July 2018 Southwest Florida Business Today by Southwest Florida Business Today

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Celebrating 10 Years

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA’S B2B MARKETPLACE • 239-573-9732 Vol. 11 No. 9 / JULY 2018 www.swﬂoridabusinesstoday.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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

TAKE ONE

Florida climbs up in storm readiness Insurance Institute ranks state tops based on codes

Commercial Real Estate

A comprehensive 8-page pullout section that is a quarterly SWFL Commercial Real Estate market overview.

IN THE NEWS Applications for Blue Chip Awards due Sept. 4

The Southwest Florida Blue Chip Community Business Award program is underway. The program recognizes small business owners who overcome adversity to achieve success. The 24th annual Southwest Florida Blue Chip Community Business Award ceremony will take place on Nov. 1 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs. Applications for the award are being accepted until Sept. 4 from for-profit companies with their principal office located in Charlotte, Collier or Lee counties. Eligible companies must have been in continuous operation for at least three years under the same ownership and have five to 400 payroll employees. A panel of judges will select five finalists. Of the finalists, one business will be announced as the Southwest Florida Blue Chip Community Business Award recipient.

Naples executive named as leading woman investor

Bethann Kassman, CEO of Naples-based Go Beyond Network, an international early stage investing services company and business angel network, was recently named among the top entrepreneurial women investors of 2018 and honored with the Bridging the Global World of Investing Award from Portfolia. Kassman was recognized as “one of the earliest and most successful cross-border angel investors, investing in and mentoring a line-up of top entrepreneurs in both Europe and the U.S.” by Portfolia, an investing platform for women backing entrepreneurial companies. KASSMAN See page 4

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In conjunction with the official start of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs through Nov. 30, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety has released the 2018 edition of its preeminent report, Rating the States, assessing the residential building code systems in 18 hurricane-prone states. Florida scored the highest amongst 18 hurricane-prone Atlantic and Gulf Coast states, earning 95 out of 100 points. Virginia ranked second (94), South

Carolina third (92) and New Jersey fourth (90). In the previous IBHS rating report, issued in 2015, Florida ranked second with 94 points. The release of the 2018 edition of Rating the States follows a disastrous year of storms in 2017. The 2018 IBHS report indicated: “Florida continues to be a leader in building code safety.” The 6th Edition of the Florida Building Code - Residential, based on the 2015 edition of the Interna-

HURRICANE See page 14

Charlotte wins jobs grant

CELEBRATING 70

Angelique Blitch, Alyssa Haney, Ashley Causey, Elisabeta Kafexhi, Amanda Beights, Ashley Sykes and Madeline Young attended the meeting.

Naples Chamber hosts annual dinner Florida Chamber CEO and President Mark Wilson was the keynote speaker at the annual meeting for the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, held at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples on May 17. This year, the event honored the Naples Chamber 70th Anniversary. The Chamber was founded in 1947 and is the largest of 25 chambers in the five-county Southwest Florida region, recognized as among the best of the 300 chambers in Florida. Today, the Chamber is the largest non-profit advocate for the Collier County business community. At the annual meeting, the Chamber announced outgoing and incoming officers and members of the Board of Directors and honored the recipients of several important community awards. Cyndee Woolley, owner of C2Communications, won the 2018 Chairman’s Award. Wilson’s presentation at the event included presenting a scorecard on

tional Residential Code, became effective Dec. 31. “In 2017, the State of Florida enacted legislation that makes major changes to the process the state employs to adopt building codes in the future,” the report reads. The IBHS report also specifically cited “Florida’s mandated program for building official certification and training” as one of the factors for the state’s strong rating, as well its “requirement of licensing of general, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and roofing contractors.”

Rep. Byron Donalds, Teresa Araque and Collier County Commission Chairman Andy Solis at the meeting. . Florida’s pro-business environment that showed the state unemployment rate at 3.9 percent, and also marked that Florida’s economy has grown to a $967.3 billion GDP, with 173,100 private sector jobs created in the state last year.

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Gov. Rick Scott announced on May 30 Charlotte County will receive an $800,000 grant as part of the Florida Job Growth Fund, which provides financial assistance for public infrastructure projects and job training. Grant recipients are selected by the governor following recommendations from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Enterprise Florida. In Charlotte County, grant funds will provide critical water line infrastructure to help complete the $8-million Piper Road North Extension project designed to drive growth near Punta Gorda Interstate Airport Park. A closed loop water line will run 1.2 miles from Henry Street to U.S. 17 to facilitate commercial development on Piper Road North. Infrastructure includes 7,000 feet of 12-inch water main with fire hydrant assemblies every 1,000 feet. “The Piper Road extension is key to sustaining the growth objectives in Punta Gorda Airport’s Master Plan. We are pleased that this grant will bring water infrastructure to the entire corridor, creating more opportunities for our aviation and business communities to thrive,” said Charlotte County Airport Authority Commissioner Robert Hancik. With water infrastructure in place, attracting companies to the area will become significantly easier. “It is vital to have a strong partnership between the city and county, and we are lucky to have that bond. You create it by seeing the big picture together and not getting bogged down in jurisdictional boundaries. Everyone here has the same vision—to help build a successful, vibrant home for our local families and businesses,” said Punta Gorda Councilman Jaha Cummings.

GRANT See page 15

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JULY 2018

Crisis management for your business Many of you may not know the journey I’ve embarked over a year ago. I am currently a full-time student working on my bachelor’s in Communication. With this in mind, I’ve been learning about the importance of Crisis Management and the many areas public relations professionals can help companies in handling and restoring your image to your stakeholders. We live in a world where anything can happen and depending on the situation, an issue can destroy what you’ve work hard to achieve all these years in business, your brand reputation and your social responsibility to your community. “Issues management is a proactive and systematic approach to anticipate threats, predict problems, resolve issues, and prevent crisis. You must define the issues before they have a detrimental effect on your business,” said Professor Michael Kennedy at Florida Gulf Coast University. An issue must meet three criteria: it must be evolving,

it influences multiple stakeholders, and has the potential to evolve into some sort of policy. Think of how a crisis can affect your business by remembering the BP oil spill as an example. A case study about BP reveals how a company can come across not caring about those who lost their lives and unresponsive to handling the crisis. So, let’s not go that route and let’s be prepared in anticipation BY JANETH to any crisis you may face. CASTREJON If an issue has the potential to beGuest Columnist come a crisis, these are the elements you will find to define a crisis. It is stressful, disruptive to your company, dangerous like loss of life, it is predictable in some cases, it reaches the public via news, it escalates and it becomes pivotal in making or breaking CRISIS See page 3

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TECHNOLOGY

Embracing our robot marketing future Robot writing. Automated responses. Automated social posts. Automated email subject line tests. Automated scheduling. Automated online campaigns. Sounds like a robot marketing Armageddon, when in reality, it can be a marketing utopia if it’s done properly. Our newest employee is a marketing maven who maximizes our clients’ return on investment around the clock, writes copy and analyzes thousands of BY MATT strings of data. BERNHARDT Its name is Ada. It Guest Columnist fits on a USB drive. The current state—and future of marketing is reliant upon artificial intelligence, big data analytics and machine learning. Vectra Digital is at the forefront of this digital marketing revolution by harnessing state-of-the-art technologies. How many man-hours go into your Google AdWords and Facebook ad campaigns? Imagine optimizing those platforms and targeting your campaigns with little human input, but a high ROI. That’s one way AI, big data and machine learning will show its reward to your business. AI technologies automatically show the right message to the right person at the ROBOT See page 14

Hometown Ambience in High-Tech World

With 20 years of experience in information technology solutions, Dennis and Dusty Shelton founded their own company five years ago. “The reason we have loved doing business in Cape Coral is because of the support from the community and other local businesses owners. I can contact the chamber, economic development team, or the City of Cape Coral with questions and have them answered within a few hours,” she says. “For such a large city, we really have a small hometown feel.” It’s IT • Cape Coral • (239) 935-9891 • ITsITLLC.com To start or expand your business, contact the Cape Coral Economic Development Office today!

(239) 574-0444 • (833) CAPEEDO ecodev@capecoral.net • bizcapecoral.com

JULY 2018

Naples chamber hires work-based coordinator Alex Breault joined the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Collier Foundation as the work-based learning coordinator. She will focus on connecting high school and college students to internships, part-time jobs, job shadows and other work-based learning experiences. “Alex’s position Breault is focused on making work-based learning connections happen, serving as a resource both to students and employers, and helping us nurture the talent emerging from our schools and post-secondary institutions,” said Amanda Beights, vice president of the LCF. Prior to joining The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, Breault served as executive assistant to the Supervisor of Elections for Collier County.

CRISIS PAGE 2 your company’s reputation. This is where having a PR professional that knows how to prevent and handle a crisis becomes extremely important along with having a Crisis Management Plan, so you are prepared to handle any crisis coming your way. Crisis Management has four phases: proactive, strategic, reactive and recovery. The proactive phase includes risk assessment. Determine where your company is vulnerable, do environmental scanning finding out what others say about your company, track and manage your issues and have a solid crisis plan. The reactive phase includes crisis communication, litigation PR and conflict resolution. You may decide to have a preemptive action strategy where you “prebuttal,” be the first one to tell the story about your crisis. You can choose to have an offensive response where another person or company is accused for the crisis. Another is a defensive responses strategy where you justify or deny any wrongdoing. There is also the diversionary approach where some company had to relabel their brand or provide concessions to their stakeholders affected by the crisis. A must is a vocal commiseration strategy where you show sincere condolence and concern for those affected by your crisis. Your stakeholders want to know how much you care and not how it had affected your bottom line. There is the rectifying behavior strategy where you complete an in-depth investigation by examining the facts, do corrective action, compensate the victims, and show full repentance. Or you can choose strategic inaction which is to stay silent by protecting victim’s privacy. Regardless of what strategy you choose, remember to be proactive, have a crisis plan ready and get advice from PR professionals experience in crisis management. Let’s hope you never have to use the crisis plan, but there is no guarantee, is there? Be ready, plan and execute. Janeth P. Castrejon is the social media coordinator for CareerSource Southwest Florida. Contact her at (239) 225-2500, ext. 5239 or jcastrejon@careersourcesouthwestflorida.com

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 3

TECHNOLOGY

Regional Technology Partnership expands SWFL impact Catalyze. Cultivate. Connect. Since 2008, the SWFL Regional Technology Partnership has been dedicated to growing the local technology sector by producing seminars, professional networking events and the only awards program to recognize technology excellence in our community. The non-profit organization has grown to be supported by more than 300 corporate sponsors and individual members representing more than 11,000 employees. The website at swfrtp.org serves as a hub for local technology events and generates more than 25,000 page views per year. The connections of the board of directors have resulted in bringing the voices of technology leaders from Cisco, Disney, Royal Caribbean International, CIO Magazine and other recognized brands to SWFL for keynote addresses. Much has been accomplished but there is more work to do. Thanks to ambitious leadership and loyal volunteers who serve on the board of directors and committees, the RTP has been expanding its impact within the community. Grants have been earned from organizations such as IBM and Gannett Foundation who recognize the RTP’s commitment to STEM programs for the area’s future business and technology leaders. For example, a technology skills gap sur-

Start

vey is underway in Southwest Florida thanks to a grant and partnership with CareerSource Southwest Florida. The survey will identify gaps in technology related certifications and provide fundBY RANDY ing for technology MITCHELSON training and testGuest Columnist ing and offset the cost of certification and exam fees. Take the survey at www.swfrtp.org. Also, mentoring and funding is now available for high school students participating in local and national robotics competitions and hackathons. The mentors align with learning institutions to coach and inspire the students and bolster the local pipeline of future technology professionals and leaders. Specific emphasis is placed on inspiring young women to pursue STEM related fields. The RTP recently recognized more than 50 young women from 11 schools for their pursuit of technology studies in conjunction with the National Center for Women and Information Technology Aspirations in Computing. In addition, the SWFL Regional Technology Partnership has stepped

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Here’s what is ahead for 2018 for Southwest Florida Business Today. MONTH

AUGUST

EDITORIAL FOCUS

Business Services

SEPTEMBER Manufacturing

PUB. DATE (FRIDAY)

July 27 Aug. 31

Randy Mitchelson, a digital marketing and public relations professional with iPartnerMedia, is a co-founder of the SWFL Regional Technology Partnership. Contact him at (239) 449-4749, ext. 114 or randy@ipartnermedia.com

www.swﬂoridabusinesstoday.com PUBLISHER Karen P. Moore

Tom Maiale

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up its leadership to help today’s technology professionals obtain employment locally. The number of locally filled technical positions has increased as a direct result of the annual TechMatch event that links area employers with students and professionals. The recent launch of www.jobs4techies.com is another valuable free resource connecting local employers with job seekers for technology related internships, coops and full and part time jobs. The RTP has a long track record of encouraging the development, growth and attraction of technology companies and resources in Southwest Florida. Visit www.swfrtp.org for upcoming technology events, follow the organization on social media and subscribe to the e-newsletter. Companies and individuals who want to witness an immediate impact on the local business and education community are encouraged to sponsor, join, volunteer or donate to the Regional Technology Partnership.

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P.O. Box 152299 Cape Coral, FL 33915-2299 News: 239-573-9731 All other: 239-573-9732 News email: editor@swfloridabusinesstoday.com 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 is to provide the best business-to-business marketplace where business executives operating in Southwest Florida buy and sell goods and services via the exchange of news, advertising and information.

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

TECHNOLOGY First defense to internet threats

TECHNOLOGY

With technology today, hackers are scenes without imconstantly evolving to find new ways pacting the day-toto access your personal and business day services of you information. It is important you work or your business. to stay one step ahead on security In the world tosoftware and technology to ensure day, technology is the protection of your personal data, both a blessing and as well as the data of your business, a challenge. Techclients or customers. nology is a necesThere are many programs and platsary tool to funcforms out there that can help secure tion in business and your system, and one of the recent BY MICHAEL personal interacTARABOKIJA ones we have implemented is called tions, since even Cisco Umbrella. This platform is Guest Columnist smart phones are able to use the internet’s own infra- now serving as mini-computers. It is structure to block malicious connec- always evolving, and users have to tions, providing that peace of mind adapt and update to changes quickly. even with the use of today’s cloud This is why it is good to work with based technology. software and digital security comThis program uses the Domain panies who you trust to provide the Name System and direct-to-IP con- best software. Our firm, Markham nections to detect harmful software Norton Mosteller Wright & Co., ofbefore it gains access to your per- fers IT Consulting services so we are sonal or business systems. This soft- constantly reviewing the most recent ware sends potential internet requests changes in the technology landscape. you may receive to off-site domains, With our recent research, we have which gives it a deeper inspection be- found the Cisco Umbrella platform fore allowing the connection to the very useful and reliable. users’ system. Security of your personal data inThe Cisco Umbrella identifies formation and that of your business, these threats based on previous in- clients, or customers is crucial. There ternet activity. It seeks out and cap- are many reputable companies that tures the information on relationships provide security services to your servbetween malware, domains, IPs and er and computer systems. networks all across the internet to be Make sure to research them and aware of potential risks based on prior seek out testimonials so you are sure data. Once a potential malware has you are locating the best fit for your been detected, the system uses that in- needs. In the technology driven world formation to create a block for future today, it is imperative you stay ahead attacks on the system it is protecting. of the hackers. Aside from the security benefits, the Cisco Umbrella can be setup in min- Michael Tarabokija is IT director/ utes. Users do not need to install hard- Consultant with Markham Norton ware or constantly update software. Mosteller Wright & Co. Contact him Because this is a browser-based inter- at mtarabokija@markham-norton.com face, the updates are done behind the or (239) 433-5554.

KASSMAN PAGE 1 Kassman, who for the past nine years has focused on bringing U.S. early stage companies to Europe, and European early stage companies to the U.S., said she is honored to share the recognition with others. “The award is not just for me. It’s also for the many entrepreneurs I have backed over the years whose inspiration and hard work I respect very

JULY 2018

One Drive enhances mobility

This year I have found myself address and share working offsite in our Miami office a link for even the largest of files. more than ever. Previously, I was un3. You can take able to access files from the PC on your computer my desk in Naples when I was workand go on a flight ing from my laptop at other locations. where you have no But no more! internet it will sync With technology called One as soon as you Drive, all normal file sharing and are back to interstorage features are in the cloud and I net access. can access any and all files. BY MICHELLE 4. Make changOne Drive for Business is a com- BORDERS es at work and ponent of the Office 365 Suite from Guest Columnist at home — it Microsoft; it offers enhanced security doesn’t matter! and convenient mobility. 5. Multiple people working on same I can direct everyone to one place. I can be at a coffee shop in Miami and document at same time will see live edI can share files that others can access its all at once. 6. If you delete a document it will be with ease. File mobility is important. People who need them can access able to be recovered for up to 90 days. 7. Mobile app – you can see what through a simple link or email invite, files you have on one drive in your mothen edit in place. Recently, One Drive added the bile app and access them on the go. 8. A section of One Drive called ability for Windows Defender to restore files if ransomware is found. “Shared with Me” shows all files It automatically notifies you of the people have shared with you. You can threat, helps remove ransomware edit and they will see your changes 9. Type in a key word and it will from the device and walks you search in all documents in your One through the restore. This type of computer virus is Drive Folder 10. Tile preview will show you often the costliest, as it encrypts all data and connected folders available files with a little preview of what is to the user who is infected, resulting in the file So, in a nutshell, I can click on, in masses of company data requiring discover, observe, share and collaboa restoration from a backup. Many US municipalities have fall- rate with clients and I can share files en victim to these viruses, and when with people anywhere, anytime, all they did not have a solid backup plan, around the state; or for that matter, the world. had to actually pay the ransoms. 10 other neat features One Drive Michelle Borders and husband offers: 1. Every file version can be re- Kevin have owned Naples Networks stored, and you can open and see Services since 2004. Contact her at what the previous file looked like— mborders@naplesnetworkservices.com or (239) 293-4697. easy to recover old work. 2. You can add an external email

much, as well as for my fellow investors at Go Beyond,” said Kassman. “The award reinforces the advantages of the many cross-border opportunities that are emerging globally.” Kassman currently serves on the board of directors for eBella Magazine, the AngelPool Advisory Board, Go Beyond Limited Board, Next Wave Foundation Board, Investors’ Circle Consumer Products Selection Committee and the Global Health Advisory Board.

Kassman ran a consulting company in Switzerland and was a professor of Entrepreneurship and Marketing at Webster University’s Geneva campus and of Strategy at the Open University’s Executive MBA program. Go Beyond Network is a FinTech company transporting angel investing into a new scalable asset class for individuals, family offices, professional groups and corporations in the EU, Switzerland and the U.S.

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

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COMMERCIAL RE MARKET A look at commercial real estate trends and topics in Southwest Florida

Collier County seeking proposals for sports complex

The Nickel Ride announced the launch of its free ride-share service in Punta Gorda, the third city where the Fort Myers-based company now operates.

Nickel Ride offers ride-share service in Punta Gorda The Nickel Ride, an eco-friendly transportation service that connects communities with local commerce, announced a launch in Punta Gorda, its third city. In announcing the launch, Founder and CEO Judah Longgrear shared, “Punta Gorda is a growing community and we are thrilled to add them to the Nickel Ride network. This is the ideal time to commit our investment to this area and look forward to serving the community for years to come.” The Fort Myers company is also completely rebuilding its popular mobile app.

Officials say the city offers businesses a year-round clientele, which is made up of local, domestic and international customers, including waterside leisure and shopping at the HarLonggrear borwalk and at Fishermen’s Village on Charlotte Harbor. The Nickel Ride plans to operate in Punta Gorda’s downtown location RIDE See page 10

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Collier County Commissioners are currently accepting Invitation to Negotiate proposals for the management, operation, advertising and marketing of a planned 120-acre multipurpose sports event and entertainment complex that will be for all ages and types of users. Plans call for the opening of the facility in three phases. Phase one includes eight multipurpose artificial turf fields ready for play in June 2019; phase two includes a three to five-thousand seat stadium ready for play in December 2019; and phase three envisions eight additional multipurpose field and indoor sports facility in late 2020. The intent of the proposed facility is to attract and host visiting youth and adult league and tournament play, local sports activities, and other events designed to draw visitors and local attendees. Collier County is interested in learning what experienced organizations can offer related to the proposed facility in the following categories: ticketing/ admissions; bookings; food and beverage concessions; registration; vendors; onsite activation and signage, parking, entertain-

ment, marketing and all other aspects of managing an amateur sports-focused complex. This public and private partnership will share in the revenue generation from, but not limited to, the following: parking, concessions, registrations, onsiteadvertising, admissions and vendor registrations. The County intends to fund, design and construct the 120acre complex that will also include concession areas, restaurants, classrooms, locker rooms, coach’s offices and other facilities. The County desires to maximize the use of the complex and its revenue generating capacity while also providing a broad array of cultural, educational, entertainment and sporting activities to meet the demands of the local community and provide revenue generation from visiting tournaments and sports organizations. This ITN is not directed to any design, construction or related contractor or subcontractor. Submittals from such firms or teams will not be accepted. For information, contact Evelyn Colon at (239) 252-2667 or Evelyn.Colon@colliercountyfl.gov.

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JULY 2018

COMMERCIAL RE MARKET A look at commercial real estate trends and topics in Southwest Florida

TECHNOLOGY

Technology a game-changer for construction, business A common theme that crosses all industries and professions is the desire to be efficient and ahead of the competition. As a business leader within the roofing industry, I’ve seen first-hand how embracing technology aids in the development of efficient business practices and results in costsaving benefits. Incorporating technology into your business model results in unique strategies that can be utilized across the board. By going above and beyond to invest in state-of-the-art technology, materials and equipment, we are able to deliver products and services with speed and efficiency, saving time and money for our clients. But where do we start? Consider the challenges. Reflect on your day-to-day tasks and areas where improvement is needed. For our company, planning and tracking is key. By utilizing drone technology, we are able to estimate roofing projects with greater efficiency and better track the progression of our projects from start to finish. Furthermore, with a better view of potentially problematic areas, we can easily take on projects that were previously challenging. Look for long-term cost savings. By creating products most companies must outsource and owning equipment others rent, our company has boosted production and delivery immensely. Equipment like our in-house shearer and folder enables our team to provide custom cuts and shaping of sheet metal materials with speed, and by utilizing this technology in-house, we cut down on costs, increase quality and deliver the materials quickly. This not only benefits us, but also by helps our clients, providing opportunity to grow a loyal client base because we look for opportunities to provide them with cost savings. For companies operating a fleet of vehicles or

machinery, this approach may be something as simple as implementing regular maintenance to increase reliability, minimize delays and lower liability risks that can result from unexpected breakdowns. Start talking. Internally, technology can boost communication, project management, efficiency and speed. There are an array of technologies that meet the various needs of your business and incorporating software designed for your industry BY CASEY can help push you beyond your competiCROWTHER tion. By utilizing state-of-the-art software Guest Columnist like The Edge, DataForma and more, our company tracks metrics, assesses opportunities and takes on large projects with ease. Furthermore, all our teams are equipped with laptops for providing on-thespot estimates and inspection reports while also enhancing flow of communication throughout the company. I strongly encourage business leaders to take a comprehensive look into their companies and what opportunities are available for improvement. Is there a software program that enables stronger, more efficient communication within your team? Or a piece of equipment that allows you to offer an additional or cost-saving service to your clients? By embracing the use of technology, you can open the door to the growth and development of your business, raising the bar for your industry. Casey Crowther is president of Target Roofing & Sheet Metal. Contact him at (239) 332-5707 or visit www.TargetRoofers.com.

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Point 57 changes ownership Cape Coral restaurant Point 57 has changed hands. The two-parcel property, located at the corner of Del Prado Boulevard and SE 36th Street in Cape Coral, was sold for $1 million. The business and its assets were conveyed for an additional undisclosed price. Both sides of the transaction were brokered by Commercial Realty Associates of Southwest Florida. The seller, CJR Properties, was represented by Broker Ron Welebny. Broker Associate Robert DeRupo, senior transaction analyst represented the buyer, Williams FLRE. The seller engaged Matthew Toll and the Buyer hired Erich Feichthaler to handle the closing. CRA’s managing partner, Ron Welebny, said: “From start to finish, the whole thing took about 45 days. Intense negotiation found the ‘meeting of the minds’ at a razor’s edge.”

Bone Hook Brewing Company expansion includes restaurant

Phelan Family Brands, the familyowned operators of Pinchers, Deep Lagoon Seafood and Texas Tony’s Rib & Brewhouse, announced a partnership with the Bone Hook Brewing Company to expand the brewery to include an interactive restaurant that will allow guests to surround themselves in the brewing process. Plans are currently in development with features including draft beer directly from the brewing area to the taps at the bar. The location will be Phelan Family Brands seventeenth restaurant from Key West to Tampa. Located in the former home of the Public House on Immokalee Road in Naples, the restaurant will celebrate a diverse menu of dishes to pair with the great beers brewed by Bone Hook. Bone Hook will close its current taproom and move it into the new

restaurant in order to allow for the expansion of brewing space for the rapidly-growing brewery. “Taking a micro-brewery from a garage start-up to a full-fledged restaurant concept is something we dreamed of when we first started brewing beer as a hobby,” said David Genson, co-founder of Bone Hook Brewing Company. “We’ve found the right restaurant partner with Phelan Brands as they emulate Florida lifestyle and hospitality to a tee, using the best local ingredients whenever possible. At Bone Hook, we also take care to use only the best ingredients for our craft beers.” “We are excited to once again create a dining experience that focusses on great food quality combined with a relaxed and inviting environment’” said Grant Phelan, owner of Phelan Family Brands.

Studio+ to renovate towers at Moorings Park Studio+, an integrated services design firm, has been chosen as the architecture firm of record to design the renovation of two 8-story residential towers at Moorings Park. Located near the center of the Moorings Park 83-acre campus, just north of the newly renovated clubhouse facility, these residential towers will continue the Mediterranean Modern design that has been integrated into the newer developments within the community. The renovation plans involve full exterior modifications. Contemporary in design, plans include the use of a variety of sophisticated exterior

materials and architectural elements, including a curtain wall that will enhance resident experience and bring texture to the design. Lush landscaping will add to the functional and visual attraction of the space. The modern architectural theme and superior materials to be used will ensure the finished towers are consistent with the existing development within the campus, as well as the vision for the future development of Moorings Park. The estimated completion date for this project is December 2018 for Building “A” and August 2019 for Building “G.”

JULY 2018

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

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COMMERCIAL RE MARKET A look at commercial real estate trends and topics in Southwest Florida

Tax, regulatory changes could impact real estate in region The Real Estate Investment Society reported significant changes in taxes and fees that could impact new construction in Southwest Florida.

Impact Fees Increase Lee County Commissioners recently approved a new impact fee schedule which becomes effective June 4. Fees for fire and EMS services will be collected at 100 percent with fees for parks, roads, and schools at a 45-percent collection rate. The collection rate automatically increases to 47.5-percent March 7. The new impact fee schedule and information is on the Community Development website. The Village of Estero collects fees for regional and community parks and is evaluating their fee schedule. Estero

is not bound by the 45 percent collection rate on road impact fees and those are also being reviewed.

Property Tax Cap To Expire Florida’s 10-percent cap on annual property tax increases for nonhomesteaded properties is due to expire at the end of this year. The cap was approved by voters in 2008. If voters approve Amendment 2 on the General Election ballot in November, the cap will become permanent. The amendment is receiving support from the Florida Association of Realtors, Florida TaxWatch and numerous business organizations. DRI Reviews Now Done Locally Florida House Bill 1151 has been

signed into law, returning review of Developments of Regional Impact to local governments. Such largescale developments may now be amended or rescinded according to local development codes and comprehensive plans. Existing projects are exempt from state or regional review, while new DRI scale projects would continue to go through a state-coordinated comprehensive plan review with locally controlled approval process. Banking Reform Bill Passed President Trump signed the banking reform bill passed by Congress to ease some of the regulations of the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010. The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief,

and Consumer Protection Act contains several favorable provisions for housing, including easing mortgage credit through reduced capital reserve requirements on smaller community banks and credit unions. Community banks with less than $10 billion in assets will no longer have to comply with the Volcker Rule, which bars financial institutions from making risky loans with funds that are insured by taxpayers. The bill also revises the High Volatility Commercial Real Estate designation. Commercial borrowers may now use the appreciated value of property rather that the original cost. Loans to acquire existing properties with rental income are no longer subject to higher capital requirements.

IVFMD opens fertility clinic on Arthrex campus

Present for the ribbon cutting ceremony were (left to right in front) Lee FP Chief Financial Ofﬁcer Matthew Lux, Cypress Cove Board Member Dan Adams, Chris-Tel Construction President Howard Wheeler, Cypress Cove Board Chairman Charles Edwards, Lee FP President Doug Dodson, Cypress Cove Executive Director Michele Wasserlauf and Cypress Cove Marketing and Sales Director Gerry Harris.

Cypress Cove celebrates Villas expansion Cypress Cove at HealthPark Florida officials and guests celebrated the completion of the Life Plan community’s multiple million dollar 14-villa home expansion project. The two- and three-bedroom villa additions, featuring lakeside and preserve-view homes, increases Cypress Cove’s Villas home community to 44. Constructed by Fort Myers-based Chris-Tel Construction, the villa homes, with large lanai and attached garages, boast 1,700 to slightly more than 1,900 square feet of living space.

Cypress Cove Executive Director Michele Wasserlauf said the expansion “completes what has been an extremely busy threeyear expansion period on our beautiful 48-acre campus where we’ve added key components to our Life Plan community in living options and resident services.” Since 2016, Cypress Cove’s expansion included the upscale villa homes and the opening of its nationally-acclaimed memory care assisted living facility (The Cottage), a state-of-the-art rehabilitation and therapy center (The Mead Therapy Center),

renovation of its 64-private room skilled nursing facility and of its 44-apartment assisted living community. The new villas offer a full range of amenities and appliances with the spacious layouts. The new addition increases Cypress Cove’s independent living residences to 44 villa homes and 333 one and two bedroom apartments within its main neighborhood complex. Over 600 residents live on the Cypress Cove campus in independent, assisted and skilled living communities.

IVFMD, a South Florida specialized care fertility practice, hosted the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of its new location within the Arthrex campus on Creekside Parkway. “It is with great anticipation that Collier County celebrates the opening of IVFMD’s new state-of-the-art center to help our residents and visitors fulfill their dream of creating a family,” said Collier County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Andy Solis. Founded in 1991, by Dr. Juergen Eisermann, IVFMD specializes in providing highly individualized fertility treatment plans for patients and leveraging assisted reproductive technologies. The Naples IVFMD center is fully equipped across a 3,854 square-foot suite to provide holistic diagnostic tests and fertility treatments, including in-vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, diagnostic andrology laboratory services, inseminations, low cost IVF, mini-stimulation protocols, fertility preservation and egg freezing. “The new Naples IVFMD center offers patients the personal and individualized care for which IVFMD is known, rendering our extraordinary success rates in an exceptional space for the added comfort of our southwest Gulf Coast community and visitors,” said Dr. Connie Alford, lead fertility specialist for the new IVFMD center.

For more local business news and a calendar of local business events, please visit our website www.swﬂoridabusinesstoday.com

BROKERS ~ ANALYSTS ~ ADVISORS ~ CONSULTANTS

4632 Vincennes Blvd., Ste. 102 ~ Cape Coral, FL 33904 ~ 239 -677-2380 ~ www.cra.us

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JULY 2018

COMMERCIAL RE MARKET A look at commercial real estate trends and topics in Southwest Florida

Choose the right commercial professional for you BEV LARSON, CCIM

FRED KERMANI, CCIM, AIA

Lee, Collier & Charlotte Counties

Larson has over 39 years of diversified experience in the SWFL market. She is a Certified International Property Specialist and is the 2018 Florida CCIM Chapter Southwest District President. • • • • • •

LAHAINA REALTY 239-281-1290 bev1314@aol.com

COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT RETAIL OFFICE LAND-ACREAGE DEVELOPMENT

STEVE GANT, CCIM, MAI Charlotte, Desoto, Lee & Sarasota Counties

Steve is a Charlotte County native and commercial real estate expert with 21 years of experience. Local Knowledge. Expert Qualifications.

RIVERSIDE REALTY SERVICES, LLC

• • • • •

941-628-2625 steve@riverside-services.com www.riversiderealtyservices.com

OFFICE RETAIL INDUSTRIAL LAND LEASING

CCIM

If you are a CCIM-SWFL Chapter member, as a benefit, you are eligible to participate in this section. Contact 2017 CCIM SWFL President Gerald Hendry for details at geraldh@mhsappraisal.com 2016 CCIM-SWFL President Ron Struthers says: “This ad got me listings. It works!”

WILLIAM H. ROLLINS, JR., CCIM, ALC Lee, Collier, Charlotte, DeSoto & Hendry Counties Senior broker. He is licensed in Florida, Georgia and Alabama and is an Accredited Land Consultant.

LAND SOLUTIONS, INC. 239-633-1963 wrollins@landsolutions.net www.landsolutions.net

• AGRICULTURAL • RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL

RON STRUTHERS, CCIM Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, North Port & Venice

Specializes in all facets of commercial brokerage and leasing in Charlotte County area. 2016 CCIM Florida Chapter Southwest District President: 2018 President-Elect

COLDWELL BANKER COMMERCIAL NRT 941-769-3316 rstruthers@ccim.net www.commercialrealtyfl.com

• • • • •

INVESTMENT RETAIL OFFICE INDUSTRIAL LEASING

Southwest Florida Partner, licensed real estate broker and architect in Florida & California with 34 years of real estate and design experience. Specializes in land marketing and investment properties.

Why use a CCIM?

There are countless benefits to working with a CCIM. Commercial real estate investment requires the counsel of a qualified professional. A Certified Commercial Investment Member provides clients with the assurance that every decision will be made in the best interest of their investment objectives. When assembling a commercial real estate investment team, start with a CCIM.

• LAND • INVESTMENT

CRE CONSULTANTS

239-659-4960 fred.kermani@creconsultants.com www.creconsultants.com/go/fredkermani

HEATHER RIDEOUT, CCIM Southwest Florida Heather comes to the commercial real estate world with over 20 years experience in small business consulting, as a successful small business owner and as a real estate investor.

CREDIBILITY

CCIM is the most prestigious designation commercial real estate professionals can achieve within the industry. Graduate-level education, coupled with industry-leading technology tools, practical proven experience, and in-depth knowledge of their local markets, gives CCIMs the ability and the credibility to conduct business confidently and successfully. By partnering with a CCIM, you effectively utilize the top-level, most reliable performers in the industry: with an average of 19 years of experience, 70% of CCIM members hold executive-level positions and 90% of members refer clients to other business services. When you use a CCIM, you choose the most credible professional in the business.

KW COMMERCIAL PEACE RIVER PARTNERS

• • • 941-979-1174 • Rideout@kwcommercial.com www.RideoutCommercialGroup.com •

Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, Tampa & Orlando Principal & Managing Director LandQwest Commercial, President - Florida CCIM Chapter, 12-time CoStar Power Broker Award Winner

LANDQWEST COMMERCIAL

239-898-8686 adam@adampalmer.com www.adampalmer.com

INTEGRITY

MEASUREMENT

Overall, CCIM’s global network enables members to close thousands of transactions annually, representing more than $200 billion in value. But closing transactions is only part of what CCIMs can do. In addition to holding dealmaking occupations in every property sector, CCIMs are also found in’ leasing, asset management, development, lending, financing, property management, site selection and corporate real estate positions. So, whatever assistance your real estate project requires, a CCIM can help you achieve a better result. In fact, only 6 percent of all commercial real estate practitioners hold the elite CCIM designation, which reflects not only the caliber of the program, but why it is one of the most respected designations in the industry. When you use a CCIM, you choose a professional who produces measurable results.

The CCIM designation is conferred by the Chicagobased CCIM Institute, a commercial real estate aﬃliate of the National Association of REALTORS. Learn more about the value of working with a CCIM.

HEALTHCARE HOSPITALITY INVESTMENT RETAIL OFFICE

ADAM PALMER, CCIM

COMMUNITY

Today there are CCIMs in every state, across Canada and Mexico, and in more than 30 countries around the world. Domestically, the network encompasses more than 1,000 markets, from large metropolitan areas to small cities and towns. A truly global network, CCIMs are a powerful force in markets large and small. When you use a CCIM, you choose a trusted community of real estate professionals that are consistently sought for their dependability, intelligence, success and confidence.

• GAS STATIONS • RESTAURANTS

• • • • •

OFFICE INVESTMENT LAND RETAIL INDUSTRIAL

THERESA BLAUCH-MITCHELL, CCIM

Lee, Collier, Charlotte & Sarasota Counties SWFL CCIM Past President, Florida CCIM Membership Chair, CCIM International Committee. Hablo Español.

SPERRY COMMERCIAL GLOBAL AFFILIATES

• • • •

INVESTMENT RETAIL OFFICE INDUSTRIAL

239-265-2628 theresa@ccim.net www.sperrycga.com

RANDY KRISE, CCIM Lee, Collier & Charlotte Counties Broker/owner of Krise Commercial Group and 2016 Florida CCIM Regional Vice President and Institute Board Member.

KRISE COMMERCIAL GROUP 239-633-8672 randy@krisecg.com www.krisecg.com

• • • • •

COMMERCIAL VACANT LAND INVESTMENT RETAIL INDUSTRIAL

JULY 2018

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

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COMMERCIAL RE MARKET A look at commercial real estate trends and topics in Southwest Florida

Choose the right commercial professional for you CARLOS ACOSTA, CCIM

DAVE WALLACE, CCIM, SIOR

Southwest Florida Managing Principal/Qualifying Broker. Specializing in acquisitions and disposition of retail, office, industrial, land and investment sales. 5-time CoStar Powerbroker.

• • • • •

CRES of SWFL 239-823-0115

cacosta@ccim.net www.cresswfl.com

RETAIL OFFICE INDUSTRIAL LAND INVESTMENT SALES & LEASING

DEBRA JOHNSON SHUEY, RPA, CP, CCIM Collier, Lee, Charlotte & Hendry

Started in Commercial Real Estate in 1980. She is a Certiﬁed Paralegal. A Lee County resident since 1968, she has astute knowledge of the Southwest Florida market. • • • • • •

MILOFF AUBUCHON REALTY GROUP

239-850-2811 debrajohnsonshuey@icloud.com www.debrajohnsonshuey.com

RETAIL HOSPITALITY OFFICE INDUSTRIAL LAND LEASING

GERALD HENDRY, MAI, CCIM State-Certified General Real Estate Appraiser RZ2245 The firm specializes in litigation/ expert testimony, as well as, commercial and residential appraisal services. Hendry is a Managing Partner of the firm. 2017 CCIM Florida Chapter Southwest District President.

MAXWELL, HENDRY & SIMMONS LLC

• • • • •

239-337-0555 geraldh@mhsappraisal.com www.mhsappraisal.com

APPRAISAL CONSULTING COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL TAX APPEALS

BOB WHITE, CCIM Lee, Collier & Charlotte Counties Active Southwest Florida Commercial broker for over 25 years. Specializing in industrial, office and investment properties. Past president SWFL CCIM and REIS.

BOB WHITE, INC. 239-850-2217

bob@bobwhiteinc.com

• • • •

INDUSTRIAL OFFICE LEASE OR SALE INVESTMENT

ENN LUTHRINGER, CCIM Lee, Collier & Charlotte Counties A partner with CRE Consultants and 15-year commercial real estate veteran, he specializes in the medical and professional office market.

CRE CONSULTANTS

239-994-3703 enn.luthringer@creconsultants.com www.creconsultants.com

• COMMERCIAL • OFFICE • INVESTMENT

Collier County

An office, industrial and investment property specialist with more than 30 years of commercial real estate experience in successfully assisting clients with acquisitions, dispositions and leasing.

Why use a CCIM?

Naples Office 239-649-7755 dave.wallace@creconsultants.com

COMMUNITY

Lee, Collier, Charlotte & Sarasota Counties

Senior Vice President and Senior Credit Officer. More than 30 years of commercial lending experience. CCIM Senior Instructor and 2018 SWFL CCIM District Treasurer.

941-624-1916 mmize@csbtfl.com www.charlottestatebankandtrust.com

CCIM

MICHAEL J. FRYE, CCIM

CCIM designees are bound to the strictest ethical guidelines and standards of practice in the industry today. In addition, each CCIM has successfully completed a graduate level program comprised of 160 hours of education. If you ask around the industry, you’ll learn that companies and other real estate professionals are more likely to seek out experts who possess the CCIM designation, as they know CCIM stands for trust, knowledge and reliability. When you use a CCIM, you choose experts with integrity. Overall, CCIM’s global network enables members to close thousands of transactions annually, representing more than $200 billion in value. But closing transactions is only part of what CCIMs can do. In addition to holding dealmaking occupations in every property sector, CCIMs are also found in’ leasing, asset management, development, lending, financing, property management, site selection and corporate real estate positions. So, whatever assistance your real estate project requires, a CCIM can help you achieve a better result. In fact, only 6 percent of all commercial real estate practitioners hold the elite CCIM designation, which reflects not only the caliber of the program, but why it is one of the most respected designations in the industry. When you use a CCIM, you choose a professional who produces measurable results.

The CCIM designation is conferred by the Chicagobased CCIM Institute, a commercial real estate aﬃliate of the National Association of REALTORS. Learn more about the value of working with a CCIM.

• FINANCING OF COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

CHARLOTTE STATE BANK & TRUST

INTEGRITY

MEASUREMENT

OFFICE INDUSTRIAL SALES & LEASES INVESTMENT

MARYANN MIZE, CCIM

CREDIBILITY

• • • •

CRE CONSULTANTS

Lee, Collier & Charlotte Counties Recipient of the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement and Hall of Fame Award. Serving the SWFL market for over 30 years. We have 7 CCIMs to serve all our clients' needs.

RE/MAX REALTY GROUP 239-281-0441 mfrye@ccim.net www.michaeljfrye.com

• • • •

OFFICE RETAIL INDUSTRIAL LAND

RON WELEBNY, CCIM

Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry & DeSoto Counties

Qualifying Broker / Managing Director Licensed Real Estate Instructor Director Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association Director, CCIM-SWFL District Past President Commercial Investment Professionals of Southwest Florida Past President SWFL Commercial Alliance Vice-Chair Laguna Estates CDD

COMMERCIAL REALTY ASSOCIATES of SWFL 239-677-2381 Ron@CRA.us www.CRA.us

• • • •

BROKERS ANALYSTS ADVISORS CONSULTANTS

Page 10

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JULY 2018

COMMERCIAL RE MARKET A look at commercial real estate trends and topics in Southwest Florida

GrowFL hails Florida’s second-stage entrepreneurs

Florida Companies to Watch recognition program States came about through the ingefocuses on celebrating the successes of Florida’s entrenious efforts of the entrepreneurialpreneurs. On February 9, 2019, a new set of Florida’s spirited individuals and their small, growth companies will be recognized as part of the independent companies, rather than Florida Companies to Watch awards program. We enthrough the giant companies. We courage local successful local second-stage companies must give credit to the mountain of to apply and help represent Southwest Florida in this men of the past—from them came statewide initiative. The companies selected each year the grassroots of American greatmake an astounding impact on Florida’s economy by ness. My life has been a testimony collectively providing thousands of jobs and contribto the credo of the entrepreneur. uting millions of dollars in revenue. In short, they tell People like me who have lived the BY TOM a compelling story about the state’s diverse economic O’NEAL dream should share their knowledge landscape. Locally, these companies employ our family with others, because if private secGuest Columnist and friends—and their efforts are worthy of our support tor business doesn’t help—then the and celebration. American entrepreneur won’t survive.” To improve our economy, we must look within and Lowe’s passion for the success of the entrepreneur, ensure our foundation is solid. At the heart of this re- coupled with true leadership within Florida and our newed opportunity to help grow our existing businesses communities holds promise for us to create prosperity are our local economic development efforts in partner- and grow jobs for our citizens. ship with the Florida Economic Gardening Institute, According to YourEconomy.org, nearly 6 percent of the Edward Lowe Foundation and the entrepreneur for Florida-based companies are responsible for providing whom it is named. In 1945, Edward Lowe (1920-1995) more than 30 percent of the jobs in Florida. Companies created an industry when he developed clay-based cat with this capacity for growth represent Florida’s future. box filler as a favor to a friend. Upon realizing the po- Their success demonstrates the economic potential of tential of his product, he faithfully pursued informing the entire state. people of the need his new “Kitty Litter” could fill. One Recognizing the need to showcase the strengths and little idea turned into an industry. accomplishments of these companies on a statewide levIn 1985, Lowe turned his attention to helping other el, GrowFL, in association with the Edward Lowe Founentrepreneurs achieve their own goals by creating the dation, will once again host the Florida Companies to Edward Lowe Foundation, which focuses on second- Watch awards program. Part of a national program to celstage companies as the leading drivers of our economy. ebrate second-stage businesses, Companies to Watch was Lowe’s belief in the entrepreneur went deep. In his launched in 2011 in Florida and over the past seven years words, “The real roots of economic growth in the United has recognized 350 second-stage growth companies.

AWARD DEADLINE

The application deadline for Florida Companies to Watch award is July 7. Applications are available at GrowFL.com.

From 2013 through 2016, the 2017 Florida Companies to Watch honorees generated more than $700 million in revenue and added more than 1,300 employees, reflecting a 255-percent increase in revenue and 229-percent increase in employment for the four-year period. That translates into greater than 60-percent annual growth rate for revenue and a greater than 50-percent annual growth rate for employment. Growth in 2017 continued, with a 56-percent revenue increase and 36-percent growth in employment compared to 2016. If their projections hold, these companies will have generated $1.2 billion in revenue and added more than 2,000 jobs over the last five years—a 454-percent increase in revenue and 347-percent increase in jobs since 2013. As Lowe would say each time he walked into a room with an entrepreneur, “Hail, Entrepreneur.” We celebrate you, second-stage entrepreneurs, and your contributions to our communities. What may seem impossible, we know can be overcome. We live in a place where one individual can make a difference. Entrepreneurs are those unique individuals that change the way we think about what is possible. They have a clear vision for how life can be better for all of us, even when times are tough. Dr. Tom O’Neal is GrowFL’s executive director. Contact him at (407) 823-6384 or learn more at GrowFL.com.

Sometimes a great company can be a lousy investment

It goes against popular wisdom, but purchasing shares in “great” companies is not always sound investment advice. What is the definition of a great company? Quantitatively, a great company: (1) Generates extensive cash flow, (2) Earns high returns on invested capital, and (3) Redeploys cash flow at high returns. A great company possesses what Warren Buffett calls an “economic moat,” meaning it has a sustainable competitive advantage that allows it to earn attractive returns on redeployed capital. So, when can owning shares in great companies be a disappointing investment? A stock’s price is the market’s estimate of future cash flows, discounted to the present at a rate that reflects the uncertainty of those cash flows. The stock investor in a great company will only earn superior risk-adjusted returns when the company’s future cash flows exceed those expectations reflected in the current price. For great companies, the stock price often reflects highly optimistic expectations of future cash flows, offering investors limited compensation for their risk.

In the language of value investors, great companies often lack a “margin of safety.” In contrast, many “mediocre” companies can be wonderful investments— if the stock price is low enough. Even more favored are stocks of great companies that are expected to aggressively grow future revenue and earnings. These so-called “growth stocks” often BY MATTHEW sell at high multiples of current DEPAOLA earnings and cash flows, reflectGuest Columnist ing the lofty expectations of investors. Although growth may be a component of a stock’s value, it is the most unreliable component because the future is always uncertain. However, one rule of thumb followed by many value investors is to only pay a price reflective of cash flows that the company has currently attained or historically achieved. Conservative investors like growth— they just don’t want to pay for it.

Historically, investors have not fared well ignoring sensible valuations in favor of overly optimistic expectations has. Consider the “nifty-fifty” stocks of the mid- to late-1960s. According to this strategy, an investor would purchase shares in the 50-fastest growing companies, regardless of price. Measured as a multiple of earnings, the priciest names in this group were trading at 80 to 90 times their current earnings. When the bear market of the mid-1970s arrived, many investors lost 90 percent or more of their money as valuations came crashing down to earth. Investors should recognize that both investment risk and investment return are functions of price, regardless of the quality of the underlying business. Matthew DePaola is co-founder and chief investment oﬃcer for Tortuga Capital, a value-oriented investment management firm based in Fort Myers. Contact him at (239) 204-9059 or visit TortugaCapital.com.

We Care About SWFL RIDE PAGE 5 Commercial Realtors with pick up routes extending as far out as EmWith dedicated space for informa�on: • On our website with a Commercial Real Estate sec�on & directory • In our quarterly Commercial RE Market pullout in both the print & digital versions of SWFBT • With zoned and full-run inserts • With guest column opportuni�es • With digital marke�ng op�ons For more informa�on, call Karen at (239) 770-7527

www.swﬂoridabusinesstoday.com

erald Pointe Condominium to Fisherman’s Village to the intersection of Taylor Road and Cooper Street. “We are very excited to have The Nickel Ride operating in our city,” said John Wright, president of the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce. “This will be a unique and much needed opportunity for both visitors and residents alike to savor the many delights of our city.” Additionally, the Punta Gorda City Council member shared sentiments on The Nickel Ride partnering with his community. “The Nickle Ride supports the rebranding and revitalization of the Historic District and Punta Gorda’s sustainable values of the past through promoting walkability and accessibility of the Downtown Historic District for all of Punta Gorda’s residents and visitors” said Punta Gorda City Council member Jaha Cummings.

JULY 2018

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

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COMMERCIAL RE MARKET A look at commercial real estate trends and topics in Southwest Florida

Florida Skin Center opens its fourth oﬃce in Punta Gorda Florida Skin Center opened a fourth location on East Olympia Avenue in Punta Gorda. The two-story, 7,000-square-foot building features a Mohs surgical center with six specially-designed Mohs suites that provide comfort and amenities to patients. Each surgical guest suite includes a gourmet coffee and tea bar, juice, water, and other beverages, plus hot snack items from a microwave oven. Patients can also enjoy music and a high-definition television in their suite where they remain for the entire visit, as well as have unprecedented access to service

with same-week Mohs surgery and general dermatology appointments. The interior of the building is meant to resemble a five-star spa and is an unconventional physician office with tile floors, marble and granite countertops, as well as wood cabinetry and other accents found in Florida Skin Center’s three other Southwest Florida locations. Likewise, guest amenities range from spacious lounge areas and examination rooms, to high-definition televisions and Wi-Fi in the lounge and examination rooms, to a warm-towel greeting, as well as a coffee, tea and

juice bar and diffused air throughout the facility. Handicap parking and access is available in front of the building. The parking lot behind the main building accommodates approximately 18 vehicles, with 18 additional parking spaces available in an asphalt lot directly behind the satellite office at 325 Hargreaves Avenue. The exterior of the main building has been painted, and landscape improvements will also be made. Restoration to the adjoining satellite office is expected to follow the grand opening

of the main building. “As Florida Skin Center begins a long-term relationship with the residents of Charlotte County, we look forward to introducing them to dermatological care that they cannot possibly find anywhere else in the area,” said Dr. Anais Aurora Badia, founder. “This up-to-the-minute facility and its optimal staff, including Dr. Chetan Vedvyas who joins us as the Director of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology, are sure to set a new standard in quality skin care for this growing market.”

Help your business soar through seasonal slump

By now, the snow birds have completed their annual migration north, albeit a little late this year as the frozen tundra of the North East and Midwest has finally thawed out. Roads are clear, school buses are gone, two-hour waits at restaurants have subsided and you can actually get an appointment with your doctor. Awesome, right? Not for everyone. For the next seven months, Southwest Florida small businesses in many cases experience a 60-percent decline in revenue’s simply due to the population’s talons ripping through their top line revenue as the northern flock goes back to the roost. For a business, this can cause some major scrambling as rent, interest expenses and utilities stay flat and in some cases, variable costs increase due to the Southwest Florida heat. So what can you do to prepare this year and future years to come to generate your own working capital without borrowing more money and keep your ducks in a row? This question is best answered with a real life example. I will protect the names of the innocent and tell you how we hatched a plan to fly away from this risk. A prospect in the medical testing lab industry

went to a Bank to request a refinance of their existing loans and leases. This business utilized expensive and short-term loans and leases to startup their business four years ago. They had 10 different lease contracts, two hard money working capital loans and a private loan made to them from a family friend for leasehold improvements. Their total debt was BY TOM north of $2 million. It was not MAIALE only expensive, but it drove their Guest Columnist CFO cuckoo every month sending and verifying 13 different financing payments, on top of trying to keep the cash flow of the business positive during the summer/fall slump. He almost flew the coop. SBA swooped in and saved the day! All of the 13 loans/leases were on what the SBA classifies as unreasonable terms. The leases were short-term, under five years, on equipment that had a useful life of 10-plus years. The working capital loans were designed to take a weekly payment

out of their checking account based on that week’s deposits, and the family friend loan had a balloon payment coming due with no chance of a renewal as that friendship bB, with the help of a 75-percent SBA guarantee, was able to swoop in and refinance all 13 loans/leases by providing a 10-year loan. They reduced their annual loan payment down to $221,000, instantly laying a $700,000 working capital egg. The eagle has landed! If you are interested in learning more about this, please give me a call and I will show you how we can hatch a plan to keep plenty of working capital in your nest during the slow season. I am just minutes away—as the crow flies! Tom Maiale, CBC National Bank SBA Lending vice president and business development oﬃcer, is a 17year SBA Lending veteran with training from The National Association of Government Guaranteed Lending and The U.S. Small Business Administration. Contact him at (239) 288-9966 or tmaiale@cbcnationalbank.com.

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JULY 2018

Connecting Buyers and Sellers. Getting it Done. Former Elks Lodge

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JULY 2018

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

Page 13

TECHNOLOGY

Missing out on your biggest online market? Build your reputation Part 1 of 2 The fact is most local businesses miss out on the 72 percent of consumers who trust online reviews as much or more than recommendations from family and friends. There is no question online reviews can be your most profitable marketing platform at your lowest cost. You are about to learn why reviews are so important, how to get your customers to give you positive reviews and how to keep negative comments from be published online. These rating and review strategies online can grow your business exponentially for years to come. Why reviews matter We are living in a powerful information age. Forest Research calls this “The Age of the Consumer” representing empowered individuals who trust other people perceived to be similar to themselves and who share experiences that are relevant and helpful in making decisions. Ratings and reviews serve as “social proof”— something much more powerful than ads or what a business says about themselves. Positive customer reviews may be the single most effective marketing

strategy your business can do for rapid and sustainable growth. The number and quality of reviews has the capacity to make or break your business. Here are some more important facts about your online reputation: • A survey by Bright Local in 2017 concluded 85 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendaBY RUTH tions from friends and family. KUTTLER • Four out of five consumers Guest Columnist reverse their decision to purchase a product or service because of negative online reviews. • Restaurants who increase their Yelp ratings by half a star on a five-star scale see a 30- to 49-percent increase in selling out seats during peak hours. • Consumers who regularly read and post online reviews tend to be younger, wealthier and more apt to value and use technology. Tech savvy consumers will

represent a more dominant segment of the population in future years. This makes reaching these consumers essential, a segment not to be overlooked if you want to claim a larger market share and become more profitable. • Phil Rozek, a local SEO consultant and blogger, says: “Google wants to see signs of life. A legitimate review on an authoritative, third-party review site is one of the most powerful signals you can send to Google.” The more reviews a business has, the greater the visibility for that business across the web on search engines, directory sites, social media sites and mobile apps used by more than 250 million users. The net effect may be more business from better search engine rankings and/or greater visibility on review sites. Ruth Kuttler is the founder and director of WebPuzzleMaster, a one-stop branding, web design, and full service digital marketing company located in Naples. Contact her at ruth@webpuzzlemaster.com or (239) 293-7695.

Five tips to ensure presentation leads to positive sales outcome QUESTION: I spend an inordinate amount of time crafting what I believe is a compelling sales presentation. However, my success ratio leaves much to be desired. What else do I need to do to ensure a more positive outcome?

ANSWER: The successful sales presentation is much more than delivering a lot of information that you believe will be of benefit to the client. The following are five tips that should help ensure a more positive outcome: • Know your customer – To the best extent possible try to find out everything you can about your client’s company. What do they do, who are their competitors, what are their specific needs, and how can what you offer address those needs and improve their bottom line? • Allow your client to know you as a person – Don’t be in a rush to make your pitch. You must first develop a rapport. Start with a little small talk. If you see a golf tro-

phy on the credenza inquire about the circumstances and if you play too, let that be a conversation starter. • Your time is valuable - Always deal with the decision maker. If you are making your presentation to anyone other than the person who makes the final decision, you are wasting your time. If you are unable to arrange a meeting with the decision maker, walk away and put your BY GRAY efforts to work for someone who is POEHLER willing to consider what you have to Guest Columnist offer. • Address objections respectfully – You should expect and encourage a dialogue with your customer. In fact, if you are doing all the talking how will you know if your message is getting through to the client? A sea-

soned sales person knows how to counter objections and the customer has a right to receive straight-forward answers to their questions. • Ask for the sale – One of the biggest mistakes novices make is they fail to ask for the sale. In most instances, this is caused by the fear of rejection. It is a given that for every sale you make you will probably receive two or three rejections. Treat rejection as a learning experience and your success ratio will improve over time. Remember, sales are a numbers game. If it takes three sales calls to make one sale and your goal is five sales a month, plan on making at least fifteen sales calls. Gray Poehler is a volunteer with SCORE Naples. Business counseling on this and other business matters is available, without charge, from the Naples Chapter of SCORE. Visit https://naples.score.org/mentors or call (239) 430-0081.

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

ROBOT PAGE 2 right time. Automation is putting menial tasks in the “hands” of a computer, leaving more meaningful jobs to employees. Advanced technology is giving marketers the ability to be proactive instead of reactive. AI used to be technology only larger companies were using. Luckily, it is now available to small businesses. This will make waves in every industry on the planet. If your company is not using the latest technology in its marketing, it’s going to be left in the dust. With our custom software division Stickboy Creative, we are fortunate to have access to state-of-the-art technology and the team building it. Ada: • Uses containerization, which also is popular among tech giants such as Amazon and Google, to allow for unparalleled scalability. Being scalable means Ada will continue to grow and remain efficient as it absorbs more and more data from various online platforms. • Applies big data management techniques when interfacing with platforms such as Google, allowing us to leverage more information and insights while not degrading performance and efficiency. • Uses a cross between deep learning (neural networks) and genetic algorithms. In deep learning, technology learns tasks from images, text or sound. (Think facial recognition on the latest iPhone.) There’s no question Ada will have an impact on all industries; however, the footprint it will make on marketing will be an industry changer. Watching Ada’s progress in the world of AI is as exciting as any science fiction out there. Even better: It’s real. And a note to readers: This column was not automated (this time). Matt Bernhardt is the co-founder of Vectra Digital in Fort Myers. Contact him at matt@vectradigital.com or (239) 234-2566.

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Conventional Loans And Loans Typically Unsuitable For Institutional Lenders Our Team Can Arrange Loans Ranging From $100,000 To Multi-million Dollars.

JULY 2018

TECHNOLOGY

Story technology focuses on authenticity I was at the Naples airport on a Friday morning in 2012, waiting for the private jet to land carrying clients I had been talking with for a month. I had all the properties lined up for the day of showings and was excited to finally meet my clients in person. This was potentially the largest dollar value sale I had ever had to that point. We saw a wide range of homes and at the end of the day, they chose a home for $4.5 million and flew out that same evening. They really appreciated everything I had done for them, and I thought “This is my ideal customer.” I wanted more customers like them, but since they were in from North Dakota, I couldn’t effectively do any traditional marketing. I thought social media like LinkedIn and Facebook could be a great way to get in front of their friends if they shared something. Since I had luck getting testimonials from past customers, maybe I could get them to share a testimonial. I used the lessons from a book I had recently read, “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries, along with my background in programming to build a base level product I could use to see if my customers would give a testimonial and share it. I spent many years as a software developer working for tech companies before getting in the real estate business in Southwest Florida. I was always trying to use technology and my programming background as a way I could differentiate myself in the real estate vertical. When I had that big sale and I wanted to find a way to leverage it better, naturally my mind went to ways I could use technology to help. In 2013, I founded Testimonial Tree, a technology platform that makes it easy to automate feedback requests and effortlessly spread positive testimonials online. I pitched the idea to brokers and quickly gained John R. Woods and Michael Saunders as some of my first clients. Testimonial Tree now has over 95,000 users with some of the largest national brokerages as our clients. We’ve expanded to many other verticals such as healthcare, flooring and retail with Badcock Furniture as our newest large client. There is no better marketing than your customers raving about how great you are. Collecting surveys helps you improve your process and gain valuable insight into what’s working well in your business

and what needs to be improved. Five-star online reviews help you rank high in Google search results and create a sense of virality on social media. Since real estate is such a huge part of our economy here in Southwest Florida and the fact that technology changes industries at record pace, it was natural that real estate-related techBY JASON nology got its start here. I have DOLLE had so many great people locally Guest Columnist help us as we grow, such as Fusion Pointe, a local technology mentoring group. The intellectual capital here and the willingness for people to help in any way they can is amazing. We continue to evolve based our customer’s needs and what started as a marketing technology to harness the powerful, wonderful stories customers want to share with their service provider has grown to so much more. We are not only helping our clients grow their business but also helping them establish a customer-focused company culture. A company’s culture attracts employees and keeps them happy at their job. This translates into great service which leads to happy customers. The overall satisfaction increases and positive feedback is the best referral machine your money can buy. We’ve seen new clients get flooded with heartwarming testimonials that led to increased business. The positive feedback gets shared on their website, review sites, social media and in other places that can help their business. Any negative reviews that come in can be addressed on an individual basis and will not be made public. Testimonial Tree is a turnkey Saas, that you set up once and then let it run. Dozens of integrations make it easy to set up with any CRM and there is absolutely no technical knowledge required. You continue doing your job and our software makes sure you capture the praise you deserve and lets the world know.

HURRICANE PAGE 1

“States with strong, updated building codes saw stunning proof last year in Florida that updated, well-enforced building codes have led to the construction of homes and buildings that can stand up to fierce hurricane winds. It can’t be any clearer: these codes work,” Ballen said. “Unfortunately, many states have taken no action to improve their code systems, and a few have weaker systems in place now than they had in 2015.” Ballen added IBHS believes building codes that are poorly enforced, lagging current standards or simply nonexistent at a statewide level create a regrettable set of circumstances and unnecessary hazards. Benefits of a strong, well-enforced and routinely updated building code include: • Giving residents a sense of security about the safety and soundness of their buildings. • Offering protection to first responders during and after fires and other disaster events. • Promoting a level, predictable playing field for designers, builders, and suppliers. • Reflecting recent design and technology innovation, often incorporating newly identified best practices and cost efficiencies. • Reducing the amount of solid waste in landfills produced by homes that have been damaged or destroyed during disasters.

“Mother Nature delivered a serious and costly beating to the U.S. and its territories during 2017, with 25 million people impacted by catastrophic hurricanes and many more by other severe weather events,” said Debra Ballen, IBHS general counsel and senior vice president of public policy. “Bad weather is not new and will not stop. But what can and must stop is the continued construction, and inevitable destruction, of weak, vulnerable homes built – and too often rebuilt – in questionable locations. We must build stronger, to code standards proven to reduce risk, and stop allowing today’s weather events to become painful, expensive disasters for homeowners, communities, states and the entire nation.” Rating the States assesses the progress of 18 hurricane-prone coastal states along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Seaboard in strengthening residential building code systems. IBHS issued prior versions in 2012 and 2015. The new IBHS report finds most states with strong building code systems in place at the time of the original 2012 report remain committed to building safety.

Jason Dolle is the founder and CEO of Testimonial Tree, an award-winning Saas company. Contact him at jason@testimonialtree.com and (239) 424-9018.

W O R K S M A R T E R TO

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GRAPHIC DESIGN • MARKETING • RESEARCH TECHNICAL & ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE KATHY SORTORE 239.898.2176

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w w w. V i r t u a l O f f i c e S o l u t i o n s 4 u . c o m

JULY 2018

Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

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TECHNOLOGY

Stop online intruders before they invade your system Who would have known the best and latest technology and equipment of the next generation is being used in our area by a small business called Power One, owned and operated by Michael and Brenda Bratta. We started the company in 2015 and initially targeted only restaurants as they can be very vulnerable. We were experienced restaurant and business owners themselves of 35-plus years combined. I always dominated the skills of computers, technology and everything that goes with it, but until Brenda told me my knowledge was not normal, I thought everyone knew what I did. “I have never seen anyone spend hours upon hours over the years continuously reading about and educating themselves on the most secure and advanced technology on the market and then master it with perfection,” said Brenda. We want to help as many business owners and individuals stop the threats in their everyday lives. As far as restaurants, 97 percent are still storing our credit card information and are not PCI Compliant, which is illegal as of three years ago. They are starting to police it on the Florida East Coast and are shutting down credit card processing with no notice to restaurant owners and forcing them to spend thousands of dollars to upgrade their old POS system or to purchase a new one that is already PCI compliant. Many businesses are lacking either good camera systems, outdated systems or no cameras at all. Older versions of electronics are most vulnerable. Most business owners think cameras are just for employee theft, but they are being used in lawsuits everyday by slip and fall customers, verbal and physical confrontations and even parking lot robberies, injuries and attacks. We can help eliminate these risks for any business. We feel we can only do this by educating people.

GRANT PAGE 1 Other benefits for the county and local businesses include: • Piper Road North will create a second main entrance to Punta Gorda Interstate Airport Park, one of the largest and most important industrial parks in Charlotte County. Two nearby ramps to I-75 will support commercial traffic. • Utility improvements on Piper Road will create approximately 100 acres of prime industrial zoned property with an estimated 500,000 square feet of tax base and 1,400 projected new jobs. Additionally, nearly 50 undeveloped acres on Piper Road are slated for industrial development with nearly 320,000 square feet of new tax base and additional new jobs. Punta Gorda Interstate Airport Park spans 4,380 acres and hosts companies

Security and surveillance today is something that needs to be taken very seriously. With the threats of security malware, credit card fraud and identity theft, it is important we understand the risks and where the vulnerabilities are. Power One has identified and adopted next-generation technology in both Internet security and secuBY MICHAEL rity surveillance. Most business BRATTA owners and homeowners assume Guest Columnist their Internet provider and antivirus software on computers stop intrusions. This is absolutely false and I think from what we’ve seen on the media that almost anybody could get into our computer systems at home and the workplace and take whatever they want. Today’s technology is much more superior in identifying, stopping and shutting down unwanted intruders. Our product line provides intrusion protection and Geo blocking. Our security gateway has the ability to identify hackers, malware and intruders before they enter your computer system. Our security gateway also has the ability to block certain countries of your choice from ever gaining access to your system. There is no 100-percent guarantee your computer systems at work or at home cannot be hacked into, but the truth is, if you make it very difficult for the intruder, nine times out of 10 they will move on to an easier victim instead of you. We also offer next-generation video surveillance that gives you 1080 P viewing and recording and audio. It is very important today to secure your business and homes with video surveillance for two major reasons. The first reason is for peace of mind and knowing your property has surveillance

in manufacturing, regional warehousing and distribution. The park is home to facilities for Florida Southwestern College and The College of Aviation at Western Michigan University–Punta Gorda. The Piper Road North Extension is scheduled for completion by Feb. 17. The grant highlights a year of significant wins for economic development in Charlotte County, summed up by Lucienne Pears, director of the county Office of Economic Development: “Charlotte County is riding a wave of success. One of the top aviation colleges in the country landed here. Amigo Pallets moved here to support Cheney Brothers, one of the largest food distributors in South Florida. Sunseeker Resorts selected Charlotte Harbor from sites around the country to launch its first resort development. We are building a strong foundation for the future and I truly believe the sky is the limit.”

and allows you to go back and look at an incident to protect yourself from lawsuits and much more. Many years ago when talking to a police officer before surveillance cameras were popular, I was told that a dog was the best deterrent for intruders. Today, having a surveillance camera managing your property is the biggest deterrent as the intruder does not want their face recorded committing a crime. We offer next generation state-of-the-art business and home security and surveillance at a reasonable price that anybody can afford. Our system starts at around $200 based on your level of needs. We also provide monitoring and statistics for those that do not have the time or desire to look at the results for an extra minimal fee. With this monitoring, we include updates as well so you are always up to date on the latest way to stop intruders. Cyber-crime is constantly on the rise, and many smaller businesses are extremely vulnerable as a result of ineffective cyber security. IT security solutions are essential for all kinds of businesses, particularly when you think about how important the internet and your digital systems are for your day-to-day operation. In IT security, sometimes it’s what you don’t know that hurts you, but sometimes it’s what you already know but never get around to acting on. Hackers are now going through your router to get your information and that must be protected. We can help eliminate that. Breaches do not come cheap. A data breach can cost a large company an estimated $3.5 million with the costs trending upward every year. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when. Michael Bratta is the co-owner and operator of Power One POS Solutions. Contact him at poweroneimc@gmail.com or (877) 264-1868.

The growing world of “mobile” demands that you be wherever your customers, clients, members and prospects expect you to be.

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Call us for a free digital presence report for your business. 4500 Executive Drive Suite 230 Naples (239) 465-0310 www.activedatamobile.com

DOING IT RIGHT, FROM THE START

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Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY

JULY 2018

ALL TOWNS AREN’T CREATED EQUAL. Sure, every town has its beautiful park or its lake view. Its grand home or its city hall. But the truth is most towns aren’t created at all. This one is. Babcock Ranch is an entirely new kind of town. One where the streets are planned but the wilderness isn’t. Where energy comes from the oldest source in the world and powers the very newest technology. Where luxurious amenities come at an unluxurious price. This is a town where the frontier meets the front porch in a way that’s never been seen before. HOMES FROM THE $200s TO $1 MILLION BABCOCKRANCH.COM 877-565-6866

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DIRECTIONS FROM I-75 Take Exit 143 for FL-78 E Head East on FL-78 E/Bayshore Rd. 3.3 miles Turn left onto Babcock Ranch Rd. 4.5 miles Turn right onto Lake Babcock Dr. 1.0 miles Turn left onto Crescent Loop

Broker participation is welcome. Prices, plans, specifications and community design are subject to change. Oral representations cannot be relied upon as correctly stating the representations of the developer. For correct information regarding Babcock Ranch, interested parties should refer to written materials provided by the developer, legislative acts related to Babcock Ranch and the covenants and restrictions of the Babcock Ranch Residential Association, Inc. The information provided above is not intended to be an offering and should be considered as informational only.