The Busy Buddy is moving from home base to office space as it joins other fledgling businesses at the SMARTstart incubator site in the Dade City Business Center.
Owner and President Kellye Dash, 39, started her business support services company as a part-time venture operated from her home while working full-time as an Information Technology (IT) manager for another company.
In 2012 she took
The Busy Buddy full-time and in January moved into the business center at 15000 Citrus Country Drive in Dade City in northeast Pasco County.
"I always knew I wanted to have my own business," says Dash, a 2007 graduate of the
University of South Florida. "This is my opportunity to strike out on my own."
She currently works with two sub-contractors to help businesses on a range of issues, including social media, email marketing, web research, database cleanups, event and meeting coordination, and special projects
.
One of her clients is Tampa engineering firm,
Heidt Design, which has worked on residential development projects including Fishhawk Ranch.
"I'm looking to grow," says Dash. She plans to add staff as her business expands both locally and nationally.
SMARTstart is managed by the Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc. It is the first venture of its kind in the county, providing networking opportunities and technical support to small businesses. While some startup companies are located at the business center, others are located off-site.
"We're all trying to grow and collaborate and share in the challenges we have and help each other," says Dash.
She grew up in the Washington, D.C. area and moved to Tampa nearly a decade ago. She lives in Wesley Chapel with her three daughters.
In the future, Dash is planning to offer an internship at her company. She especially wants to be a mentor to girls and women. "You can do whatever you want to do," she says.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.