PORT ST. LUCIE – Flower Febres-Cordero, a small business owner, last year completed the Business Accelerator Program at Indian River State College. After completing the 12-week course, she and other entrepreneurs went through a process very similar to TV’s “Shark Tank.”
Those entrepreneurs with businesses in Port St. Lucie stood before a panel of judges to pitch their businesses using the skills they learned, and those deemed promising by the judges received $5,000 grants.
Febres-Cordero, a grant recipient, said she has applied the skills learned in the classroom to her small business, A Coast Roof, a licensed roofing company.
On Wednesday, she walked along the concrete slabs that adorn the roof of a house and showed where her team fixed a leak. The roof tiles are mostly for decoration, she said. What actually protects the house from the rain is the underlayment, a waterproof barrier.
“Insurance companies have been demanding that homeowners get new roofs,” Febres-Cordero said. In some cases, making repairs can extend the life of the roof for years before a replacement is needed.
“This roof was going to cost $90,000 to replace, but it cost $6,000 to repair,” she said. “If it is maintained, it should last another 20 years.”
The skills she learned in the business accelerator class, the $5,000 grant she received—which she spent on marketing and inventory—and the extensive structural damage caused by Hurricane Milton led to a perfect storm, an opportunity for Febres- Cordero to grow her business and make it profitable, she said.
“Being around other people (enrolled in the program), was one of the biggest motivations,” Febres-Cordero said. “It was a good networking opportunity because I got a few calls from classmates, especially after the tornadoes.”
Business Accelerator Program
During the course of the program, held on Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m., participants learn marketing strategies, small business financing and strategies to increase productivity and profitability.
The program, an alternating mix of in-person and virtual lectures, began this week. Tuition is $25, and registration continues throughout the course. However, only businesses located in Port St. Lucie are eligible for $5,000 in grants.
Since the city partnered with IRSC seven years ago, 196 businesses have participated and 128 have completed the Business Acceleration Program, said Elijah Wooten, the city’s economic development administrator. $189,000 in small business grants awarded to Port St. Louis businesses. Lucy. SouthState Bank provided $50,000 in those grants, he said.
“The Business Accelerator Program plays a vital role in supporting businesses, which are the backbone of our community. It equips local entrepreneurs with the tools and resources they need to succeed, strengthening Port St. Lucie’s economy, Mayor Shannon Martin said in a statement. .
The Martin County Business Development Board previously offered grants to Martin County businesses that completed the program.
The program is coordinated at IRSC by the Florida Small Business Development Center, a federally funded organization that provides counseling to small business owners.
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Tom Kindred, its regional director, teaches a class on developing a business plan and creating a successful pitch.
“A business plan is the first step in starting a business,” Kindred said. “It forces an entrepreneur to put ideas on paper and answer questions about their business: Who is the market and how am I going to engage customers?”
In 2023, there were 16,557 new businesses started in Indian River, Martin and St. Louis counties. Lucie, according to the Florida Small Business Development Center. This year also looks optimistic for entrepreneurs. Florida is the #6 best state for entrepreneurs in 2025, according to a study by SimplifyLLC, an independent publication that provides free guides for small business owners.
“The entire state of Florida is growing and the Treasure Coast offers a unique opportunity,” Kindred said. “Entrepreneurs are out there, and there are a bunch of them.”
Jack Randall is TCPalm’s economics and real estate reporter. He can be reached at jack.randall@tcpalm.com or 904-466-4755.
