafty business following

Papercrafting company Pink and Main fills a niche that big-box retailers cannot, according to owner Michelle Currie.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • February 18, 2025
Tampa school launches entrepreneurship institute, seeks to hire director

The new director of a Tampa private school's Entrepreneurship Institute will be tasked with germinating relationships with local businesses.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • February 5, 2025
Tampa liquor store chain grows revenue 25%, store count 50%

Liquor Depot owner Trey Lawson keeps tabs on trends and tastes. He also has found a just-right recipe for turning social media posts into brick-and-mortar store foot traffic.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    By
  • Beth Luberecki
  • January 29, 2025
Former hotel sales exec eyes big growth for SWFL home inspection business

Hotel sales executive-turned-entrepreneur Joe Nugent, in seizing opportunities for his now 10-year-old home inspection company, has a never break rule: "I won't just hire a warm body."

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • January 27, 2025
Follow the reading habits of a local million-dollar tech startup founder

From a police officer to the global C-Suite to starting his own company, Casey Marquette remains steadfast on one get and stay ahead factor: reading leadership books.

  • Leadership
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • January 24, 2025
Naples billionaire: Why and how he's giving away his fortune

Scrappy self-made Naples billionaire Tom Golisano is approaching $1 billion in lifetime donations to nonprofits. Business principles guide his giving.

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • January 15, 2025
Entrepreneur aims to restore rotted structures with new franchise

The model behind Preservan, an Oklahoma-based company debuting in Tampa Bay, is to repair, not replace, wooden parts of structures.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • January 14, 2025
Tampa-based home watch service launches

The duo plans to keep their eyes on your prized possession.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • January 3, 2025
CEO on waterfront restaurant acquisitions, despite storms: 'Like a dream'

Greg Powers, the CEO of Beachside Hospitality Group, a company with 15 restaurants in Florida, dishes on its latest portfolio additions.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • December 26, 2024
Transformative Ybor project is going full throttle, despite headwinds

Darryl Shaw spent the year seeing projects come to life and isn’t done yet.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 22, 2024
Popular Sarasota plant-based coffee house gets new owner: Founder's son

Simon's Coffee House, founded in 1991, has become a staple of plant-based dining in the Sarasota community.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • December 21, 2024
Retiring SRQ airport chief rose from janitor's closet to executive suite

Rick Piccolo began his 53-year career scrubbing toilets at a Buffalo airport. He will leave SRQ after 30 years doing nearly every airport job along the way.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
    By
  • Beth Luberecki
  • December 20, 2024
Entrepreneurs return to their roots for new events venue venture

Lee County couple Rodney and Stacey Poole are taking it slow while utilizing innovative ideas for a somewhat counterintuitive multimillion-dollar business pursuit: They bought a farm.

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • December 19, 2024
Clearwater boy scout, troop break national popcorn sale records

After rigorous goal setting and sales, Troop 313 has popped to the top.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • December 16, 2024
CEO of firm that bought PGT for $3.1B opens up about deal, future

Matt DeSoto says he learned you could never communicate enough when it comes to acquisition integration.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
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