Orlando Entrepreneur

While select areas of Orlando are renowned as an international tourism destinations, with a wide variety attractions ranging from amusement parts to spring training games, the city’s urban core could soon be well on its way to enjoying its own success.  The City of Orlando made history when it was chosen as a part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Program, representing the first urban district in the Southeast to be selected.  The program offers incentives for entrepreneurs and small business owners to consider relocating to or opening up in a refurbished commercial district.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, non-profit membership organization focused on the survival and revitalization of our nation’s diverse historical places and communities, through leadership, education, advocacy and resource availability.  Its Main Street Program was specifically developed to target central commercial districts of towns and cities, implementing effective strategies to achieve the goals and values of the larger organization.

The program is designed around a four pronged approach: organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring.  The organization quadrant of the plan requires the entire community to fall in line on the same page and work towards the same objectives.  This includes not only coordinating the human aspect of the effort, getting the right people in the right places, but also securing the financial capital to make revitalization a realistic possibility. Read the rest of this entry »

One mistake a lot of inexperienced entrepreneurs make is trying to take on the world all on their own.  There are many necessary steps that go into developing a sound business plan.  It is not something that should be taken lightly or rushed into, instead careful consideration and deliberate question-raising should always precede any new business venture.  Fortunately for entrepreneurs in the Orlando area, the Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida is able and willing to hold the hand of first time entrepreneurs and make sure all the necessary bases are covered before moving ahead on an appropriate timetable. Read the rest of this entry »

The Orlando area was made famous by its largest resident corporation, the Walt Disney Company, but now the Mickey Mouse mega-company is giving pack.  Willing to at least share its stranglehold on the Central Florida economy and pave the way for the development of other successful companies, Disney opened the Disney Entrepreneur Center with the help of then Mayor Richard T. Crotty.  The center serves as a public/private partnership committed to the pillars of education, support and development for business owners in the Orlando area.  Efforts are funded entirely through sponsorship support. Read the rest of this entry »

Starting your own business can be tough for anybody, but particularly difficult for groups in our society who have faced a historical disadvantage as a result of discrimination and inequality.  Thankfully, Orlando is home to a selection of organizations willing to help aspiring minority entrepreneurs achieve their goals and open the doors to a successful new business in the area.  The Orlando community is home to a diverse group of residents, so it should only be natural that the city houses a contingency of business owners representative of the greater population.  Here is a look at some of the local minority business aiding groups and brief description of the small business services they provide. Read the rest of this entry »

Beyond the warm sunshine and the thrill of amusement parks, there are plenty of reasons entrepreneurs outside of just Mickey Mouse choose to set up shop in the friendly confines of Orlando, Florida.  A recent study by the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics showed that over the course of the past decade the state of Florida gained 38,300 private sector jobs.  This figure is even more impressive considering the widespread unemployment and job loss that has plagued much of the nation as a result of the economic downturn experienced over the past few years.  From May 2000 to may 2010, the state underwent a .63% gain in private sector jobs.  By comparison, 33 of the 50 states now have fewer private sector jobs than they did just 10 years ago.  Such sustainable long term development shows that the state of Florida, and the city of Orlando, is still the happy home of many business owners despite economic struggles, and should continue to be an attractive destination for aspiring entrepreneurs for years to come. Read the rest of this entry »