CareerSource Tampa Bay hires director of youth programs

Anyone who was lucky enough to have had a summer job knows it can be a rite of passage giving teens some spending cash and a peek into the working world. But it can also be equally beneficial for employers, particularly small businesses. You know those little projects that have been stacking up because you

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Does your lawyer serve two masters?

By Anthony D. Martino, OLDER LUNDY KOCH & MARTINO, Attorneys at Law Say you or your company is being sued in a claim for which you have insurance. As part of your insurance coverage, the insurer will provide you with a lawyer. This lawyer is either an “insurance defense lawyer” who makes their money from

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The office evolution

By Gilbert Broco and Drew Marshall, CI Group There is no doubt that since the pandemic started the way we work, and interact, in the office space has changed. This should not be thought of as the “end of the office,” but, rather, an opportunity to re-engage your employees by designing a space that provides

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Three simple ways to lower your 2022 tax bill in 2023

By Brian Carter, CPA The end of 2022 has passed and 2023 is well begun, but it is not too late to bring down your 2022 income tax liability. A handful of tax-deductible opportunities are still possible for eligible taxpayers who haven’t, already, taken these tax-saving actions. Here are three of the simplest things you

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Stretchlab is now open in St Petersburg, South Tampa and Largo

If you have ever played a sport, or worked out regularly, the emphasis on stretching is paramount.  According to the Mayo Clinic, studies about the benefits of stretching have had mixed results.  Some research shows that stretching doesn’t reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Other studies show that lengthening the muscle, and holding the stretch, immediately before

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Career Clarity Pod opens a virtual door to help job seekers learn about new career pathways

 By John Flanagan, president and chief executive officer, CareerSource Tampa Bay When our One Stop Operator for CareerSource Tampa Bay, Paul Casebolt, first heard about virtual reality job training plans, he was skeptical. “How realistic can this be if it’s built around a video game-type platform?” he asked. Then, he tried it. After putting on

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The anatomy of a scam

By Roxanne Chance-Chin, Bank Secrecy Act Officer and Fraud Investigations Manager at The Bank of Tampa Businesses are tempting targets for fraudsters because they possess a wealth of information and access to capital. As business owners, it’s important to know exactly how to spot and avoid scams, so you can properly protect your assets and

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The importance of the insurance expense in M&A

By John Weatherford, senior vice president, M.E. Wilson Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) are complex transactions that require a great deal of planning, due diligence and execution. One aspect of M&A that is often overlooked is the insurance expense. Insurance plays a crucial role in the success of any M&A transaction and insurance expenses should not

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Rich Man, Poor Man: A Tale of Two Athletes

By Michael Carr  The numbers are overwhelming. Currently, the average Major League Baseball, National Football League and National Basketball Association players’ salaries range from $3.26 million to $8.32 million, annually. The average career is 2.7 years for a MLB player, 2.5 years for an NFL player and 4.5 years for an NBA player. Yet, we

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Winter is our summer in Tampa Bay

By Dr. Amy Derick Winter in Florida can be brutal on us, and comical to the rest of the country. But we all know what happens once the temperature hits below 70 degrees. The boots and scarves come out and the fire pit gets lit at night. But the natives will tell you to dress

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Small Business of the Year Spotlight: Yacht Starship Dining Cruises

Yacht Starship Dining Cruises, LLC      Troy Manthey, president and CEO & Jill Manthey, vice president of sales & community relations/owners Year won SBOY: 2016 Number of employees: 225 Year business established: 2001 What does your company do? What makes it unique? Yacht Starship Dining Cruises is the largest operator of dining yachts in Florida, with

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Community banking for community-focused businesses

By Kevin Gilligan, SBA Lending Director at The Bank of Tampa Thanks to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Small Business Administration (SBA) has become a household name—at least within the business community. In actuality, the SBA offers business owners so much more than the PPP. Since its inception, the SBA’s primary mission has been

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