Like many communities, for Lake County, small businesses are in their hearts. “Oh, they are essential,” said Meg Brew, director of Economic Development of Lake County. “Our center could not survive without small businesses,” said Marie Aliberti, president and executive director of the Chamber of Commerce of Lake Eustis. According to the 2024 profile of business administration for the state of Florida, more than 50 percent of employees in Lake County worked in small businesses. The county says that it does not maintain a list of commercial openings and closures, so it is difficult to say how many have gone and come. We talked to a woman who owns a small business in Mont Dora for almost two decades. She closed the business at the end of March. His name was One Flight Up Cafe. “I always say that we are like Starbucks meets Panera Bret with beer and wine,” said Judy Ransanici, the owner. Ransanici said he had the idea of opening the business just after moving to Munta Dora in 2007 and seeing an empty balcony. “I am like, why are people sitting on that balcony and enjoy that beautiful balcony?” She said. He said he contacted the leasing agent the next day. “We received a lease and we started the trip. Yes. It was a good trip,” Ransanici said. But that ended when the coffee closed. A flight up was fine, but wanted to retire. “I was trying to sell the business. I had aligned people, actually,” he said. But he said the sale did not work due to a lease problem. When the balcony seems to be empty once again, not many companies see a career as successful as Ransanici’s. “Statistics on small businesses are that 20 percent do not reach the first year, approximately half will close within the first five years, and then only one in three will make the 10 -year brand,” Brew, the economic development of Lake County, said. Brew says that the county works to help companies open and stay open. “In Lake County, because we value small businesses, we really try to build a support ecosystem,” Brew said. This ecosystem includes small businesses and working with UCF and the city of Eustis in a business incubator. They also have a public-private partnership with the development of the economic area of Lake Lead. Brew said they have a full -time person who is dedicated to the retention and expansion of business. “We try to attack it from many different angles, and we really encourage any of our business owners who feel they need additional support to arrive,” Brew said. The type of support they need can depend on the county part in which they are. In the center of Eustis, the president of the Chamber, Aliberti, said that companies can fight to obtain enough pedestrian traffic. Therefore, the camera has tried to launch events, such as a SIP and a monthly Sunset walk, which tried a few months this year. “Anything we can do to help support this business community, the center’s business community. Others should also consider and offer suggestions or assistance to ensure that these people can prosper because if they do not, they will close the store and have another empty store,” said Aliberti. “We all need to work together to make sure that we will still be here in five years or 10 years,” he said. And although Ransanici’s small businesses ended after about 18 years, he said he would do it again, despite the difficulties. “It is a challenge a bit like anywhere. Therefore, it has to be a job of love,” he said.
Like many communities, for Lake County, small businesses are in their hearts.
“Oh, they are essential,” said Meg Brew, director of Economic Development of Lake County.
“Our center could not survive without small businesses,” said Marie Aliberti, president and executive director of the Chamber of Commerce of Lake Eustis.
According to the 2024 profile of business administration for the state of Florida, more than 50 percent of employees in Lake County worked in small businesses.
The county says that it does not maintain a list of commercial openings and closures, so it is difficult to say how many have gone and come.
We talked to a woman who owns a small business in Mont Dora for almost two decades. She closed the business at the end of March. His name was One Flight Up Cafe.
“I always say that we are like Starbucks meets Panera Bret with beer and wine,” said Judy Ransanici, the owner.
Ransanici said he had the idea of opening the business just after moving to Munta Dora in 2007 and seeing an empty balcony.
“I am like, why are people sitting on that balcony and enjoy that beautiful balcony?” She said.
She said she contacted the leasing agent the next day.
“We received a lease and we started the trip. Yes. It was a good trip,” Ransanici said.
But that ended when the coffee closed. A flight above was fine, but she wanted to retire.
“I was trying to sell the business. I had people in a row, really,” he said.
But she said the sale did not work due to a lease problem.
While the balcony seems to be empty once again, not many companies see a career as successful as Ransanici’s.
“Statistics on small businesses are that 20 percent do not reach the first year, approximately half will close within the first five years, and then only one in three will make the 10 -year brand,” Brew, the economic development of Lake County, said.
Brew says that the county works to help companies open and stay open.
“In Lake County, because we value small businesses, we really try to build a support ecosystem,” Brew said.
This ecosystem includes small businesses and working with UCF and the city of Eustis in a business incubator.
They also have a public-private partnership with the development of the economic area of Lake Lead. Brew said they have a full -time person who is dedicated to the retention and expansion of business.
“We try to attack it from many different angles, and we really encourage any of our business owners who feel they need additional support to arrive,” Brew said.
The type of support they need can depend on which part of the county are.
In the center of Eustis, the president of the Chamber, Aliberti, said that companies can have difficulty obtaining enough pedestrian traffic.
Then, the camera has tried to launch events, such as a monthly sunset sip and a walk, which tried a few months this year.
“Anything we can do to help support this business community, the center’s business community. Others should also consider entering and offering suggestions or assistance to ensure that these people can prosper because if they do not, they will close the store and will have another empty store,” said Aliberti.
“We all need to work together to make sure that we will still be here in five years or 10 years,” he said.
And although Ransanici’s small businesses ended after about 18 years, he said he would do it again, despite the difficulties.
“It is a challenge a bit like anywhere. Therefore, it has to be a job of love,” he said.