The Bradenton Farmers' Market this season has seen growth in vendors and consumers, as reported in today's Bradenton Herald. The market's organizers credit some of that to scheduling events each Saturday that coincide with the market that runs from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
This Saturday, officials from Downtown Development Authority and Realize Bradenton will share artist renderings of the proposed Riverwalk design, says Johnette Isham, executive director of Realize Bradenton.
Designs proposed for the 1.5-mile stretch of the Riverwalk from just east of the Green Bridge past Manatee Memorial Hospital include building a skate park, a family fun zone, an interactive foundation and open lawn space.
The project has an estimated price tag of $6.2 million and will go before the Bradenton City Council next Wednesday for further discussion.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Bradenton's new tourism leadership getting results
Debbie Meihls has been plenty busy since joining the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, reported here in August.
She hit the ground running when hired as executive manager with a fresh perspective on how to market Anna Maria Island and Manatee County. Much of her approach, derived from her marketing role with the St. Petersburg/Clearwater tourism bureau, is cooperative marketing.
And local tourism officials on Monday said Meihls' strategy is a success as reported in today's Bradenton Herald.
"I have a direct marketing background and marketing has to be results-driven," said David Teitelbaum, a member of the Manatee County Tourist Development Council. "It's a pleasure to see the money we're spending is being spent correctly."
A recent cooperative marketing project led by Meihls includes the Manatee County edition of "Florida Travel + Life's Affordable Luxury" series. The 30-minute television spot features Anna Maria Island and cost $85,000. As part of the deal, the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureua will also get the rights to the B-roll video that includes footage of local beaches, Bridge Street, Village of the Arts and Lakewood Ranch to use in future marketing projects. And, Florida Travel + Life magazine this month has a four-page spread on Manatee County and its tourism ammenities.
"We are so thankful St. Pete let her get away," said Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton CVB. "She's doing some incredible things."
She hit the ground running when hired as executive manager with a fresh perspective on how to market Anna Maria Island and Manatee County. Much of her approach, derived from her marketing role with the St. Petersburg/Clearwater tourism bureau, is cooperative marketing.
And local tourism officials on Monday said Meihls' strategy is a success as reported in today's Bradenton Herald.
"I have a direct marketing background and marketing has to be results-driven," said David Teitelbaum, a member of the Manatee County Tourist Development Council. "It's a pleasure to see the money we're spending is being spent correctly."
A recent cooperative marketing project led by Meihls includes the Manatee County edition of "Florida Travel + Life's Affordable Luxury" series. The 30-minute television spot features Anna Maria Island and cost $85,000. As part of the deal, the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureua will also get the rights to the B-roll video that includes footage of local beaches, Bridge Street, Village of the Arts and Lakewood Ranch to use in future marketing projects. And, Florida Travel + Life magazine this month has a four-page spread on Manatee County and its tourism ammenities.
"We are so thankful St. Pete let her get away," said Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton CVB. "She's doing some incredible things."
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Good decisions, family values help local business
Small business owners are working harder than ever to survive these tough times. As the small business feature in Wednesday's Bradenton Herald illustrates, brothers Bob and Rocky Smith have had to do a lot of retooling to keep Universal Window Solutions afloat and competitive.
During my interview with the local business owners Tuesday, Rocky Smith said, "We've worked harder in the last four years than we have in the last 20 years."
Much of today's story focused on the business decisions the Smiths made that allowed Universal Window Solutions to pull through the recession. But it's important to add that family values and relationships have played a big part in the success of Universal Window Solutions, which was incorporated in 1981.
Rocky Smith purchased the business in 1999, and Bob Smith joined the business in 2001.
"We grew up understanding the value of a dollar," Rocky Smith said. "That has truly helped us."
Bob and Rocky's parents, both manufacturing representatives, taught them that value, as well as some good sales and business tactics the brothers have been able to carry into their own business.
"Our parents would be on the phone with clients and you'd be eavesdropping not really knowing you're eavesdropping," Bob Smith recalled. "It helped us see there's a lot of skill in understanding the sales process. It's not easy -- it's a very difficult process."
During my interview with the local business owners Tuesday, Rocky Smith said, "We've worked harder in the last four years than we have in the last 20 years."
Much of today's story focused on the business decisions the Smiths made that allowed Universal Window Solutions to pull through the recession. But it's important to add that family values and relationships have played a big part in the success of Universal Window Solutions, which was incorporated in 1981.
Rocky Smith purchased the business in 1999, and Bob Smith joined the business in 2001.
"We grew up understanding the value of a dollar," Rocky Smith said. "That has truly helped us."
Bob and Rocky's parents, both manufacturing representatives, taught them that value, as well as some good sales and business tactics the brothers have been able to carry into their own business.
"Our parents would be on the phone with clients and you'd be eavesdropping not really knowing you're eavesdropping," Bob Smith recalled. "It helped us see there's a lot of skill in understanding the sales process. It's not easy -- it's a very difficult process."
Friday, January 14, 2011
Boating plan goes after niche market
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| Tim Norwood (provided photo) |
The concept he is working on for Row Norwood is whitehall row boats and crew boats. According to those in the marine industry, these types of recreational boats are ideal in a down economy.
The boats require less maintenance, no fuel, and are what first-time boaters usually start with, says Gordon Connell, director of association services at the Marine Industries Association of South Florida.
"The number of people doing real basic, entry-level rowing and paddle boating has become quite popular," Connell says. "There will continue to be a slice or segment in the industry for these type of boats."
But with any type of business, niche marketing can come with some downfalls.
"You have a greater dependency on one particular market and therefore there's more risk," says Joe Pfeiffer, volunteer business counselor for Manasota SCORE, a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration. "Everything is so defined."
On the other hand, Pfeiffer says market segmentation allows entrepreneurs to build closer relationships with their client base and better reach them through advertising. And Pfeiffer, who is also a business consultant in the Bradenton-Sarasota area, sees more established businesses going this route because -- you guessed it -- of the economy.
"Businesses have done everything they can to cut costs, so now they're really focused on trying to expand sales," Pfeiffer said. "They're finding a better niche market may be an opportunity for that."
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Building business with a passion
Dell Hyland is a perfect example of those who build a business based on a passion for something, as reported in my 1A business story today.
The U.S. Marine veteran and 17-year veteran of the security industry is proposing a multi-use training facility for fire, police, emergency rescue and private security agencies.
Hyland is still working on building his startup, Wide World Security, in the region. And, while the proposed training center that could cost upwards of $150 million is a major undertaking, Hyland is determined.
"It was always my intent to grow with the community, to provide a better service of security and make it a safer place to live and raise a family," said Hyland, a 10-year resident of Lakewood Ranch.
After the Marines, Hyland's security career has involved event staff for concerts, executive protection and celebrity protection. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and after participating in the relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina, Hyland felt compelled to turn his passion into something bigger.
Wide World Security is Hyland's vision for what he hopes will improve security nationwide. And it's a vision that could bring 100 jobs to this area.
The U.S. Marine veteran and 17-year veteran of the security industry is proposing a multi-use training facility for fire, police, emergency rescue and private security agencies.
Hyland is still working on building his startup, Wide World Security, in the region. And, while the proposed training center that could cost upwards of $150 million is a major undertaking, Hyland is determined.
"It was always my intent to grow with the community, to provide a better service of security and make it a safer place to live and raise a family," said Hyland, a 10-year resident of Lakewood Ranch.
After the Marines, Hyland's security career has involved event staff for concerts, executive protection and celebrity protection. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and after participating in the relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina, Hyland felt compelled to turn his passion into something bigger.
Wide World Security is Hyland's vision for what he hopes will improve security nationwide. And it's a vision that could bring 100 jobs to this area.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Cold snaps make for scarce, costly produce
On a grocery run after work Tuesday evening, I circled the produce section several times looking for strawberries, thinking I was not looking carefully enough. Another customer, too, wondered where the red berries were and asked the produce clerk: "No more strawberries?"
The clerk politely informed us that strawberries -- what there are of them -- have been selling out by early afternoon during these recent winter weeks. As the Bradenton Herald reports Saturday with news partner Miami Herald, the cold snap is causing some vegetables and fruit to be more costly these days.
Though strawberries weren't hit as hard as other Florida crops, other crops were not as fortunate. Florida tomatoes were among some of the hardest hit in Florida. Many growers lost all of their tomato crop and prices for tomatoes increased about 25 to 40 percent across the board.
"As soon as (farmers) knew they were going to lose those crops, tomato prices shot up," said George Caldwell, director of purchasing at Global Organics Specialty Source, a Manatee County-based organic supply company.
The clerk politely informed us that strawberries -- what there are of them -- have been selling out by early afternoon during these recent winter weeks. As the Bradenton Herald reports Saturday with news partner Miami Herald, the cold snap is causing some vegetables and fruit to be more costly these days.
Though strawberries weren't hit as hard as other Florida crops, other crops were not as fortunate. Florida tomatoes were among some of the hardest hit in Florida. Many growers lost all of their tomato crop and prices for tomatoes increased about 25 to 40 percent across the board.
"As soon as (farmers) knew they were going to lose those crops, tomato prices shot up," said George Caldwell, director of purchasing at Global Organics Specialty Source, a Manatee County-based organic supply company.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Flashing red light means hot job news
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| Pierce Manufacturing in Bradenton will create 150 jobs this year. (File photo by Tiffany Tompkins-Condie) |
I dialed into my voicemail and there was a message from Eric Basinger. The executive director of the Manatee Economic Development Council wanted to give me a heads-up on a news release his staff was writing up.
He didn't give any further information, but I figured a big announcement about jobs was on its way.
Indeed there was. The Bradenton-based Pierce Manufacturing will be hiring an estimated 150 people this year as its operations will be expanded to build ambulances.
The local business currently builds fire trucks, and its parent company Oshkosh Corp. is moving Medtech Ambulances to Bradenton. It's also moving Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles to its Clearwater plant Frontline Communications, which makes mobile command vehicles. That move will create 50 jobs in Pinellas County.
While the150 jobs doesn't come close to the 18,267 people who are out of work in Manatee County, it's a substantial gain for the area.
Oshkosh, a Fortune 350 company, has manufacturing operations in 11 states and Australia, Belgium, Canada and France, and chose Bradenton among all those options to move the majority. And those 150 jobs coming to Bradenton will combine for an annual payroll of $5.8 million in the first year.
That's $5.8 million that can be injected back into the region's economy.
"Overall, it's a major statement on any community when a Fortune 500 or 350 company says we've got all these business units around the world and we're choosing to move it to your community," Basinger said.
-- Grace Gagliano
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