Consumers were already shifting their purchases online before the pandemic, and that only accelerated afterward. In the meantime, social media platforms steadily increased involvement with small business owners in making sure they can meet potential clients where they are online.

Meta, the corporate entity behind Facebook and Instagram, has tracked since 2020 the way businesses use the platforms' own business tools. The company published data last week showing advertising tools on its platforms were linked to businesses providing 170,000 jobs and generating $22.6 billion in Florida alone. Diana Doukas, Public Policy Manager for Economic Opportunity at Meta, spoke to SRQ exclusively about the significance in spurring small business growth in the state.

“There's a lot of ways to make your dream of being a small business work,” Doukas said, “and we hope to be even just a small part of that."

It’s Small Business Week through May 5, prompting the massive Meta to remind entrepreneurs it can be a partner to the smallest of companies. Doukas noted many of the services and tools available on the platforms have little or no cost, which is especially valuable for startups. Since use of the platforms is completely free to most casual users, that provides an instant audience for targeting marketing efforts.

“These small businesses, they're entrepreneurs, they're passionate. They're also coming up with really amazing ideas, sometimes on the spot, and say, ‘you know what I have this idea, I'm going to test it out,’” she said.

“Free platforms like Facebook and Instagram are a really easy way to test that because again it's a lower barrier to entry, right? It's the platforms are free. It doesn't cost a ton of money to be able to just throw things at the wall and test things, especially if you're thinking about targeted advertising. Or you can use our organic reach tools for free.”

While Meta employs some 86,000 people, most of the companies on the platform are small. In Florida, that’s especially true. The latest survey results show 96% of Florida businesses on Facebook are small- or medium- sized. That’s a higher percentage than like-sized states like New York (95%) and regional neighbors like Georgia (94%).

Defying conventional wisdom about how mom-and-pop shops make money, the survey shows 36% of those small businesses make a quarter of their sales digitally, and 26% of business owners say online business increased when they started using digital marking tools. Some 56% of business owners say they communicate directly with customers through digital tools.

While marketing and messaging are among the more visible tools, Doukas said there’s other support for entrepreneurs available as well.

The survey results show 41% of businesses using the Meta platforms are minority-led and another 41% are led by women. Doukas noted Meta has specialized support for entrepreneurs in the category providing both mentorship and a community in which to bounce ideas. Meta Elevate focuses on Black- and Hispanic-owned businesses, while SheMeansBusiness is geared to support women entrepreneurs.

Meta also reaches out directly to regional business groups to race awareness of the always growing set of tools available to businesses.

“For at least over a decade, we've been running programs that make it more intuitive and easier for businesses to use the platform,” Doukas said. “Technologies change all of the time. Resources change. We have programs that will literally crisscross the country, and show up in local communities and put on half-day trainings to say, hey, business community, we have a new tool or this is how to better refine how you're using the targeted advertising tools. Or here's what Reels are, and this is how you can monetize them and use them for your business.”

About 21% of Florida businesses using the Meta platforms offer formal training for employees in the form of internships and apprenticeships. The company also has its own training resources available online to show businesses how to better use its tools. 

Graphic by Jacob Ogles. Data from Meta.

The newly elected Chair of the Florida Democratic Party will tell us how she plans to rebrand our state party and transform it into a more engaged political powerhouse for 2024. A fighter for Democratic causes, Nikki was recently arrested in Tallahassee for protesting the legislation that bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Following Nikki we will hear from special guests Daniel Kuether, Sarasota County Democratic Party Chair, and Evelyn Almodovar, Manatee County Democratic Party Chair. Q/A to follow the presentation. 

Click here to register.

Shumaker, one of the largest law groups in the United States working with the brokerage industry, has added Associate Andrew R. Marsh to its Litigation and Disputes Service Line, where he is a member of the Broker-Dealer Litigation and Arbitration Team. Andrew works with financial firms and financial advisors, and he is part of a teamthat advises employees and financial institutions regarding compliance with—as well as breach and enforcement of—Restrictive Covenants, including covenants not to compete, customer non-solicitation, and confidentiality. Prior to joining Shumaker, Andrew attended New England Law in Boston, where he concentrated on business law and litigation and received his compliance and risk management certification. He received his B.A. from Boston University, where he was on the Varsity Men’s Rowing Team. 

 Pulte Homes, one of the nation’s most recognized and trusted brands in homebuilding for 70 years, has unveiled the 12 consumer-inspired home designs to be offered in Arbor Oaks, the homebuilder’s newest active resort-style neighborhood of 341 single-family homes in The Woodlands area of North Port. Pulte has also started construction of four professionally designed model homes that will illustrate the flexibility and personalization opportunities available to homebuyers in the new Arbor Oaks community. The model homes are expected to open in Fall 2023. Nestled within a serene 190 acres offering water, wetland preserve and landscape views, Arbor Oaks is the third PulteGroup community in The Woodlands, alongside Centex’s Cedar Grove and Del Webb’s Cypress Falls. The Woodlands offers a sought-after location close to the Sarasota region’s shopping, dining, entertainment, world-class golf courses, outdoor recreation, and the region’s famous white-sand beaches. Arbor Oaks offers three collections of homes – the Scenic, Distinctive and Echelon series – on three sizes of homesites. Single-story floor plans cater to an array of lifestyles and feature two to four bedrooms, up to four-and-a-half baths and 1,405 to 3,000 square feet of indoor living space. The four model homes will showcase Pulte’s signature quality new-home construction and consumer-first designs featuring modern open-concept floor plans that blend gathering spaces, dining areas and kitchens, and seamlessly flow to spacious covered lanais capturing Florida’s coveted outdoor lifestyle. Located off Panacea Boulevard in Sarasota County with a secondary entrance at Plantation Boulevard, residents enjoy a convenient location within minutes of grocery shopping, everyday essentials, and national and local restaurants. Arbor Oaks is minutes from I-75 via Exit 179/Toledo Blade Blvd. and U.S. 41. And, only 18 minutes from the growing Punta Gorda Airport and 50 minutes from the Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. Arbor Oaks is also close to four 18-hole championship golf courses, top-rated medical facilities, hospitals and schools, as well as the area’s many state, county and city parks offering canoeing, kayaking, fishing, athletic fields, camping and bike, hiking and nature trails. For beachgoers and anglers, Arbor Oaks is only 30 minutes from Venice, the “City on the Gulf,” known for its popular fishing pier, ancient shark’s teeth, marinas and miles of Gulf of Mexico beaches. Sarasota’s famed white-sand Siesta Key Beach is also nearby as is Stump Pass State Park. For more information and community updates about Arbor Oaks, visit www.ArborOaksFL.com or call 941-541-2966. 

Pictured: Designed around an open floor plan, the Stellar model, from the Echelon Series, blends flexible gathering rooms with professional-style kitchens and spacious dining areas.

Hometown Florida builder Christopher Alan Homes has introduced additional single-family homesites in The Hammocks at West Port as the inaugural phase has sold out. The builder’s four floor plans appeal to a variety of homebuyers looking for value, quality construction and the active lifestyle of West Port in Port Charlotte, one of the fastest-growing communities in Charlotte County close to white-sand Gulf of Mexico beaches, shopping, dining, and entertainment. Christopher Alan Homes’ single-family residences in The Hammocks feature flowing open-concept floor plans spanning 1,550 to 1,922 square feet under air and highlight outdoor living with large lanais. Plans offer three and four bedrooms, up to two-and-a-half baths and two-car garages and include designer cabinetry, stone countertops in kitchens and baths, tray ceilings and tile flooring in main living areas. Each floor plan also offers a selection of three different exterior designs. Kitchens feature walk-in pantries, islands, and stainless-steel appliances. Primary suites boast walk-in closets and private bathrooms with dual-sink vanities and tiled showers. The award-winning Captiva model highlights the livability and flexibility of Christopher Alan’s home designs. The professionally decorated three-bedroom, two-bath home earned awards for best exterior and best main living ambiance during the Charlotte-DeSoto Building Industry Association’s 2023 Southwest Florida Parade of Homes. The model reflects a relaxed, serene Florida lifestyle with a large covered and screened-in lanai, rustic wood-look tile floors and a color palette of white, gray and natural wood tones accented with bright sapphire throughout its 1,719 square feet. The open design blends the great room, kitchen and dining area into a large main living space that extends to the screened lanai through sliding glass doors. The primary suite has a spacious bedroom, two walk-in closets and well-appointed bathroom with stone countertops, a walk-in shower and dual-sink vanity. One of the guestrooms is shown as a home office. Additional floor plans in The Hammocks include the three-bedroom, two-bath Palm with 1,550 square feet of living space and the Gasparilla offering four bedrooms, two baths and 1,810 square feet under air. The Biscayne, The Hammocks’ largest home, features three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms and 1,922 square feet.All Christopher Alan homes are constructed to the highest standards in building and energy efficiency and feature steel-reinforced concrete masonry construction, hurricane-resistant structural design and impact-rated low-e glass doors and windows for added safety and peace of mind. Christopher Alan Homes also offers several quick move-in homes in The Hammocks, giving homebuyers the opportunity for occupancy now and in the coming months. Homes are priced from the mid-$300,000s. Through a strategic partnership with West Port developer Kolter Group, Christopher Alan Homes is offering 111 single-family homes in The Hammocks. Planned for 2,000 homes, West Port’s 450 acres are designed with single-family and multifamily neighborhoods nestled around Charlotte County’s public 100-acre Centennial Park and a new 10,000-square-foot recreational and aquatic center, providing residents with access to outdoor/indoor activities, soccer and ballfields, pickleball courts, a 50-meter pool, and an 18-hole disc golf course– with club and amenity fees – as well as miles of sidewalks and extra-wide multimodal trails, a fishing lake and a playground. West Port is located on U.S. 41/Tamiami Trail and State Road 776/El Jobean Road in Port Charlotte. Within walking distance of the Charlotte Sports Park, the Tampa Bay Rays’ spring training home, the community is also close to the Port Charlotte Town Center, boat launches, top-rated schools and healthcare facilities, and within 20 miles of Manasota Key beaches, Downtown Wellen Park and area schools. For more information about The Hammocks and quick move-in home opportunities, visit the Christopher Alan Homes sales center at 1496 Sunset Preserve Way, Port Charlotte, open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Information is also available by visiting westportbycah.com or calling 855-44-MYCAH. 

Pictured: The three-bedroom, two-bathroom Captiva model offers spacious gathering and dining areas, a professional-style kitchen and flexible outdoor living spaces for every lifestyle.

The Women’s Resource Center presents “Financial Power,” a free monthly workshop series exploring ways to claim financial power by arming you with the knowledge and tools to help you make sound financial decisions.  Alex Davis, CPA, CFP, the founder of AGA Tax and Consulting Services facilitate the series. It launches on May 24 and runs monthly on the last Wednesday of every month, noon to 1 p.m., at the Women's Resource Center Sarasota, 340 S Tuttle Ave, Sarasota, or on the Zoom platform. Participants can attend one or all the sessions. To register, visit www.MyWRC/financialpower.  

Pictured: Alex Davis, CPA, CFP, founder of AGA Tax and Consulting Services will facilitate the workshops. Photo courtesy of WRC.

The law firm of Blalock Walters, P.A. is pleased to welcome attorney Laura Smidt to its real estate and leasing practice groups. Smidt has experience in commercial and residential transactions, including purchases and sales, refinances, and construction loans, as well as commercial leasing. Smidt works directly with her clients at each step of a real estate transaction to minimize their costs and liabilities. She serves clients in Sarasota, Bradenton, and the surrounding areas. Smidt earned her Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration from Stetson University College of Law and Bachelor of Science in Political Science, Government, and Spanish from Florida State University. Smidt can be reached at 941.748.0100 or lsmidt@blalockwalters.com. 

JMX Brands, the largest online retailer of Amish furniture at dutchcrafters.com, was named a 2023 Next 1000 company again by Digital Commerce 360, a respected source of research and data collection for global e-commerce brands for more than 20 years. The Next 1000 database ranks North American mid-sized online retailers by annual web sales. For 2023, JMX Brands ranked 35 in housewares/home furnishings and 1411 overall. This is the 11th time JMX Brands has been named to a prestigious Digital Commerce 360 list. The vision guiding JMX Brands and its flagship brand, DutchCrafters Amish Furniture, is to become the undisputed leading brand of Amish furniture, winning through exceptional customer experience. This goal is summarized in two words: delivering excellence. 

To learn more click here.