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Results for:

  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • December 14, 2007
Out of a Pinch

Tony Phelan was a successful restaurateur in Texas when the oil bust shattered his life. But he rebuilt a stronger chain in Southwest Florida.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • July 1, 2005
Crisis Management 101

Eleven months after Florida's nightmarish hurricane season, roofers are still stressed. Here's how four company leaders managed in the eye of the storms.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • October 20, 2005
Sold on Florida

West Florida developer Al Hoffman Jr. shares his thoughts on Florida's real estate market as he prepares to become U.S. ambassador to Portugal.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • June 6, 2008
Coffee Talk

Check out on aisle nine: Sweetbay boss moves on: Unless she stays local, the Tampa Bay area may soon lose one of its more colorful and candid chief executive officers.Housing comeback might not be soon: Don Atha might not have the polished resume of well-known Florida housing economists such as Hank Fishkind or David Denslow.Analyst rates Chico's a rare 'sell': Even after all the brokerage scandals earlier this decade, few stock analysts rate the equities they cover a "sell" for fear of incurring the wrath of the management of the companies they follow.Peaceful, easy feeling as Bayshore hooks up park: This one may go down as one of the most interesting projects ever for Tampa-Based Bayshore Technologies, an IT services firm.Growth on agenda in Sarasota County, again: The pace of growth in Sarasota County is yet again primed to take center stage on Election Day, this time in a race for an open seat on the county commission.Bonus commissions could spur more deals: Everyone knows these are not the best days for the real estate industry, but people are taking creative approaches to kick start activity.GULF COAST RETAIL: What the data show: The index of retail activity is constructed to measure personal consumption and it combines the categories of autos, consumer durables, tourism and consumer nondurables.

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • April 23, 2004
'We all have to eat'

The legal community and insurance industry await a decision by the Florida Supreme Court on a challenge to insurance tort reforms enacted in 1986.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Jay Brady |
  • June 18, 2010
New Urbanism, Old Problems

Sarasota County is a landowner and regulator in an innovative public/private development partnership featuring new urbanism designs that has run smack into old growth problems.

  • Florida
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Matt Walsh |
  • October 21, 2011
Scrap public education; make all of it private

Last week provided great political-media entertainment in our little part of Florida. It also brought to light the fatal flaw of public education.

  • Florida
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Beth Luberecki |
  • November 25, 2016
Pair up

Public-private partnerships offer lots of benefits for business — and lots of challenges. Opportunities are on the rise.

  • Florida
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • January 27, 2017
'Fever pitch'

From hockey to mega real estate deals to hiring executives, Jeff Vinik lives by one key theme: Preparation is key to victory.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • October 23, 2025
Acclaimed local leadership author writes sequel — with her teenage kids

Teaching leadership skills should start at a young age, contends a two-time author on the subject. Her latest book, written with two leaders she knows rather well, proves the concepts are also ageless.

  • Leadership
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Louis Llovio |
  • May 4, 2023
2023 Top Entrepreneur: Brad Oleshansky, founder, CEO and developer of The Motor Enclave in Tampa

Brad Oleshansky left the corporate world to pursue a business in his lifelong passion: cars.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Amanda Postma |
  • December 9, 2022
Chicken sandwich-making sisters go from porch to nearly $1 million business

With a counterintuitive approach — what business plan? — two sisters find fast success by sticking to one key nugget: give customers what they want, with good service.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • September 22, 2006
'All About the People'

Last year was a banner year for new community banks in Florida, with 25 de novo applications filed with state regulators. This year might come close.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • October 20, 2006
Persistence Payoff

Marty Schaffel took AVI from nothing to $225 million by reinventing his company regularly, creating one of the fastest-growing businesses in the audio-visual industry.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • February 2, 2008
Blueberry Bingo

Big-ticket customers sometimes bring big challenges, too. One company's trick: Be flexible.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • March 11, 2005
Time for Change

Under Tom Snow's leadership, Carlton Fields has become the fourth largest law firm in Florida.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • March 17, 2006
High-growth ProS

India native Ajit Nair has built two companies into high-tech players. More revenue growth and possibly an IPO are up next.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • May 27, 2005
Coastal Erosion?

Bradenton's Coast Bank finally made a profit last year. The CEO says a big incursion into Pinellas County won't jeopardize 2005 earnings.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • April 15, 2005
Downtown Center vs. Fairgrounds? By: Matt Walsh

It's not either or. Do them both. Listen to Paddy Kelly. Let's also take a vote.

  • Opinion
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Matt Walsh |
  • February 16, 2009
Review and Comment

Foreclosure moratorium great PR, but that's all

  • Opinion
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