Growing Pains: The Unheard Stories of Lakeland's Business Owners

Lakeland Business Owners
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Growing Pains: The Unheard Stories of Lakeland's Business Owners Podcast

You learn many lessons down the road of entrepreneurship, but those challenging and unglamorous moments when we get knocked down are what ultimately define us. Each episode we sit down with an amazing Lakeland, FL business owner to discuss the struggles & sacrifices that they have made along the way to their success that we either didn’t know about or often go unshared. We hope that diving into these vulnerable stories that our community leaders have experienced not only helps you relate to them even more, but that they also inspire and motivate you to follow your calling!

  1. 01/02/2023

    Episode 33 - Part Two - Two Blue Aces with General Jake Polumbo and General Beef Haddad

    How do you make sure you develop your team members so they have a solid foundation to carry out the mission? How do you develop leaders? In today's episode, we jump right into hearing part two with General Jake Polumbo and General "Beef" Haddad talking about how they lead a "young person's organization."

    28 min

  2. 13/01/2023

    Episode 32 - Part One - Two Blue Aces with General Jake Polumbo and General Beef Haddad

    Have you seen all the buzz around Top Gun? This month, our host Danielle had the opportunity to interview General Jake Polumbo -- a retired Commander of the Ninth Air Force. A Lakeland local, General Polumbo flew the same plane as the Top Gun pilots (an AN F-18 Hornet, for all you enthusiasts). Now, General Polumbo is a local business owner of Two Blue Aces Consulting. In today’s episode, he sits down with business partner General “Beef” Haddad to describe their military experience, and how it impacted the way they lead. Join us for part two in two weeks! We will be sharing a deeper dive into how they managed the development of their teams and how that translates into being a business owner.

    46 min

  3. 13/12/2022

    Episode 31 - Wesley Beck with Aspyre Properties

    Lakeland business owners, listen up! In our NEW episode with Wesley Beck,  learn how you can strategize your business goals from a true professional. Wesley has spent decades navigating the real estate and economic development of Lakeland (including big projects like Catapult, the Joinery, Interstate Commerce Park, and the Executive Offices on Lake Mirror). In today’s episode, learn about Wesley’s approach to business + get tactics for yours.

    59 min

  4. 14/10/2022

    Episode 30 - CEO Josh Henderson with Bonnet Springs Park

    Are you heading to the Bonnet Springs Grand Opening this month? Our special guest host, Danielle Harris, asked park CEO Josh Henderson about how he’s bringing Bonnet Springs to the next level. It's going to impact all of Central Florida. The park is FREE for all visitors. Their is a butterfly garden, kayaking, restaurants, running trails, playrooms for children, and several venues that can be rented for corporate events and weddings! Get an insider’s perspective on the park… and where it’s heading next.

    25 min

  5. 16/05/2022

    Ep. 29 - Paul J. Noris, CEO of Bank of Central Florida

    Mr. Noris is the Chairman of the Board, as well as serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Bank. Prior to joining Bank of Central Florida, Paul Noris was the Lakeland city president for SunTrust Bank, Mid-Florida. During his sixteen-year career with SunTrust Bank, Mr. Noris spent two years in the retail side of the bank as a branch manager, two years in credit administration managing the credit training function for the bank, and one year in the trust and investment area engaged in sales and relationship management, and more than ten years working in the commercial lending department. Mr. Noris has lived in Lakeland since 1996 and has served on the boards of various civic organizations during that time. He is a former chair of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce, Business Voice, and Leadership Lakeland Class XXXIII. He is the past president of the Explorations V Children's Museum. He currently serves as Chairman of Lakeland Regional Hospital Foundation, Chair of the 2017 United Way Campaign, and is on the Advisory Board at the Barney Barnett School of Business at Florida Southern College. He is a graduate of Leadership Lakeland Class XVI. Mr. Noris received his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Florida in 1987. Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/_pv1hKNaMmI

    42 min

  6. 02/05/2022

    Ep.28 - Justin Heacock, Director of The Center for Free Enterprise & Entrepreneurship at Florida Southern College

    Justin is a professional that has vast experience in applying and teaching entrepreneurship. He is the Director of the Center for Free Enterprise & Entrepreneurship at the Barney Barnett Business School, at Florida Southern College. The Center for Free Enterprise & Entrepreneurship’s mission is to instill an entrepreneurial mindset and reinforce free enterprise principles for FSC and the Central Florida community that result in the creation of new ventures and intrapreneurial innovation. The Center already has over 7 startups and seed-stage ideas, and over $20,000 funded to student entrepreneurs. "Here at the CFEE we pride ourselves in having a strong “Why” and “How” that forms our foundation as a center. Our “Why” is foundationally focused on Free Enterprise Principles and the benefits those create in our society. Our “How” is about translating those principles into an experiential opportunity for students through entrepreneurship. Come experience Free Enterprise & Entrepreneurship through some of our unique programming in the center!" - Justin. Before FSC, Justin Heacock worked for 5 years at the Florida Polytechnic University, as Entrepreneurship Center Coordinator (Program Manager). There, he founded the Entrepreneurship Program at Florida Polytechnic University and built it to be an internationally recognized program in Fall 2019 by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers. Operated all aspects of the program from teaching, strategy planning, program development, industry relations, event coordination, and business incubation. Justin has a degree in Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies at Florida State University and a Masters in Entrepreneurship Applied in Technology at University of South Florida. Link for the video-episode: https://youtu.be/2S3P0AYiyxo

    40 min

  7. 25/04/2022

    Ep. 27 - Sallie Stone, Founder & CEO of The Well

    Dr. Sallie Stone is a consummate professional with over twenty years of experience in educational leadership and management. She is the founder of Compass Smart Solutions educational consulting providing training, professional development, business coaching and motivational speaking for diverse groups around customized themes. She is also Founder and CEO of The Well, a high-design flexible workspace used by a diverse community of independent professionals, startups, and teams from small and large businesses. The Well is a purpose-built environment that provides members with a variety of areas to focus, collaborate, learn and innovate at any given time. By re-imagining the traditional workspace, The Well gives our members the greatest opportunities for productivity and success. The mission of The Well is to provide a diverse community with opportunities and resources to collaborate and network through education, entertainment, and culturally inspired programming. Dr. Stone is an experienced educator and administrator with 20 plus years of experience across academic levels to include elementary, secondary, adult, and higher-ed. She has extensive experience in working with charter schools in Florida and one highlight of her career includes being the founding Principal of a local collegiate charter high school. She has served as an adjunct professor/site supervisor with Grand Canyon University working with teachers in their clinical courses and principals in their internship courses. Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/U4yKJ1ghblc

    53 min

  8. 19/04/2022

    Ep. 26 - Mayor Bill Mutz, Mayor of the City of Lakeland

    In this episode we had a convo with Mayor Mutz, the Mayor of the City of Lakeland! We talked about the rapid growth of Lakeland and Polk County, the resources that local business owners have available, why many businesses are moving to Lakeland, his business background, and much more! Mutz is a Finance and Marketing graduate from Indiana University. His family moved to Lakeland/FL in 1996, and he became President & Co-Owner of Lakeland Automall (Lakeland Ford, Mazda, Hyundai and Isuzu). In 2016, he and his sister sold the business. YouTube full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZP8fVmxBnk In civic roles, Bill served 21 non-for-profit or business boards, and helped found Grace City Church.  More information: https://www.lakelandgov.net/government/mayor-city-commission/mayor-bill-mutz/

    31 min
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About

You learn many lessons down the road of entrepreneurship, but those challenging and unglamorous moments when we get knocked down are what ultimately define us. Each episode we sit down with an amazing Lakeland, FL business owner to discuss the struggles & sacrifices that they have made along the way to their success that we either didn’t know about or often go unshared. We hope that diving into these vulnerable stories that our community leaders have experienced not only helps you relate to them even more, but that they also inspire and motivate you to follow your calling!

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