Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles. Carrollwood Magazine. Vol. 9, Issue 12, December 2021 by Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles Magazine

Vol. 9, Issue 12, December 2021

Your community. Your magazine. ™

The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed To 15,000 Homes In Carrollwood, Lake Magdalene & Avila

Mr. Electric Expands, Celebrates Three Years Servicing the Tampa Gulf Region By Deborah Bostock-Kelley Eric Campbell’s company is the fastest-growing Mr. Electric franchise location in the United States. Only opened in 2018, Eric has already outgrown his second location, moving to an expansive space on Waters and Benjamin with additional employees, a larger fleet of recognizable yellow and blue vans – now ten in service, and the addition of a warehouse to store electrical equipment. Recently celebrating his third anniversary, Eric has over 320 positive reviews on Google touting his company and employees’ professionalism serving customers in the Tampa Gulf Region. He and his team have earned the title of Tampa Bay Times” 2021 Best of the Best in Tampa Bay” nominated by his customers. After years of traveling throughout the country for his career, when Eric Campbell finally decided to come off the road, he looked for a franchise business that could be his and his wife, Christy’s legacy. With a healthcare finance and consulting background, Eric searched for a process-oriented business with a customer-centric focus. When he discovered Neighborly, the Mr. Electric brand’s parent company, he knew he had found his perfect match. This was a company that shared his values. “There is a tremendous need in Tampa Bay for quality electricians,” he said. The electric company that a customer selects to perform work in their home should be a licensed electrician, insured, and background and drug checked. Friends of friends or the

INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Editor: Shop Local This Holiday Season................................................5 Tech Talk with Bob: Shop Safely Online.......................................8-9

See “Mr Electric” on page 12

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Shop Local This Holiday Season Holiday Shopping is in full swing, and while online purchases continue to thrive, Tampa Bay streets are getting packaged again, with more people visiting stores and shopping face to face than last year. Even though COVID19 is not entirely behind us, and in certain parts of the world, the numbers continue to rise, Tampa natives, tourists, and snowbirds alike seem to be ready to be out and about and celebrate big this holiday season. During the pandemic, online shopping became the norm. I cannot deny it was fast, convenient, and safe, but was it more affordable, and enjoyable? Not necessarily. Online shopping doesn’t always mean better price or better quality, so beware. I have never been a big fan of online shopping, and I usually end up returning most items. Don’t you miss interacting with real people? Touching things and trying them on to make sure you like them? But mainly, having someone offer their assistance in helping you find that unique gift for that special person? I enjoy being out socializing, and especially during the Holidays. You can feel magic in the air! The whole month of December is full of extraordinary, family-friendly events for you to enjoy. Many stores bring out their holiday merchandise and offer fantastic deals. Most local parks are For Advertising Info 727-943-0551 I info@nnlflorida.com or visit tbnewsandlifestyles.com beautifully decorated with lights and

festive motives. Markets and arts and craft festivals with amazing vendors and blocks full of locally hand-made products will blow your mind! At Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles, we’re all about supporting local! And this month (and always), I encourage you to visit locallyowned shops, where you can find incredibly unique gifts for your loved ones while supporting your own neighbors, friends, and your community members. Multiple Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles advertisers are already offering fabulous deals and spectacular Holiday specials that will last throughout the rest of the year. Whether you’re shopping for clothes, jewelry, wine and spirits, beauty and personal care, sporting equipment or outdoor living, cooking ware, restaurant gift cards, or even a brand new home, you can find your perfect gift right in your neighborhood! Please browse through this and our other digital issues online, and find your perfect gift today! I wish you the best of the season. A healthy and happy holiday and a chance to reflect, recharge and reconnect with your loved ones. Remember always how blessed you are and all the reasons you have to feel thankful for and to celebrate. Until next year, see you in 2022!

Carla M. Dubis Tedeschi. DECEMBER 2021 5

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Tech Talk with Bob: Shop Safely Online

As the holidays quickly approach, I am scrambling to complete my shopping in time. I find I am doing most of my holiday shopping online this year, and you may too. As holiday euphoria sets in, we want to be sure that we do not drop our guard when shopping online. Here’s a few tips to help improve your

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safety posture when it comes to giving others access to your money. First and foremost, do not use your computer for any financial transactions if you are not certain that your computer itself is functioning 100% free of any viruses, spyware, keyloggers, Trojans or any other dangerous software. If you question the integrity of your computer’s safety, you need to have it inspected by a certified professional. You have access to my professional analysts and technicians who thoroughly inspect and scrutinize your system for threats, so you can be sure you are ready for a safer online shopping experience. Second, make sure your computer is using robust antimalware software solutions to protect you. Be sure you always keep that software up

to date too. Third, be certain you also keep your computer’s operating system up to date with all its latest tweaks and security patches. Any security breach discovered in your operating system can leave you exceptionally vulnerable to attackers. Fourth, not only does your computer need to be safe, the network it connects to must also be safe. Only shop online when you are connected to a network you trust. That means use your private home network not some public wi-fi hotspot at a park, restaurant, hotel, waiting room, etc. Any information that you type into any website can be seen and even collected by the owner of the hotspot; or even worse, a malicious attacker who has hacked and taken control of the hotspot. Online shopping

from your private home network is a much safer bet than using any public hotspot. Fifth, use credit cards instead of debit cards for your online purchases. Banks these days are pretty good about protecting their card users against fraud. However, if you should have an issue with a transaction, you’ll have less of a headache if you use your credit card instead of your debit card. Sixth, vet your vendors. Don’t just buy from any website. It is easy for criminals to set up websites. You may stumble onto some sketchy sites while you shop. Be discriminating when it comes to the websites you choose to enter your credit card number into. If your gut doesn’t feel right as you type in your card number… STOP! Only buy from online vendors

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you are comfortable with. Cyber criminals will exploit the easy victims and unprotected systems. Protecting yourself online is your responsibility, but you don’t have to do it all by yourself. I’m here to help you. If you are not sure your system is safe, you need to have me look at it. Call 727-534-4000 right now. We’ve been helping folks restore their peace of mind, and sanity, with their technology for decades. Want a money-saving offer or unique gift idea for the upcoming holidays? Buy one Cybersecurity Scan and GET ONE FREE. Yes, I will scan two computers for the price of one! You can give both scans away to two friends, or you can get your computer scanned and give a friend the gift of a FREE scan. One certificate is only $100 and good through

December 2022. But you will get two Cybersecurity Scan Certificates when you purchase one between now and the end of December 2021. We can easily accommodate your phone order and we accept all major credit cards. Call 727534-4000 to place your order right now. We Keep You Safer In Your Digital World! To my Clients and Readers… A Big THANK YOU. I cherish your loyalty, continued support, and the many friendships made throughout the years. Please take time to be grateful for what you have and treasure your time with family and friends. My wonderfully supportive family and incredible staff wish you and your loved ones Happy Holidays and a Healthy, Safe, and Secure New Year!

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Mr Electric

- story continued from page 1

handyman off Facebook may be cheaper than a licensed and insured company, but in the long run, the cost could be your home or even your life if the electrical work is not done correctly. Some unethical electric companies won’t pull permits. Though it may save the customer money, Hillsborough County will not inspect the work to confirm it was performed according to the National Electrical Code (NEC) standards. “Unfortunately, permits aren’t free, and I get asked, ‘Can’t you do the work without a permit?’” Eric’s answer is always that the company could,

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but he is concerned with the customer’s safety, and his license is at risk if he doesn’t pull a permit. “At the end of the day, the electrical system is the heartbeat of your home, and if something isn’t done correctly, the customer’s home and family may be at risk.” Frequently work done by an unlicensed contractor or untrained handyman necessitates an urgent call to Mr. Electric to repair the repair. Homeowners don’t realize that saving a few dollars could become a dangerous fire hazard. Eric said the most common issue in residential calls is replacing an outdated electrical panel, outlets, wiring, or installing new fixtures. For $249,

customers can have Eric’s expert technician do a home safety check to assure that everything is safe and up-to-code. “We review all of the electrical systems in the home,” he said. “Many people are selling their homes right now, and home inspectors are not electricians. Our inspection is extremely detailed. We walk through our findings and recommendations with the customer.” Eric gave an example of a yellowed smoke detector. Despite regularly replacing batteries, a smoke detector past ten years may not work in an emergency. “A smoke detector has a manufacturer’s lifetime of ten years. This isn’t Mr. Electric telling you this. This

is the Fire Safety Council. A yellow smoke detector is a good indication that it is outdated and should be replaced.” Eric also explained the danger of keeping an electrical panel past its shelf life. “An electrical panel only has a 20 to 25-year life before you should think about replacing it or have someone evaluate it and give you an assessment. “Often, you go into a home to look at a problem with a receptacle or a switch – something going on in a couple of rooms – and we open the panel. We see the panel is 40 years old, the company who manufactured it is no longer around, so we’re unable to get the proper breakers

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that go into it, and they may be a known fire hazard. They’re several panels on a banned list that we run across all too frequently.” Challenger electrical panels pose a safety hazard. The biggest concern for Challengers were their issue with overheating. In turn, that can cause many other issues, like fusing and/or melting, corrosion, or actual fires. Occasionally they don’t trip at all or just may take too long to trip. This is why he recommends replacing Challenger panels.

Eric’s team was recently at a home with a Challenger panel with a burnt busbar caused by overheating. The breakers were tripping, so the homeowner reached out to Mr. Electric to find out why. “We showed the homeowner the burnt busbar and recommended they replace it. We got the job done, and now their home is safe. It was inspected and passed by the City of Tampa.” Replacing an electrical system is a necessary but not inexpensive process. Mr. Electric is one of the few companies that offer 0% financing for 18 months. Many of its customers appreciate this option. “We want to make having a safe home easy for you,” Eric said. “We want you to always think of Mr. Electric when you have other electrical needs in your home or maybe your next home.” Mr. Electric is open weekdays from 8 AM to 5 PM. Call (813) 730-4950 for an appointment or visit mrelectric.com/lutz to learn more information.

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