Monday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 11/30/2015

Dollar hits highest since March

The dollar hit an eight-and-a-half-month high against key world currencies Monday and was on track for a 3 percent monthly gain. The prospect of further European Central Bank stimulus dragged the euro down to its weakest since mid-April. "We're coming off a quiet holiday week and we have a lot of hurdles to cross this week with all the data that we're expecting," said Scott Brown, chief economist at Raymond James in St. Petersburg, Florida. Full story is here.

Sales and Marketing Advice
Content is NOT king

If you’ve come to believe that a content marketing strategy is critical to your company’s success – stop! Gone are the days of “pump out all the content you can -- on your website, LinkedIn, brochures, webinars, and any way you can.” Read the full column from Ron Stein.

Lakeland businesses bunk together to serve customers

By day, the space on E. Bay St. serves up fresh barbecue delicacies for downtown Lakeland’s hungry lunch crowds. But during the evening, the same space morphs back into Tony’s Studio B, a wine bar and eatery that features nightly live music. More at the Lakeland Ledger.

Gas prices dipping for holiday season

Gas prices fell to seven-year lows for the Thanksgiving weekend and likely will keep dropping this holiday season because of a glut of oil supplies worldwide, according to a forecast from auto club AAA. More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Small Business Advice
Attract customers with signage that is visible and memorable

Signage plays an important role in every business. Not only do signs convey information to your customers, but they also bring new customers in. Clearly, spending money on great signage is a wise investment, but it is important to remember that not all signage is good signage. More from Jerry Osteryoung.

Out of the Box
Urban farming hits the big leagues

Many stadiums throughout the United States have already begun the process of creating a more sustainable food system by planting urban gardens and shifting food procurement policies to provide fans with fresh, sustainable food.

» More from Foodtank

Business Profile
Blackdove

For those who believe collecting art is only for the rich, this Miami startup is on a mission to make art accessible for all. Blackdove has created an affordable, global marketplace for works of digital art, with prices through its app ranging from about $10 to $100.