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Entrepreneurs

    By
  • Jean Gruss
  • October 29, 2009
Fill the Sails

Doris and Steve Colgate grew their sailing school through calm and rough economic weather. They expect winds to be at their back next year.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • October 29, 2009
Mission Re-Ignition

The car business was drowning in 2008 and so was George Manian's high-end dealership. Manian found an airway through a massive company overhaul.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Jean Gruss
  • October 15, 2009
Express Success

Brian Cardinale and Jim Matzke's online seafood business was just a few months old when a whale of the restaurant business came calling last year. The recession kept them from capsizing.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Jean Gruss
  • October 15, 2009
Pimp my cart

David Vahala is looking out for your backside. Once you sit in his Ultimate Golf Seat, he promises you'll be able to walk to the 19th hole.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Alex Walsh
  • October 15, 2009
Only option is winning

At Ambassador Limo, Ken Lucci has held true to a demanding management style. The result: a service company that continues to grow despite a challenging market.

  • Strategies
    By
  • Jean Gruss
  • October 8, 2009
A Bite of the Big Apple

CEO Fitness

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Alex Walsh
  • September 17, 2009
Closing the Gap

More access to capital is on its way to Southwest Florida start-up companies through a new angel fund.

  • Strategies
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • September 17, 2009
Shirt Equity

A Gulf Coast T-shirt company is surpassing $2 million in sales this year, a notable feat considering the recession slamming retail. Its success is based on a combination of grit, good decision-making and learning from mistakes.

  • Strategies
    By
  • Alex Walsh
  • September 17, 2009
An emerging builder

Ripa & Associates created a rainy day fund during the boom and is now seeing the fruit of that caution with surprising growth.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Jean Gruss
  • September 3, 2009
Rich Repo

Keith Hanson isn't your typical repo man. He specializes in high-end toys and equipment. And he's built an army of lawyers to back him up.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • September 3, 2009
Her Own Style

A super-sized gamble is paying off for a gutsy entrepreneur who left a six-figure salary to go solo. 'I haven't given up on this economy yet,' she says.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • August 20, 2009
Metal Moxie

The Weber family has always run its recycling business conservatively, paying cash for new equipment and never taking debt. It's paying off now.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • August 20, 2009
Emerald Opportunity

Two executives, one from technology and one from the construction field, are betting they will turn the latest go-green concept into gold.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Alex Mahadevan
  • August 13, 2009
Savvy Security

For a duo behind a company that protects others from risk, Shannon Logsdon and Steve Paley sure took a gamble with their latest business venture. But despite launching in a recession, the future looks good.

  • Entrepreneurs
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 6, 2009
Little Feet, Big Feat

Leigh Peters has found a successful retail niche by offering hard-to-find, high-quality children's shoes.

  • Entrepreneurs
« 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 »
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