August 2016 Southwest Florida Business Today

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IN THE NEWS

Charlotte commissioners earn recognitions

The Florida Association of Counties presented Charlotte County Commission Chairman Bill Truex and Commissioner Chris Constance with the Presidential Advocacy Award during the 2016 FAC Annual Conference & Exposition in Orange County.

“It is an honor to receive this award and be part of such an outstanding group of local legislators and advocates,” said Constance, the organization’s incoming presidentelect. “Our team comprises some of the most compassionate hearts and capable minds working on behalf of Florida’s citizens.”

Distributed in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs and Naples

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Officials OK pilot program

Michigan university to offer aviation, health degree classes in Charlotte Co.

Western Michigan University has cleared the gate to offer aviation and other high-profile academic programs in Charlotte and Hillsborough counties.

Florida’s Commission for Independent Education approved a provisional license for the Kalamazoo, Michiganbased university to operate a Florida campus at 26300 Airport Road in Punta Gorda. A second provisional license will allow WMU to operate a campus at 9445 Camden Field Parkway in Riverview. The Riverview location is home to WMU Cooley Law School.

The license allows WMU, Charlotte County, the Punta Gorda Airport and Florida SouthWestern University to launch pilot training and aviation maintenance technology

“

The more we looked at this area, the more we became aware of the kind of synergy that will make this a strong and long-lasting partnership.

– John M. Dunn, WMU President

“

Vol. 9 No. 10 / AUGUST 2016 www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com

programs -- each leading to a bachelor’s degree. Discussions on that initiative have been underway since 2014.

WMU See page 3

FORT MYERS MAKING TRASH A BIT MORE BEAUTIFUL

COUNTY See page 9

Oakbrook Properties buys limestone mine

Oakbrook Properties Inc., a local owner and developer of residential and commercial real estate, has bought the 1,268-acre Bonita Grande mine property in Bonita Springs.

The sale closed July 1. The terms were not disclosed.

The property, which has operated as an active limestone mine since the late 1980s, was annexed into the city of Bonita Springs in 2003. More than 370 acres are protected under a permanent conservation easement, with another 400-plus acres in large freshwater lakes from the mining operations.

MINE See page 9

Chocolate maker wins awards in world contest

Austria-based chocolate maker Zotter, with a store and warehouse in Cape Coral, won 15 awards from the Academy of Chocolate in London.

Zotter submitted 17 chocolates in various categories, including highpercentage dark chocolate to chocolates with fillings. The company won two gold awards, eight silver awards and five bronze.

The company’s chocolates are 100 percent organic and fair trade.

Zotter winners include Redcurrant Chilli Rock, Lemon Curd + Orange Lord, Bacon Bits, Carmelized Nuts, Labooko Raspberry, Labooko Coffee, and Zotter-Biofekt CurrantLavender Pot. The local shop is at 1020 NE Pine Island Road, #302, Cape Coral. For information, www.zotterusa.com.

Reprinted with permission of the City of Cape Coral.

The editors of Fleet Magazine awarded the editor’s choice award to the City of Fort Myers’ Solid Waste Division for its graphics in its 2016 Vehicle Graphics Awards.

City’s refuse trucks win design award The editors of Fleet Magazine said the City of Fort Myers knows how to make trash beautiful.

It awarded the editor’s choice award to the city’s Solid Waste Division for its striking graphics in its 2016 Vehicle Graphics Awards.

Designer Pearl Brands worked with graphics supplier Signarama, both Fort Myers businesses, for the design on 15 compressed natural gas refuse trucks.

The editors, in announcing the decision in June, called the design “stun-

Pearl Brands and Signarama worked on the design for the trucks. ning in every sense of the word.”

“The city has adopted a graphic s campaign that ties preservation and

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V I S I T O U R U P D AT E D W E B S I T E !

sustainability together in a vivid reminder of why area residents choose to live in Fort Myers in the first place,” the editors wrote.

The designs incorporate a Mason jar on its side and include a sea turtle swimming inside, a bird, palm tree or a nature trail.

“You will see how Fort Myers stepped out with this new technology for their trucks and how they stuck with local business companies,” said Jeff Bayer of Signarama.

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

AUGUST 2016

Female entrepreneurs learn how to launch a business

Women who want to start their own businesses have an opportunity to find out more during a conference geared to them.

The Entrepreneurial Spirit Program (E$P), a conference and networking event, is from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Dress for Success SW Florida Career Center, 12995 Cleveland Ave., Suite 153 in Fort Myers.

It features four local business leaders providing the information, resources and confidence to get attendees’ dreams off the ground.

The E$P Dream Team includes Gail Markham, founding partner of public accounting and business consulting firm Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co.; Barbara Melvin, owner of BMR-Melvin Consult-

ing; Attorney Christina Harris Schwinn of Pavese Law Firm; and Connie Ramos-Williams, president and chief marketing officer of CONRIC PR & Marketing.

Markham will speak on entrepreneurship and accounting. Small business loans will be the focus of Melvin’s presentation. Ramos-Williams will address marketing on a shoestring budget. Schwinn will dis-

cuss the ins and out of incorporation, plus intellectual property and employment law.

Attendees will receive a certificate of completion.

A suggested donation of $20 includes lunch. Registration is required at 239-689-4992 or susanne@dfsswflorida.org.

Debunking some of the misconceptions in world of web design You’ve been sold a bag of goods, and it makes me mad. But, what makes me happiest is sitting down with business owners like you and working together to sort through the misinformation and help you to spend money on the online marketing tools and techniques that will bring you business. As a point of reference, we went through a similar process with a new client reducing their cost/lead to $200 from around $800.

They promptly switched much of their budget online.

The following 10 items are huge misconceptions in the world of web design. I’ve found that industries that are “progressive” in their promotion of Internet marketing (real estate, consumer products, high ticket items like cars, etc.) are sometimes the worst offenders.

Your website requires management Unless you’re constantly making updates to your site, your website should not cost anything on a monthly basis.

And if you are making a bunch of updates you should be using technology that frees you from your web development company anyway – a content management system – that lets you make updates for free.

Search Engines are a Mystery Search Engines, are simple, they read content and sort that content by what they think is most valuable. They determine what’s most valuable by a ton of different factors, but for your sake just understand that the higher quality your site (the better the code), the more you update it, and the more people that talk about your site (on and

BY ZACH KATKIN off the web), the better you will do.

Guest Columnist A website is all you need Many owners believe a website to be like a business card – just another necessity of business to look legitimate. But a website is so much more, and needs to be treated as such. It’s a 24/7 sales tool, 24/7 support tool, and can actually bring customers in the door through search engines and other marketing.

Your website will just bring you business A website alone is like a building in the desert – you must build in-roads, put up signs and banners, and still get the word out about your new “online building.” Marketing, is vital to success online.

You can/can’t do this web stuff You can do most of the important stuff when it comes to the web – yes you, laymen tech person. Writing is the most important skill any web marketer can have – so brush up on those writing skills. Now, there will be times when things get technical, and that’s why I suggest surrounding yourself with tools (or a team) that can help…

See five more web development lies in the September issue of Southwest Florida Business Today.

Zach Katkin is the co-founder & CEO of the Bonita Springs based web development and Internet marketing firm Atilus. He is a Certified Google Professional, author, and lover of technology. He helps Atilus stay out ahead of online marketing trends and loves driving results for Atilus’ clients.

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AUGUST 2016

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 3

Make sure to look before taking a new business leap Q: I am thinking of starting a lawn care business.

What should I consider before taking the plunge?

A: By far the greatest challenge for small businesses is a lack of working capital. Most start-ups fail in the first two years. Borrowed money may not be the solution as it only adds to your monthly cash outlays.

A lawn care business requires the purchase or lease of a truck, trailer, machinery and equipment before you can begin operations. It takes time to build customer relationships to the point your monthly income exceeds your monthly expenses, usually six to nine months.

Before you invest the first dime take the time to research and develop a written business plan that anticipates start-up expenses, monthly expenses, competitive advantages, and marketing strategies.

SCORE provides a link to an outline for a startup business plan, an Excel spreadsheet to calculate start-up expenses and 12 months cash flow. Log on to tinyurl.com/hesk37a to access these and other forms

to help you understand what is needed to operate a successful business.

The real value of creating a business plan is in researching and thinking about your business in a systematic way. The act of planning helps you think things through thoroughly.

Study and research if you are not sure of the facts, and look at your ideas critically. It takes time now, but avoids costly,

BY GRAY perhaps disastrous, mistakes POEHLER later.

Guest Columnist Begin by estimating start-up expenses. What will it cost to get your business running? The key to accuracy is attention to detail. For each category of expense, draw up a list of everything you will need to buy. This will include tangible assets (equipment & inventory) and necessary services (le-

gal, insurance, etc). Then determine where you might purchase these goods and services. While price is important, so is quality and reliable service.

You cannot open with an empty bank account. You need a cash cushion to meet expenses until you reach the break-even point. You should do a 12-month cash flow projection. This is where you will work out your estimate of monthly working capital needs. Expenses should be carefully researched. Add a reserve for contingencies. Income projections should be conservative and allow for seasonal adjustment.

Bottom line, cash is king and unless you have saved a sufficient amount wait until you do before “taking the plunge.”

Gray Poehler is a volunteer with SCORE Naples.

Their counselors can assist and offer advice concerning management issues facing your small business. To register for free counseling or have a question, call 239-430-0081 or fill out the form located at naples. score.org/mentors

LandQwest selected to lease retail center on US 41

WMU PAGE 1

LandQwest Commercial will complete leasing a hightraffic center at 3440 Tamiami Trail in Naples.

Veteran retail specialist Bob Pekol, of LandQwest Commercial, represents the owner as the exclusive leasing representative.

He will entice service, retail and restaurant users to the strip center anchored by Dunkin’ Donuts.

The 5,060-square-foot retail center is in the Courthouse Shadows Shopping Center, in front of the proposed

“I’ve been so impressed, and it has been such a pleasure to work with the WMU professional staff, administration and board of trustees,” said Bill Truex, chairman of the Charlotte County Board of Commissioners.

“They are all truly committed to this initiative.”

The two provisional licenses also make possible a number of other WMU graduate and undergraduate programs.

Degree programs in physician assistant and interdisciplinary health services could be offered through the Punta Gorda campus, for instance, while degree programs in vision rehabilitation therapy and engineering management are potential offerings in Riverview.

According to University officials, there is a significant match between the communities’ needs and interests and the University’s particular areas of nationally recognized academic expertise.

“The more we looked at this area, the more we became aware of the kind of synergy that will make this a strong and long-lasting partnership,” WMU President John M. Dunn said.

“Our alumni and University supporters are thrilled that WMU will become an economic and cultural force in the area, and we’ve been pleased with the foresight and commitment to economic development that local officials have exhibited throughout the process.”

Final approval for WMU program offerings must come from the Higher Learning Commission, which is the University’s accreditation body.

“WMU has great depth and breadth of research and academic expertise, and we’ve all been very thoughtful about selecting programs to bring to the area,” said Dr. Dawn Gaymer, WMU associate provost for Extended University Programs.

Aviation and health care are two industries with incredible potential in Florida and across the country, she said. WMU operates aviation programs at its College of Aviation in Battle Creek, Michigan. That campus is about to undertake a $20 million expansion to meet the demand for aviation professionals.

With current industry professionals retiring and the FAA predicting that flight travel will double by 2032, the industry is faced with the need for more than a million highly skilled new professionals by 2034.

www.swfloridabusinesstoday.com PUBLISHER Karen P. Moore PRINT EDITOR S. M. Henson SOCIAL MEDIA Angelica Torres WEB DESIGNER & EDITOR Michelle L. Hudson

All other information requests: publisher@ swfloridabusinesstoday.com The contents of Southwest Florida Business Today are copyright 2013 by Southwest Florida Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be reproduced without the express written consent of Southwest Florida Newspapers, Inc. The publication of any advertisement or article does not necessarily reflect the view of the publisher of Southwest Florida Business Today. For more information about any article or column appearing in Southwest Florida Business Today, for advertising rates or subscription information please call 239-573-9732 or email: publisher@ swfloridabusinesstoday.com

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

AUGUST 2016

Uncommon Friends seeking ethics award nominees

Nominations for the Uncommon Friends Business Ethics Award are being accepted.

The award winner will be unveiled at the Uncommon Friends Foundation Uncommon Evening annual gala will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 3.

Nominees from any of Southwest Florida’s five counties who consistently demonstrate a systemwide commitment to high business ethics are eligible to apply. Anyone can nominate a deserving company, including themselves, at uncommonfriends.org/business-ethics.

The annual awards program will feature tours of the historic home, followed by outdoor dining and entertainment as the sun sets over the Caloosahatchee River.

The Uncommon Friends Foundation will announce the winners of the ethics award, student scholarships, and the Character Education Champion Teacher.

All money raised supports the Uncommon Friends Foundation and its work in character education, promoting ethics in business, student schol-

arships, and historic preservation of the Burroughs Home and James Newton Archives.

The foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1993 and dedicated to lifelong character building among today’s youth and business leaders.

The evening is at the Gale McBride Pavilion on the grounds of the historic Burroughs Home & Gardens at 2505 First St., downtown Fort Myers.

For information on sponsorships, table purchases and tickets for Uncommon Evening, contact angela@uncommonfriends.org or call 239-337-9503.

Tips for start-up businesses Small businesses total nearly 30 million in America and account for 54 percent of all U.S. sales.

Small businesses also provide 55 percent of all jobs and two thirds of all net new jobs since 1970. Yet many small business owners struggle to work and also operate a successful and profitable enterprise. Having a good team of trusted advisors, including a good CPA/ accountant, can surely increase the odds of success.

Here are a few tips to consider when starting up a business or growing it to the next level: Choose the proper business entity When someone forms a new business, there are several options to consider, depending on how the owner wants to operate that business, for legal and tax purposes. The owner should consult a CPA and/or an attorney to decide whether the business should be set up as an S corporation or an LLC, or perhaps some other business entity. If the business just has one owner, for instance, it could be set up as a sole proprietorship, (which could be a single member LLC.) Each one of these choices has potential legal and tax consequences, so it’s important to reach a studied conclusion with reference to the business goals.

How to fund a new business Obviously a new business is very difficult to finance at a bank. Unless you’re using a personal asset as collateral for the bank, they’re not going to fund a brand new business. It’s usually the responsibility of the business owner to find financial resources outside of a bank. It could be from personal savings or a personal loan. A lot of small businesses fail because they fail to adequately determine

what the true capital requirements are. They run out of money before they actually get the business off the ground.

Lots of businesses fail due to lack of capital. A lot of times this is the result of not

BY JOHN DAVIS filing and paying Guest Columnist taxes on time.

The owner is not filing and paying the taxes on time because the business doesn’t have the capital. These two things go hand-in-hand.

Know your numbers It’s critical for small business owners, first of all, to do a projection before opening the business, to help them identify the expenses that are going to occur and to make sure they can generate enough revenue to cover those expenses. Most small business owners do not adequately plan before they start their businesses. This can be accomplished by doing sales and expense projections, which of course would then help determine what the capital requirements are.

See the next issue of Southwest Florida Business Today for the conclusion of this guest column.

Davis and Associates Certified Public Accountants, serving SWFL since 2008, has offices in Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Port Charlotte and Naples. Information, www.johndaviscpa.com or 239-444-5945.

More residential properties in SWFL

More properties are hitting the market in Lee County, data recently released from Florida Realtors indicates.

May saw an active jump in active listings for single-family homes and condos, while the number of closed sales didn’t reflect the inventory.

Active listings of single-family homes were up 14 percent in May, compared to the same period in 2015.

Condos and townhomes saw a surge of inventory, nearly 36 percent increase year over year.

The number of closed sales on single-family homes barely changed from 2015, with one fewer closed sale this year. There was a 6 percent drop in condo sales for the same time period.

Median sale price for single-family homes increased almost 5 percent, to $225,000 in 2016. Last year, the median price was $215,000.

Condo prices dropped from a median $190,000 to $185,000 The median time to contract dropped year-over-year to 60 days from 64.

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AUGUST 2016

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 5

Faith-based commercial cleaning services opens Office Pride, a commercial cleaning, janitorial and total floor care company, is opening a franchise office serving Fort Myers and surrounding communities.

Bill and Crystal Staggs have owned and operated a family business for the past 6 years. They believe in operating an honest business with service you can trust by incorporating their faith in God into every aspect of their business.

What started out as a small cleaning and maintenance service to residential clients has grown into commercial cleaning, biohazard cleaning, window and carpet cleaning, and now a member of the Office Pride Franchise family.

Bill Staggs was an electrician and electrical foreman. Crystal Staggs worked in medical billing and coding. She left that position in 2012 to homeschool their four children and assist in running the family business.

Office Pride is a faith-based, nationwide, commercial cleaning franchise, headquartered in Palm Harbor. Biblical principles are the foundation of Office Pride.

Office Pride, 10231 Metro Pkwy, Unit 104B, Fort Myers, cleans on a month-to-month basis and “re-earn” their customer’s business each time they clean. It uses a color-coded

Bill and Crystal Staggs have owned and operated a family business for the past 6 years. cleaning system for customer safety and protection. It eliminates crosscontamination between restrooms, exam rooms, breakrooms, offices, etc.

You can reach owners Bill and Crystal at BillStaggs@OfficePride. com or CrystalStaggs@OfficePride. com or call (239)368-1219. For more info, go to www.officepride. com

Greeters improve the value of the customer’s experience

By McDowell Bryson Guest Columnist

As an authority on the concierge profession, customer service and, most recently, the role of the greeter in retail marketing, I am interested in local businesses’ efforts to create a position combining these talents to enhance customer loyalty and sales. I have been the concierge and concierge manager in New York’s finest hotels, have written the only textbook for teaching the concierge profession as well as numerous articles on travel, customer service, and quality. The goal, of course, is sales … always sales.

Retail store managers frequently do not understand the customer-service concept. They are trained to think in terms of the bottom line: immediate sales and immediate profits. This is different than the approach of customerservice providers, whether it is a concierge or a greeter, whose first concern is what is best for their guest. It’s not always what the hotel or store is promoting and selling, and that raises the question of a quick buck or a life-long relationship. Smart management knows there is more profit in loyal, repeat customers than a one-time sale.

As a concierge or greeter, I don’t usually sell products in the same way that a salesperson does. I sell the company’s welcoming image of service, trustworthiness, and overall customer service to create the desire on the part of the customer to stay in my hotel or buy in my store and to return frequently -- to think of me and my property first. I provide a warm, friendly, and increasingly personal welcome as the customer en-

ters the store. I provide information, advice and directions to products. I talk to customers to create relationships. Any 5-star hotel manager will tell you this is why guests return to his hotel. They return for the concierge and the level of service he provides. All stores have the same products. They compete on price, location, and, most importantly, level of service.

Low prices are no longer enough.

Low prices are easily available on the Internet or from special sales at your competitors. Many customers at Ace told me they shopped at Ace rather than Home Depot because Ace had a greeter … a person at the entrance who knew where everything was and could direct them to the products.

They trusted me not only to direct them to products, suggest alternate ones or additional items but to warn them away from purchases that they would only have to return later. The latter not only saved the store a lot of employee labor and expense processing returns, it increased the level of personal trust.

The greeter must be able to relate to his clientele, deal with problems, recognize possible sales trends, and provide management with feedback about customer wants and needs. The manager must recognize the value of the greeter’s position at the entrance where he seemingly chats and has a good time all day. Of course he smiles and laughs.

What customer wants to be greeted with a scowl? And if he’s not having a good time helping customers, he is the wrong person for the job.

Reach McDowell Bryson at aziminski@live.com

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Page 6

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

AUGUST 2016

Legal definition of exempt and nonexempt employees changed

By Belinda Waggoner Guest Columnist The U.S. Department of Labor has just announced an increase in the wage threshold amounts for determining whether an employee is exempt (salaried) or nonexempt (hourly and, thus, overtime eligible).

The new rules are set to take effect in December and could entitle more than 4.2 million workers to overtime pay.

Put simply, more of your employees may now be entitled to more pay under federal law by the end of the year.

Exempt vs. Nonexempt First, it’s really imperative that you understand the differences between an exempt and a nonexempt employee as the rules currently stand. These rules are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, and it’s an area where business owners often struggle. If you are not familiar with the difference between exempt and nonexempt, the Labor Department has a good explanation at 1.usa.gov/1LsM4UQ. Many mistakenly believe they can just put a person on salary because the person always works exactly 40 hours or the person has an advanced degree so therefore they qualify. But that isn’t necessarily the case.

It’s the job employees have with you that dictates whether they are ex-

empt or nonexempt. For instance, if a lawyer with an advanced degree is working as a paralegal, you might be tempted to call that person exempt, but that’s not correct, because the paralegal job does not qualify for exemption. Therefore, the person in that role is nonexempt and is eligible for overtime.

In most states, overtime is paid at 1.5 times the base hourly rate and owed when an employee works more than 40 hours per week in any one workweek.

What’s changing?

There are actually a couple of proposed changes, but the biggest (and potentially the thorniest) is probably the wage threshold.

Assuming that other exemption requirements are met (and please, please, please familiarize yourself with the rules at the link above) employees can be considered exempt (or salaried) if they are paid $455 per week on a salary basis or just $23,660 annually. The new rules, starting on Dec. 1, 2016, will raise this amount to $913 per week or $47,476 annually.

And this is where you need to pay attention. Even if you currently have employees on staff that have positions that are considered exempt or salaried under all other provisions of the regulations, if they are making less than OVERTIME See page 9

刀攀愀挀栀 吀栀漀甀猀愀渀搀猀 漀昀 倀漀琀攀渀琀椀愀氀 一攀眀 䌀甀猀琀漀洀攀爀猀 眀椀琀栀⸀⸀⸀

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Key West Express a conduit to paradise

Key West is the ideal getaway destination for busy working local residents and their families and friends.

In only a few short hours you can lose yourself in the laid back, slow BY JOHN BARRY paced tranquil- Guest Columnist ity of island life with Fort Myers Beach-based Key West Express.

Step aboard one of the high-speed ferries, kick back, enjoy the gulf water and salt air while sipping a tropical adult beverage or enjoying a family-friendly movie. Key West is 180 miles from Florida’s Gulf Coast. Crystal blue water and balmy weather make it one of the nation’s best destinations for diving, fishing, sailing and watersports.

Closer to Cuba than the continental U.S., Cuban culture shines through in history, dining, art and music. There are more than 20 live music venues as well as three professional theaters.

Chefs create culinary dreams from the Caribbean’s fresh bounty.

What have you been waiting for? Escape for a day or an extended stay! Your

Key West is 180 miles from Florida’s Gulf Coast. adventure begins the moment you step aboard. Relax and catch some rays on the sundeck with the wind in your hair as you travel aboard the jet powered catamarans of Key West Express, 1200 Main St, Fort Myers Beach.

A native Floridian, John Barry looks forward to welcoming your group of 15 or more aboard the Key West Express offering deep discounted fares. For information, call (239) 463-5733 or go to www.keywestexpress.net

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AUGUST 2016

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 7

Advice for times when you have to say ‘You’re fired’

By John Tschohl Guest Columnist

Ashley Skalecki, Nick Saracione, Sydney Roberts at the ‘In Your Future’ summit hosted by the Bonita Springs young professionals group.

Young professionals host ‘In Your Future’ summit Young professionals are experts at schmoozing. After listening to speakers and attending sessions on personal and professional leadership development at the second “In Your Future” summit June 22, they mingled at the Schmoozapalooza, a networking event sponsored by Rosier Insurance.

Sponsored by Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals, the attendees met at FGCU’s Cohen Center. The group’s mission is to develop the region’s future leaders by creating a foundation for networking, education, employment, and philanthropy. Information, 239-992-2943 or www.BonitaSpringsChamber.com.

Claire Gorman and Angela Kunkle

Firing someone can seem heartless, but in actuality, continuing to employ people who routinely fail is a disservice to them and your organization.

Constant failure breeds more disappointment and rubs off on everyone else. You can’t let a non-performing employee’s attitude or actions infect the rest of your team. The other members of your team notice when you give a pass to someone else. They will question your ability to make decisions and will resent you for relying on them to pick up the slack.

Non-performers will infect other members of your team. They will impact other departments and can potentially leave you without a job. You are responsible for your employees; and if they are failing, so will you.

Give advanced warning. In some cases, it’s necessary (perhaps because of company policies) and or desirable to let someone know the writing is on the wall and that they’ll be terminated if they don’t make needed improvements. Unless the performance/behavior at issue is especially offensive—sexual harassment, for instance, is grounds for immediate termination – sometimes the employee can turn things around.

You can set up an initial meeting to lay out the fact that things aren’t looking good for them, and to let them know the situation can be turned around with

some measurable goals being met within a certain timeframe, generally 30-90 days. There is a standard action plan for this called a Performance Improvement Plan. Once the “probation” period is up, if the employee still isn’t up to snuff, they know what’s coming, and are fired. This also gives the employee the chance to resign and exit gracefully themselves within that timeframe should they choose.

When this type of performance plan is put in place, it’s common for that to happen.

The phrase “I should have fired them a long time ago” should not be uttered from your lips. Just do it as soon as a decision has been made.

Firing an employee will be awkward and uncomfortable no matter what, but there are a few things to make it a little less painful for everyone involved. You also want to protect your legal and financial interests, which can easily be forgotten in this process. Below you’ll find tips that will help guide you through the process: Get to it swiftly Act quickly once the decision is made, It’s better for everyone involved.

Tell them the truth This isn’t a time for idle chitchat. Get right down to business.

Say they are “terminated” It’s as simple as “I have some bad news for you.

Today is your last day here.” Then state the reason for termination in one simple FIRING See page 9

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Ray Higdon, Stacey Adams, Traci McKee, Christine Ross, Bryon McCartney, and Sarah Owen.

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Page 8

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

AUGUST 2016

‘Perfect Storm’ captain to headline Blue Chip Awards

Legendary U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Larry Brudnicki will deliver the keynote speech during the 22nd Annual Southwest Florida Blue Chip Community Award luncheon.

Sponsored by BB&T- Oswald Trippe and Company and BB&T Bank, the event will take place Nov. 3 at Harborside Event Center in downtown Fort Myers.

The annual Blue Chip Award program recognizes small business owners who have overcome adversity to achieve success.

Brudnicki was the commanding officer of the

Coast Guard cutter Tamaroa in New Castle, New Hampshire, where he performed two dramatic rescues during the worst weather in more than 100 years. This event became known as “The Perfect Storm” and inspired The New York Times best-selling book and the blockbuster movie starring George L. Brudnicki Clooney and Mark Wahlberg.

Brudnicki retired from the Coast Guard in March 2002 after 30 years of active duty.

He supervised more than 15,000 search-and-rescue cases, which saved property valued at $135 million and more than 1,600 lives. He also supervised the search for survivors of the Alaska Air Flight 261 tragedy.

In retirement, Brudnicki uses the experience he gained from high-risk missions with international visibility to deliver his message of leadership, teamwork and risk management.

For information on the luncheon or to submit a nomination, contact Stacey Mercado at 239-4337189 or SMercado@BBandT.com.

Fischler facilitates Cape Coral building sale

Fischler Property Co. is celebrating its negotiation of the sale of a fivestory, multi-tenant office building just south of the Midpoint Bridge and Veterans Parkway in Cape Coral.

“I think this is an important sale,” said Michael F. Curran, who acted as Fischler’s transaction broker to facilitate and negotiate a short sale agreement. “This was one of Cape Coral’s most visible office buildings, and it was languishing for needed improvements.

The 51,000-plus-square-foot building, at 2503 Del Prado Blvd., was built in 1990 and includes a four-lane bank drive-thru and was previously occupied by Bank United. It vacated in early 2015.

The largest remaining tenant is Avalon Engineering.

“When it lost the first-floor bank it lost its identity,” Curran said of the building. “Banks have downsized their branch footprints as their industry has modernized with self-serve technology and increased online banking. This

The 51,000-plus-square-foot building, at 2503 Del Prado Blvd., was built in 1990 and includes a four-lane bank drive-thru and was previously occupied by Bank United. It vacated in early 2015. sale will bring needed renovations.”

The buyer is Royal Palm Coast Holdings, a Florida corporation representing Royal Palm Coast Realtors Association (Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Ft Myers Beach).

The sale represents one of the largest office building sales in Lee County for 2016.

For information about Fischler Property Co., visit fischlerco.com or call 239-288-9754.

Program safeguards against cyber attacks With more than 100,000 cyber attacks on Department of Defense networks a day, it’s critical for contractors to safeguard information and report cyber attacks.

That’s why Sera-Brynn, a Virginia-based global cybersecurity auditor, has teamed with leading industry partners in the financial services sector to provide an innovative DFARS Compliance solution to government contractors that won’t cost them to become compliant.

In addition to providing a proprietary methodology to meet NIST 800-171 requirements simply and efficiently, Sera-Brynn’s holistic approach ensures the proper categorization of cost structures to help government contractor clients recoup the costs of compliance through GAAP, DCAA, and Federal Acquisition Regula-

ATTACKS See page 9

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AUGUST 2016

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

FIRING PAGE 7

“We’ve developed a proven process to help our clients meet their mandatory requirements with minimal disruption to business operations,” said Heather Engel, SeraBrynn’s Executive vice president of Risk and Compliance. “Our goal is to help them meet regulatory criteria and reduce risk with minimal hassle.”

As a globally recognized cybersecurity auditor staffed by former defense contractors, Sera-Brynn is uniquely positioned to help clients meet and certify DFARS compliance.

Engel said that many contractors will require six to 12 months of procedural updates and process implementation to achieve full compliance by the December 2017 deadline.

ATTACKS PAGE 8 tion/Cost Accounting Standards approved processes.

All government contractors that perform work with the DoD, directly or indirectly, are required to comply with the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 252.204-7012 (Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting).

This rule covers protection of Covered Defense Information, or “CDI,” and reporting requirements in the event of a suspected compromise.

Requirements for protecting CDI are outlined in NIST SP 800-171, and government contractors must be able to show proof of compliance by a December 2017 deadline.

sentence. It seems cold and impersonal, but frankly, it needs to be.

Explain the details of leaving i.e. benefits, IT security, company property etc.

Offer to help Pass along a job lead for something he or she is better suited to do.

Be prepared for anger Give them as much understanding as possible.

There are studies that show that people who are told why it’s necessary to let them go are less stressed about it.

Keep it professional Try firing at the end of the day once some employees have left.

Don’t take it personally If you’re having trouble mustering the courage to act, think about your team. They’re the ones who are picking up the slack because the person you need to fire is not doing his job correctly. Demonstrating respect and compassion are important for morale. How you treat people on their way out the door is noticed by the rest of your employees.

Employee termination is undoubtedly one of the most disliked requirements of being a manager. But the termination of a marginal employee, if handled compassionately and maturely, will only generate relief from those who have had to put up with deadwood, slackers and jerks, without being able to take action.

“Remember — it’s not the people you fire who make your life miserable.

It’s the ones you don’t.” — John Tschohl John Tschohl is an international service strategist and speaker. He is the founder and president of the Service Quality Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota. www.customer-service.com

Page 9

COUNTY PAGE 1

MINE PAGE 1

FAC Executive Director Scott Shalley said Truex and Constance advocacy was essential to the FAC’s legislative success.

“The commissioners’ advocacy was invaluable in helping ensure local governments are provided the flexibility and tools they need to meet the needs of Florida’s citizens,” he said.

The Presidential Advocacy Award is to county commissioners who have shown exceptional leadership in partnering with FAC to advance the counties’ legislative agenda.

Commissioner Ken Doherty received Torchbearer designation, which recognizes commissioners who have completed FAC certification courses and remain active in the organization through leadership, mentoring and advocacy.

“Due to the sensitivity of the area, we thought it was critically important for the Bonita Grande mine to be in the hands of local stewards who know the city and the region,” said David McArdle, president and CEO of Oakbrook Properties. “With our long-term perspective and commitment to Bonita Springs, together with our history of responsible development in this area, we are uniquely qualified to transition the mine to a new land use that retains the best characteristics of the area while improving water resources.”

For four decades, Oakbrook Properties has participated in the planning and development of many developments in Estero and Bonita Springs.

OVERTIME PAGE 6 $47,476 annually, they can no longer be considered exempt once the new regulations go into effect.

What does this mean?

If you’re employing exempt or salaried employees, and they are making less than $47,476 per year, then they will be considered nonexempt and will become eligible for overtime. To be prepared, you should be determining: Who on your staff falls into this category?

How will this affect your payroll?

What timekeeping measures will you put in place? (Because you have an obligation to track nonexempt employees’ working hours.)

How will you communicate these changes to your employees?

Think of it this way: If someone is routinely working 50 hours a week as an exempt employee, and that person becomes an hourly employee under the rule change, you’re looking at an increase of about 37.5 percent in wages.

Most small businesses I know won’t be able to absorb that without some forethought.

Last but not least, if you’re a smart cookie, this might be time to seize the moment and determine whether you have your employees classified properly. All too often, small business owners truly don’t have their ducks in a row when it comes to FLSA classification.

Belinda Waggoner is President of hrhaven, which provides HR services to small and midsized businesses. Contact her at (239)300-9646, (913)940-5391 or belindawaggoner@hr-haven.com or www.hr-haven.com . Offices in Southwest Florida and Kansas City.

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Page 10

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

AUGUST 2016

Optimize Google My Business for better online visibility Do you own a local business? Are you looking for a way to generate more interest online? If so, Google has you covered.

Now’s the time to learn more about Google My Business, including how to optimize this page for top-of-the-line results.

While this tool has a lot to offer, its primary goal is to provide the online world with basic details related to your business. This includes but is not limited to business hours, phone number and directions on Google Search and Maps Many people believe that Google My Business is the same as Google Places for Business and Google+ Pages Dashboard. They are 100 percent right.

In short, Google has made changes to the way it supports local businesses, including a shift to this new name and platform. Here’s what the search engine giant says: If you previously used Google Places for Business or Google+ Pages Dashboard to manage your business information, your account has been automatically upgraded to Google My Business.

When it comes to optimizing your Google My Business page, there are a few things you can do to improve your position. Get started with the following: Provide Accurate Business Information When was the last time you reviewed your information?

When people search for your business on Google, it’s imperative that they are provided with accurate information, such as your phone number, address, and website.

Be Unique One of the best ways to optimize your

Google My Business page and stand out from the crowd is to be unique. There are many ways of doing so, such as: sharing information on what makes your business the best in your area; responding to reviews, both positive and negative; and adding images of your storefront, interior, staff, and products/services.

Create a 360-degree Virtual Tour This isn’t someBY CHARLIE ROSE thing you have to do, but it Guest Columnist will allow your business to stand out. You can provide online searchers with a 360-degree virtual tour of your business, ensuring that they get an up-close view before visiting in person.

While the above tips will put you on the right path to creating and optimizing your Google My Business page, you don’t want to stop there. By taking a few additional steps, it won’t be long before you find your page outdoing your competition: Double Check Your Category This may not sound like a big deal, but listing the wrong category for your business could work against you.

While most businesses find this simple, others need to take a step back and think about the category that best describes their company. The best thing you can do is be as accurate as possible.

Create a Killer Introduction Details, details, and more details. The introduction section is your

Innovation’s spark dims without kindling

By Jeff Clapp Guest Columnist

Ask yourself this: How much time do I spend working on my business versus in my business?

If you are like most small business owners your answer might be most of your time is spent working in your business and most of that time is reacting to what’s coming at you. It’s exhausting, stressful, and time killing.

This is especially true when season hits in SWFL as more and more people are coming down and even more are staying each year. It is critical to look at ways to be more proactive in how you optimize your business performance, stay competitive, and stay relevant. How do you do that? Education.

Continuous training, education and exposure to new people and ideas leads to continuous improvement, engagement, and performance. Workshops add to the skill set and competency of you and your employees. The big question is: What happens after the workshop?

Our experience has shown that the “light bulbs” that go off during a workshop often don’t make it back to the office. It’s no one’s fault – it’s just human nature. Life gets in the way of good intentions, and sparks of creativity and innovation dim without kin-

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dling. One method for ensuring you and your team bring your “aha! moments” back to the office is to create a plan for implementation before attending.

Here’s how it works. Determine which workshop will benefit your business. Prior to attending write down the three things you hope to learn. During the event take notes, with an emphasis on recording information and ideas that relate to what you hope to learn.

The explicit purpose of attending workshops is to hear industry experts share advice and insights into topics that your business can benefit from. Collecting actionable tips, statistics and other useful information to share with your team, clients and other groups in your organization will multiply the value attending an event.

You may be someone who avoids workshops and seminars, because you don’t want to be “sold” something with an overly extended sales pitch that leaves you yearning for the exit door. It is inevitable that certain speakers will promote their latest and greatest products and services, but these products and services might be what your business needs to thrive and to stay compliant with ever changing regulations. Point is, these sales pitches will be relevant to the topics at hand, and the last thing you need is to miss out on a great opportunity that could help you stay ahead of the curve.

After the event, have a plan for how you will present the useful tactics, insights, statistics and case studies with your co-workers, clients and other interested parties. A team should be created to implement the ideas, and dates should be set that drive actions towards new goals.

Jeff Clapp is the creative director for Visitivity Media, an award-winning marketing agency and member of the Business Network of Southwest Florida.

Contact www.biznetswfl.org or 239-246-7953 for info on upcoming events.

chance to provide detailed information regarding your business. While you don’t want to overdo it, this is a great place to sneak in a few keywords that best describe your company.

To create an introduction, use headings, short paragraphs are best and use bullet points to break up the text.

Respond to Reviews This is mentioned above, but it’s well worth touching on again. The more people you serve the greater chance you have of receiving reviews.

While you hope that every review is positive, this won’t always be the case. Even the best companies receive negative feedback from time to time.

Make it a habit to read and respond to every review.

With so much competition, regardless of location or industry, it’s important to do whatever it takes to position yourself for success. This means focusing a lot of time, money and resources on your online presence.

Your Google My Business page has a lot to do with this. With the right optimization strategy in place, you may soon find that this is one of the best ways to reach your audience, grow your business, and prove your reputation within your industry.

Estero resident Charlie Rose is president and founder of SEO Mechanic. He has more than 15 years of experience in establishing, branding and building online reputations for businesses. Previously he worked for large corporations in publishing, action sports, real estate and the music industry.

You should care about Real Estate Asset Management

You invest in real estate for a reason – to make money. One of the responsibilities of a real estate manager is to focus on an owner’s goals. If one of your goals is to maximize your investment, it is important to hire an experienced, responsible, accountable and competent real estate manager who knows how to do just that.

A real estate investor told me the problem with hiring a property manager is you go through manager after manager until you finally find someone who is at least half-way decent, which he termed “the best of the worst”.

I have been in the real estate asset management business for 35 years, and BY MARIE HAMLING I am hearing more stories of disappointment with Guest Columnist property management than ever before. It is concerning and embarrassing. You should be able to entrust your investments to the best of the best – not the best of the worst.

The best in real estate management are those who know how to perform property management and asset management. Proving their dedication to their profession, most have undergone specialized and ongoing training to acquire coveted designations in their areas of expertise.

Property management concentrates on day-toMANAGE See page 11

AUGUST 2016

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 11

Disaster tests resiliency, planning of any business What do you do when a disaster strikes? With the onset of cloud computing technology and IT virtualization, the proliferation of wireless mobile devices, severe weather-related incidents and other types of disasters, manmade and natural, have increased the risks exponentially for companies and organizations regarding their critical business resources, IT systems and processes.

The overall goal of IT Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity planning is to protect the company and organizations, its assets, its ability to do business under any circumstance, and to be resilient. IT Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity initiatives use strategies and plans for recovering and restoring the organization’s technological infrastructure and capabilities after a serious disruption.

Without continuity plans, businesses are exposed to substantial loss of operations, negative publicity, financial losses, legal recourse, loss of resources and people. Companies and organizations need to understand the impacts of their businesses in an extended emergency or disaster.

Manmade threats include fire, flooding due to plumbing problems, explosions, toxic or hazard-

ous materials, operational failures, equipment failures, transportation problems, facility problems, communication failures, terrorism, civil unrest, sabotage and heating and cooling failures. Natural threats include flood, waterbased incidents, earthquake, hurricane, tornadoes and other wind storms, thunderstorms and hail storms, lightning and electrical storms, snow and

BY LINDA ice storms, natural fires, epiHANWACKER demics and pandemics.

Guest Columnist Today’s unpredictable world puts pressure on IT departments to maintain plans in the face of many threats. With the right people, processes and technologies in place, companies can withstand and recover from even the greatest of threats. Planning starts with understanding what impacts your business with a Business Impact Assessment – the process of analyzing business functions and the effect that a business disruption might

have upon them.

The key here is to consider the most realistic impacts.

The next step is to document the information necessary for recovery that includes a documented collection of procedures and information that is developed, compiled and maintained in readiness for recovering and restoring an organizations technological infra-structure and capabilities after a disruption or disaster.

An IT Disaster Recovery Plan is for IT critical functions, a Business Continuity Plan is for critical business functions and a Continuity of Operations Plan is for government procedures and information based on FEMA information. These plans must be tested to be effective.

Linda Hanwacker is an industry subject matter expert, guest speaker, author, and CEO and founder of The LSH Group in Fort Myers, which has provided professional services with economical solutions for business continuity, IT disaster recovery and emergency management planning for more than 20 years.

MANAGE PAGE 10

Joe Visgaitis, Matt Pledger, Melissa Horne, Chris Lindner, Jonathan Smotherman and Butch Shull

Suffolk team tops off Altaira tower More than 250 workers representing 17 trade partner firms recently attended the topping off for WCI’s Altaira tower.

The project features 75 Sky Homes in The Colony Golf & Bay Club in Bonita Springs.

Sky Homes start at $1 million.

Each Sky Home features approximately 3,300 to 3,500 square feet of living space. The tower features 19 floors, each with four residences. Altaira residences feature hurricanerated, solar-tinted expanses of exterior vision glass and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that open to the terraces, as well as up to approximately 529 square feet of terraces in select residences.

WCI develops amenity rich, lifestyle oriented master-planned communities. Information, www.WCICommunities.com.

Suffolk Construction is overseeing construction of Altaira, the first new high-rise

tower condominium to go under construction in Southwest Florida in the past eight years.

Information, www.suffolk.com

day operations, maintaining the current value of the property.

Some have the skills to perform financial analysis and make recommendations based on the financial impact to the property.

Asset management is centered on financial matters; maximizing the return on investment and value of property. Asset managers are adept at streamlining operations and repositioning a property to reduce costs and increase income, an advantage to your bottom line.

In Florida, make sure anyone you hire other than your salaried employee to rent or lease your real property has a Real Estate Broker’s license. A broker has had two or more years of real estate experience and has undergone extensive education that includes property management.

Florida has separated community association management from other types of real estate management. An owner of income property wants management that will increase revenue and the value of their property. Why wouldn’t members of an association want to hire someone who has the knowledge that could increase the value of their homes as well? All it takes in Florida to be a Community Association Manager is an 18-hour course and a passing grade on the state exam. Thus, an association should be cognizant of the experience their CAM has had in real estate and their experience in improving the operations of a property.

The best of the best have been trained to manage the fiscal health of properties. And they have proven their commitment to improving the physical environments of residents and tenants, benefitting the overall community.

One of the most important questions you should ask when interviewing someone to manage your real estate is, “What have you done to make financial and physical improvements to the real estate you have managed?

Marie Hamling, CPM®, CAM, is the owner/broker of Paradigm Real Estate Corp., offering real estate and outdoor hospitality management. She can be reached at 239-672-8182, marie@ paradigmrec.com, ParadigmREC.com

Page 12

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

AUGUST 2016

PR University presents technology seminar

The Florida Public Relations Association Southwest Florida Chapter will present “Navigating the Future of PR,” its 24th Annual PR University seminar.

It is from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Oct. 6 at Florida Southwestern State College, 8099 College Pkwy., in Fort Myers.

Open to the public, the awardwinning PR University is an an-

nual, all-day professional development seminar featuring guest speakers from across the state who examine trends in the changing market and the fusion of new media opportunities with traditional communications elements.

Early bird rates are available at $65 for members and $80 for nonmembers who sign up by Sept.

8. Regular admission is $75 for

members, $40 for students, and $90 for non-members. The cost includes a continental breakfast, lunch and refreshments.

Register at fpraswfl.org. Information, Madison Mitchell at 239433-2000 ext. 269.

For information on the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association, visit fpraswfl.org.

Networking is key to daily business interactions

By Bob White Guest Columnist Networking is such a key element we do in our daily interactions, conveying the value you possess and the benefits you provide to others. While there are countless networking methods and phases, relying on the basic fundamentals can at times be most effective.

I would like to share a few networking principles to maximize your business partnerships, customer retention and increase your return on investment: Plan and prepare your networking purpose: Set two or three networking objectives to create a fan-base for your products or services.

Be genuine: Networking is personal, and being genuine is very important to make the effort to get to know people you want to connect with.

Give more than you get: Networking is a two-way street. Many people that want to build their network are only motivated by what they can get out of it, rather than focusing on how they can help others.

10-minute rule: Networking is about planting seeds ... not sales. Keep your interactions about 10 minutes per person. That is sufficient time to make a positive impression and determine if the person is someone you would want to build a business partnership with.

NeoGenomics Lab offers tour BioFlorida’s Southwest Chapter will tour NeoGenomics Laboratories in Fort Myers.

Attendees will meet regional leaders in life sciences and tour the facility.

NeoGenomics Laboratories is a cancer diagnostic reference lab providing high-quality cancer testing and partnership programs for pathologists and oncologist for more than a decade.

The tour is at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 10 at the lab’s corporate headquarters, 12701 Commonwealth Drive, Suite 9, Fort Myers.

BioFlorida represents nearly 6,000 establishments and research organizations in the biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical technology and bioagriculture.

The tour costs $25 for BioFlorida members and $45 for others. Register at www.bioflorida.com/ events

You only have one opportunity to Networking is a key element of daily business interactions, where business owners convey both the value and benefits of their businesses to others.

Start conversations with open-ended questions: Avoid asking questions that will result with a direct “yes” or “no”. Ask questions that will carry the conversation and provide important and intended information.

Most important, be approachable so people who don’t know you would like to.

Bob White is director of business development for the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce. You can reach him at bwhite@charlottecountychamber.org or 941- 627-2222

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