Author: Laura Patrick

Those funny looking QR codes popping up all over the place are a new tool to help you market your business. Coded Messages An explanation of QR codes and how to use them intelligently By Laura Bradley You’ve seen them…

McCoy’s Country Store is a mainstay for customers who can find anything they need, from a tank of gas to a cup of coffee to a new shotgun. Taking Aim Small-town McCoy’s Outdoors shoots down the competition with great prices…

Andy Stein is a successful Panama City banker who raised millions to open his own bank even as many others in the region were failing. Boutique Bank Boss One bank CEO turns a profit while other banks fail By Wendy…

Northwest Florida survives on small businesses, and the Fort Walton Beach-based Small Business Development Center helps to launch many of them. Small Businesses Pack a Big Economic Punch Small Business Development Center launches the Growth Acceleration Program By Zandra Wolfgram…

Resort Vacation Properties on St. George Island is a friendly affair, literally. The company is run by five women who learned to balance work and friendship.   Friends and Partners There’s room for both, if the rules are spelled out…

After traveling the world to supply their Havana shop, Wanderings, Tony Lombardo and Terri Paul came up with an idea to help their own community. Meet Team Unity. Think Globally, Bead Locally Havana’s Team Unity creates jobs by creating jewelry…

Few people know or appreciate that agriculture is Florida’s second major industry — and that cattle ranching is a significant component of the equation. Florida, in fact, is the birthplace of this country’s cattle industry. The state ranks 11th in…

For American workers, vacations can be few and far between. Is that good for them — or your business? The No-Vacation Nation Working hard for the money By Angela Howard The alarm clock sounds. You get up, get showered, get…

Jim Hizer talks about Pensacola's push for job creation and strengthening economic partnerships with the military. Jim Hizer Jim Hizer, CCE, CEcD, joined the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce as president/CEO in August 2010. He is responsible for the…

Internationally-known modeling coach Marsha Doll muses on life and her work with aspiring models. Model Businesswoman Marsha Doll, Tallahassee Marsha Doll Models/Promogirl.com by Rosanne Dunkelberger With a spiky blonde ’do, short skirt, sky-high heels, blinged-out jewelry and energy to spare,…

Big BusinessShipbuilding is one of the oldest industries in the United States, and was once one of the most important. During its glory days, the industry contributed in major ways toward making this country a world power — playing vital roles…

He takes no offense at the question, coming innocently enough as it does from curious tourists visiting his popular seafood restaurant. A Fish Tale The industry and family that sparked a town and helped change the future of the Emerald…

You can get just about anything that swims at Doug’s Seafood Truck on St. George Island — scallops, tuna, grouper, several different sizes of Gulf shrimp scooped out of the water that morning.  Anything, that is, but mullet. You can…

Meet Laura Johnson This Tallahassee tycoon has turned touches of whimsy into a multi-million-dollar business by Rosanne Dunkelberger After her third daughter was born in 1995, Laura Johnson continued a tradition and pressed little Sarah Parker’s handprints into some clay.…

After her third daughter was born in 1995, Laura Johnson continued a tradition and pressed little Sarah Parker’s handprints into some clay. Meet Laura Johnson This Tallahassee tycoon has turned touches of whimsy into a multi-million-dollar business by Rosanne Dunkelberger…

Employment opportunities are few and far between these days. The unemployment rate in Florida remained in double digits throughout 2011 and the outlook for 2012 looks to be just as dreary. That holds especially true for rural communities across the…

Master of Business What makes each unique, are they still relevant and why online programs are growing in popularity. by Lilly Rockwell The Master’s Degree in Business Administration has consistently been one of the most popular graduate degrees a university…

Given a chance to hire Apple Inc.’s often-combative co-founder Steve Jobs, entrepreneur Joseph A. Kelley would have found a place for him — in a branch office or working at home. Jobs was an inspiring genius.  But he was also…

Karen’s employee mentions to her that he is getting tested over the weekend for a heart condition. She asks whether heart conditions run in his family and tells him to let her know how the test goes.  She has just…

With tens of thousands of apps out there — social media tools, information receptacles, games and more — it’s hard to determine which (if any) might be useful for getting down to business. This task is made more difficult by…

Regionalism has become one of the most discussed trends in economic development, and support among economic development policy leaders for regional approaches to economic development continues to grow. Increasingly, size and scale mean the difference between success and failure, since…

When the Florida Legislature is in session, David Hart’s job is “as close to 24/7 as you can imagine.” As the chief lobbyist for Florida’s largest business voice — with about 139,000 members — the 46-year-old is grateful he can…

Just up from the St. Andrews Yacht Basin is a small treasure trove of shops and restaurants, locally owned businesses that exude charm and the feel of a long ago, more relaxed time. It is an escape of sorts from…

Franklin County wants to make something very clear to the nation and the world. It is open for business. The beaches are clean. The seafood is safe. And county leaders want you to know that, “We’re Salty.” So far, the new…

When Tallahassee lawyer Gary Anton first drove down the rutted clay road toward the little music club in the country, it felt like home. The road led to an old cinder block building, and as he stepped out into the…

When it was time to hire a new chief executive for Big Bend Hospice, a large Tallahassee-based non-profit organization with a $22 million budget and more than 200 employees, the board of directors faced an uphill battle.   Less money,…

Few things loom larger in a small business owner’s agenda than a financial planning exercise. Here’s a quick test. Are you on top of these key financial components for your company: banking and investing, retirement plans, insurance, succession planning and…

How much time do you spend in front of your computer?  According to a poll on The New Business Blog, a whopping 65 percent of Americans are glued to their PCs for eight hours a day. A recent article in…

Wearing his signature bow tie, Sandy D’Alemberte stood before the Florida Supreme Court in June to argue against the lead attorney for Gov. Rick Scott. The congenial D’Alemberte certainly wasn’t motivated by the amount of money at stake or even the…

There is only one thing worse than your cell phone ringing during an important board meeting — actually leaving the room to answer or having a personal conversation right there at the table. If looks could kill, the stares you’d…

The world famous Harvard professor and scholar Edward O. Wilson has characterized Northwest Florida as a part of one of the most biologically diverse regions on Earth. The combination of spring-fed and black water lakes, streams and rivers layered on…

On his first day working as a summer clerk for an Alabama law firm, Mark Crosswhite was told to go work with the utility section. He “had a blast,” but little did he know that would start his journey to…

Out of a forgotten storage shed and back into the sunlight, the amusement rides from the old Miracle Strip Amusement Park come to life again. A Miracle Revived Unlocked storage unit provides foundation for the new version of an old…

Out of a forgotten storage shed and back into the sunlight, the amusement rides from the old Miracle Strip Amusement Park come to life again. A Miracle Revived Unlocked storage unit provides foundation for the new version of an old…

Gadsden County’s economy — and local horse breeders — will realize big benefits from a new quarter horse racetrack under construction in Gretna and set to open this winter. Placing A $10 Million Bet On Gretna Alabama Tribe gambles on…

In today’s economy, businesses are looking at every possible way to conserve cash — and that includes bartering with other businesses to offset their expenses. The Bottom Line — Alternative Currency Trading goods and services makes good business sense By…

Ed Moore shares his insight on how private universities and colleges are helping to prepare Northwest Florida for an expected explosion in international trade. Business Speak International Trade By Dr. Ed Moore Originally published in the Aug/Sept 2011 issue of…

From Alvin’s to Ripley’s, Gary Walsingham has been promoting business in Panama City Beach for 50 years. Beach Business Baron Gary Walsingham, Panama City Beach, CEO Walsingham Investments By Wendy O. Dixon Originally published in the Aug/Sept 2011 issue of…

There is no doubt that the number of venture and angel investors in an area is directly proportional to the number of successful start-up companies. Areas like Silicon Valley, Boston, San Francisco, Austin and Seattle are flush with investors willing…

International trade is considered the healthiest sector of the Florida economy, growing by double digits even during the Great Recession. So where does Northwest Florida fit in the picture? About 4.5 percent of the exports leaving the U.S. come from…

Angie Hill leaves the big city behind, returning home to Northwest Florida to fuel her entrepreneurial spirit. Angie Hill Does it All A nurse-turned-entrepreneur keeps her Blountstown business thriving By Ana Goni-Lessan Angie Hill owns a Merle Norman franchise. And…

Johnny Patronis and Jay Trumbull mine a natural resource to quench the thirst of Northwest Florida. We’ll Drink to That One’s got the water. The other’s got the bottle. A perfect business relationship. By Wendy O. Dixon It’s no secret…

Using her expertise from WORKFORCE Plus, Kimberley Moore helped develop new business in Wakulla County as head of the Chamber of Commerce. The Talent Connection Kimberley Moore has worked to match the needs of local workers and Wakulla businesses By…