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Carl Hadden Appointed Regional Director of Florida SBDC at USF

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Carl Hadden

Carl Hadden Regional Director of Florida SBDC at USF

TAMPA, Fl. – The Muma College of Business at University of South Florida announced Carl Hadden, MBA, CME, as the new regional director of the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida.

“We are excited to welcome Carl in the role as Regional Director of the Florida SBDC at USF,” GJ de Vreede, PhD, Associate Dean at Muma College of Business, said. “He has been an excellent interim regional director and we look forward to his continued leadership at the helm of the largest SBDC in the state!”

Hadden has served as the interim regional director since July 2021, when Eileen Rodriguez announced her retirement after 24 years of service to the Network. Hadden was initially hired as a business consultant for the Florida SBDC at USF in December 2013, and prior to his interim regional director role, served as an associate director at the Center.

His background includes many years of business leadership in areas such as marketing, workforce development at CareerSource Polk, sales, insurance, and training, as well as service in the United States Marine Corps.

He most recently earned an MBA and a graduate certificate in entrepreneurship from University of South Florida in May 2018. He is also an SMEI Certified Marketing Executive (CME), TTI DISC Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst and TTI DISC Certified Professional Driving Forces Analyst certified, and a Certified LivePlan Expert Adviser.

“Throughout my career I have sought work that matters and found that with the Florida SBDC at USF,” Hadden said. “The impact the Florida SBDC at USF has on the business community reverberates throughout our region. Business owners are the lifeblood of our communities. They provide essential products and services; they employ our friends and neighbors; they sponsor our youth sports teams; they are high school boosters; and so much more.”

As regional director, Hadden is charged with leading the 10-county region that spans most of the west central Florida area and offers confidential no-cost consulting, training, market research and information for some 5,000 businesses annually. He will be responsible for all Florida SBDC at USF services, its $3 million in grants and funding efforts, and leading the 29-member team.

The Florida SBDC at USF provided more than 24,000 hours of consulting and helped businesses access more than $60 million in business capital last year. The SBDC administers several emergency assistance programs related to hurricanes, floods and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.

About the Florida SBDC Network: 

For over forty years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy. Since 2011, Florida SBDCs have provided 624,331 hours of professional business consulting to 58,975 client businesses, resulting in 281,831 jobs impacted; $36.7 billion in sales generated; $2.7 billion in government contracts acquired; $1.6 billion in capital accessed; and 4,520 new businesses started. A statewide network of over 40 offices, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida, and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a 2016 recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

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Family-owned children’s academy soars after pandemic

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Kids Zone Academy of Pinellas County

Kids Zone Academy of Pinellas County

In 2017, preschool teacher Karen Scheeley was given the opportunity of a lifetime – to fulfill her dream of opening a children’s learning and daycare center with her husband, Aaron Scheeley, St. Petersburg.

“I worked in early childhood education for a couple of years,” Karen said. “Ever since I started, I knew I wanted to open my own center. I got all of my certifications and accreditations, and then a big opportunity knocked on my door. That’s when we decided to go live with Kids Zone Academy 1.”

In working with the SBA, the Scheeleys were referred to the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida, as they were searching for some help with their financial projections. Since getting in contact with the Florida SBDC at USF, particularly with consultant Brad Mix, the Scheeleys have seen substantial growth within their business.

“Our business has grown a lot,” Aaron said. “From about 60 kids, to now serving close to 100 children, Kids Zone Academy now has two locations. Thanks to the Florida SBDC at USF, we just continue to keep growing.”

Like many other business owners, the Scheeleys’ family-owned business hasn’t gone without its trials. The impact of COVID-19 in 2020 took a toll on the business overall.

“Due to COVID-19, when it first hit back in 2020, it was rough,” Aaron said. “We went from 80 children enrolled, down to 20 children in one week. We barely survived. Thankfully, we made a full recovery. We are now back to normal, and we are even growing thanks to the Florida SBDC at USF.”

With the success that the Scheeleys have experienced thus far in working with the Florida SBDC at USF, they are ecstatic to see what comes next for them and their business.

“We actually just got an offer for a third location,” Aaron said. “But we are currently holding off of that right now, considering we just opened our second location. Once the two locations are full, we’re definitely going to be using Florida SBDC at USF to help us purchase that third location.”

In hopes that other small businesses can experience the growth that they have, the couple recommends reaching out to the Florida SBDC as soon as possible.

“I would recommend the Florida SBDC at USF to all business owners,” Karen said. “They’re amazing. From all of the support helping us with the projections, to helping us get listed on google, I would highly recommend them. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

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Mental health support company changing lives one text at a time

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Cope Notes of Pinellas County

Cope Notes of Pinellas County

Already a touring musician, company founder, and TEDx speaker, one would think that Johnny Crowder has led a charmed life. Look a little deeper, and you’ll see Crowder’s long-standing struggle with mental health. In and out of treatment as he was growing up, he continued looking for resources that could help him, but on his journey to do so, he realized that he had a calling to be that resource for others. That’s when he created Cope Notes – a business that provides mental health support via a text messaging subscription service, often through partnerships with local, county and state governments.

“I chose to work in behavioral health in the first place because I grew up in and out of treatment for mental illness, and I had a lot of challenges trying to seek treatment,” Crowder said. “Either I didn’t like the resources that were available, or I had a hard time engaging with them, or they were too expensive. So, after experiencing those issues, I started volunteering in the mental health space. I never expected to start a business in it, but that was the natural progression. I started searching for resources that I couldn’t find, and I thought, what if I built it?”

Although Crowder had such a passion for the vision of his business, he knew he needed assistance getting it started. Eventually, he found the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida.

“When I first started the company, I had no idea what I was doing,” he said. “I was looking for local resources for small businesses owners and I found a link to the Florida SBDC at USF.  I clicked around, filled out a form, came in to meet with somebody, and they helped me with just about everything.”

Since working with the Florida SBDC at USF, Crowder is astonished at the way his company has been able to grow from the ground up, and the success he’s seen thus far.

“The Florida SBDC at USF helped me with pretty much every corner of my business, especially in those early months,” he said. “They taught me about pricing, how to fulfill contracts, financial forecasting, and how to file for a trademark. Now, four and a half years later, we serve 25,000 people in 97 countries all around the world. We’ve sent over one million text messages. It’s really humbling to look back at those early days when I would question where I should take this, and who I should talk to about it.”

Initially, Crowder met with his Florida SBDC at USF business consultant bi-weekly. Even when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and services went virtual, the two continued to meet via Microsoft Teams.

Crowder is proud to look back at how far his business has come in working with the Florida SBDC at USF, and the effect that he has seen his business have on others has been rewarding beyond belief.

As his business has grown, so have his speaking engagements. While Crowder is busy speaking on behalf of mental health awareness around the country, he’s tasked his team with continuing the work with the Florida SBDC at USF.

“As we continue to grow, I want to use the Florida SBDC at USF differently,” he said. “I think when I first met with the Florida SBDC at USF, my vision was that I just needed to make it another three months and survive. But now, I am thinking about how we can set ourselves up one year, three years, five years in advance, and how do we make decisions now that will benefit the future version of the company.”

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An Overview of Florida Sales Taxes for Businesses

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An Overview of Florida Sales Taxes for Businesses

by Simplice Essou, CPA | June 1, 2022

Florida sales tax rules may be confusing and the penalties for not following the rules can be substantial. This articles gives a brief overview of the Florida sales taxes.

The Florida tax rules state that all sales are taxable unless there is an exemption that applies to a particular transaction. Florida sales tax varies by location. In general the sales tax rate on sales in Florida is 6 percent.

On top of that state tax, counties have discretionary sales surtax that may also apply. For example Hillsborough County has a discretionary sales surtax of 1.5 percent bringing the total sales and use tax to 7.5 percent.

Registering for Collecting and Reversing Taxes

One of the requirements for starting a business in Florida is to register with the Florida Department of Revenue. On a monthly or quarterly basis, form DR-15 will need to be filed with the Department of Revenue. This form will show among other information the total sales, the amount that is exempt, if any, and the amount of tax due, if any. This form is required even if there was no sales for the period. Failing to file form DR-15 may lead to penalties.

Exempt Sales

In general services are exempt from sales taxes in Florida. There are some exceptions to this rule. For example if the service provided includes the creation of a product or repairing a product, then the material used or included would be taxable. Other exceptions include commercial cleaning services or pest control services in non-residential buildings. So, if you provide cleaning or pest control services in a commercial building you will have to charge for sales taxes and reverse the sales tax amounts to the state.

How to Get a Florida Tax Permit

The Florida Department of Revenue prefers online registration even though it is possible to mail in a paper registration. Register online to create an account and register for a tax certificate. You will need your business name and address, your EIN number obtained from the IRS website, name(s) and social security number(s) of the owner(s), and sunbiz.org registration date.

Florida Sales Tax Deadlines

The Florida Department of Revenue publishes a calendar listing the various sales tax deadlines:

Monthly: For monthly filers the return is due on the 1st day of the month following the month during which the sales occurred. After the 20th of the month, the return is late and may be subject to a $50 fine.

Quarterly: For quarterly filers the return is due on the 1st day of the month and is late after the 20th. Any late tax return will be subject to a $50 fine.

Annually: For taxpayers who file annually the return is due on the 1st day of the month after the collection period. After the 20th of the month, the return is late and may be subject to a $50 fine.

Due to the complexity of the Florida sales tax requirements, it is always recommended that small business owners seek the guidance of a qualified tax professional.

Author

Simplice Essou

Simplice Essou, CPA

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Florida SBDC at USF
Specialty: Accounting, Business Planning, Financial Management, Startup

Simplice Essou joined the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida in March 2020 as a business consultant, bringing almost two decades of experience in accounting, finance and entrepreneurship. Essou started and managed an international consulting firm in 2008, specializing in advising African government on issues related to small-to-medium-enterprise development. Previously, he has worked for large corporations, including Bank of America, BP-Amoco, General Electric, and Lehman Brothers. These roles gave him a wide breadth of experience, including the ability to handle forecasting, analyze revenue entries, actively communicate account receivable risks, and lead day-to-day analysis and reporting for credit losses. He earned an MBA in finance from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s in accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi.

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Interpreting the Florida Online Sales Tax Law for Businesses

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by Simplice Essou, CPA | June 1, 2022 The recent Florida sales tax law on Internet sales has created some confusion and led to many questions for small business owners. The new law created some controversy in Florida even though in most other states online shoppers have already been paying sales taxes on their purchases. […]

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Doctor starts business to impact 21st century medicine

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Biom Pharmaceutical Corporation of Sarasota County In 2016, Dr. Bobban Subhadra decided that he wanted to utilize his experience in working with several early-stage biotech companies to develop and commercialize biomedical products and services to create his own biotech company in Sarasota – Biom Pharmaceutical Corporation. Because of his extensive time spent as a researcher […]

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Why is Starting a Business So Hard?

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by Kurt Forster | May 24, 2022 There is a public notion that starting a business is very hard. And there are a variety of common sayings used to reinforce that idea. You may have heard such things as, “It takes money to make money,” and “It’s not what you know, but who you know,” […]

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Company Owner Connects with Community to Grow Business

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Caldwell Management Solutions of Pinellas County In 2001, Dr. Loretta Caldwell Thompson founded Caldwell Management Solutions in Washington, D.C. The company is an organizational development company that helps businesses and non-profits with their infrastructure systems. “I felt that I was good at talking to the CEOs and presidents of these companies to help them learn […]

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Growth Keeps Promotional Product Business Buzzing

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Bizzee Bee Marketing of Hillsborough County In 2018, Georgianna Strickland had been pursuing her career as a public relations and marketing person for eight years. She noticed, however, a distinct problem that small businesses in the state of Florida were struggling with – managing their marketing budgets effectively. That’s when she decided to create Bizzee […]

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Mobile Detailing Business Driven to Success

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Detail Depot of Pinellas County Douglas Martyn, the owner of Detail Depot in Clearwater, began his business 15 years ago, detailing cars, boats, RVs and anything else that moves. He chose to launch the business in hopes of giving Clearwater a great service with great pricing, all because of an encounter 15 years ago with […]

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Florida SBDC Network

The Florida SBDC at the University of South Florida is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide partnership program nationally accredited by the Association of America’s SBDCs and funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida, and other private and public partners, with the University of West Florida serving as the network’s lead host institution. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for limited English proficient individuals.

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