Category Archives: Success Stories

Meet the Entrepreneurs: Selling to the Government

100 PODS Franchises Learn How to Sell to the Government Owners of one of the nation’s leading storage units started the company in 1998 in Clearwater by delivering storage containers to local residence homes. As an alternative to expensive van

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Douglass Screen Printers Keeps tradition with a new generation

Douglass Screen Printers, Inc. is a 74-year-old screen and digital printing company founded in Lakeland, Florida that’s venturing across the globe as it enters its third generation of family ownership. Lisa Kaiser Hickey, who joined the team in the 1980s

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Transition from Fortune 500 to Florida Mid-Size

Transitioning from a multinational Fortune 500 company, to a Florida mid-size business is filled with challenges. When Steve Collins purchased Coast Brothers from the original owners in 2010, he took over the 13,000 square foot warehouse and its 10 employees

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Wesley Chapel Tree Company Partners Pave the Way for Successful Business Acquisition

Marine Corp veteran Wayne “Buck” Rollings’ contact with the SBDC at the University of South Florida in Tampa began in 2008 when he attended a Government Contracting Seminar. Four years later, he is the owner of Omega Tree and Nursery.

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Mixing Love & Business: Tips to Owning a Business with Someone you Love

The Spice of Mixing Love & Business: Pros, Cons & Tips to Owning a Business with Someone you Love Unless you’re mixing love and business, cash flow projections, feasibility analyses and marketing plans aren’t in the typical date night convo.

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100 PODS Franchises Learn How to Sell to the Government

Owners of one of the nation’s leading storage units started the company in 1998 in Clearwater by delivering storage containers to local residence homes. As an alternative to expensive van lines, the PODS® packing and moving services rapidly gained traction

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Exporting the Expected to Unexpected Markets

            A young entrepreneur ventures into non-traditional territories and successfully builds an exporting business Six years ago, Julian Montenegro came to the Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida (SBDC at USF)

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Sight Unseen Saw it Coming When no One Else Did

Like many entrepreneurs, Robert Talley had a business vision and a goal. Unlike most entrepreneurs, Talley’s vision didn’t include sight.  Being blind from early childhood allowed him to develop an unwavering commitment to be independent and give back to the

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Communications Commander Grows Centurion Strategies

            It all started when young political science student, Michael Bilello, learned the importance of communicating the right message to the right target by working on  public relations campaigns for former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

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Ten Star’s Screen Print Growth Leads to New Products Division

After years in management with some of the best corporations in the world, Donna and Jack Killoren were excited to apply what they’d learned toward owning their own business. They had an opportunity to acquire Ten Star Supply Co., which

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There’s a lot to Love About Sublime Yoga in Dunedin

Jason and Jade Seibert love yoga. In fact, they fell in love after Jason attended his first Yoga class taught by Jade.  As their love for yoga and each other grew, they decided it was time to start their own

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Boosting Electronic Security Surveillance for the RNC, Disney and State

Equipped with high resolution video surveillance systems capable of detecting body heat, traffic flow and object tracking, Integrated Security Consultants (ISC) quickly became one of the region’s fastest growing security companies after entering the world of government contracting with assistance

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Magic Floridian Formula Implements Growth Acceleration Plan

Ever wonder how some people always have a great Florida tan? If it was sunless, the ingredients of the magical lotion may very well have come from Biddiscombe International in Pinellas County.  Its owner, John Melville, is positioning the company

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Craftsmen Trio Fabricates Unique Metals in Ybor

Many business owners find that the best place to hash out partnership matters is with a nonbiased team. That’s exactly what three entrepreneurs did at the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) prior to joining forces to create a custom fabrication

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Our Nation’s Security Inspires Small Business

Without prior business ownership experience, Giovanni Suarez, a 10 year U.S. Air Force veteran, pursued his passion and expertise in IT security to start National Information Assurance Corporation (NIACORP).  In just seven years, he grew his business from a one-man

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Filling the Gap in the Consulting Side of Engineering

After long meetings around the kitchen table in the early 2000’s young engineers Julius Davis and Jorge Rivera, P.E. LEED®AP, designed VoltAir Consulting Engineers, LLC, to provide lighting, power distribution, plumbing and fire protection, and analysis and design for HVAC.

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Young Entrepreneur Builds a True Global Company

Success! In less than four years, Sean Hopwood started Day Translations, Inc. and hit $1.2 million in sales. He created six new jobs in the United States and 13 more abroad. With three domestic offices and five overseas, He serves

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Tricycle Studios to Grow 30 percent, each year, for the next 5 years

Tricycle Studios, one of Tampa Bay’s first digital marketing agencies, began in the fall of 1996 when founders, Tona Bell and Randy Rosenthal, combined their expertise in advertising and video production with business assistance from the Florida Small Business Development

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Dog Rescuer Unleashes Caged Clients with Start of Mobile Grooming Business

Joel Hunter, SPCA Volunteer of the Year and Hurricane Katrina animal rescuer, started dog rescuing 15 years ago. He cares for at least 20 dogs at a time, many of which have special needs. His passion led him to the

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Pinellas Water Paddling Goes Nationwide

Brody Welte came to Florida looking for the ideal location to start a new stand up paddling business. He found that location in St. Petersburg and brings a little adventure into everyone’s lives as the business continues to grow, organize

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