March 29, 2024

Monday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 7/22/2013

Home sales take a breather, but prices hit five-year high

U.S. home resales unexpectedly fell in June after two straight months of hefty increases, but a surge in prices to a five-year high suggested the housing market recovery remained on course. More at Reuters.

See also:
» Why there’s no housing bubble...yet
» Broward median home prices rose sharply in June


Sales and Marketing Advice for Florida business
The art (and science) of effective marketing materials

Too bad you can’t be everywhere all the time. When you can’t stand in front of prospects, your marketing material has to speak for you. And let’s be honest here, it’s a struggle creating your website, brochures, and emails in a way that grabs the reader’s attention and pulls them in. Read Ron Stein's full column.


Winter Haven call center plans to hire 200 employees

Business Profile

Periodic Products

periodic products
Joseph Laurino has enjoyed a varied career inventing medical devices and leading chemistry labs at universities. These days, he operates a Fort Lauderdale business that sells pool-cleaning supplies.

But don't be fooled: Pool-cleaning products are just the beginning of an ocean-sized market in industrial filtering and environmental remediation, said Laurino, 54, who has a doctorate in chemistry. He considers his company, Periodic Products, a biotech company filling an environmental niche.

» Full story from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Hundreds of new jobs are coming to Winter Haven, and city leaders say it's an indication the local economy is bouncing back. Starting this week, The Results Companies will begin hiring 200 new people. It’s a full-service call center technology provider with more than 13 different locations across the United States. More at the Lakeland Ledger.


Tutor just a tap away with math app

A few years ago, Jeff Lammers’ daughter struggled with second-grade math, a subject with which he was fairly adept. But instead of sitting down to help her with traditional books and paper, Lammers decided to go new school with his tutoring. He began developing learning applications for mobile devices, now commonly known as “apps.” More at Florida Today.


Hiring friends at work can damage your company

Being a manager requires you to be fair and objective, and it becomes very difficult to remain that way when friendship blurs the line between working and personal relationships. Even if you are actually able to maintain impartiality, the perception of fairness goes out the window when other staff knows you are friends with some of their colleagues. Read more from Dr. Jerry Osteryoung.

International Business
Growing a long-lasting business

continental flowersBill Fernandez got started in the cut flower business in 1968 when he was 14 years old, helping out in his mother’s small florist shop in Hialeah, called Le Printemps. Six years later, he decided to start his own flower importing and distribution business, with one employee (himself) and a used pizza van as a delivery truck. Continental Flowers today has 400 employees, owns five flower farms in Colombia, imports cut flowers from dozens of growers in six other Latin nations and sells about 750 million stems (flowers) each year to around 1,000 flower wholesalers and supermarkets all over the United States.

» Full story from the Miami Herald


Tags: Daily Pulse

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Florida Trend Video Pick

Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices
Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices

Central Floirda chocolate shops are left with a bitter taste as cocoa prices hit an all-time high earlier this week.

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

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