Wednesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 9/25/2013

Florida among best states for expected job growth

Although western states dominate the best states for projected job growth, Florida is one of only two states east of the Mississippi River to make the top 10, with a projected annual growth rate of 2.5%. Read more and see a slideshow of the top states at Forbes.

Harris signs contract with Veterans Affairs

Harris Corp. announced this morning that it will provide the Department of Veterans Affairs with a “correspondence tracking software" system meant to improve communications between the VA and the veterans it serves. More at Florida Today.

Column: Women in business need a role model

Profile

Fellsmere

There are more orange groves and cattle than residents in this cozy rural town an hour from Orlando. It's a place where folks talk business, while chowing down on alligator tail, in a local restaurant that's something of an unofficial museum, and where 80,000 people show up for the world's largest frog leg festival.

» Full story from the AP

Female entrepreneurs need to see other women who have followed their dreams and achieved success to believe we, too, can succeed. So, check out Kay Koplovitz. She was the founder of USA Network, the first woman president of a television network, and creator of Syfy. More at Florida Today.

Foreign Trade Zone status spurs cargo storage, jobs

A Sunrise company is tapping a little understood U.S. Customs program to boost foreign cargo at its warehouse and hopefully to add 20 jobs in the next three years. Foreign trade zones help customers trim cash flow. They allow companies to defer payment of import duties until they sell goods to U.S. buyers outside the zone. More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

A few tips make tough workplace conversations easier

Awkward conversations around personal appearance and behavior are increasingly happening in businesses of all sizes. From weight concerns to body odor, inappropriate outfits to annoying behavior, managers find it daunting to tackle these uncomfortable discussions with workers. Yet, sometimes there’s just no avoiding it. More at the Miami Herald.

Arts Business
The Impact of Art on Alachua County

The North Central Florida Business Reports has broken down how much money is spent on arts in Alachua County and how much revenue the arts generate. See the numbers and a chart from the North Central Florida Business Report.