Like a matchmaking service for work, FranNet of Greater Tampa Bay matches potential business owners with franchises. For those interested in learning more about franchise ownership, FranNet will be hosting […]
Barbara Forgione says people cross the mall to get a closer look at her hair.Forgione, owner of the Barbara Forgione Salon, has a tri-colored streak that runs from the nape of her neck to the end of her below-the-shoulders blond mane. But she can choose whether to show the color or not. It's called a peek-a-boo rainbow, and it's gotten some major attention.Forgione's style has captured the attention of Stylelist.com, which features Forgione and her innovative color technique on its Hot in my Salon project on AOL. Forgione is one of only 100 salons nationwide to be featured.The technique adds strands of graduated highlights in rainbow shades such as blue, purple and pink. Done correctly, the effect isn't overpowering, but adds plenty of eye-catching fun. It's something Forgione has always wanted to try."It's ageless," says Forgione. "Anyone can do it, I have clients from their teens to in their 60s having fun with bright pieces. Since I was a kid, I always wanted a rainbow streak in my hair. My stylists were putting in one hot color streak in their hair and dared me. So I said. 'Let's do it. I want hot pink, blue, green and violet.' " Forgione says this is not the first time her South Tampa salon has been on the cutting-edge. Hers was the first in Tampa to offer Yuko Japanese Hair Straightening and Deva hair-cutting techniques. Forgione also has been a colorist for TLC's The Makeover Story and was Paris Hilton's stylist when the celebrity came to Tampa for the 2009 Super Bowl.Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: Barbara Forgione, Barbara Forgione Salon
Bed bugs and other pests may want to change their MOs. Technology is creeping up on them.Global PBS, a Tampa company that partners entrepreneurs with engineers and scientists, has just received a patent on a polymodal biological sensor (PBS) that can identify pests from a remote location based on the sounds and/or smells they produce."The system uses multiple methods to detect the target," explains Tom David, Global PBS' CEO. "For instance, if we're looking for bed bugs, we can use an e-nose to smell the pheromone from the bed bug versus all the other insects around. If they were traveling across a space, we can detect their movement through sound."David says the company is focusing on the hospitality industry first, as bed bugs and diseases caused by pests are so prevalent. "Zoonosis — diseases transmitted from animals to humans — is a big deal for a lot of scientists right now," says David."This is early warning technology that can save industries and potentially lives."Sensors can be placed anywhere pests may be a threat, such as a room at a hotel. If the sensor detects a pest such as a bed bug by its sound or smell, the data is sent to a global learning system located at a central location. The hotel can then be alerted to the presence of the bug and take steps to eliminate the problem.David says the new technology can save time and money spent spraying for bugs that aren't necessarily there."Using this technology, they have proof that there is a problem before they spend time and money on spraying."Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: Tom David, Global PBS
Hiregy, a professional staffing and recruiting firm in Tampa, is looking for talented people to place with their clients. According to Hiregy's president and CEO Bill Fries, the hiring trend will continue through 2011. "While still cautious, companies in most industries are planning for growth this year, which means an increase in hiring," Fries says. "Since the holidays, we've seen an increase in hiring activity and a renewed energy from both candidates and employers." Founded in 2004, Hiregy specializes in administrative, accounting, legal, customer service, HR and IT placements. "Hiregy has helped companies find top-notch talent in a wide variety of positions from nurses to controllers," Fries says. "Hiregy's client companies' hiring needs change on an hourly basis." Fries goes on to say that Nicole Palmieri, recruiting director for the company, and her team could be working on 20-40 positions at any given time. "Currently we have opening for legal administrative assistants, bilingual customer service representatives, office managers, RN case managers, software developers, collections managers and more," Fries says. Hiregy also offers jobseekers resources on its website, everything from resume writing to interview tips. "If you're looking for a position, and have been for a while, don't let your frustration come across when talking with potential employers," Fries says. "While we know this is difficult, the negative energy will decrease your chances." Fries also suggests that jobseekers use online tools such as LinkedIn or Facebook to network and find work, and not to depend on online job postings alone. "Recruiting and staffing firms are a great way to stand out because they will introduce you personally to hiring managers at a variety of companies," Fries says. Hiregy's office is at 1111 N. Westshore Blvd., Suite 102, in Tampa. Writer: Kimberly PattersonSource: Bill Fries, Hiregy
Lakewood Ranch-based daytime cafe First Watch recently inked a deal with VMB Sunrise Hospitality Inc. to bring five restaurants to the Milwaukee area.First Watch currently has 83 restaurants in 11 states and plans to expand to 115 restaurants by the end of 2012, according to the Sarasota Herald Tribune.Read the complete story.
T. Hamptom Dohrman had an idea he was sure would benefit both his artist friends and his entrepreneurial business colleagues. So he took it to his colleagues, and an innovative contest was born.The the 2011 Cigar City Brewing Local Artist Label Design Competition invites visual and graphic artists throughout the Tampa Bay region to submit their visions of what the bottle label should look like for Cigar Factory Brewing Company's Tocobaga Red Ale, which will make its debut in June 2011. The artist with the winning design will be announced on June 3, 2011, and awarded $500 and a free case of the new beer. The top 10 entries will be exhibited in print at the Cigar City Brewing Tasting Room at 3924 W Spruce St., from June 3 through July 10, 2011. Limited edition, artist-signed Tocobaga bottles also will be available. Todd Smith, executive director of the Tampa Museum of Art will be a guest judge for this project. Submissions will be accepted through February 25, 2011. "Joey Redner (Cigar City owner) is a great citizen and friend," says Dohrman, owner of Hampton Arts Management, who is handling the contest. "He and Wayne Wambles, the brewery's head brewer, supported a gallery I worked with through product donations before the brewery was even fully operational. I had the idea for a label project, presented it to Joey, and we worked together over the past few months to make it happen."Dohrman, who opened Hampton Arts Management in the fall of 2010 is no stranger to creative ideas. having been involved in such innovative events as Deep Carnivale literature festival, Homemade Music Symposium, Ybor Festival of the Moving Image. His arts management company is currently planning an arts incubator.Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: T. Hampton Dohrman, Hampton Arts Management
Innovative Vacuum Solutions, which specializes in high-vacuum pump technology, selected the Tampa Bay region for its new service center. The New Hampshire-based company repairs and rebuilds industrial vacuum pump systems, and plans to hire 10 people in 2011 for various positions at the new facility.Michael Metropolis, president of Innovative Vacuum Solutions, says there are several reasons why he chose to open a service center in Tampa Bay. "Our company has an existing customer base in the area, and providing local service is better than having customers ship to our other locations," Metropolis says. He also cites the weather as a draw to the area. "Being from New Hampshire, the weather doesn't get any better than it is here. My wife and I always wanted to move south, and Tampa's diversity was something we were looking for, it reminds us of the islands." Innovative Vacuum Solutions was incorporated in 1996 and has offices in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and now Florida. The new service center officially opened for business Jan. 3, 2011. Metropolis says he is ready to hire. "We are hiring mechanics and technicians to start," Metropolis says. "Then we will be hiring sales and administrative staff." Metropolis and his wife are no strangers to the industry. In fact, while Metropolis is president, his wife Michele is the chief operating officer. "We got our start as employees of a New Jersey company that did a similar business in 1992," Metropolis says. We worked our way up the corporate ladder into management positions, and then started our own company." The new service center is located at 11461 N. U.S. Highway 301, Suite 110, in Thonotosassa. Writer: Kimberly PattersonSource: Michael Metropolis and Michele Metropolis, Innovative Vacuum Solutions
"Look younger and live longer" is the philosophy behind the company It Works Global Inc. CEO Mark Pentecost started It Works in March, 2001. A teacher by trade, Pentecost was looking for a business opportunity that would get him out from behind his desk. He says starting It Works Global gave him the financial freedom he was looking for. Pentecost recently made the decision to relocate the company's corporate headquarters from Grand Rapids, MI to Manatee County, and plans to create jobs. According to Pentecost, the warm weather and gulf beaches of the Tampa Bay area were the biggest draw to Manatee County. It Works Global is a direct sales company, that offers innovative products, including nutritional supplements, as well as a line of luxury skincare products. The company is known for its Ultimate Body Applicator™ product, which is an all-natural, detoxifying body wrap that tones and tightens. While Pentecost has not finalized a lease for the new headquarters, he plans to renovate and operate out of the Stoneybrook Golf Club facility in Sarasota. "Being on the golf course, we are able to recognize our distributors, give them a break, and have some fun," Pentecost says. "At It Works, we work hard, but we also play hard." When the new corporate office does open, which Pentecost expects to happen later this month, he says he will be hiring 20-30 people right away. "We will be hiring a creative team, social media experts, customer service, and management positions from the get go," Pentecost says. "We project to hire 90 people over the next three years." Writer: Kimberly PattersonSource: Mark Pentecost, It Works Global, Inc.
After selling cars for almost 40 years and keeping tabs on the car sales industry, Richard Nimphie decided to electrify his business for 2011. He opened an electric car lot at 2401 4th St. N. in St. Petersburg."For the past few years, every industry journal I read spoke of electric vehicles," says Nimphie. "This gives me the opportunity to get into an innovative end of the automobile business that will make a difference."Suncoast Electric Vehicles sells personal and electric vehicles, or EVs, that include the Wheego Whip for neighborhood drives, the Wheego LiFe for highway trips, two Vantage GreenVan models and two Vantage GreenTruck models. Nimphie says he believes he is the only dealer of all-electric cars and trucks in this part of the country."I've checked on the Internet, and to my knowledge we are the only dealer in Florida, or the Southeast that is dedicated to selling all electric automobiles and trucks."Because the cars are assembled in California and shipped to St. Petersburg, customers must reserve their car and wait for delivery. The dealership also will provide free charging to its customers at its solar-powered charging station. EVs take approximately eight hours to charge, and the highway car will run up to 70 miles per hour for the equivalent of 100 miles to the gallon. Each car at Suncoast Electric is sold with an adapter that allows cars to be charged from a 110-volt electric outlet.Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: Richard Nimphie, Suncoast Electric Vehicles
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