Editor's Note
Tampa Pioneer
In a Year
Over the past year we have had the opportunity
to meet and interview some unique and talented
Entrepreneurs. Some of which have become our
friends and a great reference point. The focus
of the magazine was to deliver stories about
Women Owned Businesses, Veteran Owned
Businesses, Youth Owned Businesses and
Minority Owned Businesses. When we started
out on this path we had no clue where it would
take us. We literally picked up the phone and
began calling people and asking them to allow
us to interview them for a new magazine.
Tampa Pioneer was birthed simply out of the
desire to tell the stories of it’s Entrepreneurs
written by Entrepreneurs. As we began
interviewing people for the magazine, we
quickly learned that there was a common
thread that bond each of the Entrepreneurs
together, passion. This word would become the
buzz word we would hear during each interview
no matter who we were interviewing.
The other interesting thing we constantly
heard was the many stories of struggle.
Struggling was in some way the direct path
to their success with no guarantees in sight.
I recall interviewing the owner of Livy O’s
Catering and listening to her share the
personal stories that she and her family
encountered on her plight to success.
Stories like Doris Reddick a Pioneer who
changed the face of education in Tampa
and has been a Pioneer long before we
decided on the name of the magazine is
what keeps us going issue after issue.
The first issue we produced covered
Women Business Owners in Tampa. We
interviewed Jessica Rivelli, Founder of
Working Women of Tampa, Valerie Lavin,
President of Luminary Global, Michelle
Thurman of Catalyst Consulting, Angel
Shackleford of Angel’s Cleaning
Services and the list goes on and
on. These awesome women have
redefined Entrepreneurship and
what it has traditionally looked like
in America. They have shifted the
conversation tremendously.
We also interviewed several Youth
Owned Businesses such as Queens
Lemonade Palace 12 year old Owner Michaela, a
one of a kind Lemonade that quenches the thirst
of many throughout the area. In an upcoming
issue we will introduce you to a young boy who
has changed the life and health of pets across
America with a very ingenious idea copied from
another business he is affiliated with.
Tampa Pioneer would not have made it to the print
press without the gracious writings of Geneva
Maresma a Tampa based copywriter who without
hesitation decided to become a contributing
writer adding content that was a perfect mix
for our readers. Our talented writers range from
Military Veterans to Housewives looking to
become part of something bigger than them.
Interviewing, writing and making phone calls
for the magazine was not as hard and required
simple aptitudes to which our talented crew
possessed. But when it came down to actual
illustration, layout, design and print, that was a
different story. Upon the suggestion of
Jessica Reed, President of Diace Design we
contacted Kevin Stone of K Stone Design to
become our Chief Illustrator and Designer of
the magazine. Kevin has poured his heart into
the design and layout of each issue of Tampa
Pioneer every since we met. His talent would
only be seen as well as the writers’ eloquent
stories fully due to the credit of our Printer,
Mario Crittenden of Sailor Made Printing. Mario
made printing easy and handled last minute
changes as if it were normal, without delay he
delivered right on time.
Many people played a significant role in Tampa
Pioneer In A Year, some who are not with us,
but yet played a very significant role, we are
grateful for you, if it were not for you these local
Entrepreneurs stories may not have ever been told.
The next year is bright, the future is here, and we
are excited about it and for this we cheer. Thank
you Tampa for reading Tampa Pioneer, this year…