Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Tuesday's Afternoon Update

"It's working," Gov. Rick Scott declares

Gov. Rick Scott delivered an upbeat State of the State address to the Legislature Tuesday, declaring that his policies are working and Florida’s economy is strong enough to give a generous pay raise to teachers. In a speech that opened the 2013 legislative session, Scott sounded eager to run for re-election on his record, despite polls showing he’s among the most unpopular governors in the country. More at the Tampa Bay Times and the Orlando Sentinel.

See also:
» Gov. Rick Scott's State of the State a pivotal moment for him, Florida
» Full transcript of Rick Scott's State of the State address


Consumers should learn to avoid scams

This week is Consumer Protection Week and Attorney General Pam Bondi encourages Floridians to educate themselves to avoid scams. Floridians should research companies before buying anything and not give out their Social Security number to avoid identity theft, Bondi said. More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.


Column: Most common pitfalls of bad business planning

Profile

Professor Funnyman

mike rivera
Osceola Middle School teacher Mike Rivera earned the opportunity of a lifetime, as the show pronounced him the most hilarious teacher in America, first among five who performed stand-up sets last week on the show. He'll appear on the show again, performing another set during co-host Joy Behar's "Comedy Corner" feature this Friday.

» Full story from the Tampa Bay Times

» Backstory

» Video from The View

When putting your business plan together, remind yourself of how supremely important the business plan is to your company’s success. There are a lot of pitfalls you run across during a business planning session that can threaten to derail your planning process. When you recognize the pitfalls, then you can avoid them. More at the Naples Daily News.


Auditors notice execs' ego, new study by USF instructor finds

A new study confirms there's a human side to accounting — that when it comes to executives with inflated egos and glossy photos, auditors notice. Auditors look for signs of narcissism to detect financial funny business and assess risk, according to the study published in February's Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory. More at the Tampa Bay Times.


Investors starting young as housing market heats up

At 28, Rob Lananna wants to make real estate investing a full-time gig. Lananna is part of a group of professionals in their 20s and 30s trying to capitalize on the recovering housing market through buying and reselling homes. "I really like what I do," he said. "I like taking something that's ugly and dirty and turning it into something that's beautiful." More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Out of the Box
Tony Little Is On The Endangered Species List

tony little

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., recently celebrated the birth of an extremely rare dama gazelle. The creature is considered a critically endangered species; only a few hundred of the creatures live in the wild of Chad, Niger and Mali. And here's where it gets odd. According to the Smithsonian: "Because it seemed that the baby gazelle never stopped jumping about ... he reminded them of another hyperactive, non-stop force of nature -- fitness expert and Tampa resident, Tony Little."

» Full story from WUSF
» Florida Icon: Tony Little