Elizabeth Dvorak is the chief executive officer for Workscapes.
She began her career in commercial furniture in 1991, with a top furniture dealership in Atlanta, Georgia. Nearly six years later, she decided to go out on her own and founded Workscapes. She and her husband, Richard, purchased a dealership in Orlando and relocated there with their family. In 2001, they opened in South Florida and, in 2013, they acquired five Herman Miller Dealerships and grew from two locations to five, across the state of Florida, doubling in revenue and size.
Over the past 24 years, Workscapes has grown from six employees to more than 125, with four locations throughout Florida including Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and Fort Myers. Recently, Workscapes expanded again and opened a new 32,000-square-foot corporate headquarters near historic Ybor.
HOW DO YOU CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND GROW AS A LEADER?
Evolving, and growing, as a leader is a life-long journey. I have learned a great deal from our clients, mentors and members of our Workscapes team. It is important to stay open-minded to new ideas and never get comfortable. This brings growth.
I am involved in professional organizations like the CEO Council of Tampa Bay. My involvement provides exceptional opportunities to learn, and grow, while developing meaningful relationships with other community leaders, not to mention access to a stellar lineup of national and local speakers.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE GREATEST LESSON IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY?
There are many paths to success in business. Recruiting, and retaining, people who are smarter than you, especially those who complete gaps in your knowledge, fuels your company’s growth and their careers. Exhibiting patience to let employees learn through mistakes grows their career while adding to the strength of our organization.
A mantra I continue to value in my professional journey is the importance of taking action, believing often the worst decision is indecision.
