Florida Business Minds

Well known as a personal injury attorney across Florida and the Southeast, Eddie Farah is also a big fan of his hometown Jacksonville. In this episode, JBJ Editor-in-Chief James Cannon joins Farah to learn why family and friends are so important, and to get his outlook on downtown JAX.

Patients often lose time and waste money awaiting referrals for orthopedic issues. Dr. Alejandro Badia aims to change that with OrthoNOW. In this episode, SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez invites Dr. Badia to share his vision, and discuss other timely issues impacting healthcare.

Orlando is the epicenter of gaming, and a lot has changed since EA Sports released NCAA Football 14 over a decade ago. College athletes now broker name, image and likeness deals (NIL), powerhouse programs have changed conferences, and technology has advanced dramatically. In this timely download, OBJ Editor-in-Chief Richard Bilbao welcomes Daryl Holt, EA's SVP and Group GM who shares the jour...

His earned his first civic leadership victory as a third grader at Bay Crest Elementary, winning new & improved lunchroom snacks for the cafeteria. Now, as Savills Co-Head for Florida and Tampa Bay market leader, Mike Griffin reflects on the growth and future opportunities, both in commercial real estate, business, and civic leadership.

Residential real estate is all about referrals & relationships. So how did Corey Hasting and company take over the Jacksonville market in less than a decade? In this download, JBJ Editor-in-Chief Tim Gibbons invites the Engel & Volkers First Coast CEO to share how and why his brokerage is the market leader.

There are no drugstores halfway to Mars, so space exploration will only go as far as space medicine will take us. In this fascinating episode, OBJ Associate Managing Editor Richard Bilbao welcomes Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta, who joins UCF's College of Medicine as vice chair for aerospace medicine. 

Higher interest rates have stifled real estate development across the country, but Related Companies isn't tapping the brakes. In this download, SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez checks in with Jordan Rathlev, SVP for Related Southeast, to get an update on Related's projects and a forecast for Florida.

If the head of a household is struggling to pay bills or buy food, that stress will negatively impact job performance. That's one reason why it's critical for Tampa Bay's business community to help address this growing concern. In this episode, TBBJ Editor Alexis Muellner invites Feeding Tampa Bay CEO Thomas Mantz to share how he and his team are partnering with businesses to help t...

Jacksonville now ranks as the 10th most populated city in America, and it's no longer one of the best kept secrets in the country. An influx of wealthy families are now calling JAX home, and J.P. Morgan Private Bank Executive Director Matt Marcin tells JBJ Editor-in-Chief Tim Gibbons his team is ready to serve them.

Rising interest rates have cooled Florida's once red-hot commercial real estate market, making many projects tough to pencil. Unicorp CEO Chuck Whittall remains optimistic, and believes there's a bright side to the slowdown as he moves forward on numerous projects. OBJ Associate Managing Editor Richard Bilbao leads our conversation with the prominent developer.

The talk of artificial intelligence, or AI, dominates conversation and intimidates business leaders who fear change. In our 100th episode, SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez invites UDT CEO Henry Fleches to ease concerns about AI, and offer his insight and advice on adoption of the technology.

The days of nerds in hoodies hacking your email are over. Now it's an army of bots blasting your business day & night, and your monitoring service might not detect a breach or notify you for days. In this episode, JBJ Editor-in-Chief Tim Gibbons invites OnDefend CEO Chris Freedman to share the latest on cybersecurity threats, and what he and his team are doing on a national, and global sc...

Florida's economic expansion and population growth means banking and financial services are in demand. In this episode, OBJ Associate Managing Editor Richard Bilbao invites VyStar Credit Union Florida Market President Lysa Barbano to share how the Jacksonville-based institution is expanding to serve the region's growing needs.

From the Tampa Bay community to the state legislature, former Representative Ed Narain has served the region for almost 25 years. In this episode, TBBJ Editor Alexis Muellner welcomes Narain to share how his family's blue collar work ethic inspired him, diversity, equity and inclusion, and his future political aspirations.

If you're starting a small business, Florida is one of the best states in the country to do it. May is small business month, and in this episode SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez welcomes Jennifer Brin Kovach, Director of South Florida for the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship. She shares the programs in place to encourage success, and offers tips to those looking to start a bus...

Yvonne Fry is passionate about workforce development. As the CEO of Future Career Academy and Workforce Development Partners, she's one of the leading advocates in our region, and her work is gaining attention nationally. In this episode, TBBJ Editor Alexis Muellner invites Fry to share how business owners and executives can improve their workforce pipeline and effectively grow their team.

Long before AI became the buzzword, NLP Logix was applying machine learning to increase productivity, revenues and efficiencies in business. In this episode, JBJ Editor-in-Chief Tim Gibbons visits with CEO Ted Willich, who shares how artificial intelligence is quickly changing the landscape of business, and what the future holds.

Tourism drives Florida's economy and cruise passengers are a big part of that economic impact. In this episode, OBJ Editor-in-Chief Carolyn Guniss invites Port Canaveral CEO Captain John Murray to share how he and his team are preparing for an expanded cruise ship lineup, more passengers, and continued growth.

The pandemic killed coworking spaces in other parts of the country, but in Florida the influx of talent and open businesses fueled growth. Now the question is, what's the future of coworking? In this episode, SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez welcomes Quest Workspaces CEO Laura Kozelouzek who shares what separates Quest from the rest. Plus, why the future of coworking includes yachts and luxu...

Artificial Intelligence is a game changer, particularly in the legal profession. In this episode, TBBJ Editor Alexis Muellner welcomes Holland & Knight Chair and CEO Bob Grammig to discuss how his firm is quickly adapting to the new world of AI and what it means for clients. Plus, Grammig  shares potential growth opportunities for his firm.

The pandemic, an infusion of stimulus and record low interest rates fueled the economy, and the private aviation industry. But what's the outlook as the economy cools off? In this episode, JBJ Editor-in-Chief Tim Gibbons calls on Malone Air Charter CEO Christine Kirk for an update.

Orlando is the nation's epicenter of theme park entertainment. Brevard Zoo aims to take advantage of that, attracting visitors who seek an experience while they enjoy the thrills of neighboring attractions. In this episode, OBJ Editor-in-Chief Carolyn Guniss welcomes Brevard Zoo Executive Director Keith Winsten to share his vision, and how a major project is progressing.

With over 40 years experience in the South Florida region, Bank of America Palm Beach Market President Fab Brumley has a solid handle on what's impacting business owners and entrepreneurs. In this episode, SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez invites her to share what she's hearing, and seeing, across South Florida's diverse economy. 

Insulated by an influx of money, talent and ambition, Florida's economy will fare better than most states in a downturn. While many experts are predicting a "soft landing", Fifth Third Commercial Bank Chief Economist Jeff Korzenik isn't celebrating yet, and cautions business owners to be on guard. In this download, Korzenik tells TBBJ Editor Alexis Muellner why we need to be ca...

He led the development of the popular Water Street project, which transformed Tampa Bay. Now, Gateway Jax CEO Bryan Moll and his team have their sights set on Jacksonville. In this download, JBJ Editor-in-Chief Tim Gibbons gets an update, as Moll shares how and why Gateway Jax is taking this new challenge one phase at a time.