The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Joe Potter

Mosquito Control District considers expansion

By

The Pasco County Mosquito Control District is in the planning stages of moving to a new and significantly larger headquarters and base of operations, according to Executive Director Adriane Rogers.

Those segments of the district have been located on a 10-acre site at 2308 Marathon Road in Odessa since 1987. The boundary has expanded twice since then and services have been provided to all of Pasco County since 2003, Rogers said.

From left: Pasco County Mosquito Control District pilot Brian Gentry, Aerial Operations Director Wayne Daniels and Executive Director Adriane Rogers stand by a helicopter that is the district’s seventh airborne asset (Courtesy of Maria Johnson)

The tremendous growth the county has experienced since 1987 is one of the reasons for the planned relocation to a 41.85-acre site on the west side of U.S. 41 just north of State Road 52 in central Pasco County, Rogers said. U.S. Census Bureau records indicate that Pasco County is one of the fastest growing counties in Florida.

“As the county is growing at an unprecedented rate, the district must grow our staff, fleet and technologies to keep up,” Rogers said. “A lot has changed at the district since 1987. We are busting at the seams.”

Nearly 50 people are employed at the district year-round and an additional 13 people work during the season when the greatest amount of mosquito control effort is required, according to Rogers.

There are only nine buildings at the current location in Odessa and those buildings are for various uses, including administration and laboratory, vehicle maintenance and repair, helicopter maintenance and storage, fleet storage, warehouse, and facilities maintenance.

As many as 14 buildings could be constructed at the new location that is north of the Talavera community, Rogers said.

The increased number of buildings will allow for ample fleet storage and buildings with diverse functions, such as administration or laboratory, to be in their own buildings with all assets related to that function under the same roof. This will increase the efficiency of the district’s operations, according to Rogers.

Plans call for all of the buildings constructed at the new location to be hardened structures designed to withstand hurricanes and other forms of inclement weather, Rogers said. This will protect all of the district’s assets.

“It’s vital for the district to be operational immediately following a storm event to reduce mosquito populations and decrease the potential for mosquito-borne disease transmission,” Rogers said. “Our number one goal is to protect public health.”

Only two of the buildings at the Odessa site — a warehouse and a hanger for a helicopter — are hardened to withstand strong winds, Rogers said.

Mosquito Control is seeking solicitations from general contractors so they may be prequalified before submitting bids to do work at the new location.

District leadership needs to know if potential bidders are able to construct the types of hardened structures and multi-use buildings that are planned for the new location. This means they must have prior experience in constructing such buildings, according to Rogers.

A site plan for the new location was submitted to Pasco County in December 2023. Permits to begin development have been under review since then by the county, Florida Department of Transportation, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and other agencies, according to Rogers.

Another necessary reason to move is that personnel will be able to provide services throughout Pasco County in a more effective and efficient manner, Rogers said.

It currently takes up to 1 1/2 hours to reach service sites in Dade City, Lacoochee or Zephyrhills and up to another 1 1/2 hours to return back to the headquarters in Odessa, Rogers said. This means some of the employees are spending up to three hours of their workday just commuting back and forth to reach the places where their services are needed, Rogers said.

The new location for the proposed campus is more centrally located in the county. This will result in a significant reduction in travel to allow quicker access to East Pasco so the district will be able to provide the same rapid, quality customer service to residents in the entire county, according to Rogers.

Once the permits are granted and the district selects a general contractor,  construction could take place over approximately one year. It is unknown at this time what the cost of construction will be and when the district will be able to relocate its headquarters to the new base of operations, Rogers said.

 

Published on August 28, 2024.

Combat-wounded vet gets new home

By

One of the worst days in the life of U.S. Army Master Sgt. Christopher “Chris” Blauvelt (Ret.) was April 4, 2010, when he was severely injured by an improvised explosive device detonated underneath a vehicle he was in while serving in Afghanistan.

However, Aug. 17, 2024, was one of the happiest days of his life. That’s when he and his family were welcomed to a new, mortgage-free home on Nine Iron Court in Wesley Chapel.

Bernadette Blauvelt looks on as her husband, U.S. Army Master Sgt. Christopher “Chris” Blauvelt, cuts the ribbon Aug. 17 in front of their new home on Nine Mile Court in Wesley Chapel (Courtesy of Joe Potter)

The national nonprofit organization Homes for Our Troops (HFOT) presented the custom-built home to the family because of the severe combat-related injuries Blauvelt had sustained. In addition to his right leg having to be amputated, he also had a traumatic brain injury and suffered spinal fractures and a fractured pelvis.

Blauvelt told the approximately 100 people attending the ceremony at his new home that he doesn’t remember anything that happened to him on that day. But he assured them he would never forget the day he was presented the custom-built home that is specially adapted to provide him with a safe living environment. 

Blauvelt and his family previously resided in a two-story home in Tampa where he faced serious daily challenges. 

His new 2,800-square-foot home has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. One of those bathrooms is oversized and designed so he can safely roll into it to take a shower. 

Blauvelt, his wife Bernadette, and the couple’s five children – Coulter, Penny, Zoe, Mia and Zachery – are happily calling the new residence their home.

HFOT has provided mortgage-free homes to hundreds of combat-wounded veterans across the nation since its founding in 2004, according to Jocelyn Phipps, the organization’s community engagement coordinator. HFOT has lived up to its motto of “Building Homes, Rebuilding Lives!” Phipps said.

The nonprofit’s mission is to build and donate specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post 9/11 veterans to enable them to rebuild their lives, Phipps said. It doesn’t receive any federal or state funding.

Attendees saw Blauvelt receive the keys to his new home and triumphantly hoist a U.S. flag on a flagpole in front of it, as part of the ceremony. 

“Y’all don’t know how much this means to me,” he said. “I’ve never had a flagpole before.”

Blauvelt has a lengthy service history prior to being medically discharged in 2012. 

He enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard immediately after graduating from high school because he wanted to serve in a law enforcement-type capacity. He was a helicopter rescue swimmer for four of the eight years he was in the Coast Guard.

After working for the U.S. Postal Service for a couple of years, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served there for about five years, during which time he worked in Force Recon. 

The 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred about six months after he was discharged from the Marine Corps, which prompted him to join the U.S. Army National Guard based in Connecticut where he and his family lived at that time.

It was during his first deployment to Afghanistan as a National Guardsman that he  was severely injured. 

People were invited to tour the house after a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Some of the activities preceding the tour were the presentation of the colors by members of the Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron of the Florida Wing of the Civil Air Patrol and Autumn Rae singing the National Anthem.

Also, Elizabeth Evans Weiss was recognized as the general contractor for the construction of Blauvelt’s home, along with Jim Peley, project manager, and the staff and subcontractors at Elizabeth Evans Custom Homes.

Bonnie Purcell with Quilts of Valor wrapped one of their quilts around Blauvelt.

U.S. Air Force Col. Ret. Jerry Custin made some remarks on behalf of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-FL’s 12th District. 

Deb Kehoe, a volunteer with the Rosedale Fundraiser, talked about how the donations of HOFT had steadily increased over the years, including more than $400,000 raised in 2023. 

“Quite frankly, it’s not about the money,” Kehoe said. “It’s about what the money does for the veterans.”.

HFOT Executive Director Bill Ivey also made some remarks.

When it was his turn to speak, Blauvelt thanked family members, including his wife, children, mother and mother-in-law, for their support. Blauvelt said he hadn’t been able to sleep for two days before the ceremony and that he felt guilty about the mortgage-free house being built for him and his family. 

“I’m supposed to feel like this is amazing,” Blauvelt said.

He then announced he planned to begin going to college sometime next year, which resulted in a loud round of applause from the attendees.

 

Published August 28, 2024.

First goal scored by Tampa Bay Sun FC

By

Brooke Hendrix scored the first-ever goal for Tampa Bay Sun FC, heading in a corner kick from Ashley Clark in the 70th minute during their debut match against Dallas Trinity FC, in front of a sellout crowd of over 5,000 at Riverfront Stadium, according to a news release. Goalkeeper Ashley Orkus made six saves, helping the team secure a 1-1 draw. Full match stats and ticket information can be found at TampaBaySunFC.com.

Brooke Hendrix is celebrated by her teammates after scoring historic first goal. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Sun FC)

‘Brushing’ scam indicates serious problem for victims

By

Free box loads of merchandise from Amazon or other companies right on your doorstep? What could be bad about getting the Santa treatment all year long?

(Kindel Media/Pexels)

While free merchandise might sound nice, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers this recent scam has a scary downside, according to a news release.

This scam is called brushing, and it has recently been popping up nationwide. Suddenly, boxes of unordered (by the recipient) merchandise from Amazon or other online sellers begin arriving. There is no return address, or sometimes it just appears to come from Amazon or another retailer, and the receiver has yet to learn who ordered the items. The items are varied. For example, in one case, a humidifier, a hand warmer, a flashlight, a Bluetooth speaker and a computer vacuum cleaner arrived unordered. Often, the items received are lightweight and inexpensive to ship, such as ping pong balls, face masks or seeds from China.

Why would such merchandise be sent to you if you didn’t request it? The companies, usually foreign third-party sellers that are sending the items, are simply using your address they discovered online. They intend to make it appear that you wrote a glowing online review of their merchandise and that you are a verified buyer of that merchandise. They then post a fake, positive review to improve their products’ ratings, which means more sales. The payoff is highly profitable from their perspective.

In a recent BBB Scam Tracker Report, one consumer shared, “A mysterious package was delivered to my home from a person I do not know, without me ordering any such package. When I tried to look up the return address, the search returned “brushing scam” hits.”

Why it’s bad news for you

The fact that someone could have the items sent to you as if you purchased them indicates they have some of your personal information, such as your name, address and possibly phone number. Once the information is online, it could be used for numerous crooked enterprises.

The fake online review angle is only one way they benefit. By using the brushing scam, they also are increasing their sales numbers. After all, they aren’t purchasing the items since the payment goes right back to them. Increased sales numbers, even though padded with fake purchases, look good for the company and help lead to more sales.

Then there is the “porch pirate” angle. There are instances where thieves use other people’s mailing addresses and accounts, then watch for the delivery of the package so they can steal it from the door before the resident gets it.

What can you do?

  • Notify the retailer. Brushing and fake reviews are against Amazon’s policies, so contact Amazon Customer Service if this happens to you and the product appears to come from Amazon. They will investigate and take action against the bad actor. Amazon also takes security seriously and encourages customers to report fraudulent purchases or other security issues. If the package appears to come through another established business, go directly to their website to get their contact information. If you prefer to contact the business by phone, be cautious about searching for support phone numbers.
  • Attempt to identify the sender. If you can identify the sender of unordered packages, consider checking for potential false reviews in your name and ask for the reviews to be removed.
  • Check your account for recent orders. Some targets of brushing scams can be deluged with unordered packages, creating a serious problem. If this happens, consider whether to refuse package delivery at your home address and temporarily direct items that you did order to a package acceptance service.
  • Change your account passwords. This may be a sign that personal information has been compromised, and to improve account security, keep a close eye on credit reports and credit card bills.
  • You are allowed to keep the merchandise. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says you have a legal right to keep unordered merchandise.
  • Protect your identity. The BBB advises to take all necessary precautions to prevent identity theft. Be careful when entering personal information online and ensure you use a secure site.

 

Published August 28, 2024.

Trainor kicks off tour with Hollywood, Tampa dates

By

It’s been 10 years since Meghan Trainor debuted on top of the charts with the single “All About That Bass.” (Lauren Dunn/Live Nation)

Meghan Trainor is hitting the road next month to promote her sixth full-length album, “Timeless.” Florida residents will be among the first to see the Grammy winner on stage, according to a news release.

This comes as Trainor announced an expansion of “Timeless” with a new Deluxe Edition. The expansion includes three new songs. 

“I’ve been saving these songs for a minute now,” Trainor said of her new music, in the release. “The deluxe album is the perfect way to get the recognition that they deserved. I can’t wait to sing them with everybody on the road next month!” Trainor will embark on her first tour in seven years, the Timeless Tour, which kicks off on Sept. 1 at the Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. 

She’ll also perform at the Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa on Sept. 2. 

“Lil Boo Thing” crooner Paul Russell and older brother Ryan Trainor are scheduled to accompany the singer on both dates. Natasha Bedingfield will join Trainor on some of the 26 shows as well.

‘Killer Grannies’ takes on Tampa Bay

By

Nearly three dozen people from all across the United States converged on the Tampa Bay area last week to let the world know about two evil grandmothers who used diabolical and deadly schemes to profit financially.

But the “threat” wasn’t real. Rather, it was the story of “Killer Grannies,” a film based on real life events.

In this scene, Killer Granny Kate Roberts (Jann VanDyke) looks on as a homeless man, Tom Watson (Chase DeMoss), enjoys a meal Roberts bought for him at The Golden Egg Café. Assisting are cinematographer Adam Boster and soundman Chris Tobin. (Courtesy of Lisa Manale)

The husband and wife team of Chuck and Karolina Morrongiello are directing and producing the thriller. The key filming locations throughout Pasco and Hernando counties were chosen because the couple lives in Land O’ Lakes. 

Some of those locations included The Golden Egg Café in Carrollwood, the Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa, Caliente Resort & Spa in Land O’ Lakes, Perry Harvey Sr. Park in Tampa, Perich Eye Center in Trinity and Big League Haircuts in Land O’ Lakes.

Chuck Morrongiello, who has previously worked in the insurance industry, wrote the screenplay for “Killer Grannies.” It’s based on a common scheme in the insurance industry — when people take insurance policies out on others for their own financial gain.

The main characters in the motion picture are Kate Roberts played by Jann VanDyke, and Rosa Peters played by Rena Romano. Peters is reportedly the crazier of the two grandmothers.

Several other professional actors and actresses from across the U.S. are in the motion picture, including Chase DeMoss, who plays the role of Tom Watson, a down-on-his-luck homeless man. A professional makeup artist spared no effort in making DeMoss look homeless and bedraggled for the role.

The husband and wife team of Karolina and Chuck Morrongiello prepare for the filming of a scene inside the Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa where a felony trial was being held for the two “Killer Grannies.”

Granny Roberts makes the acquaintance of Watson, who has been feeding himself by rummaging through other people’s garbage, and she treats him to an all-expenses-paid meal at The Golden Egg Café. During that meal, Roberts pretends to care for Watson and comforts him as he tells her a story about his sad past life, including unfortunate things that happened in his family.

Later on in the film, the two grandmothers offered to help Watson get cleaned up so he can reenter society, and provide him a job at the Ostara Floral Shop that both the women own and operate.

And that’s where the nefarious insurance scheme begins. No spoilers here!

Matt Sabel, a student at the Winter Park campus of Full Sail University, a learning institution specializing in entertainment media and emerging technologies, served as a grip production assistant. He’s now able to add the film to his resume as he pursues his degree in digital cinematography. 

Veteran cinematographer Adam Boster did the majority of the filming, a trade he’s worked in nearly 40 years.

In addition to serving as a producer, Karolina Morrongiello acts in the film as well. She’s also involved in editing the film and guiding it through the post-production process, which will take between 12 months and 18 months.

Once finished, “Killer Grannies” will be eligible to be distributed throughout the world. A couple of the films the Morrongiellos have previously produced and directed, through their production company 3 Rats Entertainment LLC, have been seen in as many as 80 different countries, Chuck Morrongiello said.

For additional information about 3 Rats Entertainment LLC, call 813-417-4131, or email .

Published August 21, 2024

Another approach considered to control invasive species

By

The Pasco County Planning Commission found a proposed amendment to Pasco County’s Land Development Code (LDC) pertaining to controlling invasive species to be consistent with the Pasco County Comprehensive Plan during its Aug. 8 meeting in Dade City.

The proposed amendment to the LDC is one sentence that says: “Invasive species located within the area of the project proposed to be developed are required to be removed (and) ongoing maintenance to prevent the establishment of prohibited, invasive species is required.”

This recommended change to the LDC came after county staff withdrew from consideration a proposed new ordinance, which was several pages long, specifically addressing the control and eradication of invasive species. 

This occurred after the July 11 planning commission meeting in which answers were not available regarding how and by whom the proposed ordinance would be enforced if it was adopted.

Jennifer Seney, a Wesley Chapel resident and longtime environmental advocate, told planning commissioners on Aug. 8 she was disappointed that the original proposed ordinance had been withdrawn. Some neighboring counties, including Hillsborough, have ordinances specifically addressing invasive species, Seney said. 

The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) will hold its first reading of this proposed amendment to the LDC on Aug. 21, and it will be scheduled for possible adoption on Sept. 3. This is because the BCC has the final authority on whether to adopt the proposed amendment since the planning commission only acts in an advisory capacity regarding such matters.

The Pasco County Planning Commission recommended that all applications for car washes be conditional use requests, similar to those required for cell telephone towers. (Pascal Preti/Getty)

It was also recommended to the BCC that all applications for car washes should be considered as conditional use requests, similar to those required for cell telephone towers. 

This recommendation was made following a lengthy presentation and discussion regarding whether proposed amendments to an ordinance addressing car washes were consistent with the county’s Comprehensive Plan.

Their recommendation specifically stated that car wash conditional use requests should be required to meet design standards as currently presented by staff, and that a special set of conditions, similar to those used for cell towers, be created for car washes.   

Planning commission members agreed this would make it simpler for both the public and car wash applicants to understand what was going to be required for such applications to be approved. Also, county staff would be granted flexibility in determining what conditional use conditions would pertain to each car wash applicant. 

The BCC will hold its first reading of this proposed ordinance on Sept. 3 and it will be scheduled for possible adoption on Sept. 17.

In other business, planning commission members:

  • Recommended that the BCC approve with conditions a rezoning request made by Kokolakis West MPUD – SR 52 Limited Partnership and Jen Holdco LLC on approximately 177.48 acres located in central Pasco County. 

The property is currently zoned A-C Agricultural District and it’s being requested that the zoning be changed to a Master Planned Unit Development District (MPUD) to allow for the maximum development of 155 single-family detached dwelling units, 67 single-family attached dwelling units, 168,799-square-feet of Support Commercial, and 125,000-square-feet of Corporate Business Park/Target Industry/Light Industry and Associated Infrastructure. 

  • Recommended that the BCC approve with conditions a rezoning request made by Fletcher MPUD, et al, for approximately 100.6 acres near the Pilot Country Airport in north central Pasco County. The applicant wants to be allowed to develop 350 Multi-family Dwelling Units, 160 Town Home Dwelling Units, and 100,000-square-feet of Commercial and Associated Infrastructure there. 

The current zoning of the property is A-C Agricultural District and R-1MH Single-Family/Mobile Home District and the applicant wants it to be changed to a Master Planned Unit Development (MPUD). The Pilot Country Airport didn’t oppose the request that the BCC will consider at its Aug 21 meeting in New Port Richey.

  • Continued a decision until Oct. 17 on whether a special exception and a zoning change requested by Lakeshore Blvd LLC should be recommended for approval by the BCC. 

The applicant wants to be allowed to use approximately 3.62 acres of property located at 13939 Lakeshore Blvd., in Hudson, for freestanding commercial and recreational vehicle and boat storage purposes. The property is currently zoned PO-2 Professional Office and MF-2 Multifamily Medium Density District and it is requested that it be changed to C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District. The property is approximately 233 feet southwest of Fivay Road. 

The applicant would be required to repave the portion of Lakeshore Boulevard to where it connects with Fivay Road. A separate entrance would have to be incorporated into the project design, complete with a gate and a fire truck turn-around for emergency access. 

The possible expense of repaving the appropriate portion of Lakeshore that is necessary so it would meet county standards was one of the reasons for continuing a decision. This occurred after Lakeshore Blvd LLC’s representative indicated the applicant wanted to see if other people who would benefit from improvements would be willing to share the costs. Planning commission member Jon Moody said he didn’t think neighbors would be willing to chip in on the cost to repave that portion of the road.

Planning commission members also wondered why the property couldn’t be used instead for professional offices that could be occupied by medical doctors, due to its close proximity to Bayonet Point Hospital. 

Published August 21, 2024

Florida’s combined sales tax rate is mid-pack compared to other states

By

(The Center Square) – According to data from a national tax policy group, Florida’s combined sales tax rate ranks 24th.

The Washington D.C.-based Tax Foundation ranked Florida as the 24th highest combined state/local sales tax rate at 7%. The state sales tax is 6% and the average county levy is 1.02%. Groceries and prescription medicines are exempt from sales tax. 

(PhotoAlto/James Hardy/Getty)

The Sunshine State is one of 38 states that allows local sales taxes and 45 out of the state’s 67 counties add one, with the lowest being Citrus County with a combined rate of 6.5%. The maximum local surcharge is 1.5%. 

According to data from the Florida Department of Revenue, sales tax revenues added up to $35.8 billion of the state’s $47.33 billion in total collections or 75.6%. 

Florida has lower sales tax rates than its neighboring states. Alabama is fifth highest with a combined rate of 7.06%. Georgia (19th) has a rate of 7.38%.

Regionally, only Mississippi (7.06% combined rate, 22nd) and South Carolina (7.5% for 19th) are lower than Florida’s rate.

Nationally, Louisiana was highest with a combined rate of 9.56%, followed by Tennessee a tick behind at 9.55%, Washington was fourth (9.38%) and rounding out the top five was Alabama (9.29%).

Alaska has the lowest combined sales, as cities levy an average of 1.82%, but the state doesn’t charge sales tax. Five states – Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon – don’t collect sales taxes. 

The Tax Foundation says sales taxes are responsible for 32% of state tax receipts and 13% of local tax collections, adding up to 24% of combined revenue.

Published August 21, 2024

Florida regulators to consider TECO rate hike

By

(The Center Square) – Florida regulators are a step closer to coming to a final decision over a proposed rate hike by one of the Sunshine State’s largest electricity providers.

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) held a prehearing conference on Aug. 8 on a petition filed by Tampa Electric Company (TECO) to increase its base rates for over 810,000 commercial, residential and industrial customers in Pinellas, Polk, Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

Tampa Electric Co smokestacks. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

If approved, the proposed rate hikes would take effect on Jan. 1, 2025 and will add $17.46 to a residential customer’s monthly bill if they use around 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity. In January 2026, the average monthly bill for 1,000 kWh will increase again from $153.90 to $160.73.

During the prehearing, the Florida Office of the Public Counsel’s Patty Christensen stated that the witnesses needed more time to summarize their testimonies and asked if they could have their time extended past five minutes.

“These are extensive, large, complicated testimonies that we would like to have at least sufficient time for witnesses to summarize and we’ve been able to do that in five minutes and it has not dragged the proceedings down,” Christensen said.

The final hearing on the rate increase will be held on Aug. 21 and Aug. 22. More than 30 witnesses will testify in front of the commission.

Duke Energy Florida had its final storm restoration recovery costs approved by the commission, totaling $431.4 million. According to a news release from PSC, the recovery costs will cover several tropical storms and hurricanes, including Ian and Nicole in 2022.

The commission previously approved an interim storm restoration recovery charge of $5.09 per customer using 1,000 kWh per month. Duke currently has over 2 million customers spread throughout a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida. This charge will continue until Dec. 2024.

The PSC also announced that it had approved demand side management goals for TECO, Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy Florida, the Orlando Utilities Commission, and the JEA utilities company in Jacksonville.

Demand Side Management (DSM) aims to manage consumer demand for energy while conserving it. It includes a series of activities and programs implemented by utilities and government agencies to ensure customers get the best rates possible. Energy conservation goals begin in 2025 and run through 2034. The last time DSM goals were approved was in 2019.

Published August 21, 2024

Women business owners lead with passion and optimism for success

By

Passion, collaboration and community are keys to running a successful business. That’s according to a recent survey of women business leaders as part of the biannual Economic Outlook Survey from PNC, a financial services company.

Passion and personal satisfaction for their business or industry is a top factor women business leaders cited for starting and staying in business, with 43% of respondents choosing that over financial success (35%) — the next most common factor. This passion was one key differentiator between women and men business leaders, with only 28% of men reporting personal satisfaction as a primary driver of staying in business.

(MoMo Productions/Getty)

“For many women business owners, starting and running a business is born out of a personal interest or an opportunity to make a difference in the community,” said Shana Peterson-Sheptak, head of business banking at PNC. “That’s not at the expense of profitability, but it shows the power of being passionate or satisfied with what you do.”

Positive outlook
Respondents noted more than just passion for their businesses, though, they also reported optimism about the next six months, both for the economy and the success of their ventures. Women leaders were more likely than men to expect increases in demand (51% to 49%), sales (51% to 49%), prices of their goods and services (49% to 40%), and profits (52% to 43%) in the coming months. They also were more likely to expect their own compensation and retirement savings to increase — a significant change since PNC’s fall 2022 survey when women leaders were less likely than men to expect increases in those two metrics.

While both women and men leaders were highly optimistic about their near-term prospects for their business, women were significantly more likely to express confidence in the national and local economies than men, 64% to 51% and 72% to 60%, respectively. Of those who expressed greater optimism for their business prospects than the national economy as a whole, nearly 80% of women leaders attributed their optimism to confidence in their own abilities.

“Better than expected economic performance in the first part of 2024 is creating optimism for many business leaders as a whole,” Peterson-Sheptak said. “But women are especially confident that both their businesses will be successful in the coming months and their abilities as leaders will help make them so.”

Providing support
There are significant differences between men and women in terms of what they feel they need to succeed and how they prefer to receive support, according to the latest survey results. While peers in the field are the most popular form of support for both women and men business leaders (64% to 69%, respectively), women indicate they are more likely than men to consider support from community, friends and family vital to their business success (62% to 41%).

That support extends to banking relationships. PNC survey feedback has shown that women financial decision-makers seek out relationships that extend beyond banking products and services to include financial education and community connections.

“Women entrepreneurs are leading with passion for their business, confidence and optimism for the future,” Peterson-Sheptak said. “We need to make sure we have the resources and people to support their success.”

-StatePoint

Published August 21, 2024