Monday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 7/18/2016

Florida companies see dip in venture capital

Florida attracted $75.4 million in venture capital investments in the second quarter, compared with $85.8 million in the same quarter in 2015. Miami companies CareCloud, iContainers and Kleo were among the top in Florida to snag venture capital or angel financing during the April to June quarter. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Florida aviation leaders to descend on Bonita

Aviation officials from across the state started arriving Sunday for the 47th annual conference and expo of the Florida Airports Council at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa, Bonita Springs. Topics will include air service development and millennials in the workforce. More from the Naples Daily News.

Florida's NextEra Energy ends $2.63 billion Hawaii deal as regulator rejects takeover

NextEra Energy Inc. canceled its $2.63 billion bid to purchase Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc., and may now concentrate on efforts to buy the largest power distributor in Texas. NextEra will pay Hawaiian Electric a $90 million breakup fee and as much as $5 million for expenses related to the failed takeover. More from Bloomberg.

Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament organizers say they're in rebound mode

A rebound is in the making for the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament. Organizers say they hope this week’s event is part of a turnaround in popularity for a tournament that’s entering its 36th year on the First Coast. More from the Florida Times-Union.

Small Business Advice
Why you need to monitor your 'pipeline' for future sales

An entrepreneur had developed a product, and he was doing incredibly well. His business was doing so well for two reasons. First, his was the only product like it in the field, and second, he kept his cost of manufacturing very low. However, everything changed in the last two years. More from Jerry Osteryoung.

Florida Small Business
Resources

As Florida’s principal provider of business assistance, the Florida Small Business Development Center (FSBDC) Network provides tools, training and expertise to help businesses grow and succeed. No matter if you’ve been in business for decades or are just starting out, the FSBDC has the right tools and specialized expertise to help take your business to the next level.

» More from Florida Small Business.

Currency
Making Cash Obsolete

Cash has been on the outs for a while now, as more consumers use credit or debit cards or, now, digital payment systems such as PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, Android Pay, Google Wallet, etc. According to ConsumerCredit.com, about 80 percent of all purchases these days are cashless. Now you can add Brevard County businessman William Cunningham’s Global Standard System to the mix.