Organizers deem business summit a success

MINNEOLA — More than 100 small business owners and entrepreneurs attended the Lake County Business Owners Success Summit (BOSS) Thursday at Minneola City Hall.

The event was highlighted by an energetic keynote speech from Jerry Ross, Executive Director of the Disney Entrepreneur Center. The summit continued with a panel of speakers led by Shelly Weidenhamer, Director of Business Development in Lake County for the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC). The panel responded to a host of concerns participants had about small business including access to capital, marketing and developing a business plan.

Summit participants were also given the opportunity to meet one-on-one with business resource providers. During the wrap-up of the summit, Minneola City Councilman Victor Ortega announced a second BOSS event is already in the works.

“In today’s economy, small businesses are presented with many challenges,” said Councilman Ortega. “I came up with the idea of the BOSS event to help small-business owners understand there are many resources available to them.”

Ortega credited James Spencer, Area Manager, Small Business Development Center at UCF and Site Manager, UCF Business Incubator – Leesburg, Shelly Weidenhamer, Dottie Keedy, Director of the Lake County Department of Economic Growth & Redevelopment, Tim Green, President of the Chamber Alliance of Lake County, and Ken Thomas, Director of the Leesburg Economic Development Department for bringing his idea to fruition.

For more information about the first Business Owners Success Summit, log on to www.thebosslink.com.