By: Sharon Aron Baron

In celebration of National Small Business Week the first week in May, business owners from around the state are heading to Coral Springs for the Second Annual Florida Business Boost Conference. In keeping with the Small Business Administration theme, “Dream Big, Start Small”, the event will bring together over 300 business owners and cross-industry leaders to discuss the latest technological solutions to scale business operations and increase market penetration.

The 2016 Florida Business Boost will take place on Thursday May 5, 2016 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Coral Springs Museum of Art. The conference is expected to include interactive demos to educate attendees on various technological and business-related topics. Coral Springs Vice-Mayor Dan Daley and Coral Springs Chief Economic Officer Ana Barbosa will be returning to this year’s event as featured speakers to address attendees and learn more about their business needs.

“Economic outlook for Coral Springs and South Florida remains optimistic” says Dan Daley, Vice-Mayor of Coral Springs who gives consistent support to local business events.

The Coral Springs Chamber of Commerce will be on hand to welcome young professionals and other business owners. Entertainment by Scott Evans Productions is also planned to coincide with the event’s occurrence on Cinco de Mayo. Complimentary food and refreshments will be provided.

“This conference is important because small businesses form the backbone of the US economy,” says Florida Business Boost Conference chief organizer, Karlene Facey MBA FCIC. According to the SBA, 86 percent of American businesses have fewer than 20 employees and small firms accounted for 63 percent of the net new jobs created between 1993 and mid-2013. Karlene stresses the importance of these small businesses dreaming big. “As a business owner myself I know the importance of having big dreams but, more importantly, you need to use your resources to your advantage.”

Karlene Facey personally understands the value of having a limitless entrepreneurial vision. She is the founder and CEO of Clarocision Research & Marketing— a marketing and market research firm that specializes in consumer market research globally. The company started small with big dreams. In 2007, Facey and her husband Owen received a small SBA loan and acquired a modest market research company that was started in 1993. This acquisition was made at the early onset of the post-2008 American recession. Karlene, who was laid off from an executive position at one of Florida’s largest Banks, was determined to use the tragedy to her advantage.

“As the saying goes—if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. In business, as in life, you will have many challenges but it is up to you to use these challenges to your advantage.” she says.

Main sponsors of the event include the Coral Springs Chamber of Commerce, Clarocision Research & Marketing, TastyAlerts.com, Referrizer.com, Small Biz Central.net, Transworld Business Brokers, Enterprise Development Corporation, Scott Evans Productions Group, the Global Trade Chamber and many other prominent business organizations.

Both potential attendees and sponsors are encouraged to register by visiting the Florida Business Boost Conference website at www.flbusinessboost.com – it’s only $10 to attend!

About the Florida Business Boost Conference:

The 2016 Florida Business Boost Conference will feature the latest information on how to use technology to scale business operations. The event, sponsored by the Coral Springs Chamber of Commerce, will be marked by a networking session/trade-show as well as three topical business seminars. Coral Springs Vice-Mayor Dan Daley and Chief Economic Development Officer, Ana Barbosa addressing conference attendees.

To learn more about attending the 2016 Florida Business Boost or becoming a sponsor, please visit: www.flbusinessboost.com