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Empowering Women in Business: Building Community Through Collaboration

By: Anita Camacho, CPA, CEO & Founder

Supporting and collaborating with women-owned businesses has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my entrepreneurial journey. It’s inspiring to see women uplifting one another within our local business ecosystem, creating an environment rooted in connection, empowerment, and growth.

Organizations like Working Women of Tampa Bay play a vital role in fostering that spirit of collaboration. Through their thoughtfully curated events, they provide valuable opportunities for business owners to network, share ideas, and showcase their work. During their recent brunch event, I had the pleasure of connecting with three remarkable entrepreneurs: Pami of Pami Pockets, Michele (known as SaucyQueen), and Heather, owner of SimplySinful by Heather.

Each of these women has created products that are not only unique but also crafted with care and purpose — qualities that align perfectly with the values of Little Red Wagon Gift Shop. Our goal has always been to provide customers with a thoughtfully curated selection of locally made products while encouraging support for small businesses.

As Little Red Wagon Native Nursery and Butterfly Tampa continue to grow, our customer base has expanded beyond plant enthusiasts, allowing us to introduce exciting new offerings in our gift shop . For example, SaucyQueen’s gourmet condiments and seasonings have been a wonderful addition — one product sold the very same day it hit our shelves! We take pride in promoting local products we genuinely love and use ourselves.

Pami Pockets also stood out to me during the event. I found myself all dressed up without pockets — a familiar dilemma — and Pami’s beautifully designed purses provided the perfect solution. Functional, stylish, and available in a variety of nature-inspired designs, including butterflies, frogs, strawberries, lizards, and hummingbirds, her creations were a natural fit for our shop.

Then there’s SimplySinful by Heather, whose decadent treats captured not only my attention but also my entire team’s. Her products are as delicious as they are beautifully presented, and we’re thrilled to share them with our customers.

It’s truly an honor to be a woman-owned business supporting other women in our community. The network of encouragement and authenticity that grows from these connections strengthens us all — no matter where we are in our professional journeys.

This year marks special milestones for our businesses: Little Red Wagon Native Nursery celebrated its fifth anniversary earlier this year, and Butterfly Tampa celebrated its first anniversary this summer. We’re deeply grateful for the continued support from our community, which has allowed us to flourish through word-of-mouth and a shared commitment to giving back. 

Together, we’re proving that when women support women, everyone thrives.

 

Anita Camacho, CPA, CEO & Founder

Plant Shop & Education Center: 4113 Henderson Blvd

Business office: 4110 W Estrella St

Tampa, FL 33629

Plant & Gift Shop 813-755-9579

Conservatory 813-551-2359 (Bfly)

Direct 813-748-7098

www.ButterflyTampa.com

www.LittleRedWagonNativeNursery.com

www.TampaBayButterflyFoundation.org

Stageworks Theatre, Tampa’s first and longest-running professional theatre company, will present “Talking With…” an empowering work of 11 female-focused monologues, on April 28 through May 14, 2023. 

This heartwarming and quirky play was a favorite of Stageworks’ founder, Anna Brennan, who directed several productions during her tenure. Brennan died in February, 2021 at age 82. 

“Talking With…” shares the unique and revealing stories of eleven diverse women from a baton twirler, a fundamentalist snake handler, an ex-rodeo rider, and an actress willing to go to any length to get a job. Their personal survival is almost always linked in some way to a dream, a desire. It is this unbridled dream world that holds them steady and though not ever speaking together, very much attached and connected.  

The cast includes several actors who performed in the show under Brennan’s direction, including Dawn Truax and Rosemary Orlando, who will reprise the monologue, “Clear Glass Marbles” and direct the production. Stageworks’ Producing Artistic Director, Karla Hartley will serve as co-director. 

“Anna had such an affinity for this play,” said Hartley. “As we celebrate our 40th anniversary and honor the impact she had as Stageworks’ founder, it just felt right to perform a play that was so close to her heart.” 

Added Rosemary Orlando, “In one of the monologues, the character shares, ‘It’s just a dream. Just a beacon in the storm. But you got to have a dream. It’s our dreams that make us what we are.’ It is that dream world I envision, with voices and emotions that struggle and wrap around our hearts. It is where the listener identifies and finds a fragment of themself in each story.” 

Performances of Talking With…  take place on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm, and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m.  Stageworks will hold a special Remembrance of Anna Brennan’s life in May, 2023. Details will be released soon. Theatre-goers can also pay tribute by making a donation to the Anna Brennan Memorial Fund which supports Stageworks’ work with artists of color. Donations are being accepted online or by check made payable to Stageworks Theatre and mailed to the theatre company at 1120 E. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 151, Tampa, FL 33602.   

Tickets to Talking With… are available for purchase online by visiting www.StageworksTheatre.org.  Season passes with three separate options, as well as several monthly memberships are also available. 

Stageworks is grateful to Norma T. Caltagirone,  Judy Grenshaft, Ami and Santosh Govindaraju, Andrea Graham and Geoff Simon, Elizabeth Harris, Peter and Nancy Hughes, Scarritt Law Group, Alex Sink, and Enrique Woodroffe for their sponsorship of “Talking With…” 

“The Great American Trailer Park Musical” wraps up Stageworks’ milestone season. This show about Armadillo Acres newest tenant will have audience members laughing out loud. At Florida’s most exclusive trailer park, Pippi, the stripper on the run, comes between the Dr. Phil-loving Jeannie and her toll booth collector husband. That’s when the storms begin to brew. This toe-tapping musical starts June 9th and runs through June 25. 

Stageworks is Tampa’s longest-running professional theatre company. Its mission is to ignite the human spirit and be a catalyst in eradicating intolerance through performing arts and education. In addition to a full season of performances, Stageworks provides acting and improvisation classes and workshops. Its partnership with Academy Prep brings drumming classes to students at three campuses to support their overall learning, and the theatre company has also provided its drumming and arts education curriculum to students in the juvenile justice system. Over the years, Stageworks has been honored with numerous local and regional awards for best theatre company, best actor, and best director. To learn more, visit www.stageworkstheatre.org or get social with us on Facebook and Instagram. 

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION FINANCE AP / AR

We are a Commercial General Contracting and HVAC Mechanical company experiencing explosive growth! We are seeking an accounting professional with experience to join our outstanding team. This individual should be exceptionally responsible, flexible, able to think strategically, understand the importance of accurate financials and in making good decisions. We want someone with a strong accounting acumen and able to perform multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Monthly closing and reconciliation of all accounts.
• Research vendor discrepancies by reconciling vendor accounts.
• AP and AR inputting, auditing, processing, and reconciling
• Request lien waivers before release payments
• Respond to customer and vendor inquiries
• Maintaining and reconciling multiple credit card accounts. Audit, process, allocate and reconcile credit card transactions
• Create financial reports

Requirements

• 3 years construction accounting experience
• Proficient in QuickBooks
• Procore and ERP experience preferred
• Revu Bluebeam and Bluebeam session experience
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Knowledge of AIA Payment Applications
• Knowledge of Certificate of Insurance
• Knowledge of NTO’s, NOC, and Lien Waivers
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Attentive to detail and strong organizational skills
• Maintain a high level of integrity and confidentiality
• Excellent organizational, time management, and multitasking abilities
• Prioritize tasks efficiently and execute them to completion
• Professionally communicate with internal teams and external clients and vendors
• Organize, maintain, and prepare documents with efficiency and accuracy
• Perform research, report, and respond to correspondence for our business, customer accounts, and vendors
• Must be a self-starter that can demonstrate the ability to work independently as well as cooperatively as a team
• Have high energy and a positive attitude 

Position is Full-time Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Benefits: Medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), 7 paid holidays, Vacation and sick time

Pay based on experience

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT NEEDED

Job Description:

We are a Commercial General Contracting and HVAC Mechanical company experiencing explosive growth! We are seeking an Administrative Assistant with experience to join our outstanding team. The ideal candidate should have excellent oral and written communication skills and  have a positive “can do” attitude. 

Responsibilities

• Answer and direct phone calls
• Organize and schedule appointments
• Plan meetings and take detailed minutes
• Write and distribute email, correspondence memos, letters, faxes and forms
• Maintain our filing systems; both paper and electronic
• Order office supplies
• Maintain a master contact lists for Outlook
• Book travel arrangements
• Liaise with Executives and Senior Administrative assistant to handle requests as needed
• Be flexible to training and multi-tasking.

Skills

• Proven experience as an administrative assistant or office admin assistant
• Knowledge of office management systems and procedures
• Working knowledge of office equipment, like printers, scanners, and fax machines
• Proficient in MS Office
• Knowledge of Procore, ProEst, Revu Bluebeam and Quickbooks a plus
• Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritize work
• Attention to detail and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multi-task
• High School diploma; additional qualification as an Administrative assistant or Secretary will be a plus

Job Requirements:

• High School Diploma Required
• Monday thru Friday Full time

Position is Full-time Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Benefits: Medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), 7 paid holidays, Vacation and sick time

Pay based on experience