[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by lluvia

And yet in another thread, you're warning people not to move to Florida because it pays peanuts.

You left out some critical facts...I said, & I'm paraphrasing...Florida's low-skill service-sector jobs pay peanuts, & would not provide a living wage for most, due to high housing costs.

I stated that as a public service announcement to help people avoid making a mistake & moving down here, & finding out the hard way they can't make it. If trying to help people is bad, then I am guilty as charged...but I don't see it that way..do you? Is compassion bad?

Are you happy that Florida's new business environment is thriving?

I'd like to hear your complete thoughts... beyond a single sentence.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by Dave_n_Tenn

How Florida Became a Launchpad for Small Business Growth.... https://siteselection.com/issues/202...ess-growth.cfm

Good article. I moved my business here to Florida due to the superior tax & low regulatory environment.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Good article. I moved my business here to Florida due to the superior tax & low regulatory environment.

If it's okay to ask, what type of business are you in?

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

If it's okay to ask, what type of business are you in?

B2B middleman, operating in the 48 contiguous states, and all Canadian provinces.

I have a medium-sized S-corp, but very few employees, & no buildings, warehouses, or commercial office space. We work from home, or out of vehicles (out in the field on/in our clients properties).

It's nearly virtual, so overheads are minimal. I use a network of Sales Agents, & sub-contractors to sell, provide services, & to deliver our patented product. What I do is so unique, my company has no SIC code, & I have only 1 nationwide competitor.

My clients range from medium-sized retailers, to Fortune 500 manufacturers, or retailers of consumer products.

It was formerly a GE Capital company that I was SVP at, until the 911 attacks, after which GE pulled out, & I took it over...been at it for 21+ years...mostly repeat business, so low cost-of-sales.

I moved it from GA to FLA 5 years ago, & while both states are business friendly, FLA has been better in every way. My company is not highly regulated, so not a lot of gov't interaction, after the patents were issued.

I save ~$20k/yr in taxes being here in FLA vs GA because GA has a state income tax, & their County Occupancy taxes are higher in GA than in FLA.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

B2B middleman, operating in the 48 contiguous states, and all Canadian provinces.

I have a medium-sized S-corp, but very few employees, & no buildings, warehouses, or commercial office space. We work from home, or out of vehicles (out in the field on/in our clients properties).

It's nearly virtual, so overheads are minimal. I use a network of Sales Agents, & sub-contractors to sell, provide services, & to deliver our patented product. What I do is so unique, my company has no SIC code, & I have only 1 nationwide competitor.

My clients range from medium-sized retailers, to Fortune 500 manufacturers, or retailers of consumer products.

It was formerly a GE Capital company that I was SVP at, until the 911 attacks, after which GE pulled out, & I took it over...been at it for 21+ years...mostly repeat business, so low cost-of-sales.

I moved it from GA to FLA 5 years ago, & while both states are business friendly, FLA has been better in every way. My company is not highly regulated, so not a lot of gov't interaction, after the patents were issued.

I save ~$20k/yr in taxes being here in FLA vs GA because GA has a state income tax, & their County Occupancy taxes are higher in GA than in FLA.

So your products are like drop shipped to them?

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

So your products are like drop shipped to them?

On larger jobs, that my subs vehicles are too small to deliver...yes. That is only ~5% of my jobs though.

95% are shipped to the sub, so we control custody, because our larger clients lose our shipments in their huge warehouses. Or, somebody puts it someplace, and fails to communicate it to others, so our sub shows up, & nobody knows where the product is...big problem if nobody can contact the squirrel who hid the nuts.

Thus, now I ship all to the subs...unless its too much for them to deliver in their pick-up/SUV/van. Its hard to lose our big shipments...although Fortune 500's lose 53' trailers daily. They attach GPS devices on the roofs now, to locate them.

Florida does have some geo challenges due to being a Penninsula in the SE corner of the USA. Trans costs is why we dont have a lot of large item manufacturing...like cars & appliances.

FLA is best suited for tourism, real estate, financial, tech, & small product mftg (see Jabil Circuit)....or products consumed en masse here...like doors & windows (PGT).

If I had the desire, I could serve on the Governor's economic counsel, but I dont feel like traveling to Talahassee monthly. Maybe when I'm fully retired. I know how FLA is positioned to appeal to certain sectors, & could advise the state on attracting more commerce in those sectors.

I hope this long post helps some here to understand why FLA is attracting so many businesses...like mine. I realize how boring it is to most readers...sorry

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

On larger jobs, that my subs vehicles are too small to deliver...yes. That is only ~5% of my jobs though.

95% are shipped to the sub, so we control custody, because our larger clients lose our shipments in their huge warehouses. Or, somebody puts it someplace, and fails to communicate it to others, so our sub shows up, & nobody knows where the product is...big problem if nobody can contact the squirrel who hid the nuts.

Thus, now I ship all to the subs...unless its too much for them to deliver in their pick-up/SUV/van. Its hard to lose our big shipments...although Fortune 500's lose 53' trailers daily. They attach GPS devices on the roofs now, to locate them.

Florida does have some geo challenges due to being a Penninsula in the SE corner of the USA. Trans costs is why we dont have a lot of large item manufacturing...like cars & appliances.

FLA is best suited for tourism, real estate, financial, tech, & small product mftg (see Jabil Circuit)....or products consumed en masse here...like doors & windows (PGT).

If I had the desire, I could serve on the Governor's economic counsel, but I dont feel like traveling to Talahassee monthly. Maybe when I'm fully retired. I know how FLA is positioned to appeal to certain sectors, & could advise the state on attracting more commerce in those sectors.

I hope this long post helps some here to understand why FLA is attracting so many businesses...like mine. I realize how boring it is to most readers...sorry

You mean governor DeSantis knows you??

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

You mean governor DeSantis knows you??

No, but at least 1 of his people does. He asked me to consider serving the state on an advisory board, but I'd have to travel to Tallahassee monthly...no thx. I HATE business travel, or even getting on planes for personal travel.

If they sent a private plane to pick me up at the Venice airport, I'd do that, but I doubt they see my input as being that valuable Even though it would be. Attracting clean businesses to the state generates jobs and tax revenues...and votes for the Gov.. I expect they'll ask me to do a videoconference at some point.

They need to do it fast, because I happen to know that boat manufacturing is about to take a dump here, unless the state takes action to loosen new marina requirements. That's totally unrelated to my biz, but I tried to buy a boat, but much of FLA is tapped out on slips. Several new marina's are needed, but state regs are obstacles to investment.

[912904]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

B2B middleman, operating in the 48 contiguous states, and all Canadian provinces.

I have a medium-sized S-corp, but very few employees, & no buildings, warehouses, or commercial office space. We work from home, or out of vehicles (out in the field on/in our clients properties).

It's nearly virtual, so overheads are minimal. I use a network of Sales Agents, & sub-contractors to sell, provide services, & to deliver our patented product. What I do is so unique, my company has no SIC code, & I have only 1 nationwide competitor.

My clients range from medium-sized retailers, to Fortune 500 manufacturers, or retailers of consumer products.

It was formerly a GE Capital company that I was SVP at, until the 911 attacks, after which GE pulled out, & I took it over...been at it for 21+ years...mostly repeat business, so low cost-of-sales.

I moved it from GA to FLA 5 years ago, & while both states are business friendly, FLA has been better in every way. My company is not highly regulated, so not a lot of gov't interaction, after the patents were issued.

I save ~$20k/yr in taxes being here in FLA vs GA because GA has a state income tax, & their County Occupancy taxes are higher in GA than in FLA.

Get off my lawn you....you... you job creator you!

[lluvia]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

No, but at least 1 of his people does. He asked me to consider serving the state on an advisory board, but I'd have to travel to Tallahassee monthly...no thx. I HATE business travel, or even getting on planes for personal travel.

If they sent a private plane to pick me up at the Venice airport, I'd do that, but I doubt they see my input as being that valuable Even though it would be. Attracting clean businesses to the state generates jobs and tax revenues...and votes for the Gov.. I expect they'll ask me to do a videoconference at some point.

They need to do it fast, because I happen to know that boat manufacturing is about to take a dump here, unless the state takes action to loosen new marina requirements. That's totally unrelated to my biz, but I tried to buy a boat, but much of FLA is tapped out on slips. Several new marina's are needed, but state regs are obstacles to investment.

Maybe you could ask your buddy to ask Ron why he did a U-turn on Covid vaccines....

https://www.motherjones.com/politics...nes-heres-why/