I can imagine few leaps of faith bigger than those attempted by the dreamers with a Big Idea for a business. To believe that people will want to pay for a product you've come up with, to max out the credit cards and mortgage the home to put it all on the line for that vision takes a heck of a lot of nerve.
South Florida is home to a lot of you dreamers, and in the years we've run our Business Plan Challenge, we've had the chance to meet many of you and learn about what separates the success stories from the flameouts.
Our annual contest (read about last year's winners starting on page 24) also has been a lesson in just how critical the entrepreneurial spirit is to South Florida's economic health. Here on the Business Desk, we spend a lot of time thinking about how best to help you, and I want to share some of those efforts.
Last year's Cereal Bowl series, which followed three young entrepreneurs who opened a Coral Gables cereal restaurant, proved enormously popular with readers and became a case study for local college business classes. We're on the lookout for other new businesses to spotlight.
We launched a Small Business channel on MiamiHerald.com that brings together stories about entrepreneurs, an online Q&A and links to local resources.
On Sunday, look for our first special section dedicated to small business. It'll be chock full of helpful information -- what makes a successful online business, how to navigate the dizzying array of healthcare options, how to set up a smart home office and much more.
Then, on Sunday, we'll host a small business seminar at the Sheraton Miami Mart, 711 NW 72nd Ave., with panels on minority contracting, financing options and more. The $25 fee includes breakfast. To register, call 305-376-2110 or e-mail avimonsut@MiamiHerald .com
And, of course, there's our Business Plan Challenge, a months-long project that showcases promising new companies while educating others on how they, too, can make their dreams come true. I welcome more ideas from you and encourage you to enter this year's contest.
