Entrepreneur Training

Entrepreneur Training Business Classes Doing Business with Pinellas Co. Fast Trac/TechVenture Growth Acceleration Services Business Startup Series How to Start a Business Business Plans Accounting & Tax Procedures Marketing Your Business Websites & Web Marketing Social Media Marketing Calendar and Events Business Classes Events & Opportunities MED Week Conference Pinellas County Finance Fair    Permits, Licenses, Taxes for Unicorporated Pinellas County *Important: Pinellas has 24 incorporated municipalities. You MUST contact the municipality in which your business resides to obtain the necessary licenses and permits to operate within that jurisdiction. Permiting/Codes (Unicorp.Pinellas) Construction Licensing Board Occupational Licenses (Unicorp.Pinellas) Florida Dept. of Professional Regulation Tax Summary   Entrepreneur Tools Disaster Planning Financing International Trade     Investment Tools / Incentives        Research Tools 2010 City Data 2010 County Data County Profiles Largest Employers (Largest & HQ by Sales) Links to Research Resources Retail, Office and Industrial Vacancy Rates    Partner Links FL High Tech Corridor (FHTC) FL Small Bus.Dev.Ctr. (SBDC) Florida Venture Forum SBIR/STTR Programs Small Business Administration (SBA) SPC Corporate Training Tampa Bay Innovation Center Tampa Bay Tech. Forum (TBTF) Virtual Entreprenuer Center (FHTC)   Networking Directory Find a Vendor/Supplier    Add your company (no cost)    Success Stories Adaptation: the Secret to Success Recipe for Business Success Passion for Fashion in Largo Florida Learning Curve Dorosinski Campbell Design Savannas - Growing in Pinellas

Pinellas County - The Perfect Place for Stand Up Fitness Brody Welte came to Florida looking for the ideal location in which to start a new stand up paddling business - he found that location in Pinellas County.  Welte launched Stand Up Fitness in 2008 and credits both the area's natural assets and its business-friendly climate for the company's success.  "Our beautiful waterways - from canals, lakes, and rivers to Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico - offer endless opportunities for enjoying stand up paddling," he explains.  "Combined with the healthy lifestyle available here and the fantastic wildlife in the water, Pinellas County was the perfect place for us to start Stand Up Fitness."  Welte and Stand Up Fitness have also benefitted from the business assistance provided through the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Pinellas County Economic Development.   Click here to read more of this story. Handyman Matters: Small Business, Big Success in Pinellas  For more than two years, Julie Daniels, owner of Handyman Matters in Palm Harbor, Florida, has found great success as a small business owner.  Despite the challenges of running a small business in a tough economy, the retired U.S. Air Force captain continues to move ahead, growing her franchise nearly 200% over the past year.  “It’s been a terrific run,” Daniels attests, “and I’m nowhere near stopping yet!  I’ve been working with Pinellas County’s Small Business Development Center the past eight months, exploring opportunities that will allow Handyman Matters to continue building, literally and figuratively.”  Handyman Matters offers professional assistance with everyday home repairs, improvements, and remodels across the United States and Canada.  Drawing on previous experience on construction sites and her determination to open her own business, Daniels purchased a Handyman Matters franchise in 2008.  Read more. Adaptation: the Secret to Success: Regina Invandino, owner of Cappuccino’s Altro Posto Café in Dunedin, Florida, says the secret to her success is adaptation. Whether to new trends, the neighbors or the current economic climate, Cappuccino’s has remained successful for seven years by adapting to changing conditions.  Explains Invandino, “In business, you have to be willing to try new things.  If they don’t work you move on.”  And working closely with Pinellas County Economic Development has provided Invandino with the tools and resources necessary to build success through adaptation. Read more here. The Small Business Development Center at Pinellas County conducts over 100 training seminars.  We can help you start or grow your business in Pinellas County. Resources: Business Classes Doing Business with Pinellas County Minority Business Enterprise Certification HBIF/Presentado En Espanol Events Calendar     Pinellas County Business Startup Series - The Pinellas County Business Development Center offers entrepreneurial training for businesses. Six core seminars will serve as a road map for developing a business plan.   Build your blueprint for success with these core business development seminars: 1. How To Start A Business 2. Business Plans 3. Accounting and Tax Procedures 4. Marketing Your Business 5. Websites and Web Marketing 6. Social Network Media Marketing   The SBDC at Pinellas County Economic Development is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide service network funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.  All opinions, conclusions, or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.   Business Assistance Counselor at Chamber/Partner Locations:   St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce 1st Wednesday of Each Month 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 100 2nd Ave. N., Suite 150, St. Petersburg, FL  33701 Phone:  (727) 821-4069 Email:   Rita Wesley at rwesley@st.pete.org   Dunedin Chamber of Commerce 2nd Wednesday of Each Month 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 301 Main St., Dunedin, FL  34698-5764 Phone:  (727)733-3197 Email: Julie Roberts at jroberts@dunedin-fl.com     Palm Harbor Library 2nd Wednesday of Each Month 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 2330 Nebraska Ave., Palm Harbor, FL 34683 Phone (727) 784-3332 Email: Jenee Skipper at jeneeskipper.brns@gmail.com   Upper Tampa Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce 3rd Wednesday of Each Month 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 163 State Rd. 580 W., Oldsmar, FL  34677 Phone (813) 855-4233 Email Jerry Peruzzi at jperuzzi@utbchamber.com    Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber 4th Wednesday of Each Month 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. St. Pete Beach Office, 6990 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, FL  33706 Phone:  (727) 360-6957 Email Mike McElvogue at mike@tampabaybeaches.com