South Florida Tech HubSouth Florida Tech Hub
12
Apr, 2021

By Todd Albert

Todd Albert | Why Does Talent Leave South Florida?

Read Time 4 Minutes

Companies are moving to South Florida in droves. We all see it. We’ve all read about it. And a few months ago it reached a tipping point when national media began reporting on it.

According to our latest tech talent report, there are approximately 5.1 times as many new tech jobs annually as there are new candidates.

For local software engineers, this is awesome – the last time I applied for a job, I got 6 serious offers within 4 days – one to lead a division of a FAANG company in California that I didn’t even apply to or send my resume. I literally only applied to 4 local companies. (Hmm… maybe our devices really are listening to us?!)

But as a hiring manager, looking to hire local talent, this presents a significant challenge. There are sources of junior talent (0–1 years experience) coming out of colleges and bootcamps, but the level and skills of those individuals vary widely and the supply of mid-level talent (2–4 years experience) and senior-level talent (5+ years experience) is essentially non-existent.

(Yes, the years I put on here are for reference only – I’ve met developers with 20 years experience that were still clearly junior-level and developers with 2 years experience that could run circles on most mid-level developers…)

So why, with the incredible demand for talent here in South Florida, do many of our best-trained developers take jobs elsewhere?

There are likely many reasons for the brain drain we experience, but I can offer 5 key reasons with a simple fix for each.

  • Be Agile: Not all tech companies are created equal. I’ve spoken to several people that work in tech who claim the company they work for “thinks” they are a tech company, but they don’t “act” like a tech company. I had to unpack this a bit. At first, it sounded like spoiled developers that were missing the proverbial ping-pong table at work, but what it really turned out to be was that those companies weren’t following Agile Principles. And one of the Agile Principles is that development teams should be self-organized and any management of the team should be servant-style, not top-down. Well-trained developers know the best way to work and manage their projects and team, so no one outside the team should try to micromanage them. If you’re not truly Agile, you’ll lose top talent fast.
  • Pay more: Obviously places like New York and California are going to pay more than here in Florida due to the higher cost of living, but the small savings we get from not having state income tax does not make up for massive discrepancies in salaries. The cost of living in Florida is higher than in Virginia and the Carolinas, yet tech companies in those states are paying more, on average. Our salaries are on par with the national average, but our cost of living is higher. Be willing to pay a bit more for quality tech talent. It is usually well worth it.
  • Simplify job requirements: Tech jobs notoriously have the most ridiculous requirements. Let me let you in on a little secret – a good software engineer can learn a new technology quickly. We have to. The technologies we use are constantly changing and no one knows them all. Yet we regularly see job postings for junior developers requiring them to know dozens of esoteric languages, tools, libraries, and frameworks, and miraculously have eons of experience in each one. There are famous stories of people not getting a job because they didn’t have enough experience in a library that they, themselves, wrote. Or job postings requiring 7 years of experience in a framework that is only 4 years old. Get real. Stop hunting for some fantasy unicorn. When I post a job description it is “Seeking junior developer.” This aggravates my HR team, but opens us up to a wide range of talented individuals. Which is what I want: talent. I want someone that can quickly learn and excel at most anything I throw at them. And honestly, if someone has 7 years of experience in anything and is still looking for a junior-level position, you might NOT want to hire that person!
  • Set realistic expectations: Not only is the depth of experience often unrealistic or unwarranted, but the breadth of technologies is frequently a source of jokes and ridicule itself! Job requirements often list every technology anyone has ever mentioned in or around the building or on Slack. Yet 90% of the time, you’re just looking for a developer that knows React, Node, and CSS. And that’s it. What else do you need?
  • Hire mostly juniors, some mid-level, and very few seniors: Nearly every job posting I read is looking for senior developers. Clearly, these people have never worked with quality juniors and mid-level developers. Seniors are able to solve problems quickly, but we are, without fail, the least productive developers on a well-rounded team. Seniors spend most of their time thinking, analyzing, and planning, but relatively little time actually coding. We are better at architecting a solution, but can leave the coding to the work horses. Just as a good chef has many assistants, so should a good senior developer. Mid-level developers tend to be pretty fixed in their ways, keep their heads down, and just crank out work. Juniors, on the other hand, are eager to learn and experiment. They can’t work as fast as mid-level developers, but they are much more flexible and willing to try and learn new things. Juniors work best when they have a senior developer that can mentor them, whereas mid-level developers work best on their own. A good senior developer can mentor several juniors and manage several mid-level developers. This is the most cost-effective and Agile formula, especially since you can often hire 3 juniors (or 2 mid-levels) for the cost of a single senior. And if their mentor is good, it will take very little of his or her time to mentor these juniors — the time they spend is more than made up for in added productivity.

There is amazing talent and opportunity in the South Florida Tech community. We are thrilled to be a part of this community and to help train and foster new talent within it.

So what can you do to help keep this talent and hire locally? Simply put: hire more juniors and mid-level developers, be realistic about job requirements and expectations, pay more, and be Agile!

Written by Todd H. Albert, Ph.D., Founder and Lead Instructor at Boca Code

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05
Apr, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | Gravity IT

Read Time 3 Minutes

Business: IT staffing agency specializing in filling roles for companies in South Florida.

Launched: 2015

HQ: Fort Lauderdale

Employees: 30+

Website: GravityITResources.com

Fort Lauderdale-based Gravity IT has had a front-row seat to South Florida’s booming tech industry. 

“We see a lot of companies today that are growing like crazy,” Account Manager Stephanie Grassi explained. “It’s a great time for people in the tech industry in South Florida.”

This boutique staffing agency serves some of the most technologically advanced companies from Juno Beach to South Miami, including energy giant NextEra (parent company of Florida Power & Light) and security firm G4S.

Since its inception six years ago, Gravity IT has grown tenfold: from three people to a team of more than 30 employees spread across offices in Fort Lauderdale, Charlotte, Cincinnati, and Columbus.

Grassi, who was Gravity IT’s tenth employee, said that the company prides itself on “providing high quality talent in the areas that matter the most” to their clients. 

No role is too niche for Gravity IT’s staff. The company has teams that focus on recruitment for specialized areas of expertise like Salesforce development, business analytics, and project management.

“One of our main differentiators is our referral program,” said Grassi. She called it their “number one source for quality hires.” This program incentivizes people in the tech community to share referrals, which Grassi described as “crowdsourcing the recruitment process to people we trust.”

Gravity IT is fast moving. Grassi said that in many cases her team finds and delivers talent in under 48 hours: “it’s a very quick turnaround.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has shifted the needs of Gravity IT’s clients. “Project managers are more needed now, as well as business analysts,” said Grassi. “There’s also still demand for software engineers, DevOps folks, and Salesforce experts.”

According to Grassi, the pandemic has opened up employers’ minds to remote work. “We’re seeing more companies now that are open to remote work,” she said. Employers still want these contractors to be based in the US, but Grassi has noticed that they are increasingly flexible about the time zone they are in.

Grassi noted that this flexibility towards remote working opens the pool of potential applicants to fill her clients’ roles. However, she said that it is still possible for local talent to stand out in a crowded space.

“Keep your resume up to date and connect with as many people as possible to keep your name out there,” Grassi said. She advises candidates to have multiple versions of their resume on hand to fit different roles that may arise.

She also suggested that jobseekers “talk to as many recruiters as [they] can.” While this may be difficult to do in a pandemic, Grassi said that LinkedIn is a great resource for meeting recruiters.

“You can tell recruiters that you’re looking for a new opportunity and would love to connect,” Grassi said. “It’s really helpful for us to know that you are open to work.”

Despite the high demand for jobs, Grassi says that people looking for tech jobs should feel optimistic: “there are lots of opportunities out there.”

Learn more about Gravity IT on their website, GravityITResources.com.

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31
Mar, 2021

By Rebecca Bakels

Crossing County Lines | Tech Hub Partners Collaborate for Students

Read Time 3 Minutes

Tech Hub South Florida’s Community Creed states “(we are)…wholeheartedly committed to building a welcoming, collaborative, and inclusive community for all” and these values extend to our partners. One of our newest members, VideoBolt, stepped up to the plate and demonstrated exactly the type of community we’re trying to build in South Florida by donating 14 monitors to one of our education partners, ReGenerate Tech, a non-profit looking to help the youth of under-served areas move into the world of Computer Science.

 

What started off as a simple meeting between Tech Hub’s VP, Nikki Cabus, and VideoBolt’s Founder, Corey Saban, turned into a life changing moment for the students at ReGenerate Tech. When we asked what led to this generous donation, Corey said, “We were talking about online schooling and how much of a pain it is…and we started talking about the kids that don’t have the tools to work from home. I thought, ‘I have a bunch of extra monitors here and we’d love to donate them.’”

Cabus directed him to a perfect recipient, Fort Lauderdale-based ReGenerate Tech, whom the Jupiter-Based VideoBolt had not been aware of prior to their meeting. When asked about how this represents VideoBolt’s values Saban mused, “if you can be a good person and do good by giving, it’s better to give than get…and it’s great to be involved in the community.” Little did he know what a profound impact he would have on the students.

 

We spoke with Randell Deich, Chief Networking Officer at ReGenerate Tech, about what this donation meant to them and he put it simply: “(VideoBolt’s)…B stock is another person’s game changer.” This was more than just computer monitors, this was showing the students that someone was thinking about them and willing to invest in their futures. Chamara Spence, a current student at ReGenerate, had this to say, “When I found out about the donation of the external monitor, I felt blessed, thankful, and ecstatic. I am incredibly lucky to have an opportunity like this, to have people become invested in the future of students like me…as a student who is going into a Computer Science major later this year, I already know that this monitor will be my right-hand man.”

 

ReGenerate’s program is focused on helping current high school students with their next steps after graduating and opening them up to the possibilities found in the tech world. They’re being taught the necessary knowledge and skills for entry-level tech positions, working with local software engineers to develop these career-ready requirements.

 

 

 

For Tech Hub this encompasses what we’re all about. Uniting South Florida for the greater good, breaking down the barriers that limit prospective talent, and moving the community as a whole in a positive direction. For those looking to donate, ReGenerate Tech is always looking for more volunteers, equipment, and monetary donations. You can find out more about their program and how to donate through their website, regeneratetech.org. If you’re looking for fast, affordable, professional ready videos find out more about the fantastic VideoBolt crew at videobolt.com.

29
Mar, 2021

By Nikki Cabus

New Bootcamp for South FL Founders!

Read Time 3 Minutes

The LAB is Bringing A New Startup Bootcamp to South Florida Founders!

Beginning March 30, The LAB Miami and Navigate, their in-house accelerator program, will be
launching an 8 week bootcamp series titled, The Startup Go To Market Strategy: A Framework
for Early-Stage Startups to Launch and Scale.

A proper go to market strategy is critical for startup success. It helps teams think through many
of the elements involved in positioning and selling the product or service. When done properly it provides a framework for success and answers questions like:

  • Who should we target first?
  • How much should we be spending on ads?
  • And, what channels (PPC, SEO, Social, etc) should we use to drive sales?

 

Located in the heart of the vibrant Wynwood Arts District, the LAB is Miami’s original coworking community. In 2012, the founding members of the LAB Miami teamed up with the Knight Foundation and a group of angel investors to convert a 10,000 square foot warehouse into a shared office space and event venue. Since then, a growing number of Miami’s brightest and most forward-thinking entrepreneurial minds have converged to share their ideas, learn from one another, and build amazing companies and projects.

 

“Partnering with Navigate has been a huge win for our members and community of
entrepreneurs. For years we’ve received inquiries and demand for the services which the
Navigate team offers, namely help with startup launch and access to resources. This new
service offering really brings everything full circle and will help countless entrepreneurs realize
their full potential.” said Rachael Bickford, Managing Director of The LAB Miami.

 

Navigate is a new kind of accelerator that helps early stage startups launch, grow, or get funding ready through hands-on business planning and advisory. Their advisors are entrepreneurs with a track record of success and passion for helping others grow. Led by 3x founder, growth marketer, and author Pedro Sostre.

 

Over the course of 2 months, we’ll review the framework that Navigate Founder, Pedro Sostre, used to drive over $100M in revenue for early stage startups. “Unfortunately, most small business owners and first time founders don’t take the time to create a proper go to market strategy. Instead of working from a well-thought out plan, they make decisions “from the gut” and inevitably end up floating through their business journey without a clear plan for success.

 

I’m very excited that we are able to launch this with The LAB Miami and give attendees a tactical action plan to improve sales, launch new products, re-launch their brand, or move
existing businesses into new markets.”

 

To register for this free bootcamp, visit
https://www.navigate.capital/bootcamps/go-to-market-bootcamp

 

 

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29
Mar, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | OutPLEX

Read Time 3 Minutes

Business: Customer contact management services for a wide range of public and private sector clients

Launched: 2001

HQ: Fort Lauderdale

Employees: 2,000+

 Website: OutPLEX.com

OutPLEX is bringing call centers into the 21st century. 

 

Jim Ryan, OutPLEX’s Founder and CEO, explained that they “help build, design, and deploy tools that combine artificial intelligence (AI) and human beings” to manage these business-to-consumer contact points. This use of AI makes customer interactions more efficient.

Unlike its competitors, OutPLEX benefits from a substantial amount of data, which increases the effectiveness of its AI systems. “It’s incredibly hard to design what conversations are going to be without the data, and you need the experience of the human being,” Ryan said. “Lots of startups don’t have that.”

This foray into AI stemmed from OutPLEX’s early adoption of chatbot technologies. Ryan, a former AT&T executive, described the development of AI tools as a “natural progression” from traditional text chat and concurrent chats, “where one agent can have multiple conversations at a time.”

OutPLEX’s industry leadership did not happen overnight. Ryan said that for many years, OutPLEX’s growth was “incremental, but not as fast as I had hoped.” However, in the last three years, “business has dramatically changed.” Now some of the biggest companies in America like Lowe’s, American Express, and Comcast leverage OutPLEX’s services to ensure their customers are given the highest level of service.

Ryan credits this recent growth to his laser focus on bringing tech innovation to the forefront of everything OutPLEX does: “as a tech entrepreneur, I’m always looking at new tech platforms in the marketplace.”

He continued, “I’ve pivoted the business over the years, trying to come up with different services, and now we’ve found a service [AI-powered chatbots] that we have a pull position on.”

Ryan expressed excitement about the state of the South Florida tech ecosystem: “We’ve gone from a spot of tourism and real estate to a wonderful blossoming tech hub.” Having lived and worked in Florida since the late 1990s, Ryan is impressed by “how far Florida tech has come in such a short period of time, the last 5-8 years.”

“Miami has taken the baton and is at the top of the rocket ship,” said Ryan. “It continues to drive this bursting ecosystem because of its size and dense population, as well as the thirst of Latin America to seek mentorship and capital in Miami.”

He acknowledged that Palm Beach and Broward counties “have done a good job considering their size, but there’s still work to be done.” He urges leaders to “work collaboratively” and that they must “support each other, if our ecosystem is to thrive.”

“Isolation is not going to work,” said Ryan, who prefers to take a regional perspective when looking at tech development in South Florida. Ryan highlighted the importance of transportation to the development of the region: “logistics are a challenge, but the situation is improving.”

Ryan is optimistic about the talent base in South Florida. “Covid is forcing and accelerating an exponential growth in South Florida’s tech talent,” he noted, citing key initiatives at local universities such as Florida Atlantic University’s Tech Runway.

Ultimately, Ryan says that “it’s an exciting time to be a tech entrepreneur in Florida.”

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22
Mar, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | CITY Furniture

Read Time 4 Minutes

Business: Florida-based furniture retailer with 20 showrooms across the state and an e-commerce platform.

Launched: 1971

HQ: Tamarac

Employees: 2,500+

Website: CityFurniture.com

Selling furniture might not immediately come to mind as the most technologically innovative business. But Andrew Koenig, President of CITY Furniture, sees things differently: “My mindset is for CITY Furniture to become a tech company that sells furniture, not a furniture company that has tech.”

Koenig’s bias towards innovation has served CITY well during the pandemic, when most brick-and-mortar businesses scrambled to go digital. Not CITY. They had already armed their associates with transactable iPads, enabling the company’s salespeople to work virtually as soon as in-person businesses were mandated to close. 

CITY had an e-commerce platform before the pandemic, but Koenig said they “doubled down” on their online offerings in a matter of days. They started offering free shipping with no minimums. As soon as they were legally allowed to reenter the showrooms, CITY set up virtual store appointments for customers. This involved two socially-distant salespeople who could chat with customers via an online video feed and show them products in real time.

“We were prepared, and we responded quickly,” Koenig reflected. Even though CITY’s sales took a hit last Spring, the company was able to bounce back, ultimately turning a profit for the year.

Despite the difficulties brought on by the pandemic, Koenig said that CITY “still lived our values and cultures.” The company did not have any layoffs and was able to provide two weeks of paid sick leave to employees. CITY maintained their employee profit-sharing pledge, while also continuing to donate 5% of profits to charities.

Out of the pandemic came growth for CITY. To respond to an increase in business, Koenig hired around 500 new employees in the fourth quarter of 2020. CITY also plans to build a Miami warehouse and enlarge their Tampa warehouse.

Koenig’s unique perspective on running CITY extends past his penchant for technical innovation. Much of his leadership philosophy stems from the time he spent in Asia after college.

“I learned about elements of buddhism: the idea of the collective, the whole. That really resonated with me.” He describes employees as his family and treats them as such. His email signature urges employees to prioritize their work-life balance: “please do not respond to my emails during non-work hours.”

Koenig admits that this emphasis on work-life balance was not always the norm at CITY. “We used to over-work people – that’s just the way it was. But now we’ll terminate leaders if they overwork their people.” Initiatives like this have led to what Koenig describes as “record levels of employee satisfaction.”

Emphasizing work-life balance is not just the right thing to do: it’s backed by empirical evidence. Koenig studied Toyota’s ‘lean’ manufacturing process, which sets out best practices for time management. This philosophy is all about maximizing efficiency and productivity, and, as Koenig described, employees need to understand that “life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.” He explained: “Sometimes you have to sprint for a period of time, but you can’t sprint forever without becoming a rude, frustrated person. I’d rather go out of business than overwork our people.”

CITY took another page from Toyota’s book, implementing their ‘kanban’ approach to project management. The company urges employees of all levels to give their input on how to make their processes more efficient. Koenig claims to receive an average of two suggestions per year from each associate. “I take this wisdom of the crowds very seriously,” he said of this suggestion system.

Koenig has a positive outlook on the state of our local economy. “South Florida is one of the best places to be in the country, maybe even the world,” Koenig asserted. He highlighted the region’s diversity and population growth as factors that look to make the “next two or three years very exciting.” And CITY Furniture will not just sit on the sidelines of this growth; rather, Koenig looks forward to being an active participant.

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15
Mar, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | PATHOS

Read Time 3 Minutes

Business: PATHOS is a full-service, multidisciplinary marketing firm that takes a creative approach to solving its clients brand-building needs.

Launched: 1990

HQ: West Palm Beach

Employees: 18

Website: WeArePathos.com

In the rapidly-changing world of marketing, businesses must stay on top of the trends to keep their competitive edge. But Shane Savage, Chief Strategy Officer of PATHOS, admits that this is often easier said than done.

Savage sympathizes with this struggle that many of his clients face. He relishes the opportunity to, in his words, “translate” the ever-evolving opportunities and threats facing companies in an increasingly complex marketing environment.

PATHOS “offers strategic marketing executed through design-orientated thinking,” said Savage. They take a creative “left and right brain” approach to tackle clients’ thorniest marketing needs. This strategy has worked well for PATHOS, which boasts a rapidly expanding client base throughout the South Florida region and, increasingly, the rest of the US.

One way to think about PATHOS, according to Savage, is as an outsourced marketing department for mid-sized corporations: “we’ve become vertically integrated over the decades.”

But the PATHOS team is more multidisciplinary than what you would find in a typical corporate environment. “We hire multifaceted and multidimensional people – people with diverse sets of backgrounds and skills that allow us to adapt quickly and bring cutting-edge innovation to each client,” explained Savage. “As marketing trends come and go, what you need are fantastic people who are hungry to keep learning and keep growing.”

“This has allowed us to break down silos,” he continued, comparing PATHOS to more traditional marketing companies that hire for rigid roles that conform to predefined verticals. By contrast, at PATHOS, “programmers talk to copywriters, copywriters talk to designers, brand consultants speak to all of them.”

The services PATHOS is able to offer reflect their employees’ wide range of skills. They help companies across the entire product lifecycle. Savage mentioned a few tangible ways PATHOS engages with clients: “we help them bring a new product to market, create branding around it, conduct internal training sessions around how to speak about this new product, create go-to-market strategies, leverage media to win new sales.” This beginning-to-end approach ensures that all their clients’ marketing needs are met.

Savage believes that small businesses are often overwhelmed with social media, but that “quality over quantity wins every day.” He said that it’s best to focus on one or two social media channels and use them effectively, rather than have a business stretch itself too thin by using too many platforms. This philosophy also extends to clients: Savage advises newer businesses to avoid “getting caught up on trying to continue getting clients, and try to serve repeat clients well.”

While PATHOS has clients across the US, the company is deeply rooted in the West Palm Beach community. “West Palm Beach is no longer just a tourist destination,” said Savage, “it’s a thriving business center.”

Savage cited Florida’s competitive tax rates, coupled with the trend towards decentralized workforces since the onset of the pandemic, as two major factors leading to the current economic boom in South Florida. According to Savage, PATHOS prides itself on helping “provide a path for career growth for recent college graduates” as well as “continuing to educate the more experienced people in our industry.” 

By providing opportunities for workers of all experience levels to “evolve, change, and learn,” Savage believes that local business leaders can develop “a very dynamic work ecosystem in Palm Beach County.”

PATHOS is taking a front-row seat in pushing for this progress. Pathonians (as PATHOS’s employees are called) mentor fledgling businesses at local accelerators, high schools, and colleges.

Savage’s goals are ambitious but commensurate with this moment of rapid growth. “We’re working with partners in the community to make West Palm Beach into a creative capital. I look forward to continue building on the momentum of uplifting West Palm Beach.”

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08
Mar, 2021

By Rebecca Bakels

Teeing Off 2021 with Tech Hub South Florida!

Read Time 3 Minutes

After a year of virtual events, Tech Hub South Florida started the year off right with some safe, outdoor fun at their annual member-exclusive Tee Off event ⛳ hosted at Drive Shack West Palm Beach. Expectations ran high after many months without in-person events and we could not be happier with the way things turned out.

To kick the evening off we heard from Nikki Cabus, VP of Development, welcome the members and talking about the recent rebrand.  Joe Russo, President & CEO, recapped the accomplishments made and growth achieved to date. 

 

“Premier Virtual was honored to have the ability to sponsor the annual Tee Off. Being able to give back to an organization that has supported our firm since day one was something we always talk about. Even though we are a virtual company, we understand that social interaction is vital. The event itself was a needed escape for many people out there with all that is going on. Tech Hub South Florida is a great organization and helps bring the tech community together with their weekly and monthly events. There is something for all types of members…from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies, THSF has a place for you…the person looking for work to the executive looking to network” said Steven Edwards, Presenting Sponsor and Managing Partner at Premier Virtual, as he took a moment to express his gratitude. 

 

For some, this was the first in person event since the shutdown; in fact many had not attended any in-person events since last year’s Tee Off. Nobody took the afternoon for granted, seizing the opportunity to network with new associates and to meet virtual connections for the first time in person. Attendees were encouraged to invite somebody they didn’t know to a round of golf; college students were frequently seen teeing off with CEOs.

South Florida’s newest coding school, Boca Code, brought their Software Engineering Career Course cohort to network and potentially meet their future employers. Shane Vander Kooi, President and Founder of Green Mouse Academy and one of the event’s supporting sponsors, had this to say about the afternoon: “We were really happy to support the Tee Off event not only to hear about the incredible impact that Tech Hub South Florida is making, but to also join with you in safely restarting these community building, face to face interactions, that are so rewarding at a personal and professional level.  Being able to share the exciting news about the launch of HADO Florida was an added benefit! Thank you for all you do!”

 

We are looking forward to having more events like this in the new year to continue fostering community growth and relationship building, furthering our core value to create diverse and inclusive spaces for all levels in the tech world. Tony Gruebl, event sponsor and President at Think, a local technology and operations consulting firm, expressed it perfectly, “Tech Hub South Florida is bringing the community together in new and exciting ways, and we are thrilled to support that effort any way that we can. Where else can you find a diverse community of software, engineering, digital, and information technology professionals from various verticals to connect, share, and innovate with. Tech Hub South Florida is building something phenomenal.” Tony also gave away his book, The Red Pill Executive, to all those in attendance. 

 

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, Premiere Virtual,  and Supporting Sponsors, Modis, Green Mouse Academy and Think Systems  who made this night of good food and great company possible. 

Click here to check out some photos from this year’s event.

See you next year! ⛳

01
Mar, 2021

By Nikki Cabus

CEO Update | Releasing Our 2021 Annual Report

Read Time 2 Minutes

Happy Monday,

On behalf of our Board of Directors, I’m so excited to share our 2021 Annual Report!

This year presented unique challenges like we could have never imagined. We had to pivot our entire organization as a result of the global pandemic. Our events, our board, our team – everything became virtual. And we excelled at building online communities, growing our presence on social media platforms like Linkedin and Slack.

These challenges that held many back, also helped us grow, and today we are more prepared than ever to lead our industry in growing South Florida into a Tech Hub we deserve. Which is exactly why our name has changed from Palm Beach Tech into the newly branded Tech Hub South Florida.

We also made two big investments into the future of how we focus on Tech Talent:

After almost 6 years of dedication, we’re more excited than ever to keep Building South Florida into a Tech Hub! #BuildingSoFlo

 

In Service,


Joseph R. Russo
President & CEO, Tech Hub South Florida

01
Mar, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | Alice Figuerola & The SilverLogic

Read Time 3 Minutes

Business: TSL helps companies develop software to improve operational efficiency, saving time and money.

Launched: 2012

HQ: Boca Raton

Employees: 41

Website: TSL.io

CEO: David Hartmann

 

 

If the pandemic has taught private and public sector leaders anything, it’s that a digital-first approach is no longer optional. But digitization can be tricky and time-consuming, especially for companies that do not have a strong in-house tech capacity.

That’s where Boca-based custom software development firm The SilverLogic (TSL) steps in. They help bring digital innovation to businesses, modernizing processes to save their clients’ two most precious resources: time and money.

“We squash inefficiencies by implementing more efficient digital processes,” explained Alice Figuerola, TSL’s Marketing & Business Development Manager. 

According to Figuerola, the pandemic has highlighted the need for the automation of business processes. “Businesses need return on investment (ROI) now, not later. Automation brings ROI now by automating activities that currently require a lot of human input, freeing up employees’ time to focus on revenue-generating activities.”

The TSL team was able to do just that for one client in the logistics industry. They were able to develop a program that uses machine learning to flag discrepancies between invoices and contracts. This task was done manually in what Figuerola called an “exhausting process that took at least 36 hours per month.” Implementing TSL’s bespoke solution saved this client money, freeing employees’ time to pursue new business development leads.

 

It’s All About the Approach

TSL takes a holistic approach to each project, starting by understanding the client’s needs and IT resources available internally. Sometimes their work is primarily advisory, but they often develop custom tools. Figuerola described their approach to software development as “iterative, involving a circular system of always learning and improving.”

Before each client engagement comes to an end, TSL ensures that employees are empowered to use and manage the platforms TSL creates. “We pride ourselves on helping to elevate the skill levels of employees, empowering them to be able to manage the platforms,” Figuerola explained. She called this “leveling up” the workforce: a major topic of conversation at a time when businesses are beginning to think about post-pandemic opportunities.

Figuerola said that upwards of 80% of new clients found TSL through referrals from current or past clients. She credited TSL’s “high quality of development” as the main reason why clients refer TSL to their colleagues. This has contributed to TSL’s rapid growth from just a few employees in 2012 to over 40 full-time employees in 2021. And TSL is getting attention for this growth: they have appeared on the Inc 5000, which spotlights the fastest growing companies in the US. TSL has also received a GrowFL award as a Company to Watch, and was an honoree for the South Florida Business Journal’s Technology Award.

 

Working Flexibly for Clients

While TSL is based in Boca Raton, it has employees around the world. “We have always been open to remote working, but since Covid began we’ve gone fully remote,” noted Figuerola. She highlighted the company’s globally distributed workforce: “about half our staff is in South Florida while the other half live all around the world.”

“As a company, we are diverse and welcoming,” Figuerola said, “and people are able to express themselves.” TSL leverages this diversity as a strength, helping employees better understand clients perspectives when they might be different from their own.

But ultimately for TSL, it’s all about driving business success, as Figuerola described: “We are proud to help improve our clients’ business operations from a technical perspective.”

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22
Feb, 2021

By Rebecca Bakels

Stronger Together | South Florida’s United Future as a Tech Hub

Read Time 3 Minutes

This past week, Palm Beach Tech announced its rebrand and new name of Tech Hub South Florida as it convened for the first Community Coffee of 2021. The discussion brought together some major local voices to speak on South Florida’s booming tech hotspot and how we can maximize on the national attention and desperate need for tech talent within the region. 

 

The conversation began with a short history lesson from Mayor Singer of Boca Raton, acknowledging Boca Raton as the home of IBM (and birthplace of the personal computer) from the 1960s to 90s. “The spirit of tech and innovation remains.” At this, multiple former IBM employees popped into the chat, proving that our tech roots are here to stay

Once the location of IBM, now sits the 1.7 million square foot Boca Raton Innovation Campus (also know as BRiC) which houses companies such as Modernizing Medicine with almost 1,000 employees.

 

But with this national attention, there is some concern rising among our local tech community: what will be done to ensure that local resources and talent will be prioritized? Mayor Daniella Levine Cava of Miami-Dade took this question acknowledging the important role played by existing code schools and apprenticeship programs but she went on to say “we need to do even more, we need to double down.” The importation of talent is not a bad thing per se, but should not serve as a substitute for cultivating local talent. We have the opportunity to expand access to affordable housing and public transportation, vital resources for our budding young professionals to stay local and succeed.

 

Housing and transit are only part of the issue facing South Florida; major gaps still exist in our public education system and Computer Science courses need to become the norm in local schools. Broward County’s Vice Mayor Udine said “inclusivity is key; there’s major untapped potential” within our black and brown communities and often overlooked differently-abled students. Not only do we need to expand current CS programs within the standard educational track but we need to ensure the most in-demand skills are being taught. This includes soft skills, such as professional email correspondence, direct interactions with associates, and effective networking.

 

 

David Coddington, Co-Chair of Tech Gateway, jumped in on this discussion with the importance of early exposure; it started with “‘certainly we have to be in the universities . . . no, we actually need to be in the middle schools.’” It’s crucial to expose students to these fields while their minds are still developing. Success starts with the knowledge that the opportunities are out there and TechGateway is working to expand their ‘TechGateway Day’ to more middle and high schools in the coming year to foster just that.

 

Above all else, unity will help South Florida live up to our potential; “we’re stronger together” was a repeated sentiment. Mr. Coddington pointed out that you can’t speak about Broward without mentioning Palm Beach or Miami; we’re an intertwined region, often thought of to non-Floridians as simply ‘Miami’. That sentiment may give locals a laugh, but we can capitalize on this name recognition to boost our visibility as a strong contender for the next booming tech hub. 

 

Together, we are #BuildingSoFlo!

15
Feb, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Drink Cover Company NightCap Secures Financing from SharkTank’s Lori Greiner

Read Time 3 Minutes

West Palm Beach-based NightCap is keeping our community safer, one scrunchie at a time – and they’ve caught the attention of Shark Tank investor Lori Greiner, who wrote NightCap a $60,000 check in return for a 25% stake in their business.

The startup makes special scrunchies that have a drink cover inside. On nights out on the town, users wear the scrunchie on their wrist or in their hair. Then when they order a drink at a bar, they can pull the cover out of the scrunchie to protect their drink from being spiked.

For NightCap’s founders, brother-sister duo Shirah and Michael Benarde, it has been a long road to get to this point. Shirah first made a prototype using her mom’s pantyhose. It wasn’t until a month later, when Michael returned home from college, that they started developing the product.

“When I first saw what Shirah had made, I thought that it had a certain ‘cool factor’ because it was a scrunchie,” Michael told Tech Hub South Florida, “plus, it’s convenient and reusable.”

 

Leveraging SEO and marketing to drive growth

Michael, currently a master’s student at Florida State University, set up shop at VentureX in West Palm Beach in summer 2019. It was there that he met Sam Edwards, CMO of SEO Company, a content and digital marketing agency. Edwards, who is also the chairman of Tech Hub South Florida’s e-commerce and marketing peer group, immediately knew he could help supercharge NightCap’s growth.

“When I met Michael, NightCap didn’t have too many sales, so we thought about marketing and how to improve his website,” Edwards recalled. Many website iterations and Facebook ads later, NightCap was poised for growth.

This preparation could not have been more timely. When NightCap aired on Shark Tank, Edwards said that their website got more than 15,000 hits – easily enough to take a website out of commission.

But with Edwards’ help, NightCap was able to capitalize off the Shark Tank bump, helping realize his dream of NightCap being “widely available to students in every sorority house and every campus bookstore.”

 

 

Tips for budding entrepreneurs

The tools Edwards used to help the NightCap team are more accessible to budding founders than many would think. “Entrepreneurs should do some keyword research using a tool like UberSuggest, and take a look at Google Keyword Planner to understand levels of competition and cost per click,” Edwards suggested.

“There are also some paid tools, like Moz, which helps with organic keyword tracking,” Edwards explained. “Those three tools will get you far.

As for Shark Tank, Michael’s main tip for people considering applying is to practice as much as possible: “I probably practiced my minute and a half pitch at least a thousand times to make sure that I had everything memorized.”

Michael also credits pitch competitions for preparing him to face the sharks. According to Michael, already having already won three pitch competitions “made it easier to figure out what their questions would be.”

 

Palm Beach as a long-term home for startups

Michael expressed excitement about moving back to West Palm Beach “full-time after July,” when he graduates from FSU.

Edwards, who has been in West Palm Beach for five years, also noted the “incredible growth” of the Palm Beach startup ecosystem. “It’s no longer just mom and pop shops. Now, legitimate businesses that are looking to scale are here in our area, which is great for business.”

Emphasizing a regional perspective to tech growth in South Florida, Edwards identified Tech Hub South Florida as one of the most important organizations that is “helping bring startup communities together.”

On the topic of people that complain about the weather, Edwards says he would “rather sweat to death than freeze to death” in places he used to live, like Washington, DC and New York.

But for now and the foreseeable future, it seems as though South Florida’s startup ecosystem – best embodied by entrepreneurs like Sam Edwards and Michael Benarde – is even hotter than the weather.

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15
Feb, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Member Spotlight | CAI

Read Time 4 Minutes

Business: CAI is a technology firm that helps public and private sector organizations manage digital transformations

HQ: Allentown, Pennsylvania; South Florida office in Coconut Creek

Year Founded: 1981

Employees: 4,300 worldwide; 450 in Florida

Website: https://cai.io/

 

When you interact with CAI’s employees, you can immediately tell that CAI is more than the typical tech firm. “We’re purpose driven in everything we do,” Jen Boyer, an advisory client executive who has worked at CAI for the better part of 3 decades, told Tech Hub South Florida. “We’re committed to prioritizing client success, employee well-being, and serving the community.”

CAI advises clients on how to leverage the power of the latest technologies to optimize processes and better serve their customers. Boyer pointed out that this is more important than ever, since “all companies are really tech companies” in a digital-first world. Many companies were forced into digital transformation over the past year, exposing gaps in legacy systems and a need to modernize technology and applications.

 

CAI’s Autism2Work Program Matches Candidates’ Talents with Employer Needs

It is CAI’s work in the broader community that makes them stand out from competitors. In particular, diversity is at the core of everything CAI does. The centerpiece of its diversity strategy is its Autism2Work program, which guides companies on how to employ neurodiverse workers.

This program hits home for Boyer, whose nephew has special needs. She noted the high levels of un- and under-employment that neurodiverse people tend to face. “It’s important to highlight the useful skills they can bring, like creativity and analytical thinking.” Boyer explained that employers are not typically used to hiring neurodiverse talent; however, with CAI’s help, they are able to identify tasks well suited to those with autism. According to Boyer, 184 people on the spectrum have been hired through Autism2Work so far, providing them a pathway to “thrive on their own while obtaining a meaningful career.”

CAI supports the community more broadly through CAI Cares, its philanthropic arm that has programs promoting inner city education initiatives and support for families in need. They are a company that strives to build and nurture a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusiveness are fostered, reflexive, and celebrated. CAI welcomes and recognizes all people to be their full selves where engagement and collaboration can flourish. They have also been recognized for championing the wellbeing of their own employees – more important than ever in a time of a global health crisis – having won the 2020 Wellness Award from Bravo Wellness.

 

Eye on industry trends

Working across both the private and public sectors gives CAI a uniquely comprehensive perspective on how the economy is digitizing. Modernization means many things to many people, but Boyer described her goal as streamlining clients’ tech processes by “simplifying and delivering value, not just tech.” This focus on value allows CAI to help its clients take advantage of innovative technology efficiently and cost-effectively.

Another top concern of Boyer’s clients is security. “Hackers are getting better and smarter,” noted Boyer, and companies come to CAI for the tools they need to respond. While prevention is always top of mind for Boyer’s clients, she recently noticed an increase in interest for tools that enable companies to see if they are being hacked in real time.

Recovering from Covid-19 is a major area of focus for CAI’s clients. Tyshel Sasso, a Service Delivery Manager at CAI, relishes the opportunity to help clients “come up with innovative ways to stay in business” by creating tailored solutions to fit their rapidly changing needs during the pandemic. “Adaptability is one of our major strengths,” Sasso said of CAI’s flexible approach to problem solving.

 

 

 

Opportunities in South Florida

Boyer and CAI are no newcomers to the Florida tech scene – CAI has had a presence here since 1994, Boyer since 1997. That has given them a front-seat view to the development of the regional tech ecosystem. “Tech in South Florida now has a positive connotation,” said Boyer. 

She described South Florida as a gateway to other countries, which is all the more exciting considering the “great influx of talent” the region has experienced since the onset of the pandemic. CAI is well positioned to take advantage of this growth with it’s 450-person footprint in the company’s Coconut Creek office.

Boyer explained that CAI sees ample opportunities in South Florida thanks to the diverse range of organizations that call the state home. In particular, Boyer expressed optimism about the hospitality industry, which has a large presence in Florida. Equally, Boyer noted the large number of major public sector organizations at the federal and state level in Florida. Many of these organizations are forward-thinking and can leverage CAI’s services to modernize and better serve our community.

, ,
05
Feb, 2021

By Nikki Cabus

CEO Update | Why we’re now Tech Hub South Florida

Read Time 2 Minutes

To our South Florida Tech Community,

Thank you so much for supporting our launch as Tech Hub South Florida!

It’s been my honor to lead this amazing organization since our inception in July 2015; first as Palm Beach Tech and now as Tech Hub South Florida. We had often got the question of “Why just Palm Beach?” And now ironically “Why did you rebrand?”

Simply put, we’re doubling down on leading our South Florida Tech Industry!

 

So why did we rebrand?

In 2019, I penned an op-ed in the Sun Sentinel entitled: South Florida tech businesses need to join forces to compete globally

“Unless we can band together in one holistic regional effort, and tackle our challenges together as one, we will continue to lose pace globally. But work together today, and we can bring more jobs, talent, and opportunity for our next generation tomorrow.”

Our Board of Directors has looked since then to expand our resources and support to all of South Florida. As our membership expanded, as did our responsibility to tackle larger issues like that of our tech industry workforce.

The need for a consistent stream of high-quality tech talent is not a county issue, it is a regional issue and must be addressed as such. This will continue to be Tech Hub South Florida’s top priority as we serve our committed members, our growing industry, and our diverse community.

But this is one of so many issues to tackle in the coming years.

 

How’d we do it?

Thanks to our friends at 2TON Creative, which generationally succeeded our originally branding team, we got to work on reimagining our name, identity, and position in our tech community.

In our first meetings building the organization and to this day, our mission has always resonated: Build South Florida Into a Tech Hub

Our Team and Board loved it! The more we shared the idea of expanding regionally, the countless conversations with regional leaders, tech companies, and partners supported the belief in this idea.

 

We are #SouthFloridaTech

In my first sentence, I referred to our organization as ‘amazing’ – this is in no part a description on a nonprofit association, but a reflection on the passionate people who take part in our mission every single day. We are building a big tent, with everyone welcome at the table.

So to our Board, Peer Group Leaders, Community Leaders, Team and every person reading this – thank you for being amazing! I’m confident that we can Build South Florida into a Tech Hub, together.

We are Tech Hub South Florida, and we’re here to lead #BuildingSoFlo

 

In Service,


Joseph R. Russo
President & CEO, Tech Hub South Florida

01
Feb, 2021

By Alice Figuerola

Guest Blog: Business Process Automation 101

Read Time 5 Minutes

What can automation do for you?

Automating your repetitive tasks lets you focus on high-priority items.

Leaving those huge, overloaded Excel spreadsheets behind in favor of new software might sound like both a relief and a new challenge in itself, depending on how easy it is for your workers to adapt to change. We at the SilverLogic have overseen transitions such as these for almost a decade, as we work with our clients to design, plan, and implement business automation and reporting software with companies of all sizes. Whether this software takes the form of “robotic process automation” or just a more accessible platform, its main function is to streamline tedious, complicated, or repetitive tasks, reducing the chances of error and integrating with a company’s ideal workflow. Now that we are in the automation era, understanding how automation can help your business succeed is more essential than ever.

 

What is Business Process Automation (BPA)?

What does automation mean in business?

In business, automation can refer to anything as conceptually simple as a piece of software that automatically generates and emails a report to stakeholder, or something as complex as using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to analyze and sort company documents, internally routing them to the correct department. As a whole, business automation tools increase productivity. Our experience helping a wide variety of clients has shown us that optimal automation solutions are unique to each company’s processes, and there are options for development within almost every budget range.

The very definition of “Business Process Automation” (BPA) is flexible to fit this range of practical needs. The term refers to any system or technology in which business processes are automatically managed collectively to improve an organization’s overall workflow — in terms of achieving greater efficiency, adapting to ever-changing business needs, reducing chances of human error, and clarifying job roles and daily responsibilities.

 

What can I automate in my business?

Any company processes involving report generation, scheduling, double-checking data, or very large spreadsheets are immediate excellent candidates for improvement via automation. If a specific process bogs down the company’s workflow to any extent, such as with outdated tech platforms that no longer suit employee’s needs, then BPA may be the perfect solution to increase performance and productivity. It is worth noting that modern Application Programming Interfaces, or APIs, allow software developers to integrate your company platforms with each other – including QuickBooks, CRMs, Cloud storage services, etc.

However, while the advantages of intelligently-designed automation software include speed and efficiency, the importance of a human worker to supervise, review, and provide feedback on the work provided by the machine cannot be understated. As the machine is much more efficient than a human is, an incorrect decision programmed into the software can be spread much wider than by a human. For this reason, finding a tech partner who will develop reliable and high-quality BPA software is paramount, as well as proper supervision of its performance.

For instance, our client MailAround required a BPA platform to automatically compile and send postcards to potential clients, to market their service company. And despite the fact that the software we developed runs smoothly and independently, we additionally created a backend platform for employees to control the process, customize the postcards themselves, and tweak settings such as the number and rate of postcards sent within specific time frames. In this way, the company can adjust this marketing campaign to fluctuating budgets or increase its rate in the future.

 

Why is automation important in business?

Business Process Automation assists employees at all levels with a noticeable upgrade in efficiency. Implemented humanely and with feedback from all levels of a business, it maintains internal protocol, improves reporting, and provides reliable information about a company’s workflow, so business leaders can actively see how their business is running.

As another example, our client BodyDetails required a custom CRM (Customer Relationship Management software) to migrate their business processes from pen-and-paper to digital, via one robust, accessible platform. The software we developed tracks detailed sales process analytics, it tracks employee performance through APIs that read online reviews (through the power of data scraping), it tracks earnings and company results. It also upgrades customers’ experiences, with easy session rescheduling and payment processing. Every step of the way, Business Automation can help.

 

Should all companies automate their business?

No. It all depends on what type of company you have and if it is ready to scale its capacity. The SilverLogic develops software that helps companies automate the most repetitive, tedious tasks in our clients’ businesses, like entering line items into a billing system, keeping track of employee on-boarding and certifications, enabling version control for tasks that have multiple employees working on them, or keeping a centralized record of all communications with customers and clients. However, if your company is not ready to scale, it may be worthwhile to wait until you have the means to upgrade properly.

In the case of our client Florida’s Ultimate, for example, upgrading their pipeline with BPA was the next natural step. Their plan was to digitize and automate paperwork for their cargo drivers, supplying electronic tablets to each one, loaded with custom software developed by The SilverLogic. And since, taking signatures from associates, taking photographs for routine cargo inspections, and exporting paperwork to QuickBooks has never been easier. It is all done automatically, instantly, without error. Our Business Automation solution has reduced their time spent filling out and delivering invoice paperwork by a lucrative 75%, allowing their drivers to focus on speedy deliveries and allowing business leaders to expand even more.

 

In-Depth Case Study: ALF Boss

ALF Boss is a resource center for Florida’s Assisted Living Facilities, and is a perfect example of BPA being the perfect solution for a company roadblock. The software we developed with ALF Boss helped increase overall productivity through automation – saving time, money, and headaches.

Florida has well over a thousand assisted living facilities, each one with its own nuances and internal rules and regulations. All of these facilities operate under a standard state license, and they can also add any of three supplemental licenses for extended congregate care (ECC), limited nursing services (LNS), and limited mental health (LMH). Each of these comes with a dizzying array of training and certification requirements for employees.

So, in order to operate safely and legally, an assisted living facility needs to ensure that 100% of its employees are obtaining and maintaining the appropriate required certifications 100% of the time.

Without a centralized way to track these qualifications, their whole pipeline becomes a giant mess. The documentation tends to take place across countless emails and multiple disjointed spreadsheets with multiple owners — it’s a situation ripe for oversights and human errors. And organizations found to be out of compliance with AHCA (even accidentally) face heavy fines and possible closure.

ALF Boss needed a solution that was specific to their needs and had several capabilities not found in any off-the-shelf BA software. ALF Boss needed a system that:

  1. Had all of ACHA’s licensure and certification requirements built in
  2. Knew which employee titles corresponded to which required trainings
  3. Kept track of when these trainings were necessary, when they were completed, and when they were set to expire
  4. Alerted employees and management when a deadline was coming up
  5. Flagged management if anything across their organization was currently out of compliance

By working with us, ALF Boss was able to make this idea happen and create a hyper-specific piece of software that did all of the above and then some.

We hate to hear someone say, “I hate my CRM,” or, “My software doesn’t do [that],” because we know it doesn’t need to be that way. We’re just as excited about Business Automation software as we are about all the interesting consumer-facing products we’ve built over the years, and the power of BPA cannot be understated.

 

Alice Figuerola

Head of Marketing & Business Development

The SilverLogic

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