AN ENVIABLE PLACE TO INNOVATE

economic times, we are more insulated than most because people keep moving to Central Florida, meaning more people than ever should be primed to spend their money in our community.

Several years ago I walked into a local coffee shop just a few weeks after it opened. I overheard a conversation between the owner and a customer that I will never forget.

The customer was asking him, “Since you’ve never run a coffee shop before, how did you figure out where to spend your money when you built this space and ordered products?”

The owner shared how the owner of another local coffee-centric establishment offered insights from years of successes and failures, including wisdom such as “don’t overspend on stuff like fancy filters.”

That is Lakeland at its best and business at its finest. Nestled between the metro empires of Tampa and Orlando we all want people to stay off of I-4, fall in love with our local offerings and reinvest money, time and relationships here.

We have the benefit of three universities, two colleges and a number of trade schools in our city. Catapult truly is a slingshot aiming entrepreneurs and small business dreamers toward stability and success. And the reality is that even though we are in uncertain

As the Central Florida Development Council notes on its website, the Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area is the second fastest growing metropolitan area in the country with almost $20 billion of economic activity each year.

As a company dedicated to the people of Lakeland, driven to tell the stories that matter most to Lakelanders, we are making a renewed effort to be your go-to source for all things business, networking and entrepreneurship. Keep your eyes open for our new website (launching soon) and our Monday Hustle newsletter. Get ready for more videos and stories about the people, processes and products that make Lakeland a place where people can live, work and see their dreams come true.

Being a successful entrepreneur is no easy feat, but we live in a great place that is ready to support those who are ready to put in the work. Just don’t forget—the only place “greatness” comes before “hustle is in the dictionary.

RJ Walters EDITOR