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

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." 

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. 

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. 

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.

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

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