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SOUTHWEST FLORIDA’S BUSINESS VOICE • 239-573-9732 Vol. 8 No. 9 / JULY 2015 www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com
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IN THE NEWS
BEEDC invites public to July meeting
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Gov. Scott presents Bob Long with award
The Bonita Springs Estero Economic Development Council (BSEEDC) will host its quarterly open board meeting from 3:30 to 5 p.m. July 8 at the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, 25071 Chamber of Commerce Drive, Bonita Springs – and is inviting the public to attend. According to its website, the BSEEDC (BonitaSpringsEsteroEDC.com) is committed to building a prosperous, sustainable, and economically diverse community. It exists to help local companies succeed and grow, to help relocating companies and get their business up-and-running as quickly as possible, as well as to attract new BEEDC See page 9
NAPLES networking group plans Oct. event The Naples Area Professional League of Executive Services (NAPLESGroup. net), a business-to-business networking organization, today announced details of the organization’s annual Big Event scheduled for Oct. 14 at Shula’s Steak House in the Hilton Naples, 5111 Tamiami Trail N., Naples. The event is open to the public and will begin with a cocktail reception followed by a three-course meal with guest speaker Norman Love, an awardwinning chef who is president and founder of Norman Love Confections, with chocolate salons in Naples, Fort Myers and Estero. NAPLES See page 9
Women in Business to announce APEX award
The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Women in Business Committee (WIB) will announce the 2015 Apex Award recipient(s) during its July networking meeting. The event is from 4 to 6 p.m. July 8 at Crowne Plaza, 13051 Bell Tower Drive, Fort Myers. Since 2006, WIB has recognized an area leader for her dedication to professional excellence, community service, and leadership and mentoring of others with the annual Apex Award. Previous honorees include Sandra Stilwell, Stilwell Enterprises; Samira K. Beckwith, Hope HealthCare Services; Gail Markham, Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co., PA; Sarah Owen, Southwest Florida Community APEX See page 9
Karen (left) and Bob Long of JRL Ventures accept the Governor’s Business Ambassador Award from Gov. Rick Scott. Recently, the Ventures Inc./Marine Concepts Cape Coral facility was filled with employees, family members, business leaders and elected officials as Gov. Rick Scott honored Bob Long with the Governor’s Business Ambassador Award. This award is given to individuals for their efforts in creating jobs and opportunities for Florida families. Long and his wife, Karen, own JRL Ventures Inc./Marine Concepts. “They are a wonderful family that really care about their employees,” Scott said. The number of employees continues to grow. The company has created 139 jobs since the governor was first elected, with 49 jobs being added this year alone. “I am honored to receive the Governor’s Business Ambassador Award from Gov. Rick Scott,” Long said. “We
From left, Matt Chambers, Bob Long, Governor Rick Scott, Brian Hamman, Cecil Pendergrass and John Manning. are a team and our success comes from within. I must thank Gov. Scott for his continued support and emphasis on
small business in Florida, for his drive is producing results.”
Seminar covers how to develop referral partnerships
Kay Bork and Jeanne Sweeney.
The Above Board Chamber of Florida recently presented “Building Business Referrals” in both Naples and Fort Myers. The luncheon meetings included expert panelists who discussed a key component for growing businesses--using referrals. Many companies approach other areas of their business with a strategic plan, yet a wait-and-see approach often prevails when it comes to referral networking. The expert panelists showed attendees how to apply the same diligence dedicated to other business operations toward developing meaningful referral partner relationships that are consistent, self-sustaining and mutually beneficial. Sue Huff, president of E. Sue Huff
Michel Doherty, Angela Melvin and Mary McDonough. and Associates, served as emcee for the Naples panel. Panelists included Pat Miller, senior VP of Encore Bank in Collier County; Dorothy Randall Saviste, area director/consultant for Busi-
F O C U S O N : T E C H N O LO G Y
REFERRALS see page 9
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
JULY 2015
10 Entrepreneurs-to-be complete MicroEnterprise course Ten aspiring entrepreneurs are now closer to starting their own small businesses after completing the Goodwill MicroEnterprise course. The graduation ceremony took place in June at Keiser University in Fort Myers. The Goodwill Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise Institute (GoodwillSWFL.org/microenterprise) is a training program to help emerging entrepreneurs start new ventures and grow small businesses. Graduates complete a 12-module business and management training course over six weeks, and work with mentors who are successful businesspersons. Mentors for the recent session were David Burns and Claudia Monte. The class facilitator was Julie Pekrul. Graduating the course was LaShandra Brantley, Roseleine Dorzin, Barbara Gorman, Katie Jones, Germaine Nelson, Wendy O’Neill, Chad Rayner, Elias Scioli, Sydney St. Louis and Jessica Vargas-Christopher. Business plans ranged from a hair salon to dairy-free ice cream. “Dreams do not come true because you dream them,” said commencement speaker Chris Spiro of Spiro &
Graduating the course was LaShandra Brantley, Roseleine Dorzin, Barbara Gorman, Katie Jones, Germaine Nelson, Wendy O’Neill, Chad Rayner, Elias Scioli, Sydney St. Louis and Jessica Vargas-Christopher. Associates. “They come true because of hard work and sacrifice.” This was the MicroEnterprise program’s 40th graduating class.
Date set for 21st Annual Blue Chip Business Award The 21st annual Southwest Florida Blue Chip Community Business Award, coordinated and sponsored by BB&T-Oswald Trippe and Co. and BB&T Bank, will take place Nov. 5 at Harborside Event Center, 1375 Monroe St., Fort Myers. The annual Blue Chip Award program recognizes successful, small business owners who have overcome adversity to achieve success. Charlotte, Collier and Lee County for-profit businesses that have been in operation for at least three years under the same ownership and employ five to 400 people are eligible for the award. Applications must be submitted no later than Sept. 7, and independent judges will select the winning entry. The 2015 Southwest Florida Blue Chip Community Business Award is endorsed by the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, Business Observer, Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte County Economic Development Office, Christian Chamber of Southwest Florida, City of Cape Coral Economic Development Office, EnglewoodCape Haze Area Chamber of Commerce, Estero Chamber of Commerce, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida Southwestern State College, Florida Weekly, Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, Greater Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce, Gulfshore Business, Hodges University, Lee County Economic Development Office/Horizon Council, Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce, Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce, Southwest Florida Business Today, Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, The Greater Fort Myers Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce. For information on attending the Blue Chip Award program or to submit an application, contact Stacey Mercado at (239) 433-7189, or email SMercado@BBandT.com.
The Goodwill Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise Institute is administrated by Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida Inc., and is part
of Goodwill’s mission to provide life-changing opportunities to people with disabilities and disadvantages to achieve independence.
Entech expands with acquisition of United Systems Jake Spanberger, president of Entech Computer Services (EntechUS.com), a 17-year-old Fort Myers-based IT consulting and solutions company, recently announced the acquisition of Bradenton-based United Systems Computer Group. In addition to remotely serving clients nationwide, Entech’s immediate onsite service area will now extend from the Tampa Bay area south to Marco Island. United Systems’ 13-member team will merge with Entech’s 16 experienced engineers, administrators, advisors and strategists, representing a synergy of talent, infrastructure and services that is expected to benefit existing and new customers of both companies. United Systems CEO David Spire will maintain an ownership interest in Entech and help drive future growth as chief development Officer and senior executive VP. The company plans to add several jobs in the immediate future. Entech was founded in 1998 by Martin Haas. Spanberger partnered with Haas in 2001 and – along with COO Buddy Martin and multiple dedicated employees – has been fundamental in the company’s growth. When Spanberger took the company reins upon Haas’s retirement two years ago, he continued to
our at e l u d e Sch meeting next SHookers ss S –The Bo
growth over the past few years,
“In developing our long-term strategic plan of growth through mergers and acquisition, we considered our clients’ and employees’ needs and goals to be our top priority.”
-Jake Spanberger, President Entech Computer Services
keep the company’s mission of growth in line with its long-held adherence to the principles of the Golden Rule. It is in this spirit that Entech is ranked in the top 5 percent nationally in its industry for response and resolution time. United Systems has likewise built a solid reputation in its service area for response time, matched with high client satisfaction scores. The synergy between the two companies starts with their company cultures and dedication to employees and clients. Both were named in this year’s MSPmentor 501 Global Edition, which identifies the world’s top managed service providers (MSPs). Both have also been honored with the distinction of Small Business of the Year by their respective chambers of commerce. This award honors companies for their dedication, achievement, entrepreneurial spirit and community involvement. “Following a period of rapid
it is a natural next step to merge United Systems’ considerable assets, in terms of technology and personnel, with Entech,” Shire said. “With our gains in revenue, infrastructure and employees, we have received numerous offers for partnerships and purchase of our company. Entech’s unique focus on business ethics and culture, which includes a stellar customer service record, made them a natural fit for us.” “In developing our longterm strategic plan of growth through mergers and acquisition, we considered our clients’ and employees’ needs and goals to be our top priority,” Spanberger said. “Our exhaustive search led us to United Systems. We couldn’t have imagined a better fit between the two companies in terms of resources and company culture. We’ll be looking for similar synergies as we continue to grow through M&A in the future.”
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JULY 2015
Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
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Equity Inc. and Cameron Real Estate Services join forces Equity Inc. is pleased to announce the merger of its Southwest Florida office with certain divisions of Cameron Real Estate Services. “Equity Inc. opened its Naples office in August 2013 to better serve the needs of our existing national clients, and to broaden our service capacity for future clients,” said Hamish Williams, Equity’s Market Director for Southwest Florida. “Since then, we have been pursuing strategic partnerships and alliances that will help us build our brand and increase
our market share in this region. The Equity culture and the Cameron culture are similar, our values align, and our service lines complement one another.” “Scott Cameron has demonstrated a high degree of integrity, commanding the respect of this market,” said Frank Duran, senior VP of Asset Management & Real Estate Services for Equity Inc. “He has built a successful and impressive business, amid highcaliber agents and staff, and this longstanding reputation is what convinced
us to move forward. Together, we will maintain superior service to our clients and inform the business community about our increased capabilities and collective strengths.” Scott Cameron, President of Cameron Real Estate said, “It seems like I’ve been seeing the Equity signs all across the country. Most recently, on a trip to Salt Lake City, I saw an Equity sign on a medical facility. The natural synergy between Equity and Cameron speaks for itself. I was looking for a company with the same corporate philosophy as mine,
Questions on Internet law regarding defamatory statements Recently a couple of my corporate clients called to ask me very similar questions regarding issues they were having with some anonymous defamatory comments made on-line against them. The clients wanted to know what their options were. Following are my general summaries of my responses to them. Please note that your specific case may have different issues/fact scenarios and thus might call for a slightly different response or course of action. Can a Florida corporation be defamed, and would there be jurisdiction in Florida over an out-of-state person making the defamatory statements online? The short answer is yes. The Florida
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Supreme Court case of Internet Solutions Corp. v. Marshall, 39 So.3d 1201 (Fla. 2010) is the leading case. Here it was BY BOB BURKETT alleged Ms. Guest Columnist Marshall, a resident of the state of Washington, had written a blog in which she accused Internet Solutions Corp. (a Florida corporation) of ongoing criminal activity. The court held that where a defamatory statement is posted on a website about a Florida resident, the statement must not only be accessible in Florida but also be accessed in Florida. It will then constitute the tort of defamation within Florida under Florida’s long arm jurisdictional statute 48.193(1)(b), subjecting in this case Ms. Marshall to the jurisdiction of the Florida courts.
from its site, but InvestorHub declined to remove two of them. Medytox then sued for declaratory relief and sought an injunction as well. The defendant website moved to dismiss the lawsuit, saying it was immune from suit as an “Internet service provider” under the Communications Decency Act (47 U.S.C. Sect. 230), and the trial court dismissed the case with prejudice. The decision was upheld on appeal, with the appeals court ruling that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act creates a federal immunity to any cause of action that would make service providers liable for information originating with a third party user of the service. Thus even equitable relief, such as the injunction sought by Medytox, is not available to a Florida plaintiff against an internet service provider posting defamatory comments.
Can I go after anonymous Internet posters of defamatory comments about my company? The short answer is yes, BUT …. if after writing to the service provider posting the defamatory comments they refuse to remove same from the site, then your only option is to file a “John Doe” lawsuit in Florida and try to obtain the names through discovery mechanisms such as subpoenas served on the applicable Internet service providers requesting the identifying information for the posters. However, because most discovery orders are not appealable, the battles in Florida on these discovery issues have been waged mostly in the trial Courts. (See
If the person defaming the Florida company is anonymous, can the Internet service provider on which the comment is posted be sued? The short answer is no. In Medytox Solutions, Inc. v. InvestorsHub.com (Fla. App. 2014), it was alleged that a person (later found to be Christopher Hawley) using the screen name “Seamus Outer,” posted several allegedly defamatory statements about Medytox Solutions on the InvestorHub website. Counsel for Medytox had written InvestorHub demanding all the defamatory comments be removed
BURKETT See page 9
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and I found it in Equity.” “This merger allows Equity to provide current and future clients with top-notch service, expertise, and dedication,” Williams said. “In the past six months, Equity has added sales agents Jeff Clapper, Tod Whipple and, with the Cameron merger, agents Honora Jacobus, Bruce Miner and Todd Sabin. Equity Inc. will now have 10 licensed commercial real estate agents dedicated to serving the entire Southwest Florida market and beyond.”
Nominations being accepted for business ethics award Nominations for the 11th annual Business Ethics Award of the Uncommon Friends Foundation are being accepted until Aug. 10. The award is presented in conjunction with the Florida Gulf Coast University Chair of Business Ethics to a Southwest Florida business that exemplifies the highest standards of ethical behavior, internally in dealing with its employees, as well as externally dealing with the public. The winning recipient will be honored at a special Business Ethics luncheon hosted by Florida Gulf Coast University and the Uncommon Friends Foundation held Oct. 23 at FGCU, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Fort Myers, as well as at the Uncommon Friends Foundation annual Uncommon Evening event to be held Oct. 27 for the first time on the grounds of the Burroughs Home and Gardens in Fort Myers. “The Uncommon Friends Foundation Business Ethics Award is the only award of its kind in our region that honors the values and ethical codes that businesses operate by,” said Angela Melvin, executive director for the Uncommon Friends Foundation. “The award is meant to not only recognize a well-deserved company, but also to inspire other businesses that operating with integrity can be done and is the only way one should do business.” Business, political, community, and religious leaders from the five-county Southwest Florida area may nominate companies and organizations that consistently demonstrate a systemwide commitment to business ethics. Companies and organizations may also nominate themselves. The application must be completed and submitted with accompanying materials by Aug. 10. An independent panel of ethics experts from across the country will review the applications and decide the winner. Applications and nomination forms for the award are currently available at www.uncommonfriends.org. Click on the Business Ethics tab and scroll down to click on the application download. The purpose of the award is to encourage more organizations to embrace a culture that applauds and supports the highest standard of ethical behavior at all levels of the company. Nominated businesses must meet the following criteria: • Located in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Hendry or Glades counties. • Show a commitment to business ethics and model ethical behavior throughout the company and with employees. ETHICS See page 9
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
Regional Tech Partnership hosts 2nd annual Hackathon
JULY 2015
Oculus is valuable tool for today’s business
In conjunction with the National Civic Day of Hacking, the Southwest Florida Regional Technology Partnership (RTP) hosted its second annual Hackathon in June. The goal of National Day of Civic Hacking is for residents, community groups and government to collaborate to make their communities stronger. Specifically, the Southwest Florida event offered teams to select from two themes: Blue Zones Project and Safe Firefighting. All the teams produced viable solutions, but in the end Team Breakroom was triumphant. They created a Fire Response Environmental Detection System that is an all-in-one inclusive data collection device in The FireCloud (which assures a standard interface layer that unifies multi-device communications to a standard code). Team Penta Sensation from Dunbar High School focused on Safe Firefighting, creating the PentaSensor housed in a ball-shaped casing that would be thrown into a fire that sensed and transmitted information to a central database regarding the environment the firefighters were entering. Team Arduino Fighters wanted to help firefighters with their safety by creating a small, portable sensor that is placed in the helmet of the fighter and then transmits data to a central database. The team from Fort Myers Technical College (FMTC) focused on both themes. FMTC Fire created LiveSense, a firefighting data collection platform that utilizes the IBM/Watson Analytics Platform to help analyze the forensic data to determine best course of action in a fire and can be utilized on a macroscopic scale. For FMTC Health they created an app called LL Ally (Long Life Ally) which keeps participants honest with their health assessment tracking. The Blue Men Tech Tag Team earned honorable mention for creating an app called the Longer Life Challenge Game based on three elements: education, action and community. This app takes the nine principals of the Blue Zone and gamifies the elements so people can play individually or engage socially on various levels that people find inspirational and fun. The RTP Hackathon was supported by several organizations including sponsors LANDESK, Zuora, Chico’s FAS, IBM, Kuniter, Hodges University, IAFF Local 1826 and the Lee County Economic Development Office.
Anyone involved in the sales and/or development of commercial properties probably has experience with a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA). A Phase I ESA is an investigation of the current and historical uses of a parcel of property in an effort to identify any Recognized Environmental Conditions. These conditions are defined as “The presence or likely presence of hazardous substances or petroleum products in, on, or at the property, due to any release to the environment, under any conditions indicative of a release to the environment, or under conditions that pose a material threat of a future release to the environment.” The American Society for Testing and Materials standard practice for ESAs requires the review of “pertinent regulatory files and/or records associated with the property.” There are companies that use specialized search engines to fulfill this requirement for a fee. However, in an effort to cut costs and ensure reliability, many environmental consultants opt to collect this
BY MARK SAUTTER Guest Columnist
information themselves. The Florida Department of Environm e n t a l Protection receives, reviews and manages a vast number of documents related to the
Waste, Mining & Minerals Regulation, NPDES Storm Water, Potable Water Systems, Solid Waste, Storage Tanks, Underground Injection Control, Waste Cleanup, Wastewater, and Water Supply Restoration. A business name or facility identification number will be needed to locate information regarding a given property. Oculus can be a tremendous source of the historical documents necessary for a Phase I ESA, and reviewing the database can help you save time and money. Oculus can be confusing to a first-time user, but department employees can offer step-by-step instructions over the phone or through an email. To learn more, contact Terry Cerullo at (239) 344-5647, or email Terry.Cerullo@dep.state.fl.us.
environmental quality of various properties throughout the state. For this reason, the experienced environmental consultant, Realtor, investor, developer and others often will review Oculus (http://depedms. dep.state.fl.us/Oculus/servlet/login), the web-based document management system provided and maintained by the department. Oculus contains a wealth of information related to a variety of program areas, including Air, Beaches & Coastal Systems, Environmental Resources Permitting, Hazardous
Mark Sautter is an environmental consultant with the South District of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Mark is a hydrogeologist and has been with the department for approximately six years.
How much does a ‘free’ website really cost? Although Silicon Valley is typically thought of as the technology capital of the world, technology is happening right here in Southwest Florida with PrimeAgile software from Internet Business Consulting Services Corp. (IBCS). PrimeAgile came about because the cost of free open source software (FOSS) was too expensive. PrimeAgile is a software as a service (SaaS) platform – and a smarter alternative to FOSS. The software industry often has a reputation of not being able to deliver on time, sometimes not at all, at any price. In fact, according to UNIVA, 75 percent of enterprises encounter problems when using open source software. FOSS appears to be an economical option for many business enterprises, but it frequently lacks the flexibility and support when demanding situations arise. While FOSS technologies may appear to be a cost-effective solution at first, it may end up costing more time, money and frustration in the future. If the software is not user-friendly, a company – even a technical company – may spend more time learning how to use it than concentrating on the core competencies of its business. Trying to learn the ins and outs of an application can become really frustrating and expensive. It may become necessary to hire an expert for top dollar, especially if there is a bug or the core technology
g e t s compromised or hacked. IBCS’s c o r e competency for many years was s o l v i n g exactly those kinds of problems. Web design companies BY JAMES CLUFF outsourced Guest Columnist t h e i r development and their “problems” to IBCS Staffed with 30 engineers who specialized in these various technologies, IBCS could always solve these kinds of problems. However, some years ago IBCS determined those technologies where no longer cost-effective for their clients and stopped recommending them. Instead, they chose to go a different direction with PrimeAgile. PrimeAgile allows IBCS to stand behind and guarantee what it sells for as long as the client is using it. FOSS is often written by a compilation of many unknown sources. A plugin that does something on a site often broke when there were upgrades. The client had to go back to his/her designer to fix those issues, who would then in turn come
to IBCS. These costs where unknown, unpredictable and cost the entire chain: the customer, the designer and IBCS. Today, because of PrimeAgile, IBCS takes full responsibility and it costs the client and designer nothing. The PrimeAgile technology from IBCS is a third generation Javabased application development environment. It is an enterprise-level framework which is fully scalable and distributable. It previously sold for $100,000-plus per annual license to only large companies, but it is now being made available for as low as $20 per month for small and mediumsized businesses. IBCS’s president interrupted his studies from an international business school in London to move the business to Southwest Florida to grow its domestic and international business. Southwest Florida is IBCS’s new home, where it hopes to bring a better experience with content management, customer management and other webrelated applications. James Cluff has 20 years of experience in business development, as well as in software and database architecture. Throughout his career he has consulted with companies from the United States, Sri Lanka, Japan and Belgium. Email him at info@ ibcscorp.com or call (239) 201-4939.
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JULY 2015
Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
Bonita Chamber selects Entech Small Business of the Year The Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce (BSCOC) recently named Entech Computer Services as “Small Business of the Year” at its annual luncheon. The other 10 nominees for the 2015 competition were: A/C Electrical Services, ARC of Life Family Spinal Care, Center for the Arts in
Bonita Springs, Classic Floors & Countertops, Cosmotique Day Spa, Norman Love Confections, Nova Wealth Management, Pelican Landing Dental, Spotlight Magazine, and TLC Marketing and Creative Services. This award program is designed to recognize the dedication, achievement and entrepreneurial spirit displayed by
The response is “Responsive”
an exceptional local small business. “Small businesses are a vital part of the region’s economic structure and make the Bonita Springs area a great place to live, work, and play,” said Christine Ross, president and CEO of the BSCOC. Designated as the 2014 “Chamber of Commerce of the Year” by the Florida
Technology is a wonderful thing. In knows how to the world of website development it can focus on both simplify workflow and open the door to a search engine range of new features and functions. But optimization and along with that comes new challenges user interface for the web developer. Prior to the design. A commercial birth of the smart phone in responsive design 2007, websites were primarily viewed literally tailors in two environments: desktop and laptop the experience to computers. However, the new frontier of the device. digital marketing gave rise to all sorts BY MATTHEW CONNAR You must of different interface types found in Guest Columnist also understand tablets, mini-tablets, smart phones and the behaviors watches to name a few. A fixed visual of the viewers architecture for a website simply will themselves. Nearly two-thirds of no longer meet the needs of the average Americans are now smart phone owners. content consumer and creating multiple For many, these devices are their primary websites to meet different interface needs connection to the internet. Take into is just plain inefficient. The answer lies consideration that some of your viewers in the “Responsive” design. A custom, may exclusively view your website on responsive web design ensures two things. their smart phone. That said, it’s important It maintains the integrity of the brand to present the content in a clean way by identity by presenting the visuals in a filtering the content and streamlining cohesive way in every digital application. the experience. A responsive design will It also serves the viewer with content automatically transform your website engineered specifically for the device design to fit any device, while filtering out being used. The user experience is crucial any content that may be gratuitous to the to creating leads and closing sales. mobile experience. By combining ease of It seems that nowadays, most website use with clarity of message, your custom development companies are almost mobile-ready design will act as a vacuum exclusively focusing on driving traffic to for more business. their website. On the flip side, there are a If you are a business with a website that slew of web designers simply interested in doesn’t perform well on mobile devices, creating a beautiful website interface. Both you are truly stunting the growth of your aspects are very important. For instance, company. In some cases, a fixed interface you can give a friend the address to your can be easily converted into a responsive new home, but once they arrive and cross design. Your ROI will thank you. the threshold of your door, what’s next? How are they greeted? Where do they Matthew Connar is an award-winning go or what is the next step? On the other graphic artist and marketing consultant. hand, you can have the most beautiful He is the owner of BOOST Creative, home with all the best features, but it’s all Cape Coral’s leading agency focused on a waste if nobody can find it. Like most website development, brand identity and things in life, a website requires balance. advertising. Contact him at (239)471A quality website development company 7300 or mcc@boostcreative.com.
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Association of Chamber Professionals, the Five-Star Nationally Accredited BSCOC (BonitaSpringsChamber. com) strives to serve members, promote a region where business can grow and prosper and enhance the quality of life of the Bonita Springs area.
AspireIT camps help girls learn technology AspireIT camps are a great way to ignite creativity and ingenuity in middle school girls. Most middle schools do not have a computer science curriculum – and statistics show that the middle school years are vital to exploration and experimentation with academic interests and career possibilities. When girls lack exposure to key STEM-related fields, they are put at a disadvantage. This especially holds true for children that attend schools in low-income areas that simply do not have the resources to provide instruction in rapid growth fields such as software development. Employment of software developers is projected to grow 22 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment of applications developers is projected to grow 23 percent, and employment of systems developers is projected to grow 20 percent. AspireIT camps provide middle school girls the opportunity to work with young women that have won an Aspirations in Computing Award in their region, giving the girls a near-peer teaching experience. The young women that teach these camps are energetic, knowledgeable, and they want to give back to the community by bringing more girls to explore the opportunities that exist in technology fields of study. These young women
are dedicated and committed to being a positive role model for these young girls. If you have a middle school girl in your life whom you want to benefit from attending an AspireIT camp, you can review the listing of available camps nationwide at Aspirations.org to find a camp located in your area. Locally, in the Lee County and Collier County areas, Making a Difference – Girls, Technology, and Social Change is an AspireIT summer camp that will be focusing on teaching participants how to program in both Scratch and App Inventor. Advanced topics will also be available. The girls do not have to have any computer or programming experience to attend this camp. Participants will also learn about Sphero robotics, as well as different engineering and STEMrelated activities. This year marks the third year of running the AspireIT summer camps on the Hodges University campuses. The camps meet each Saturday for four weeks. The Naples session will begin on Aug. 1 and continue through Aug. 22. The cost of attending the camp is $20, which includes lunch on each camp day. The camp leader is Aimee Jasso, who is currently working on a computer science major. For more information on the Lee or Collier county AspireIT camp, email Tracey Lanham at TLanham@Hodges.edu.
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1978 For All Your Commercial Real Estate Needs Randy Randy Krise, Krise, CCIM CCIM randy@krisecg.com randy@krisecg.com
239-690-4100 239-690-4100 Virginia Avenue “We Mean Business” “We2040 Mean Business”
Randy Krise & Krise Commercial Group Randy Krise & Krise Commercial Group announce the relocation of announce the relocation of their offices to their offices to
Fort Myers, FL 33901
12650 New Brittany Boulevard 12650 New Brittany Suite 102 Boulevard Suite 102 33907 Fort Myers, Florida Fort Myers, Florida 33907
12610 Plaza Lane, (JustWorld off McGregor 12610 World Plaza Boulevard Lane, Suite Suite 1 1 239-690-4100 Fort Myers, Myers, FL 33907 33907 fronting First Street Village) 239-690-4100 Fort FL
www.krisecommercialgroup.com www.krisecommercialgroup.com
“We www.krisecommercialgroup.com “We Mean Mean Business” Business” www.krisecommercialgroup.com
2011 Affordable Employee Care Solutions.
Need more help? Not sure how to grow? Specializing in Payroll & Employee Leasing. EMPLOYEE CARE CAN HELP!
Contact MAIKEL DELGADO at (239) 945-9988 or email at mdelgado@employeecare.us or stop by the office at: 1423 SE 16th Place, Ste. 201 Cape Coral FL 33990 PAYROLL-EMPLOYEE LEASING
1986
Burkett
Law Office
ROBERT E. BURKETT Attorney At Law
BUSINESS LITIGATION • ARBITRATION • COLLECTIONS 5237 Summerlin Commons Blvd,. Suite 217 • Fort Myers, FL 33907 Office: (239) 275-2145 Email: bobburkettlaw@gmail.com • Web: bobburkettlaw.com
1995
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
JULY 2015
Bank of America donates $10K to Immokalee Foundation
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation has donated $10,000 to support The Immokalee Foundation’s (TIF) student programs. “Connecting youth to employment is rooted in ensuring they have the right skills and understand their options,” said Gerri Moll, president of Bank of America Southwest Florida. “We are proud to partner with The Immokalee Foundation in support of their student programs to provide a better future for the next generation.” “We’re humbled by this generous support from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation,” said Joseph Zednik, chairman of the board of The Immokalee Foundation. “TIF is dedicated to being good stewards of resources provided to us to help the students of Immokalee, and we truly appreciate Bank of America’s trust in our organization.”
Since 1991, TIF has worked diligently to empower more than 1,000 Immokalee children. TIF (ImmokaleeFoundation.org) provides a range of education programs that focus on building pathways to success through college and post-secondary preparation and support, mentoring and tutoring, opportunities for broadening experiences, and life skills development leading to economic independence. One hundred percent of the students who participate in TIF programs graduate from high school, and 97 percent of those students pursue a college or vocational post-secondary education. Of those who pursue higher education, 75 percent of those students graduate from their respective programs. TIF is giving students a chance to reach heights many never thought possible. Bank of America’s commitment to corporate social responsibility is a strategic part of doing business globally.
Pictured are (from left) Curt Todd, BOA managing director, private client advisor; Gerri Moll, BOA president; Joseph Zednik, TIF board of director chair; and Steven Kissinger, TIF executive director.
Backing up v. disaster recovery could mean your business’s survival There is a big difference between backup solutions and disaster recovery solutions. Whenever I meet with potential clients and the subject of disaster recovery solutions comes up, I hear the immediate comments of: “Oh, I have that. We backup every day.” It is fascinating how many small business owners are under the impression that backing up their data equates to disaster recovery. I wholeheartedly agree that backing up is absolutely essential, as you need to be able to recover your data should anything happen. However, the difference between having a disaster recovery solution in place and having a backup solution only can mean the survival or failure of a small business after a disaster has struck. Most people think of disaster in terms of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods or hurricanes. As IT consultants, we think in terms of system failure.
Anytime the server system for a small business fails, you have a disaster on your hands. Businesses that are run on computer s e r v e r platform and lose means BY STEPHAN GMELIN any of making Guest Columnist revenue should their computer network go down will be in for a rude awakening when they discover that recovering your backed up data can take a very long time (depending on size of the backup it can take from several days to weeks). A disaster recovery solution should
begin with server virtualization, as it provides agility, flexibility and reduces risk. The concept of server virtualization is that software that is to run on your hardware server is installed as a partition on your hardware’s operating system. The operating system delivered with MS Windows Server 2012 R2 contains a virtualization layer (Hyper-V) which allows the operating system to communicate with a virtualized server (a partition of your O/S) as if it was physically installed on the hardware. This partition (virtual server) can now be moved from one Windows Server 2012 R2 to another installed on a completely different piece of hardware in a matter of minutes/hours depending on the size of the file (partition). As part of the PCX Total Care package, we include a continuous backup and disaster recovery solution utilizing just such virtual server technology in order to ensure that our
clients can recover from hardware failure within a short period of time – and with a minimum of data loss. Considering the substantial strategic advantages alone that server virtualization offers every business, it is essential for every IT support vendor to allow their customers to take advantage of this technology. For a small business dependent on its information technology to generate revenue, a quick recovery from a disaster – especially if said disaster is completely unrelated to a natural disaster – is absolutely essential. Relying just on your backup will bring about a very rude awakening. Stephan Gmelin is PCX Technologies’ Business Development Manager and chairs the Technology Roundtable at the Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Learn the 4 benefits of Business Process Automation When it comes to business technology, there’s a lot of buzz about applications and SaaS options that make business easier. But the newest technology trend in the development world goes far beyond that. Customized business applications give medium-sized businesses the opportunity to truly eliminate paper and automate every process. Business process automation (BPA) allows you to manage your data and processes in such a way that reduces your costs, resources and investment. By automating key business processes with technology you can significantly increase efficiency and scalability – and more and more companies are taking advantage of this. Here are some benefits of BPA: Eliminate Paper Administration. Replacing paper documents with digital records is key for disaster planning and business efficiency overall. BPA (Business Process Automation) makes information readily available and eliminates risk of paper data loss in a disaster. It also reduces the time and costs of translating documents into digital formats during normal operations.
T h i s means that a salesperson out on the road can take notes for clients or prospects that are immediately available to the assistant in the office BY REEMA BHATIA for creating Guest Columnist a proposal or the executive team. Complete Integration. From Quickbooks and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software integrations, BPA ensures that all your databases and applications speak to one another. SaaS applications often lack integration and don’t quite fill the entire need from a business perspective. With a customized solution, business owners can close the gap and truly empower their users with integrated data and have all that data in a central location for simple analytics and assessment.
Scalability. Once you eliminate paper and automate your standard workflows, data becomes a resource that you can use to make your future growth plans into a reality even faster. This means
opening a new location becomes much simpler, since every process is automated into an integrated software solution. Rather than setting up file BHATIA See page 9
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
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EMV and the October 2015 Liability Shift - Are you ready? EMV, or Europay MasterCard Visa, is a fraud-reducing technology that can help protect issuers, merchants and consumers against losses from the use of counterfeit and lost or stolen payment cards at the point-of-sale. An EMV chip card is a plastic payment card with a microchip that is virtually impossible to duplicate because every single purchase is assigned its own encrypted transaction data when the card is inserted into the device. Alternatively, when the magnetic stripe of a card is swiped through the device, data from the magnetic stripe is captured and included in the transaction request, and the same exact data is used for every purchase, making information easier to duplicate and steal. October 2015 is a key date because liability for counterfeit transactions will move to the weakest link in the transaction. This is a liability shift not a mandate. New card association policies will result in a liability shift in from issuers to acquirers (and ultimately merchants). If a consumer uses a card with a magnetic stripe for a fraudulent transaction on a terminal that cannot process EMV, the liability for the fraud will rest with the merchant due to failure of the merchant to offer EMV acceptance. In order to accommodate new EMVenabled cards, merchants need to have EMV-ready terminals or point of sale systems. A customer will insert his/ her EMV card into the bottom slot of a terminal. The card remains in the terminal for the duration of the transaction. The chip validates the transaction authorization data and the transaction amount. EMV cards can also support contactless card reading, also known as near field com-munication (NFC).
BY ZACH MACIOSEK Guest Columnist
Instead of inserting an EMV card, NFCequipped cards are tapped against a terminal scanner that can pick up the card data from the embedded computer chip. This m e t h o d allows for a faster
checkout process. Most EMV-capable terminals and POS systems will also be enabled to accept contactless and mobile payments (like Apple Pay), providing more convenience and payment options for customers and faster checkout times. For merchants that don’t have EMVcapable equipment, purchasing new or upgrading existing terminals or POS systems will not be costly. There are many options today that are EMVready and also include near field communication technology that can be used for Apple Pay. If needed, upgrading to new equipment now will position your business well for this fall and into next year nearing the EMV deadline. It will also be much less expensive than the cost of liability in the event of fraud. Zach Maciosek is merchant Specialist with Elite Payment Systems. He brings extensive experience and a comprehensive understanding of the payment processing industry. Contact him at 888-612-0100.
Henderson proclaims National Window Film Day Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson presented a proclamation to Chris Russo, owner of Southwest Floridabased Beverly Hills Tinting Inc. (BHWTInc.com), in honor of National Window Film Day on April 30. Henderson commended the stability of the LLumar R20SR 8 mil solar and security window films that were
installed on all City Hall windows by Russo’s company in 2012, and recognized the importance of the technology. The window film was added to lower energy costs and protect occupants from glass fragmentation. Window film poses great importance in Southwest Florida, as it can block 99 percent of ultraviolet rays.
Matthew Redavid, Meredith McAvoy and Adam Itzkowitz
3 law students gain OJT at Henderson Franklin Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt P.A. is pleased to welcome three law students, Matthew Redavid, Meredith McAvoy and Adam Itzkowitz. They will supplement their law school experience by working as clerks at the firm during the summer. As part of Henderson Franklin’s Summer Associate Program, these law students will have an opportunity to be exposed to a broad range of practice areas. Summer associates attend hearings, trials, depositions, mediations, arbitrations and meetings with clients, among other activities. Additionally, they perform research, assist in the drafting of pleadings, discovery and other documents, and analyze various legal issues that arise in the course of the matters handled by the firm and its attorneys. Each summer associate is paired with a Henderson Franklin attorney mentor who assists the summer
associate with the transition from law student to lawyer. Redavid is Fort Myers native, graduating from South Fort Myers High School in 2009. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and will be entering his final year of law school at Georgetown. McAvoy is a Naples native and graduated from Barron Collier High School in 2007. She is currently attending law school at the University of Florida, where she also received her undergraduate degree in 2011. Itzkowitz grew up on Long Island, New York before relocating to Florida, where he is attending Stetson University College of Law. Founded in Fort Myers in 1924, Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt P.A. (HenLaw.com) is one of the largest full-service law firms between Tampa and Miami, with more than 55 practicing attorneys.
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our company and highly recommend getting involved with the paper to any business that considers it.” We’re ALL Business
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
JULY 2015
4 early-stage entrepreneurs make pitches at VenturePitch SWFL
2Q15 VenturePitch SWFL recently brought in a crowd of more than 100 guests to watch local entrepreneurs compete for the title of most investable at the Arcade Theatre in downtown Fort Myers. The group of high-potential, accelerated-growth companies presented their business ideas “Shark Tank” style to a panel of judges and audience members. All of the business concepts were compelling, but it was Dino Lingo (DinoLingo.com) who won over both the judges and the audience. The business concept was presented with the title of “Most Investable” and was also recognized with the People’s Choice award, gaining the most votes for “best pitch” from the crowd. Serdar Acar is the entrepreneur behind the Dino Lingo business idea that offers more than 40 different interactive language learning courses for children. The program incorporates play and storytelling into a number of immersive teaching techniques. In the past three years, more than 10,000 Dino Lingo programs have been sold. Products are sold locally and internationally. Additional presenters included
Jeff Lytle interviews keynote speaker Robbie Roepstorff. Superior Upgrading (QuantumPotential.com), which uses Hammer Technology to offer a low-cost/lowrisk solution to crude oil upgrading problems by enabling zero-emissions facilitates; About Your Mortgage (AboutYourMortgage.com), which provides mortgage servicers a proactive and proprietary internet tool to retain borrowers by discussing their refinancing options; and Game
Nation (GameNationParks.com), an experimental, interactive entertainment company that runs story-driven events based on video game themes. Venture Pitch SWFL 2Q15 featured guests also included master of ceremonies Jeff Lytle and keynote speaker Robbie Roepstorff, president, director and co-founder of Edison National Bank and Bank of the Islands. Additional judges included serial
entrepreneur and co-founder of PACE, John Gamba; Dr. Sandra Kauanui, department chair of management and director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship at Florida Gulf Coast University; Kevin Burgoyne, president of the Florida Venture Forum; and serial entrepreneur Paul Taormino. Presenting sponsors included Hahn Loeser, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, Fusion Pointe, Markham Norton Mostellar Wright & Co. P.A., Institute for Entrepreneurship at Lutgert College of Business at Florida Gulf Coast University, Gulfshore Business, Business Observer, Florida Venture Forum and Southwest Florida Regional Technology Partnership. Tamiami Angel Fund I & II LLC (tamiamiangels.com) are membermanaged funds designed to enable private accredited investors to actively participate in a disciplined investment process. The funds invest in promising early-stage through expansion-stage commercial ventures located in the United States, with a preference to those in the state of Florida. The Funds are members of the Angel Capital Association and the Florida Venture Forum.
Microsoft’s support for Windows Server 2003 comes to an end in July As of July 14, 2015, Microsoft is discontinuing support for Windows Server 2003. This means that there will be no more releases of security patches that help protect computers from harmful viruses, spyware and other malicious software, no more software and content updates and no technical support from Microsoft. What’s the impact? • Computer systems running unsupported software are exposed to an elevated risk to cyber security dangers,
such as malicious attacks or electronic data loss. • Negative consequences could include loss of confidentiality, integrity, and/or availability of data, system resources and business assets. • Users may also encounter problems with software and hardware compatibility, since new software applications and hardware devices may not be built for Windows Server 2003. • Organizations that are governed by regulatory obligations may find they are no longer able to satisfy compliance
requirements while running Windows Server 2003. What should you do? You have the option to upgrade to a currently supported operating system or to other cloud-based services. We recommend you evaluate your options and make migration plans immediately. If you have Windows Server 2003, talk to your IT consultant as soon as possible for assistance in evaluating your options and migrating from Windows Server 2003 to a currently supported operating system or to a
SaaS (software as a service) alternative. Mona Hilton is president of Genesis Global Technologies, which she founded 24 years ago. From IT networking, server management, web development, data migration, VoIP and help desk solutions, Genesis proudly provides Southwest Florida businesses with technology solutions to meet the needs of both small and large businesses. Contact her at (239) 337-2667, or email support@ GenesisGT.com.
Ask SCORE: ‘Shoe Leather’ marketing a proven process for prospecting Q: I am a local independent insurance agent. I specialize in small commercial retail businesses. What’s the best method to get my foot in the door? A: Any good salesperson will tell you that prospecting is the single most difficult task to master in the overall sales process. Why? Because of the rejection factor. It’s almost a given that you will receive more nos than yeses. Sales are a numbers game; the more people you ask to buy, the more sales you will make. Because of the rejection factor, many wannabe sales people go to great lengths to avoid direct contact with the customer. They advertise, send emails, letters, invest lots of money in the Internet and social media campaigns, sit back and hope that the phone will ring.
This is not to say that these methods of outreach do not have value. Rather, they should compliment the tried and proven process of “shoe leather” marketing. BY GRAY POEHLER Nothing Guest Columnist beats a faceto-face client meeting. But how do you get to that point? To begin, you must develop a prospect list. This information can be gleaned from numerous sources, i.e., yellow pages, trade groups and publications,
and a free web site, ReferenceUSA.com. Reference USA can be accessed through your local library and provides listing of various businesses by location, size, number of employees, year established and more. Once you have located and qualified your prospect the next step is to determine who is the decision maker? You never want your message to be delivered second hand. Call the office, ask the secretary who is the decision maker and if you can arrange an appointment. At least, try to determine when is the best time to find the boss in his or her office? Do not hesitate to “cold call” your prospect (drop by without an appointment). Be sure to come prepared with business cards, sales brochures and product samples. Nothing beats “shoe leather
marketing,” so don’t hesitate to get out and pound the pavement. Organize your day so that you visit as many prospects in a defined geographic area as possible. If you are successful in gaining the meeting and come away empty, do not consider the experience a failure. You have established yourself as a credible provider of goods or services. Follow up with a thank you letter and revisit this prospect again and again. Sooner or later they will become a client. Gray Poehler is a volunteer with the Naples Chapter of SCORE. Counseling is FREE. To register, call (239) 4300081, or visit Naples.SCORE.org/ mentors. A counselor will contact you within 48 hours. Please include your name, email address and a contact phone number.
IN BUSINESS SINCE 1937
1949 THE POWER OF MORE THAN 65 YEARS OF PRACTICING LAW IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. Fort Myers: 239.334. 2195 • Cape Coral: 239. 542.3148
www.PaveseLaw.com
2005 GRAPHIC DESIGN • PRINTING • DIRECT MAIL Cape Coral
SAVE MONEY NOW!! 2816 Del Prado Blvd. S. Cape Coral, Florida 33904
Tel: 239-541-3255 Fax: 239-541-3055
jreich@minutemanpress.com www.CapeCoral.MinutemanPress.com
Booklets Brochures Newsletters Forms Flyers Postcards Envelopes Letterheads Business Cards Banners & Much More!
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
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REFERRALS, from page 1 ness Networking International (BNI); top-performing Naples real estate agent Kelly Capolino; and business consultant Barbara Melvin. Emcee for the Fort Myers panel was Connie Ramos-Williams, CEO of CONRIC PR & Marketing | Publishing. The panelists included Bill Blevins, senior VP of Encore Bank in Lee County; Saviste Melvin; and entrepreneur Caryn Smith. The Above Board Chamber of Florida (AboveBoardChamber.com) is dedicated to bringing people of faith together within the community, in the workplace and with one another. Its mission is to supply members with tools that allow them to take every aspect of their lives – both personal and business – above board.
NAPLES, from page 1 “Our annual Big Event is a time when members look forward to dressing up and exposing the community to the group we all care about so much,” said Michelle Borders, president of NAPLES. “It is a night to be inspired by a speaker with a great business story, and we can’t think of anyone to better inspire us than internationally renowned local business owner Norman Love.” This year’s Big Event is sponsored
BSEEDC, from page 1 businesses to the region. “As the momentum in Bonita Springs and Estero continues to build, we want to invite interested business owners to become engaged,” said Christine Ross, executive director of the BSEEDC. “Join us at our quarterly open meeting to hear about our projects and find out how to be a strong partner
APEX, from page 1 Foundation; Dr. Mary Kay Peterson, Radiology Regional; Rose BernalRundle; Christin Collins, Lee Memorial Health System Foundation; Mei-Mei Chan, News-Press Media Group; Kathryn Kelly, The Heights Foundation; and Sonya Sawyer, Home-Tech. This year’s APEX recipient(s) will be recognized during the 10th annual APEX Award banquet on Sept. 26 at the
Ingrid Fuller, Lois Bolin, Tiffany Heck, Sue Huff, Kelly Capolino, Jeanne Sweeney, Pat Miller, Dorothy Randall Saviste, Barbara Melvin, Karole Davis and Yale Freeman. by Florida Weekly, Gulfshore Life magazine, Shula’s Steak House and the Hilton Naples, Naples Flowers and Naples Print Source. Prior to opening Norman Love Confections in Fort Myers in 2001, Love learned the craft of pastry making in France, then served as executive pastry chef for many luxury resorts including the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Ritz-Carlton. During his career with the Ritz-Carlton he was appointed to the position of corporate executive pastry chef, where he oversaw global pastry and baking operations.
in our economic development success story.” In the past three years the BSEEDC has served as a complementary business concierge to more than 100 clients. It executes a program of work based on industry best practices from streamlined permitting and joint permit review to collaborative public-private economic development systems which have garnered statewide recognition. Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa. The event will include a silent auction with proceeds used to fund scholarships for the WIB Scholarship Fund, which assists non-traditional female students in their pursuit of higher education. Reservations are $150 per person and can be made online at www.FortMyers.org. Sponsorship opportunities also available, for more information contact Nicole Stefanick at (239) 332-2930 ext. 211 or Nicole@ fortmyers.org.
PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR Over thirty years experience specializing in business issues Background Inquiries & Due Diligence Breach of Contract Investigations Company Mergers & Acquisitions Intellectual Property Infringements Internal/External Fraud Inquiries Insurance Fraud Surveillance Asset Searches - Judgment Recovery Fraud Risk Assessments David B. Watts
Fraud Examiner & Legal Investigator
“Getting the facts…that’s what we do!”
Allied Business Solutions Serving all of Southwest Florida since 1989
Lee (239) 472-5506 • Collier (239) 430-1130 • www.alliedbizsolutions.com
In 13 years, he opened 30 hotel and resort pastry kitchens in international and domestic locales such as Boston, Dubai and Bali. Love’s accomplishments include being named a top 10 pastry chef in America, a top 10 chocolatier in North America, one of the best chocolatiers in the world, one of 40 people of influence in Southwest Florida, National Geographic “The 10 Best of Everything’s one of the 10 Best Chocolatiers in the world, Florida Retailer of the Year for Leadership from the Florida Retail Federation, and the
Cordon d’ Or gold ribbon International Cookbooks & Culinary Arts Culinary Academy “Great Tastes” Florida Product Award. The NAPLES organization is based in Southwest Florida, but many members are internationally recognized business leaders and experts within their fields of expertise. In addition to the annual community Big Event, members meet on the first and third Thursday each month for breakfast networking sessions, which include guest speakers and time for alerting each other to business opportunities.
ETHICS, from page 3
BHATIA, from page 6
• Proven ethical behavior in dealing with customers, vendors, shareholders, lenders, regulators and the community. Past recipients of the Business Ethics Award are Sunshine Ace Hardware, HomeBanc Mortgage Corp., WilsonMiller Inc., Bonita Bay Group, Shell Point Retirement Community, Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co., Conditioned Air, Hope Healthcare Services, and Ted Todd Insurance. The Uncommon Friends Foundation (UncommonFriends.org), a not-forprofit 501(c)3 organization established in 1993, is committed to preserving ethical integrity among Southwest Florida business leaders. The foundation established and continues to fund the Chair of Business Ethics at Florida Gulf Coast University, as well as providing numerous scholarships to local youth demonstrating integrity
systems at new locations and wondering how workflows break down – it all goes into central software and information is available across locations and centrally for the corporate office. Business Intelligence By introducing information and data focus into your business, you can step back and analyze the health of each sector. Owners can see strengths and weaknesses with a simple glance at a dashboard: Accountability for approval processes and other job functions KPI (key performance indicator) statistics like sales and conversions Understanding where you can go from here… Once data like this is available to you, it empowers you to make the tweaks that matter and understand how to approach making further improvements. Very few organizations have a concrete understanding of what BPA can do for their organization. Once you understand how it can revolutionize your business, it becomes an exciting prospect. If you’re wondering what a business software application could do for your organizational health and growth, make sure that you have a clear picture of the future of your company and make sure you have an experienced innovative partner to support your vision.
BURKETT, from page 3 for example: Costello v. SuperValu Inc., Manatee Circuit Court, 2010; and Mohlman v. InvestorHub.com Inc., Leon County Court, 2012). In a few other states, where there have been appeals court decisions, the majority follow what is known as the “Dendrite Test” (See Dendrite International Inc. v. Doe No. 3, 775 A. 2d 756, N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2001). This test involves a series of showings a plaintiff must make before the court will authorize disclosure of identifying information. Courts must then balance the First Amendment rights of anonymous posters against the business’s interest in disclosure so that it can prove a case of defamation. In conclusion, right now victory is not assured under Florida law in the quest to go after anonymous internet posters of defamatory content, but if a judge can be convinced to use the
Reema Bhatia is cofounder of Stickboy Creative in SWFL, which designs creative and empowering business automation software, mobile apps and websites. She holds a Masters Degree in Digital Design from NYU.
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
JULY 2015
AdvaMed commends House progress on repeal of medical device tax Stephen J. Ubl, president and CEO of the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), issued the following statement on the mark up in the House Ways & Means Committee of legislation (HR 160) to repeal the medical device tax: “AdvaMed commends Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.), Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wisc.) and the rest of the members of the committee for their leadership in moving forward bipartisan legislation to eliminate a significant obstacle to
Bonita Bay Club receives Fit-Friendly Worksite American Heart Association has awarded Bonita Bay Club with a Fit-Friendly Worksite Gold Achievement Award for 2015. This is the third consecutive year Bonita Bay Club has been recognized as a Fit-Friendly Worksite. American Heart Association awards organizations that demonstrate a strong commitment in providing a healthy work environment for employees. The gold level achievement of Fit-Friendly Worksite Award specifically recognizes worksites that offer employees physical activity engagement, healthy eating options, and encourage an overall wellness culture. Bonita Bay Club (BonitaBayClub.net) continuously engages employees to participate in physical activity by initiating challenges such as the 1,000,000 step challenge, in which employees are encouraged to walk 1,000,000 steps in 100 days. Bonita Bay Club has also partnered with Neighborhood Organics of Naples to provide fruit and vegetables for employee purchasing to promote healthier eating options.
the development of next-generation advancements in medical technology. “Today’s mark up represents a key milestone in the repeal of a tax that has already had a detrimental effect on medical progress. American patients are depending on the next generation of breakthrough technologies to become a reality. With an aging population and chronic disease growing at everfaster rates, now is the time for more – not less – resources to advance cures and treatments to help people live healthier, more independent lives.
About AdvaMed
AdvaMed (AdvaMed.org) member companies produce the medical devices, diagnostic products and health information systems that are transforming health care through earlier disease detection, less invasive procedures and more effective treatments. AdvaMed members range from the largest to the smallest medical technology innovators and companies.
“There is strong bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress to repeal this anti-patient, anti-innovation tax. We look forward to the full House
taking up repeal legislation in the near future, and we urge the Senate to follow suit.”
Promoting your business with social media In an economy where good customer service can be more of an anomaly than an expectation, it is easier to set yourself apart from the competition. Social media is the perfect marketing vehicle to interact, listen and love your customers – and a platform for them to love you back. Case in point: Enter new restaurant Seventh Avenue Social to a highly competitive Naples marketplace. Before its door even opened on March 9, the buzz was all about town. Even in this summer “off season,” it is best to call ahead for a reservation if you are planning to dine there. Says Matt Minten, manager, “Other than a small ad in Gulfshore Life, our only advertising has been through social media using Twitter and Facebook.” Sure, Seventh Avenue Social is a great restaurant, with a unique vibe and distinctive menu items. However, with all the competition in Southwest Florida for great restaurants, it is hard to imagine their rise to popularity so quickly without the power of social media behind them. Another Southwest Florida business owner known to use social media extensively is Barry Nicholls of Paradise Jewelry. Nicholls often uses video on the store’s Facebook page to educate consumers about jewelry. Social media is one aspect of Paradise Jewelry’s marketing and advertising plan, and he admits it can be hard to measure, but so are other advertising mediums. Yet he is a strong believer that social media has been vital to
his business growth. The good news for business owners is that the cost of social media is far less than more traditional advertising mediums. If BY SHERRI WEIDMAN you are not Guest Columnist allocating a portion of your advertising budget to social media, you are missing the boat. When a customer is not happy, we are no longer in a world where the conversation is contained to a one-onone conversation with the manager. In the palm of his/her hand, your unhappy customer can tell the world. You have the ability to quickly turn even those unhappy situations into something very positive – if you are paying attention to your online reputation. To achieve professional results, you may want to consider outsourcing a social media specialist to manage this for you. You can expect better results than trying to do it yourself as the business owner with a thousand other priorities, or giving it to a staff member as an add-on to their job. Of course, not all outsourced social media managers are equal. When interviewing, ascertain if and
how they customize strategies, or if they have more of a cookie cutter approach. Your business is unique. Strategy development is an important component. Do not let price be your deciding factor. You want someone who is dependable, knowledgeable, and will be consistent and reliable in the implementation. The dynamics of social media are constantly moving. You need someone who keeps on top of the latest techniques, tools and algorithm changes. Be prepared to be patient and committed, as this is not an area in which to expect overnight results. As Peter Shankman states in his 2015 book, “Zombie Loyalists,” in less than five years, every business is going to be online. There will be minimal difference between your business and your competitors’. It is not what you say about you – it is what your customers say about you. The businesses that have the most traction at channeling their well-deserved excellent online reputation will be in the best position to succeed.
Sherri Weidman is CEO of SocialBirds Media. As an online marketing certified professional, she specializes in social media marketing and optimization, email marketing, lead generation, reputation marketing and strategy design, and uses the most current best practices to grow businesses. Contact Sherri via email at sherri@socialbirdsmedia.com.
New crowdsourced SEO tool released at Search Marketing Expo provides insight into backlinks No website owner ever wants to hear the words “Google penalty” in the same sentence as their business domain name. DisavowFiles, a free crowdsourced SEO tool that gives users insight into their websites’ backlinks, launched recently at the SEO conference Search Marketing Expo (SMX) Advanced. The new service – by Bruce Clay Inc. – comes at a time when improper linking puts
businesses at risk for hefty penalties that can demote a website in search engine rankings. Joining the service at DisavowFiles.com will alleviate some of the mystery around what is and is not a good link for a website to have. A disavow file is a tool that site owners and SEOs use to neutralize the negative effects of link spam. However, businesses have no insight into the search engines’ collection
of disavowed link data; access to this information can impact how often or how prominently a website can show up when potential customers are using a search engine. The DisavowFiles tools and reports give participants access to disavowed link data, enabling users to: • Know which sites linking to theirs have been disavowed by other participants. • Find out when their own web pages
show up on other participants’ disavow files. • Research any domain to see how many times it has been disavowed and view other linking metrics that help determine its trustworthiness. Through DisavowFiles.com, the participants sign up at no cost, upload their site’s Google disavow file, and get valuable missing intel on the websites linking to theirs.
IN BUSINESS SINCE 1981
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The Letter Box, Inc. It Pays To Advertise!
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JULY 2015
Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
Page 11
At left, RJ Snider, Lisa Farrell, & Emily Labovitz. Above, Joy Smith, Tom Yavorsky, Charlotte Holler, Mary Silva, Kyle Carper.
Hampton Inn & Suites hosts Bonita Chamber’s After Hours event
Martin Pahnke, Brian Reis and Cristin Madden.
The Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours takes place the second Thursday of every month. Guests take advantage of the opportunity to meet face-to-face with local professionals in the business community. At the June event, more than 80 attendees enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and a chance to win door prizes at Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Myers – Estero, 10611 Chevrolet Way, Estero.
Designated as the 2014 Chamber of Commerce of the Year by the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals, the Five-Star Nationally Accredited Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce (BonitaSpringsChamber.com) strives to serve members, promote a region where business can grow and prosper and enhance the quality of life of the Bonita Springs area.
8 blog topics your business should be talking about
Burned out on blogging? Anybody can create and publish a high quality blog post from time to time. Only the best are able to churn out meaningful content on a regular basis. At times, you may struggle to find topics to blog about. This is only natural. This is something that every business blogger runs into at some point in time. If you have hit a wall and have no idea where to go next, here are 10 blog topics to consider adding to your editorial calendar. 1. Company news. When was the last time you updated your audience on what is new with your company? You could announce a new hire. You could share photos of your new office. You could give readers a rundown of the conferences you will be attending in the months to come. You don’t want to post company news too often, but this is a topic that should definitely find its way onto your blog every now and again. 2. New product or service. If you do nothing but talk about your products and/or services, you are sure to scare readers away. Conversely, you don’t want to hide from this either. If you have a new product or service that is worth mentioning, dedicate an entire blog post to the topic. 3. Customer success story. Did you receive a killer testimonial from a current client? How about an email from
a customer telling you how great your company is? Don’t hesitate to share this information with your audience. ( N o t e : B e f o r e posting a testimonial, make sure you first ask permission.) 4. Case study. This is a longer version of a customer success story. With BY CHARLIE ROSE this, you Guest Columnist will detail the ins and outs of how you helped a particular client achieve success. Case studies are most common with service based companies. 5. News roundup. Chances are that your company isn’t the only one doing anything worthwhile in your industry. It only takes a few minutes to roundup 10 or 15 news stories that will pique the interest of your audience. Not only will your readers enjoy this, but it is a great way to connect with other publishers. 6. Answer a question. Most companies receive customer inquiries on a regular basis. It is likely that you have a list of frequently asked
questions in your mind. Why not turn one of these into a blog post. For example, if you are a web designer you could toy around with titles such as: • What is the Best Content Management System? • How does Color Impact Conversion Rate? • When is it Time to Refresh Your Website? 7. Create an infographic. Yes, it takes time to create this type of post. But remember this: you are positioning yourself to get a lot in return. People enjoy skimming through infographics. Furthermore, it is common for others to link back to these pieces of content. 8. Disagree with popular opinion. You don’t want to do this for no good reason, but you should feel comfortable taking a unique (and often controversial) stance. If you don’t agree with popular opinion, tell your audience why this is the case. This is a great way to show your creativity, while also getting others involved (expect plenty of comments). Estero resident Charlie Rose is president and founder of Funnls LLC. He has more than 15 years of experience in establishing, branding and building online reputations for businesses. Previously he worked for large corporations in publishing, action sports, real estate and the music industry.
Estero Chamber announces award winners
The Estero Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce that its 17th Annual Luncheon Event was successfully held in June at Shadow Wood Country Club in Bonita Springs. More than 265 individuals attended, and celebrated Chamber and community members who have made tremendous contributions to the Southwest Florida area. The Estero Chamber is proud to announce the following winners: • Person of the Year: Rep. Ray Rodrigues (R-Fla.). • Small Business of the Year, Trish Leonard, TLC Marketing & Creative Services. There were also tributes to the late Jeff Sommer, Estero High School coach and athletic director, and former Estero Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Grace Fortuna. “This event is always such a successful venue for members of the Chamber and community alike,” said Chamber President Jeff Mass. “This year, we had more in attendance than prior years, which is a direct correlation with the brisk growth Estero is experiencing.” The Estero Chamber of Commerce (EsteroChamber.org) offers members many networking, sponsorship and educational opportunities throughout the year. The public is welcome at all events.
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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY
JULY 2015
Soaring need prompts $10M Naples skilled nursing & rehab expansion With Florida aging faster than the rest of the nation, a Naples skilled nursing care and rehabilitation community is launching a $10 million expansion to meet the growing needs and evolving preferences of today’s seniors. Premier Place at The Glenview (GlenviewNaples.com) will remain open and accept new admissions throughout work on the project, which is expected to be completed in the spring of 2016. Premier Place at The Glenview, which is part of the Brookdalemanaged continuing care retirement community The Glenview at Pelican Bay, serves the general public as well as The Glenview at Pelican Bay’s residents. It has consistently received the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ top rating of five stars ever
“With the senior demographic growing and baby-boomers entering retirement age, we’re seeing more need for nursing and rehab services. Those we serve and their families are also focusing even more on how the community looks and feels.” — Randy Long, executive director, The Glenview at Pelican Bay
since the ranking programs inception. The expansion will increase Premier Place’s square footage by a third, from about 23,000 square feet to nearly 31,000. It will add seven rooms, bringing the total number to 42, all of them private. Therapy areas will triple in size and there will be more space for resident engagement programs, activities with families and events. Residents will enjoy restaurant-style
meals with cuisine created by the same culinary team responsible for the fare in The Glenview at Pelican Bay’s fivestar caliber independent living dining room. Premier Place will receive a new exterior look, as well, with glass, light and color creating a modern vibrancy. “Premier Place has been known for high quality of care and amenities since we opened over two decades ago,” said Randy Long, executive
director of The Glenview at Pelican Bay. “With the senior demographic growing and baby-boomers entering retirement age, we’re seeing more need for nursing and rehab services. Those we serve and their families are also focusing even more on how the community looks and feels.” Florida has America’s largest proportion of residents age 60 and above, according to the state’s department of elder affairs, which says its median age of 40.7 is America’s highest. By 2030, seniors will represent more than 40 percent of the state’s population, compared to about 24 percent now. The projections reflect the impact of aging baby boomers currently living in Florida as well as those expected to move to the state when they retire.
Survey shows small business mobile apps to double Fifteen percent of small businesses have a mobile app, and another 18 percent are considering developing one in 2015 or later, according to a survey conducted by Clutch (clutch. co), the leading source of mobile app developer reviews. However, some have yet to be convinced, as 40 percent of respondents said they are unlikely to have a mobile app in the future. “Consumers are using mobile apps to research locations to shop, eat, play and relax – and it’s up to businesses to be where their audience is,” noted Krista McLandress, marketing manager at app development software company AppsBuilder. “Most businesses understand that a mobile-
“Consumers are using mobile apps to research locations to shop, eat, play and relax – and it’s up to businesses to be where their audience is.”
Krista McLandress, — marketing manager at AppsBuilder
friendly or responsive website is imperative to their business, but many still lag behind adopting a mobile app strategy.” Clutch’s survey also examined the key reasons why small businesses are building apps. The number one reason – selected by 76 percent of respondents
– is to improve customer service. “The most successful small businesses know that the single deciding factor for them as a competitor is making sure that their loyal customers are treated well and want to keep coming back,” said Shira Anderson, marketing manager of DIY
app solution Como. “That is what mobile apps do best. Mobile apps allow you to really reward your loyal customers with a certain exclusivity and intimacy that isn’t available on any other channel.” The mobile apps report is the final of four segments Clutch has published examining the results of its first annual small business survey. Earlier pieces examined small business online marketing, web design, and social media. To collect the data, Clutch analysts gathered over 350 survey responses from small business owners and managers distributed across the United States.
Use 90-day forecasting tools to increase business success Do you have a forecasting model in place for your business unit’s revenue and expenses? There are several forecast models out there for everything “under the revenue and expense sun” that you can think of, but if you have no revenues, you surely do not need to worry about how much profits are going to be made after expenses. So, first install a forecasting model on revenue and all else will flow from that. This 90-day forecasting model has a tri-fold benefit. First, it projects what the revenue will be like for 90 days out, as of today’s date moving forward. Second,
it displays future days’ demand, thus showing trending and pinpointing yield managing opportunities for revenue growth. Third, the model builds behind itself historical numbers for next year’s budgeting and comparison tracking purposes. As a business’s 90-day forecast model moves, it is updated weekly, sometimes daily, in very volatile, metric driven business units. Whatever the time frame that a forecast model updates, each time the forecast model moves forward, it builds historical numbers behind it and blends those historical and forecasted
numbers together, so that the accuracy of the forecast model for that forward looking time frame grows sharper and more accurate, due to this fact that the monthly 90-day forecast model for “X” month will be much more accurate on the 18th day of that month than it was on the third. If you were talking a quarter to date forecast, the third month of that quarter would be more accurate than the first. No matter what your business unit decides, by installing forecasting models in your business unit, you will bring opportunities for revenue growth,
expense reduction, trending, demand pick-ups, and to assist management decision-making situations. Nationally renowned small business consultant Tom Marquardt is a master at helping small business owners rejuvenate their business and drive profit. Known as “The Profit Repairman,” he authored the widely-acclaimed book “My Little Black Book to Success” (Tate Publishing). For more information, visit TheProfitRepairman.com.