JUNE 2022
Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ®
DISASTER SERVICES
How to avoid scammers after a hurricane Shortly after Hurricane Irma made landfall in Southwest Florida, local roofing companies activated their emergency response teams and sprang into action. Emergency roof repairs, much like restoring electricity and cellular service, are critical to the region’s post-storm recovery. Roofs in Southwest Florida take a beating under normal weather conditions, and thankfully, the region boasts numerous reputable roofing companies. Unfortunately, there are roofing contractors — some licensed, some not — who will take advantage of the situation as homeowners, business owners and property managers struggle to find someone —anyone — to fix their roof. The five Ls to avoid scammers after a hurricane include: 1. License: The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation maintains a searchable statewide database at MyFloridaLicense.com. Only use companies with a Registered Roofing Contractor or Certified General Contractor license. 2. Local: After a hurricane, roofing contractors will descend upon the hardesthit areas, similar to power companies sending convoys of trucks to storm-damaged regions. Licensed Florida roofing contractors can work anywhere within the Sunshine State, but be cautious of companies without a permanent presence in the area. If you experience a leak because of faulty materials or poor workmanship, they won’t be around to answer your questions or fix the problem. 3. Logos: Established companies have work vehicles, brochures and folders featuring the company logo. That’s generally the sign of a successful business. Look
for employees in logoed T-shirts or polostyle shirts. 4. Legs: Contractors will walk doorto-door after a storm, so don’t be alarmed if the doorbell rings. Most will be helpful, but be wary of highpressure sales tactics like telling a property BY RAST owner they must sign BRYANT a contract immediGuest Columnist ately or that they will file insurance claims on your behalf. 5. Lessons learned: Word of mouth is a great referral source for contractors. Ask neighbors, colleagues and friends for recommendations. Online reviews also offer unfiltered feedback, with Google and Facebook reviews among the top platforms to read insight from actual customers. Even the best companies have a hiccup now and then, and the Better Business Bureau posts correspondence showing how businesses respond to complaints. Water dripping or gushing inside a home or business creates a sense of desperation. Predatory companies sense this. Following the five Ls will help you avoid scammers and subpar contractors on your next roofing project. Rast Bryant is general manager for the Southwest Florida division of Lloyd Roofing, which offers roof repairs, replacements and installations to properties across Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties. Visit LloydRoofingServices.com or call (239) 284-6748 for more information.
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2022 Industry Appreciation Awards open for nominations The Industry Appreciation Awards, which celebrate Lee County businesses that drive the local economy, employ our workforce and shape their industries, opened nominations for the 2022 program. The Industry Appreciation Awards will recognize an Innovator, Manufacturer, Small Business and Large Business of the Year. This year, the awards program also features an Inclusion and Diversity Award, as well as a Technology Award. The awards program is coordinated by the Horizon Foundation, Horizon Council and Lee County Economic Development Office. Nominations will be accepted online through June 30. There is no cost to nominate a business. Self-nomina-
CLASS PAGE 1 businesses than second place state California, despite having a population that is 40% smaller. The MicroEnterprise Institute is a six-week training program to help emerging entrepreneurs start new ventures and grow small businesses. Graduates complete a comprehensive training course and prepare a solid plan to guide their start-up. They work with mentors who are successful businesspeople and hear from subject matter experts in areas of accounting, legal, marketing, insurance and funding. A workbook, used by organizations across America, assists in transform-
For more business news, visit www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com tions are allowed. Winners will be announced at the 2022 Industry Appreciation Awards in October at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center in Fort Myers. The seven award categories include: Innovator of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Large Business of the Year, Technology Award, Small Business Inclusion & Diversity Award, and the Large Business Inclusion & Diversity Award. For more information or to nominate a business, please visit IndustryAppreciationAwards.com. ing vision into a plan for a successful business. Classes are from 6 to 9 p.m. on Monday and Thursday evenings at Hodges University in Fort Myers. Attendance is limited. A recent program graduate says, “This course helped me to organize and plan out the steps for creating my business. Coming in, I had no idea how to start a business that would lead to success, and now I have that.” To apply, visit www.goodwillswfl. org/microenterprise, or call (239) 9952106 ext. 2215. The session is $80; Volunteer hours can be substituted for the fee, if income requirements are met. For more information, email Annette Watkins at annettewatkins@ goodwillswfl.org.
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