MORE STORIES

• BizBytes 101

  Is Facebook advertising right for your small business?

  BizBytes 101 shares tips for navigating the issues of social media advertising.
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  Sunshine Industries

  Locally based accounting firms build success in a field of heavy hitters

  Three of the biggest South Florida-based accounting firms have built national reputations as a hometown alternative to the top financial players.
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  Crime

  Stalker accused of bizarre plot to woo doctor — by kidnapping her

  Convicted stalker Felix Velazquez hoped the plan to kidnap his former girlfriend would have a happy ending — winning back her affections and bringing about a reconciliation.

• My View

  Franchising a viable alternative in a tough economy

  You are a successful mid-level executive or high-level corporate officer and have suddenly fallen victim to corporate down-sizing due to the economic crisis. Or you are moderately successful in your present employment or small business, but your daily routine is no longer exciting. What are your options if you choose to change jobs or even careers in order to pursue The American Dream?

• Dr. Law

  Who gets the engagement ring if the marriage is called off

  Engagement ring ownership disputes are often hotly contested due to the emotional aspect of a failed relationship and the ring’s sentimental and economic value.

• Advice from the judges on business plans, entrepreneurship

  Here is advice on writing a business plan from the 2012 Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge judges:

• SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE

  Brush Fire Near Card Sound Road Controlled

  Continuing dry conditions helped the spread of a brush fire near Card Sound Road and US1 south of Florida City, but late Saturday afternoon, firefighters who worked all day on the blaze believed they had it mostly contained.
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  2011 High School Track

  For Challenge’s teen winners, the world is their oyster

  Team behind First Place Kit Korp prepares for life’s next chapter — there’s no kit for that.
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  2011 FIU Track

  Lessons learned: Be nimble, stay focused, don’t give up

  Challenge Champion Raw Apps found ways to execute its strategy in the mobile market.
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  2011 Community Track

  Passion, persistence, partnerships mark winners’ year

  First Place winner DonorCommunity is building a name in the nonprofit industry.

• Editor’s Note

  Business Plan Challenge launches new features, opportunities for entrepreneurs

  At an event last week, an audience member gave an elevator pitch for his company called Sweat EquiTees, which sells t-shirts with slogans like “Run LLC” and “Kiss me, I’m an Entrepreneur.”
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  Meet the judges: Community Track

  Susan Amat is co-founder and executive director of The Launch Pad at Toppel, an entrepreneurial career center at the University of Miami that has helped hundreds of startups. Amat ventured into the music business as a concert promoter at age 15. A serial entrepreneur, she started and ran a successful record label and developed a television show that aired on the E! Network as well as the first CD-Rom magazine. She teaches business strategy, entrepreneurship and organizational behavior at UM and leads Startup Florida.
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  Meet the judges: FIU Track

  John C. Fleming, a serial entrepreneur, is the technology practice lead at Biztegra Partners, a social web agency based in West Palm Beach. He started his career as a software developer in 1979 and has worked nationally and internationally in engineering, sales, marketing, services and general management in industries ranging from high tech to real estate. Fleming has started companies, raised money and has been part of teams that built products that became market leaders in their space.
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  Meet the judges: High School Track

  Felipe F. Basulto is the retail market manager for TD Bank, overseeing the Miami-Dade locations and responsible for growth, profitability and continued expansion of TD Bank’s retail network in the local market. Basulto held similar positions with Regions Bank and Bank of America. He serves on the board for the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, is chair-elect of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber, serves as a trustee with United Way, is chair for the March of Dimes Walk for 2012 and serves on Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) South Florida’s board.

• 2012 BUSINESS PLAN CHALLENGE RULES

  Have you hatched a great idea for a business? If your business is less than 2 years old or exists only on paper, you can enter our 14th Annual Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge, co-sponsored by Florida International University’s Eugenio Pino & Family Global Entrepreneurship Center.

• The color of money

  Getting tough

  In the world of civil penalties, getting a major company to pay a $2.5 million settlement doesn’t seem like much, maybe the equivalent of a $100 parking ticket. But look past the money that Asset Acceptance Capital, one of the nation’s largest consumer debt buyers, has to pay to settle a case with the Federal Trade Commission regarding its alleged use of deceptive practices to collect old debts, and you see a major push from the government to send a signal to the debt-buying industry.

• The week ahead

  Playing chicken

  If you want to know how the Chinese economy is doing, look no further than KFC.
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  Your Money Now

  Self-employed? Deductions add up

  With so many of us taking the entrepreneurial route, here’s a tax primer for the newly self-employed.

• 2012 FLORIDA LEGISLATURE

  House approves ‘downsizing” Citizens Property

  The House passed a bill to allow surplus lines carriers to take over some insurance policies from Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
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  GAMBLING | WHAT’S NEXT?

  Casinos in limbo, but the issue has changed landscape

  Even with a casino-resort bill on its deathbed in the state capital this year, the battle lines have carved a new business legacy in South Florida.

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