• Alternate Text
  • Loading

  • Newsletters
  • Podcast
  • Public Notices
  • 40 Under 40 Nomination
  • Mobile App
  • Subscribe
  • Login
  • News
  • Strategies
  • Entrepreneurs
  • M&A
  • Leadership
  • Regions
    • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    • Manatee-Sarasota
    • Charlotte-Lee-Collier
    • Florida
  • Industries
    • Business Support
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Residential Real Estate
    • Development
    • Finance
    • Food-Beverage
    • Health Care
    • Manufacturing
    • Retail
    • Sports–Entertainment
    • Technology
    • Travel-Tourism
  • Insights
  • More
    • Advice
    • Transactions
    • 40 Under 40
    • Big Book of Business
    • Subscribe
    • Opinion
    • Executive Diversions
    • Change-Makers
    • Reprints
  • News
  • Strategies
  • Entrepreneurs
  • M&A
  • Leadership
  • Regions
    • Regions
    • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    • Manatee-Sarasota
    • Charlotte-Lee-Collier
    • Florida
  • Industries
    • Industries
    • Business Support
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Residential Real Estate
    • Development
    • Finance
    • Food-Beverage
    • Health Care
    • Manufacturing
    • Retail
    • Sports–Entertainment
    • Technology
    • Travel-Tourism
  • Insights
  • More
    • More
    • Advice
    • Transactions
    • 40 Under 40
    • Big Book of Business
    • Subscribe
    • Opinion
    • Executive Diversions
    • Change-Makers
    • Reprints
  • Newsletters
  • Podcast
  • Public Notices
  • 40 Under 40 Nomination
  • Mobile App
  • Subscribe
  • Login

Past Episodes

May 22, 2025
Running an 800-employee restaurant enterprise with Mike Quillen

Mike Quillen is the president of three independent restaurant groups that include 15 locations in Florida and North Carolina, with some 800 employees. The list includes Gecko’s Grill & Pub, …

May 15, 2025
The future of health care leadership with Tampa General’s John Couris

John Couris is one of the most recognized health care leaders in the Sunshine State, having run the Florida Health Sciences Center, parent entity of Tampa General Hospital, since 2017. …

May 8, 2025
Juice, eggs and cooking up the next generation of leaders with First Watch’s Lilah Taha-Rippett

Lilah (pronounced like Layla) has overseen the supply chain for east Manatee County-based First Watch since 2017. She’s been in food service supply and logistics for some 30 years, working …

May 1, 2025
From farming in Colorado to growing leaders in the community w/ University Area CDC’s Sarah Combs

A nonprofit executive, Sarah has been with the University Area CDC since 2010 and executive director and CEO since 2015. The University Area CDC is a nonprofit public/private partnership supporting …

April 24, 2025
Growing a bank in a crowded market while leading for the long term with Sam Guerrieri

Sam Guerrieri is an executive vice president with the Canandaigua National Trust Co., where, among other units, he oversees CNB Wealth Management, Canandaigua National Trust Company of Florida. The Florida …

April 17, 2025
Building a mission-driven nonprofit quickly w/ Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside Mike Sutton

Mike Sutton was named CEO of the Tampa Bay Gulfside unit a decade ago, when it had just finished house No. 280 and was only in Pinellas County. Now it’s …

April 10, 2025
Succession & sustainability with Gulf Coast Community Foundation President & CEO Phillip Lanham

Phillip Lanham is approaching his two-year anniversary of being named president and CEO of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, one of the largest, and most visible, foundations in the region. …

April 3, 2025
Manifesting success and jettisoning self-doubt with Jen Hemmerdinger

Jennifer Hemmerdinger has been in the media and public relations business for some two decades, going back to when she was a DJ on FM radio in New Hampshire in …

March 27, 2025
Taking chances, selling groceries and building luxury condo towers w/ billionaire John Catsimatidis

John Catsimatidis has garnered a net worth of $4.5 billion through grit, guts and guile. Raised in a tight-knit Greek-American family, Catsimatidis learned how to hustle and get along with …

March 20, 2025
Building communities where people want to live with Wellen Park’s Rick Severance

Rick Severance has worked for some of the largest development communities in Florida, leading up to his current post, as president of Wellen Park, a master-planned community in south Sarasota …

« 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 »

Team

Host

Mark Gordon

Mark Gordon is the managing editor of the Business Observer. Mark has been a business journalist and editor for more than 20 years, and one of his passions is writing about leadership. That led to Mark to start writing a leadership column in 2021 in the Business Observer, called Leadership Matters. It also led to the creation of the From the Corner Office podcast in June 2023.

Producer

Read Corley

Read attended elementary, middle and high school in Manatee County. After graduating from Florida State University and navigating the pandemic, Read joined up with his father to create the podcast I 501(c) You - The Podcast for Nonprofit Board Members. As the podcast has grown, Read has created a path producing podcasts for others, including the Business Observer.

Where to Listen

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Podbean App
  • Spotify
  • Amazon Music
  • iHeartRadio
The best of Business Observer, delivered directly to your inbox

Get the latest business and commecial real estate news from Tampa Bay to Naples.

Sign Up

Latest News

1
  • December 18, 2025
Kolter, Casto buy 19 acres in Parrish
2
  • December 18, 2025
Tampa Museum of Art director to retire
3
  • December 18, 2025
ESPN report: Naples' Hoffmann family buying NHL hockey team
4
  • December 18, 2025
4-acre entertainment district to be built in downtown Tampa
5
  • December 17, 2025
Sale of former Big Top Live property canceled amid complications

Contact

  • 1970 Main St.
  • Third Floor
  • Sarasota, FL 34236
  • Phone: 941-362-4848

Extra, Extra!

  • Newsletters
  • App
  • Podcast
  • Big Book of Business

more

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Distribution Points
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe
  • Accessibility Options

sister sites

  • Your Observer
  • Jax Daily Record
  • Orange Observer
  • Accessibility Options
  • Copyright © 2025 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved
×
3 Articles Remaining!
Not a Subscriber?

Click here to Subscribe

Already a Subscriber?

Click here to Login

Sign Up for Daily Brief

Start your day with the top Gulf Coast business news you need to succeed.

Sign Up for CRE Central

Stay updated with a weekly roundup of big deals, market shifts and the people shaping commercial real estate from Tampa Bay to Naples.


Smart People Subscribe.

Turn headlines into game plans. The playbook’s right here.
Subscribe to the Business Observer today.

Subscribe Now