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Celebrating 11 Years
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SOUTHWEST FLORIDA’S B2B MARKETPLACE • 239-573-9732 Vol. 12 No. 7 / MAY 2019 www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Salute to Small Business
Local entrepreneurs tell their stories in our annual celebration of commerce in Southwest Florida.
Distributed in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs and Naples
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PGD delivers $1.2B economic impact CEO of Punta Gorda Airport Moreover, the FDOT (PGD) James W. Parish was flying study estimated that high with good news when he recentPGD is responsible ly spoke to a local group of commerfor 12,392 local jobs. cial realtors. Florida Department of PGD just conTransportation’s new Statewide Aviacluded another retion Economic Impact Study valcord-breaking month ues PGD’s total economic impact at for passenger traffic $1,275,088,000. The FDOT’s profile in March 2019, with on PGD attributes more than $100 Parish a total of 221,326 Almillion in on-airport impacts and legiant passengers. nearly $573 million in visitor spend- This is a 14.71 percent increase from ing impacts. When combined with March 2018, which was also a rethe multiplier impacts and payroll cord-breaking month. The economic of nearly $419 million, the total eco- impact assessment parallels PGD’s nomic output exceeds $1.275 billion. passenger growth, which reached
1,577,164 passengers in 2018, compared with 182,423 passengers in 2010. When the FDOT study was conducted in 2010, PGD’s economic impact was estimated at $141,383,900, and $219,975,000 in 2014. “PGD’s economic impact increase from 2010 was more than nine-fold,” said Parish. “While our success in attracting low-cost air service is on the forefront of this strong economic valuation, it has also provided a catalyst for the region’s economic growth in industry and tourism as well.”
FINAL STRETCH
Entrepreneurs learn keys to success Special to SWFBT Submitted By: Karen P. Moore, Publisher
Commercial Real Estate
A specially focused monthly section exploring the SWFL commercial real estate marketplace.
for Visit Florida, the same as the prior year. The Florida Senate’s budget as of early April called for at least $50 million for the agency. But the state House, while maintaining funding through OcWert tober this year, has called on the sunsetting of the agency after that. State Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, remains confident the agency will see funding next year. He chairs the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee and said the state tourism agency ultimately provides too valuable a service. “Look at what they have done following Hurricane Michael and red tide,” Gruters said. “Look at their ability to get right on the artwaves and let the world know Florida is still open for business.”
Small crowd, bristling with high energy: that was the atmosphere I walked in to when I attended the first graduation for Startup Fast. This entrepreneurial program is an 8-week-long fast-paced high-impact course where startup business owners learn best practices for business viability. The course is presented by the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center (SWFEC) and taught by experienced entrepreneur and business investor Mike O’Donnell, who recently relocated to Southwest Florida. The first graduating class of Startup Fast was extremely successful, leading to the pitch event held at the first graduation. Love noted: 60 people registered for the course; 40 attended the first session; 12 applied to present at the first graduation “Shark Tank” event; eight finished the project presentation and six qualified to “pitch” at the event. First prize was $5,000 cash; a variety of inkind services and products were awarded to the second- and thirdprize winners. The six businesses that “pitched” the panel of three judges were: GMP Cleaning; Booch For Miles; Red Bunny Software; Krazy Krops (which started at the Culinary Accelerator in Immokalee); Sin Sal Water Purification; and Thompson Sports Academy. First place went to Sin Sal, second place to Red Bunny and third place to Krazy Krops.
TOURISM See page 6
STARTUP See page 15
IN THE NEWS
Nominations open for Blue Chip awards
Coordinated and sponsored by McGriff Insurance Services, the Southwest Florida Blue Chip Community Business Award program will celebrate its 25th annual program on Nov. 6 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs. AWARD See page 6
SCORE names Becker entrepreneur of year
SCORE Southwest Florida recently honored local business owners and volunteer business experts who offer free mentoring to local small business owners and entrepreneurs making an impact during its Annual Awards Luncheon. Honored at the luncheon: Client Awards Entrepreneur of the Year – Jeff Becker - Can Do U – Jeff Becker was struggling, “trapped in my own head,” before working with SCORE mentor Trevor Pedler. Together they worked on branding, marketing and advertising. “Most importantly, he makes me feel like I’m not alone, which is priceless,” said Becker, a Lee County public SCORE See page 14
AIRPORT See page 12
Photo courtesy Naples, Marco Island & Everglades CVB Tourism officials say visitors love the beaches but it takes state partners to help inform the world what’s available on the Paradise Coast.
Visit Florida future hazy Special to SWFBT Submitted By: Jacob Ogles, Editor
While the beaches of Naples boast wide acclaim, they only attract the tourists who learn of their existence. That’s why Jack Wert, executive director of the Naples, Marco Island & Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau, values partnerships with any who spread the word about the region’s assets. It’s why he’s concerned the Florida House of Representatives more than halfway through the 2019 Legislative session expresses little interest in reauthorizing Visit Florida for the next year. “Visit Florida is hugely important to our marketing,” Wert said. “It’s important related to Collier County specifically, but all of Southwest Florida is really very dependent on the many services they provide.” Newly elected Gov. Ron DeSantis in his first budget proposal suggested the agency receive $76 million next year
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