Local small business owners hopeful 2025 will bring growth and profits

Tampa, Fall. – National Wide, 2024 was a difficult year for small businesses.

“You know there are things that are at a local and national level that affects our business every day,” said Kelly Filnry, president and CEO of the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce.

Many shops are dealing with labor shortages, supply chain problems and inflation. In addition, here in Tampa Bay, our local shops had to recover from two backback hurricanes.

“It was a difficult year last year, especially with hurricanes and everything for us in Tampa,” said Hesle + Dot owner Allison Bernardi.

When I visited Bernardi’s store in January, he told me that shops were still recovering.

“We are all jointly adding our resources to this community,” said Bernardi.

However, after a wonderful difficult year, the small business community has a positive approach to 2025.

Filnry said, “I think small businesses are expected.

Shops, like a wear company, have seen tremendous growth.

“People around the community are very happy. And people are for the Gulf.

He made his own business on the idea of ​​supporting Tampa Bay.

“It’s just proud, proud of our community and if we can increase this pride by wearing a T -shirt or wearing a hat, it is special,” Gesyan said.

There is a store for wear that sells clothes and accessories that represents Tampa Bay, including our sports teams and schools. Jesuson started for a Gulf garment when the world closed in 2020 and did not stop working in local markets throughout the area.

Now he is in a shop on Handsen Boulevae in Tampa and his business is growing.

Jesus said, “Just watching people wearing and wearing luggage, it is never old.”

Although 2024 was a difficult year for many local shops, it is expected that the community’s support will increase even more in 2025.

“It’s amazing. You know we are a small business, my wife and my 6 children together, a mixed family. Of these, there are 3 triples that are graduated this year. So it is important to see that it is real. This is real. It is authentic. We are real people, we are real fans. We are just people of society, just like everyone is trying to make it. And showing your children how important it is to work hard and believe in something, and if you work hard and contribute to the right people and have an internal circle, you can do anything.

Bernardi also emphasized the importance of social support.

“I know that ordering online and supply is easy, you will know the next morning, but this money is not going back to your community. So local shopping is really helpful for everyone in our community,” Bernardi said.

“Our small business owners are our friends, our family, our neighbors. And we always see that our community helps to bat and help them where they can.