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3Beez, Inc dba Hernando Beach Motel of Hernando County

What started as a boat rental outing along Florida’s Nature Coast has become a thriving small business venture for Fonda and Jeff Bromeland, owners of Hernando Beach Motel and Boat Rentals, and Lala’s Trading Post.

Located in Hernando Beach, the waterfront business offers four motel suites, a fleet of pontoon boat rentals, a gift shop and the community’s only laundromat. Since purchasing the business in 2026, the Bromelands have expanded operations, added new revenue streams and created local jobs with the assistance of the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at University of South Florida.

“We have a four-suite motel here in Hernando Beach, Florida,” Fonda said. “All four of our rooms are water-facing. We also rent pontoon boats, so right outside your door you have access to now 11 pontoon boats,” she added.

In addition to overnight accommodations and boat rentals, the business includes Lala’s Trading Post, a gift shop specializing in souvenirs, home décor and jewelry, as well as a commercial laundromat serving both visitors and local residents.

The idea of owning the Hernando Beach Motel was born nearly five years before the Bromelands ever had the opportunity to purchase it.

While renting a boat from the property, Fonda made an offhand comment that would eventually shape the couple’s future. “We were pulling out on a pontoon, and I turn around and I said, ‘If this place ever came for sale, I’d risk it all on this place,’” she said.

Years later, after accepting a buyout package from her corporate position, the opportunity unexpectedly appeared. Jeff had been researching businesses for sale in Florida when the Hernando Beach Motel came on the market.

The couple believed their complementary skill sets made them a strong fit for ownership. Jeff brought mechanical expertise and a passion for boating and the outdoors, while Fonda contributed operational and training experience developed during her corporate career.

“We both love people,” Fonda said. “I think we went from having jobs that we liked to having a life that we love to be a part of every single day.”

While the Bromelands had a vision for ownership, financing the acquisition proved to be their biggest challenge.

“Getting connected with the Florida SBDC at USF team was instrumental to us being able to make this happen,” Fonda said. “We had the dream, we did not have the funding.”

After being referred to the Florida SBDC at USF, the couple connected with business consultant Bill Burnham, who helped them transform their ideas into a comprehensive business plan.

“Bill sent me, like, a 30-page template,” Fonda said. “It totally took all the Post-it notes and thoughts and memorandums that I had all over the place and everything in my head, and it allowed me to load all the financials into one place so that I was, for the first time, able to see that this isn’t just a pipe dream. We can really make this happen.”

Burnham worked closely with the Bromelands, reviewing financial projections, challenging assumptions and helping prepare the business for financing opportunities. Once the business plan was ready, he connected them with Scott Radway of Florida First Capital Finance Corporation (FFCFC).

According to Fonda, Radway helped guide them through the SBA loan process and connected them with lenders willing to finance their nontraditional business model.

“He was amazing,” she said. “He worked with us. He challenged us as well, and he really helped us get our act together and got us in front of the right lenders that were willing to work with us.”

The financing ultimately enabled the Bromelands to purchase the business and begin implementing growth plans almost immediately.

The couple officially closed on the business May 15 and quickly secured additional funding to support expansion initiatives, including golf cart rentals and additions to their boat fleet.

“The boats are really the money maker,” Fonda said. “To be able to increase the amount of boats we have, we’re going to grow exponentially as a result of that.”

Growth has also translated into local employment opportunities. Since taking ownership, the company has hired two additional part-time employees and is exploring new service offerings based on their team’s strengths, including expanded laundry and property management services.

“Our business has grown because we worked with Florida SBDC at USF,” Fonda said. “They were instrumental in helping us get the loan, and the loan not only covered the purchase of the business, but the expansion efforts that we’re working on.”

As the business continues to evolve, the Bromelands remain engaged with the Florida SBDC at USF for guidance on human resources, payroll systems and disaster preparedness planning.

“So as we move forward, I really see using the Florida SBDC at USF in so many ways,” Fonda said.

For the couple, their biggest accomplishment is not measured solely in revenue or expansion, but in the realization of a long-held dream.

“I believe our biggest success so far is that we took this little, small dream that God planted in us five years ago without us even really realizing what was happening,” Fonda said. “Through a series of events and through amazing partnerships, we were able to actually see that dream come true.”

Today, the Bromelands encourage other entrepreneurs to take advantage of the resources available through the Florida SBDC at USF.

“If there was anything I could tell other business owners about the Florida SBDC at USF, it’s call them now,” Fonda said. “Somebody will get back to you and more than likely they’re going to have someone in-house that can address your issue or at least point you in the right direction.”

Jeff added another benefit of working with the organization: “And start opening up doors for you.”

For this business, those open doors have led from a simple day on the water to a growing business deeply rooted in Florida’s Nature Coast community.

Mijan Construction, LLC of Hillsborough County

For Charles Jackson, business owner of Mijan Construction, LLC, a Florida-based licensed general contractor, construction isn’t just a career — it’s a lifelong passion. “I chose to launch this business because I like construction,” Jackson shared. “I’ve been in construction pretty much my whole life. My technical background is in construction. I did construction in the military, and I got out of the military and was doing construction. So I love it,” he added.

Since incorporating in April 2010, the company has focused primarily on K-12 and higher education clients, while now expanding into federal government and healthcare sectors. Early on, the Florida SBDC at USF played a critical role in helping the business establish a strong foundation. With support from business consultant Brad Owens, the firm received guidance on registrations, certifications, and financial strategy.

“I’ve used the information that we learned from the [Florida] SBDC at USF primarily because it helped us start our business when we first started,” Jackson said. “I found [the] SBDC to be instrumental in getting you all the things you need to kinda help your business get formulated as far as registrations, getting certifications, getting financial information, knowing how to talk to the people that you need to, to get information to help your business,” he added.

That guidance led to measurable growth. By working with the SBDC team to develop financial projections and strengthen its financial position, the company increased its bonding capacity from $1 million to $5 million — unlocking access to larger contracts and boosting client confidence. “Mijan Construction has grown immensely in working with the SBDC at USF because we were able to first of all, get in the financial position to find out what is needed to get a loan, a line of credit. The biggest piece was we were able to work with Brad and SBDC because they helped us put together our projections and it launched us to grow from $1 million in bond capacity to $5 million. And that $5 million bond capacity put us in a whole other space as far as getting revenue,” Jackson explained.

The firm has since grown from $500,000 projects to multimillion-dollar opportunities and earned regional recognition as one of the top small businesses in the Tampa Bay area. “In addition to the SBDC, our information that we learned as a small business company with the Minority Accelerator Program out of the [Tampa Bay] Chamber, matching those two pieces, it helped us get recognition and we launched to be one of the top five companies as a small business company with five to 20 employees in the whole Tampa Bay area,” Jackson said.

Moving ahead, business success looks promising for Mijan Construction, “The next step for us in using the SBDC at USF is to be able to grow — we went from $1 million to $5 million in bond capacity. Now we’re trying to prepare and get ready for it to go to $10 million and meeting with Karen and [the Florida] APEX [Accelerator]. They’re preparing us to be able to have conversations with core engineers,” the business owner explained.

Jackson concludes with his plans to continue leveraging SBDC expertise and encourages other entrepreneurs to do the same: “I would tell any person that wants to start a business, grow their business, know more about their business, to look to the [Florida] SBDC at USF because they are the catalyst, I would say, to provide you with all the information you need.”

Mentoring & Services, Inc. dba Mastery Coffee of Hillsborough County

In the heart of Downtown Tampa, Mastery Coffee is redefining what it means to enjoy a cup of coffee. What began as a simple mobile setup by business owner, Nestor Ramirez, and his family has grown into a thriving specialty coffee business that delivers not just beverages — but an immersive cultural experience rooted in Colombian coffee traditions.

Driven by a passion for quality and education, the Ramirez launched the business to bridge the gap between commercial coffee and true specialty coffee. “When I make the specialty coffee and explain I explain to you about the make, the farm to the cup, and explain what you [are] feeling in your senses, in your mouth, it’s a total difference,” he shares.

His mission is clear: teach customers how to appreciate high-quality coffee while offering insights to aspiring entrepreneurs.

With guidance from Florida SBDC at USF Business Consultant Pablo Arroyo, the owner received critical support in navigating startup logistics, laws, and regulations.

“The information from Pablo and from SBDC is very important for me,” Ramirez said. “When I meet with Pablo, the best information for me is the business plan, how [to] expand my business according [to] the business[es] around, studies about the coffee in the country, the numbers is very important, and how much people [are] coming [for] the best coffee,” he says.

Starting with just a table, the entrepreneur leveraged SBDC networking opportunities to build momentum. “My business grows with the help of [Florida] SBDC [at] USF because when I start, I start in only [with] a table and remember [my] first event was in Florida SBDC of Tampa. I attended more than 15 [people] in networking,” Ramirez said.

Today, the business operates two fully equipped coffee trucks, participates in events across Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties, and has expanded its reach to obtain three partnerships with local businesses.

“In this moment I have three partnerships working with me, I make different events, last October, I bought another truck,” Ramirez said. From sporting events to corporate gatherings, demand continues to grow through strong community engagement and online visibility.

For this business owner, success is measured in customer satisfaction: “My biggest success is when the people appreciate about the drinks, about the service, about the coffee. When I receive your feedback and you discover that it’s good coffee, it’s for me the best reward.”

As he looks ahead, he remains committed to working with the Florida SBDC at USF and encourages other entrepreneurs to take advantage of its resources to turn passion into sustainable success.

“For the different entrepreneurs that want to start a business, I think that the [Florida] SBDC at the USF is a good way. Most important[ly] it’s free, [you] don’t pay nothing for their help, it’s true, not a scam… the [Florida] SBDC at USF is true, [it’s] help, and the people is always ready for help you,” Ramirez concluded.

V-Roll Vietnamese Rolls & Bowls of Pinellas County At the heart of Pinellas County, V-Roll Vietnamese Rolls & Bowls, is redefining how the community experiences Vietnamese cuisine — blending authenticity, efficiency, and heartfelt tradition into a fast-casual model that is both unique and welcoming. For business owner, Stephanie Nghiem, this commitment is rooted in a […]