MARCH 11 - MARCH 17, 2022 | THREE DOLL ARS
FLOR IDA’S NE WSPAPER FOR T HE C - SUI T E
Real estate | Developer details ambitious, bold plans for historic Tampa district. PG.16 PASCO • H ILL SBOROUG H • PIN ELL AS • P OLK • M A N ATEE • SA R ASOTA • C H A R LOT TE • LEE • COLLIER
DOG DAYS Determined couple see brighter times ahead after some hiccups with their healthy pet food business. PAGE 12
Corene Petitpren and Kendra Locke| CO-FOUNDERS, THE K9 KITCHEN
STEFANIA PIFFERI
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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Windy City
Former TV producer behind popular YouTube sewing channel says success stems from sticking to a process. PAGE 7
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Onetime real estate agent creates app to help make group trips run smoother, especially for payments. PAGE 8
Florida is a nationwide leader in a surge of new business formations, pacing a growing trend. PAGE 6
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Lakeland software firm’s “why not us?” a p pr o a c h h a s q u i c k l y l e d t o a $324 million valuation. PAGE 10
Startup, with bamboo on its mind and in the ground, aims to solve some big building industry challenges. PAGE 14
Punta Gorda plaza bought for $26 million. 18 Fort Myers complex sold for $43.1 million. 18 Homebuilder pays $28.6 million for vacant Manatee County land. 18
Navy official steers into key leadership lessons. A MUST-HAVE
Complete with the economic information, listings of the top companies by industry and profiles of people who are changing our region. 377772-1
SeaPort Manatee can barely contain itself with its latest shipping win: a whole lot of bananas. PAGE 5
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