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Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida’s economy is losing steam, state economist warns
Florida legislators may have to tighten spending because of a combination of a “winded” economy and previous financial decisions. State economists this week drew up new estimates that predict the state will take in about $867 million less in revenue over two years than earlier anticipated. The new forecast was drawn up Wednesday, the same day that the stock market tanked amid worries that a recession could be looming. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Visit Florida to tourists: Volunteer while you vacation
When splashing in the water or sprawling on the beach isn't enough, Florida tourism officials now have a different pitch to the state’s visitors: Find deeper communion with nature in knowing your wanderlust won't harm the environment. Visit Florida’s latest campaign appeals to travelers who might want to paddle through mangroves or even volunteer for a day of beach cleanup. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Two South Florida tech companies are hiring as they expand headquarters
If playing foosball or basketball on a work break appeals to you, take a look at the new headquarters plans of technology companies e-Builder and TouchSuite. Both growing companies have solid footprints in South Florida, but want to look a bit like Silicon Valley to attract new workers. The two companies, e-Builder and TouchSuite, are investing in new headquarters space and amenities designed to attract new workers. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
30 Florida hotel employees get $23,368 in back pay, damages after feds find overtime violations
The owner of five Florida hotels had to pay 30 employees $23,368 after he violated overtime laws, the U.S. Department of Labor said Wednesday. Workers at St. Petersburg hotels were affected. Investigators said that when the employees put in hours at different hotels during the same workweek, the employers didn't combine the hours as required, but instead simply paid them straight time even when they worked more than 40 hours a week. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Don’t have the skills to build an app from scratch? This Miami tech company can help
If you want to build a website quickly, you can turn to Wix or Squarespace. But what if you want to build an app? Miami entrepreneur Albert Santalo believes he and his team have the answer: 8base. Santalo created 8base as a platform for building applications with only a front-end presentation developer. More from the Miami Herald.
Odd Jobs
These are Tampa Bay’s hottest jobs - literally
Are you reading this from the comfort of your air-conditioned home? Your temperate office? Do you need a light sweater? It’s August in Florida, which means it’s time to be thankful for modern cooling devices and tip our hats to those who work under the blazing sun, in front of fires and over bubbling asphalt. Our writers and photographers rounded up some folks with Tampa Bay’s hottest jobs and spent a day working beside them.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Business Profile
Le Macaron
Rosalie Guillem hasn’t officially been an American citizen too long — seven years — but the savvy businesswoman has been here long enough to pick up several stateside entrepreneurial staples. Dreaming big, for one. Like with Le Macaron, the French patisserie business Guillem co-founded with her daughter, Audrey Guillem-Saba, in Sarasota in 2009.
» Read more from the Business Observer.
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