- June 29, 2024
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The philanthropic nature of Sarasota's community is widely known, but it's something that also holds true when it comes to many of its businesses.
This was evident when the Sarasota Greater Chamber of Commerce held the 34th annual Frank G. Berlin, Sr. Small Business Awards on June 21.
Held at The Ora Ballroom at The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, the awards saw over 600 individuals gathering to celebrate a total of 30 businesses.
The Observer spoke with a few of the winners.
When David Crawford founded Catalist Realty in 2018, he built an unusual feature into the business model.
Fifteen percent of all commissions earned would be donated to local nonprofits, with clients choosing where to direct them.
"I don't know if this business model works in every community. I think Sarasota is a very special place," he said, attributing the model's success to factors including the area's nonprofits, arts and culture, governance and intertwined private sector.
He also said the passion of the real estate agents is a major factor.
"On one hand, that can be a challenge with the business model, but we found the agents that get that, are already involved. They're already in the community, and that spirit is just something that's a passion within them," he said.
It is the third year the company has been nominated, and the first it has won, something he attributes to the time it has taken the company to prove its success in a locale he said holds many exceptional businesses.
"We're just humbled to even be recognized with a lot of these organizations, at the scale of what they've been able to accomplish," he said.
The company, he said, is now just shy of $300,000 in impact, with about $205,000 of that being unrestricted funds created directly through the sale of the properties.
When Stacey Marks and Kari Schroeter met on the dance floor of Fly Dance Fitness, they knew they'd found a special place.
In fact, they were so appreciative of the company, which offers dance fitness and sculpting classes, that they became instructors before acquiring the business five years ago, with Marks now serving as CEO and Schroeter as COO.
The duo attributes the impact of the project to the "incredibly strong" women who come together there each day.
"Our entire business is focused on empowering women," Marks said. "It's all we do 24/7, seven days a week, 365 (days a year). They uplift each other, and our instructors, by just being themselves in our classes, allow other people to be their authentic selves."
They hope that the experience won't only be for Sarasota's community, however, as they said demand for the benefits of a dance and fitness experience exists nationwide.
They are currently working on franchising the location. They also offer virtual classes across the country and internationally, and allow instructors who audition for positions to teach one of the business' dance formats in a city of their choice.
"We are incredibly humbled, and excited and overwhelmed with how much support we've received just within our community, but also through the Chamber as well," Schroeter said. "We were just blown away to be considered a finalist ... and we felt in a sense, like we had already won, just the fact of getting recognized to begin with."
In 2011, Chris Williams founded the business that became Aginto | A Digital Agency as a way to use his coding skills to put food on the table.
Around 2013, it began to evolve into the full-fledged digital marketing agency it is today, serving Manatee and Sarasota counties.
Although he sees it eventually doubling in size, he doesn't want the agency to grow too much. He hopes it's large enough to serve its clients effectively, but also small enough to know them.
In addition to being extremely data-driven, he said, Aginto also operates through a unique model.
"We take on a client and promise to do everything we can to make their business successful. We don't go to their competitor down the street and promise the same," he said.
That sense of responsibility is also present when it comes to staff, he said.
The quality he looks for in staff is an entrepreneurial spirit, and a goal for them to open their own marketing agency or studio, or other business.
"I feel it's my job as the leader to help them to get to that goal," he said. "A lot of time, that means that they're not going to be with Aginto."
He called the honor of the award "huge." Being biracial, he said, there are "not a ton" of people who look like him in the area.
He hopes to show others that "it doesn't matter where you come from, it doesn't matter the things you've done in your background, you can start a business, be good at something, because that's what matters, to be good at something, do good in the community and be recognized and have success."
Gary Curry, the founder of Roofing By Curry, has always been very generous, said his son Jesse Curry.
That's why after taking over the primary duties of the business from his father in 2019, Jesse has been looking to continue its charity initiatives.
"I think that's one of the things that differentiates us a lot," he said.
The company started offering free roofs 10 years ago, through a program called No Roof Left Behind, which allowed the community to nominate members in need.
When that program closed in 2020, Roofing By Curry emulated the project, hiring a contractor to build a website and create The Free Roof Project.
The company's charity arm, Curry Cares, also works extensively with Habitat for Humanity's home repair program, for which last year, it provided a record 17 free roofs in one year.
"It means a lot to be to be recognized amongst the other businesses," he said. "We were surprised that we were a finalist, I guess, and ... win or lose, just being a finalist is quite an honor."
He said they also give their best effort to the work they are contracted to perform.
"With our tagline, 'Why Worry? Call Curry,' we can't be doing mediocre service," he said. "We might cost a little more, but everyone is courteous and respectful and professional, everyone from front desk, to the guys on the roof."
