Florida is highly entrepreneurial, but there’s work to do

We’re about 30 percent more entrepreneurial than the nation as a whole. Our state’s entrepreneurship community skews more male and a little older. We’re less afraid of risk, and we’re more likely to take our business global. That’s what Florida looks like, according to findings in the 2012 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor U.S. Report, issued recently by Babson College and Baruch College. More at the Miami Herald.

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Sales and Marketing Advice for Florida business
How to help prospects make decisions in your favor

The usual advice on how to get the attention of your audience is to have a message structured for maximum impact based on where their problems intersect with your solution. True, but that’s not enough. You must first understand how people’s brains work. The only way to do a great job helping your prospective customer solve their problem is to get to know their sub-conscious mind. Read Ron Stein's full column.

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What you need to know to do business in the Sunshine State

Business Profile SharpSpring When Rick Carlson returned to Gainesville in December 2011 to raise his son near his in-laws, he had no idea he would be starting his software company in such a supportive environment for tech startups. Carlson is founder and president of SharpSpring, which provides software for small businesses to generate and track sales leads through their various marketing efforts. » Full story from the Gainesville Sun

Florida finally is shaking off the 2008 recession in a meaningful way, and although champagne corks aren't popping yet, the state is back on solid footing and moving ahead. All is not roses but what's different now in regard to Florida's economy is a tilt toward the positive. More at the South Florida Business-Journal.

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Small business advice
Your knowledge of finances key to business' health

Running a small business requires you to understand and ensure the accuracy of your financial statements. Now, I am not suggesting that all business owners must do their own bookkeeping, but it is critical that the business owner understands what the financial statements are saying and can ensure they are accurate. Read Jerry Osteryoung's full column.

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Tropical Storm Chantal puts southern half of state in cone

Tropical Storm Chantal strengthened slightly on Monday morning as it raced west in the Atlantic. The system is projected to aim generally toward Florida and the Bahamas over the next five days, placing the southern half of the state in the cone of error. More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and WPEC.

Business Milestone Orlando's business chamber in transition as it turns 100 years old When Orlando's chamber of commerce was founded in 1913, the issues of those early days included discussing city taxes and promoting local plays. As the Chamber turns 100 this year, the issues have gotten more sophisticated and in some ways, more ambiguous: encouraging entrepreneurship, removing barriers to what it calls "regional success" and, as the chamber itself puts it, providing "dynamic and collaborative leadership that fosters strong business advocacy." » More from the Orlando Sentinel

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