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Strategies

  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Bob Andelman
  • September 3, 2009
A Million Bites

Brown & Brown has grown into a major player in the insurance brokerage business through 300 small acquisitions. The key: Create a competitive and lucrative sales culture and cut all fat.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Bloomberg News
  • September 3, 2009
Marvel Us

Analysis: Disney's Marvel buy traps Hollywood in a Spider-Man web, putting Disney in a long-term strong position against its rivals.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • September 3, 2009
Help Desk Help

A $250 million company with a large Gulf Coast presence is reversing a trend: It's making room for local jobs that were once outsourced overseas.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Bob Andelman
  • August 27, 2009
Quick Jabs

A $12.8 billion Gulf Coast technology firm is attacking the recession, on both domestic and foreign soil, through a nimble yet risk-laden approach. One gamble: It's going full throttle into the cell phone industry.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • August 27, 2009
Nine Lives

The recession is pervasive up and down the Gulf Coast, but a few companies have found ways to grow at skyrocketing rates. Nearly 10 such local businesses made a national best-of list.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Jean Gruss
  • August 20, 2009
'Rocket Pockets'

Will Stout hasn't built any significant developments since 2007. But the Cape Coral developer expects there will be more opportunities in the next five years than any in the last five decades.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • August 13, 2009
Survive and Thrive

Gulf Coast fast-food restaurant owner Jonathan Ith isn't about to back down from a minor roadblock like a recession. He spent most of his youth, after all, in a life-and-death survival mode while growing up in the killing fields of Cambodia.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • August 13, 2009
Take Back

Lou Oberndorf won a long-fought gamble to buy back the medical education company he co-founded, putting up at least $10 million of his money in the process. His new quest: To beat the recession by blunt force.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Jean Gruss
  • August 13, 2009
The Italian Niche

A group of German investors plans to grow an Italian restaurant franchise called Vapiano to as many as 10 Florida locations. Already popular in Europe, Vapiano occupies a niche between fast food and upscale dining.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • August 13, 2009
Puttin' on the Sales

A Gulf Coast hotel hit by the recession blanketed half the region in an all out sales surge. Results have been surprisingly good.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • August 13, 2009
Tijuana Time

Stephen Martin is touting a funky-themed Tex-Mex restaurant chain as his way of beating back the recession. And get this: he's even growing sales and opening new stores.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • August 10, 2009
Colony president responds to ruling

For Colony Beach & Tennis Resort Chairman Dr. Murray 'Murf' Klauber and President and General Manager Katie Moulton, a federal bankruptcy judge's rulings Friday contained victory and defeat.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 7, 2009
Niche Change

Hire Velocity, a Tampa search firm, hopes its switch from Fortune 500 clients to medium and small businesses will generate more revenue.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Business Observer Staff
  • August 6, 2009
The Home Team

Maryann Ferenc helped found a local group of business operators to promote independent businesses, and they learned a lot about their own jobs as a result.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 30, 2009
Staying on Top

Tech Data has been hurt by declining demand for technology, but it has used the past year to position itself for the economic recovery.

  • Strategies
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