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Results for:

  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Ted Carter |
  • October 6, 2017
Lots of Runway

A national low-fare airline leader targets a new business — luxury condo resorts — starting in underdeveloped Charlotte County. How will the project takeoff?

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • October 27, 2017
In the game

A pair of never-say-no Southwest Florida entrepreneurs with a mobility-first mindset seek success in a crowded marketplace.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • July 4, 2014
Data Destructors

A Gulf Coast firm has had some early success in a $10 billion industry built around destroying outdated data and computers. That's led to some lofty projections.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • September 19, 2014
Surgical precision

A medical technology business with clients in 60 countries chases an ambitious goal: to simultaneously grow rapidly while it defends market share dominance.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • January 31, 2014
Ride 'em, cowboy

A company that straddles the entertainment and manufacturing industries has boosted sales 55% since 2011. Now it targets more fun, and more growth.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Traci McMillan Beach |
  • March 7, 2014
Lobbyist roundup: A glance at top business lobbyists in Tallahassee

If you want to get something changed in Tallahassee — or if you want to keep something the same — you're going to need someone there to fight on your behalf.

  • Florida
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • April 25, 2014
'Make it Happen'

Sara Blakely sold fax machines door-to-door. She was a standup comedian. Then she got serious and launched a business that shifted a multibillon-dollar industry.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • September 2, 2016
Comfort food

John Horne discovered the just-right recipe to succeed in the restaurant business. It includes business savvy, funky humor and a Golden Rule strategy with employees.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Jean Gruss |
  • June 10, 2016
Familiar twist

Purchased from Kraft Foods in 2012, Back to Nature has grown from a granola company to one with 117 products and more than $100 million in sales.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Jean Gruss |
  • June 24, 2016
Eat, sleep, dive

Wayne Hasson co-founded the Aggressor Fleet with one scuba boat in the Cayman Islands more than 30 years ago. Today, the fleet consists of 20 luxury yachts that ply 31 exotic destinations around the world.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Jean Gruss |
  • November 6, 2015
Cleaning up

Michelle Spitzer bought into a cleaning franchise after she already built her business. The neat move — it cost $1 — has paid big-time dividends.

  • Industries
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Michael Hinman |
  • July 31, 2015
Safety zone

Building specialized senior housing for former pro football players is a hyper-specific niche for a developer. This one gets into it with a bold game plan.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Beth Luberecki |
  • September 11, 2015
From the ground up

The downturn in the golf industry hasn't slowed down a business with a keen interest in the sport's success.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Traci McMillan Beach |
  • February 20, 2015
Lessons learned

Kevin Hourigan learned how to build a business the hard way — by watching his first firm collapse during an IPO. That lesson helped him create a healthy $10 million company.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Laura Lyon |
  • June 21, 2024
The business of crane safety: From skyscrapers to zoos to toilet paper

The boom in construction over the past several decades has led to a boom in cranes operating across Florida. That, in turn, has boosted a company dedicated to training people how to use cranes safely.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • March 28, 2025
Publisher extends 'poison pill' in response to courtship from Naples firm

The Hoffmann Family of Cos. seeks to open discussions with Lee Enterprises "regarding a potential combination of our companies."

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Louis Llovio |
  • March 24, 2025
Naples’ Hoffmann takes step to buy national newspaper chain

The Hoffmann Family of Cos. is already Lee's second largest shareholder and may take the company private.

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Louis Llovio |
  • February 18, 2025
Gulf Coast's top federal prosecutor leaves Department of Justice

Roger B. Handberg has departed as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District after about three years in the position.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Jay Heater |
  • June 26, 2025
Builder: Impact fee hike will add $18K to buying Manatee County home

Pat Neal continues to be a master navigating tumultuous real estate waters, including a percolating anti-growth and anti-developer sentiment.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Brian Hartz |
  • February 22, 2019
Property pros: Savvy firm uncovers value in unexpected places

In just eight years, EquiAlt, a privately held, Tampa, Florida-based property investment and management firm, has amassed more than $150 million in assets, specializing in distressed properties.

  • Strategies
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