Cover Stories

It’s like the internet meme of where it started and where it ended up. Danny Persaud had dreams of attending Florida State University but he didn’t have a way to pay for it. So, he slept in his car outside of campus for three weeks, looking for work and trying to figure out how to

Joy Gendusa says she was a ‘ne’er-do-well’ young person. This self-deprecating style of humor couldn’t be more genuine, or endearing, than it is coming from her. With her perseverance, and tenacity, it’s hard to believe it was ever true. Nevertheless, it certainly couldn’t be attributed at this point in her life. Gendusa used her wits

Photos by Michael McCoy This is a story of a little boy who was born to a large family in India and had large ambitions for success. After seizing any, and every, opportunity to pursue education, he found himself in the United States … with only a few hundred bucks in his pocket. That little

Scott Fink has come a long way, in a lot of ways. He was raised in the projects of Brooklyn, New York, and through what he calls “being opportunistic,” has amassed an auto empire here in the Tampa Bay area—the Fink Auto Group. Fink Auto Group includes Genesis of New Port Richey, Volkswagen of New

One day, not too long ago, Erin Meagher was reading information about the benefits of coconut oil. Some of those benefits claimed it could help with brain and heart health, and even weight management, because it boosts metabolism. “I thought if this is real, why isn’t everyone using it?” Meagher says. “These are the three

Growing up, Tony DiBenedetto experienced firsthand what the common phrase “it takes a village” really means. At a young age, DiBenedetto found himself, essentially, caring for himself. When others his age were planning for homecoming he was couchsurfing, grateful for a place to sleep. He was, what he describes, a little “rough around the edges.”

Hugh Campbell spent 10 years in active duty with the United States Army, but he’d never hurt a fly. What he did have was a unique ability to assist operations through advanced communications, and a knack for understanding technology. Currently, he’s the co-founder and president at AC4S Technologies in Tampa. He’s also the chairman of

Randall Thompson owes a lot of his major life moments to a baseball field. Born and raised in Orlando, Thompson grew up near a field, an intentional decision on his father’s part. He wanted his son to play ball. Once he stepped onto the field, he realized that it was where he would spend his

Graduating from college during the Great Recession of the late 2000s was a daunting experience, indeed. It was hard for young graduates to be picky about their career offerings—there weren’t very many. It was the same for Ali St. Cyr, now broker and owner of Tomlin St. Cyr Real Estate Services, in Tampa. Like a

Greg Celestan’s biography might be a tad intimidating, at first glance. A New Yorker, a graduate of West Point and a retired Army veteran leading U.S. and foreign military personnel. After a quick meeting with him, it’s evident that, while his resume is impressive, the man before you is a humble guy with a great love

Kevin Hourigan has one of those stories that, at first glance, might feel like you’ve heard it before. Born and raised in the Northeast, once he found his way to sunny Florida, he never looked back. Hourigan had an idea, ambition and drive and found success, after years of hard work and constant determination. Sounds

A deep look at Tampa entrepreneur Harry Hedaya and the resilience, setbacks and grit that shaped his career.