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On Tuesday June 20, The Lakeland Chamber of Commerce helped sponsor an event calledBiz Bash at the RP Funding Center. Biz Bash allowed businesses and organizations the opportunity to showcase their work to the community. While attending Biz Bash, I had thepleasure of meeting and mingling with important local business owners and staff. In addition, I was able to bring along a few family members who were interested in what these businesses hadto bring to the business ecosystem.

​Walking into the event, it was filled with laughter and joy all throughout. There were tables lined all around the room with information on the different organizations that attended. There was delicious food provided by the RP Funding Center and its wonderful staff, along with raffle prizes. Not only did each business share more about their mission, they also networked with otherbusiness resources. I was encouraged to bring along family members who aren't familiar with the business world and who are new to entrepreneurship. It was a very humbling experience. " I don'tknow anything about Business but being there and being able to enjoy that experience issomething that will stick with me forever," said my Uncle Adalberto Arroyo. We were excited tosee the enthusiasm of the local business community.

​While being there, I was able to meet a few new coming and already established local resourcessuch as the Florida SBDC, Lakeland CRA, Catapult, and many more. My Family took a specialinterest in Prospera, which is a nonprofit organization that specializes in providing bilingual assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs who are trying to establish or expand their businesses. MyGrandmother, Aracelis Fryar, who was born in Puerto Rico, and has recently started her ownbusiness had the privilege to meet and talk with Prospera in person. She spoke on her experiencewith the organization, saying “As a Minority and as a Woman it was nice to see a change likeProspera, who were welcoming and eager to help advocate for the Hispanic Community”. It was fantastic to see how big of a change people around the community were making.

Gratefully, I was able to attend as an intern with the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. During the2022-23 school year, I had the privilege of taking the Polk State Dual Enrollment EntrepreneurshipBusiness Course at Kathleen Senior High School which allowed me to learn more aboutBusiness and what it means to be an entrepreneur. Fortunately, I had gotten the opportunity to attend the Chamber this summer as an intern, to learn more about the different aspects of business and entrepreneurship in my community. While being at this event, I was able to meetand learn about other entrepreneurs and hear their stories and journeys. While doing so, I wasable to gain a new perspective of the business industry. I was so lucky to have the chance tointeract with many business owners. My family and I had a wonderful time, we enjoyed the wonderful refreshments provided and got to meet some amazing businesses and organizations. Ihope to get another opportunity to experience this again.

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​Many of us love our jewelry. A special ring signifies the connection between two individuals and a watch or necklace can be the perfect gift for a special occasion. But, when it comes to finding these items or even getting them repaired one day, it’s always better to seek out a trusted jeweler that is a part of your local community.

For the month of April, we sought out and found that jeweler. Foshee Jewelers has been a trusted name in the Lakeland community since 1953 when the first store was opened on Memorial Blvd. by Clyde Foshee. This year they are celebrating their 70th anniversary.

Foshee Jewelers is a true family business that treats their customers as their own. With four generations of Foshee family members that have been a part of the establishment, a new lineage has also joined the legacy. Harry Keshiman, current gemologist for Foshee Jewelry is  adding his son to the team as a second gemologist. 

Along with Foshee’s selection of jewelry, they may be most known for their repairs. They have a full clock department where Clyde Foshee can repair grandfather clocks and other devices. They are also able to create custom jewelry where 98% of the work is done completely in house, which is not common in this business. 

​Foshee Jewelers is, and will continue to be a trusted and go-to name in the community. The team says, “we come to work everyday excited because we are creating family heirlooms and make things to remember special moments.”


For more information visit https://www.fosheejewelers.com/
Visit Foshee Jewelers at 943 E Parker St, Lakeland, FL 33801

Beer is Swan Brewing’s passion. With almost 40 years of combined brewing experience, they believe in using the finest and locally sourced ingredients to craft their brews. 
In addition to being one of the go-to breweries in Lakeland, Swan Brewing also supports LVIM, Vista, Central Florida Speech & Hearing, and Read Lakeland because they believe a strong community needs dedicated community partners. 
Visit Swan Brewing at 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland, FL 33815 or online at swanbrewing.com.

S&D Real Estate Services was opened in October 2014 by long-time Lakeland residents, Shawn and Dee McDonough. Their combined years of experience make them true area experts. The mission of S&D Real Estate Services is to work diligently for customers earning trust and guaranteeing satisfaction with every aspect of the home buying and selling process. Through effective communication, proven results, and progressive measures, the S&D Real Estate team can ensure client goals are met and far exceeded.
Visit S&D at 2000 E. Edgewood Drive, Suite 103, Lakeland, FL 33803 or online at sanddrealestate.com. ​