The gig economy is expected to reach $455.63 billion by 2030, driven by factors such as increasing adoption of digitalization, changing work preferences, and rising inflation. More than half of the gig workforce will fall within the age group of 28 and 43 years, with the rate of female participation in freelance jobs increasing. Since […]Read More
FitUSA Manufacturing, a veteran-owned manufacturer of custom athletic and performance wear, professional sports jerseys, uniforms and custom products, has expanded operations in a new facility in DeLand, according to a media release. FitUSA’s growth comes with newly acquired contracts to produce character and staff apparel for major corporations, the release states. In response to the […]Read More
Creating affordable housing opportunities is an issue for communities across the country and St. Augustine is no different. But the city may have at least part of the solution on an 82-acre parcel currently used by the utilities department as a storage area for road building materials. At a special City Commission meeting earlier this […]Read More
The craft brewing business accounted for nearly $29 billion in beer sales last year, which is nearly one-quarter of the $120 billion beer industry revenue in the U.S. But of the nearly 10,000 craft brewers in the country, only about 1% are Black individuals, according to a media release. At the recently concluded Annual Craft […]Read More
Agriculture lags most other major industries in terms of integrating data management through artificial intelligence, but it’s catching up very quickly. AI robots can help with crop picking during labor shortages, and can help businesses save money on irrigation and pesticide application. AI can even help prepare growers for a warming climate, according to researchers […]Read More
Did You Know Small Businesses Could Pop-Up in Local Walmarts? Small businesses hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic fallout can get a new lease on life from an unlikely source: retailing giant Walmart. While the growth of big box stores has changed the retail landscape for smaller mom-and-pop operations, a deal […]Read More
Riding the Recessionary Bandwagon After two quarters of economic contraction, you’d think the 2.6% growth reported? in gross domestic product report released last month would be a cause for celebration. Apparently, that’s not the case. The truth is third-quarter GDP beat analysts’ expectations. And while the US economy is not out of the woods, the […]Read More
Volusia Business Resources week – em Business owners looking to learn a few tricks were in for a treat on Halloween with the kickoff of the Volusia County Department of Economic Development’s Volusia Business Resource week. The series of virtual lunch-and-learn sessions featured economic development professionals from cities across the county along with representatives from […]Read More
Clay Cass knew his coffee was good when customers were walking through dirt mounds to get into his coffee shop in historic downtown DeLand. Within two years of opening his Trilogy Coffee Cafe in 2015, the city began construction right outside the cafe. With sidewalks torn up, dirt piles everywhere and construction equipment blocking entry, […]Read More
Building a thriving local economy is a lot like baking a cake. It takes the proper mix of ingredients, attention to detail and the right conditions to make it work. In a roundtable discussion with John Guthrie, editor of EVOLVE Magazine’s Greater Daytona Region edition, DeLand economic development manager Nick Conte and West Volusia Tourism […]Read More
