Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Tuesday's Daily Pulse

Florida falls in venture capital ranking

Florida sunk to 18th in the nation in 2012 for attracting venture capital in a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association. In total, the state’s companies brought in $203 million in venture capital, down 42 percent from the previous year. More from the Orlando Sentinel and the Jacksonville Business Journal.

See also: Florida's Venture Capital Firms

Laird A. Lile
Attorney Laird Lile wants to make sure attorneys have no excuse for missing e-filing deadlines. » FULL STORY

Florida Trend Exclusive
Florida law: Running on E

Since 2010, Laird A. Lile has given nearly 50 speeches statewide, reminding Florida attorneys that they’ll have to start filing their cases electronically in state courts later this year. Traveling mostly on his own dime, Lile also tells them how they can make the transition from paper to computer as easily as possible. Full story.


Is vacation is good for your health?

Ever uncork a bottle of red wine with the thought, "Besides, it's good for my heart," or cite antioxidants as a reason to indulge in dark chocolate? Then the U.S. travel industry has a campaign designed just for you — and, perhaps, for Orlando and Florida. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]


Students, nonprofits partner in PhilAdthropy marathon

It's a win-win for students and nonprofits: Advertising and public relations students pull an all-nighter to help charities with ad campaigns, providing students with practical experience and cash-strapped nonprofits with promotional materials they likely couldn't afford. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]


There are several layers to a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem

Local efforts to accelerate an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Miami got a big lift last week when Endeavor, the global nonprofit that selects, mentors and supports high-impact entrepreneurs, announced it is setting up its first U.S. affiliate in Miami. [Source: Miami Herald]


ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› From clearing tables to Disney World chief
In August 1971,The Walt Disney Co. was hiring for its soon-to-open Florida theme park, and one Florida kid needed to pay for college. Disney gave him a job clearing tables in a hotel restaurant. Forty-two years later, Disney has a new assignment for George Kalogridis: president of the entire operation.

› Some Ocala merchants using Foursquare to offer deals
In an age of online bargains and social media, some Ocala businesses are using the social media service Foursquare to offer promotions and deals.

› AutoNation: How the country's largest auto retailer has excelled
How has the Fort Lauderdale-based giant, with sales topping $13 billion a year and more than 19,000 employees in 15 states, pulled it off? Customer care is one reason, analysts said, but that's just the start.

› NASA rejects state’s land proposal for KSC
ASA has rejected the state's request to take over property at the north end of Kennedy Space Center for development of a commercial launch complex - a potential setback in Florida’s effort to keep the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, from moving some launches to another state.


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› Does hot January lead to mean hurricane season?
Will this unusually warm January, about 6 degrees above normal, translate to a mean hurricane season? Statistics, although unscientific, indicate there may be a correlation.

› Film festival puts a local spin on international issues
Since 2009, Cinema Verde Director Trish Riley has worked to showcase the outside world to Gainesville while showcasing Gainesville to the outside world. Riley’s brainchild—a six-day environmental and social film festival—is set to run Feb. 9 to 14 at Jolie in downtown Gainesville.

› Directory of South Florida's multinational business releases
When international companies look to open in a new place, they often ask “Who’s Here?” In South Florida there are more than 1,000 multinationals that employ more than 125,000 people locally, and about one-third of those companies have offices in Broward and Palm Beach counties, according to a new directory.

› Column: Whatever you do, don’t be like Congress
For an example of how not to run a business, look no further than our U.S. Congress. Simply put, you don’t want to run your company like Congress runs the country.