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Entrepreneurs

  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • November 5, 2009
Hoop Dreams

The glut of empty warehouses on the Gulf Coast reeks of the sour economy. But one entrepreneur sniffed an opportunity in jump shots.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • November 5, 2009
Smooth Move

Many entrepreneurs are being forced out of their comfort zones to find a way out of the crushing economy. One is not pounding the pavement.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • November 5, 2009
Smaller is Better

Al Jeffrey and Jim Wilheim had to wrestle with a difficult entrepreneurial crossroad: Had their business, a chain of 15 scuba diving stores from Orlando to Key Largo, gotten too big?

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    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
  • For Subscribers Only
    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
  • For Subscribers Only
    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
  • For Subscribers Only
    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
  • For Subscribers Only
    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
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Jean Gruss
  • October 8, 2009
A Bite of the Big Apple

CEO Fitness

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
    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
  • For Subscribers Only
    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
  • For Subscribers Only
    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
  • For Subscribers Only
    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
  • For Subscribers Only
    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
  • For Subscribers Only
    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
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