​The Heart of Lakeland
Small businesses are the heart of Lakeland. Whether it’s the family-owned coffee shop on the corner, the local boutique that remembers your name, or the entrepreneur who turned a dream into a storefront success, these are the stories that shape the community that we know and love!

The Economic Power of Small Businesses
Small businesses aren’t just important, they’re essential. Here in Lakeland, they play a key role in our every day life. Nationally, small businesses account for “99.9% of all businesses and create nearly two out of every three new jobs”, which is reflected right here in Polk County.
From local shops and restaurants to services and startups, thousands of small businesses in our area are rapidly growing, creating jobs, and giving back to the communities they call home. These businesses are often the first to support a fundraiser, sponsor a school event, or lend a helping hand. Their success is our community’s success.

Culture and Connection
Beyond just economics, small businesses foster a sense of community. When you walk into a local business, you are not just just a customer, you are a neighbor. You’re greeted by name, asked how your family is doing, and given a personal in-store experience that national companies can’t compete with.

Celebrating Small Business Month
This May, we are celebrating the entrepreneurs, dreamers, achievers, go-getters, and supporters who help Lakeland thrive. Throughout Small Business Month, we will provide helpful tips for navigating small business life and share ways that you can support small businesses right here in Lakeland!

Looking Ahead
As we celebrate Small Business Month, it is important to reflect on the many contributions these businesses make to Lakeland’s economy; however, it is also a time to look ahead. What does the future hold for Lakeland’s small businesses? How can we, as a community, continue to create an environment where our local entrepreneurs can thrive?

Ready to Get Involved?
Stay tuned each week for more stories, resources, and opportunities to connect with Lakeland’s incredible small business community. Let’s celebrate them together, not just this month, but all year long!

Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy. “Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business,” 2022. https://advocacy.sba.gov

In the eleventh hour on the last day of the 2025 regular legislative session, the School Readiness bill supported by the Florida Chamber was amended onto HB 1255, which passed the Florida House 100-0. The Senate agreed with the amendment, and the bill passed the Senate Floor by a vote of 30-0. Representative Chase Tramont and Senator Alexis Calatayud championed this bill, led by Representative Dana Trabulsy, which is a significant victory for early learning, working families, and Florida’s future workforce!

According to the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Untapped Potential in Florida report, lack of child care is the #1 reason working parents with young children leave their jobs, costing Florida $5.4 billion in lost economic value every year.

HB 1255 preserves access to affordable child care by modernizing Florida’s School Readiness Program eligibility, which provides early learning tuition assistance, helping more hardworking families stay employed while also providing better educational outcomes for Florida’s youngest students.

Why HB 1255 matters:

• Expands affordable child care access for working families by aligning eligibility with a better measure of economic reality in Florida;
• Helps close the kindergarten readiness gap and other student achievements; and
• Improves Florida’s workforce challenges by keeping more parents in the workforce.

This important step forward supports the Florida 2030 Blueprint goals of 100% kindergarten readiness, preparing children from cradle to career, and securing Florida’s global competitiveness.

Learn more about how early learning plays a role in future success! Join us at the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit on June 24, 2025, at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. Register Her

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Chamber sent a letter asking the administration to address the impacts of tariffs by granting automatic exclusions for any small business importer, establishing a process for companies to apply for an exclusion if the company can demonstrate that tariffs pose a risk to employment for American workers, and providing exclusions for all products that cannot be produced in the United States or are not readily available.

“The Chamber supports many of the President’s policy goals, including eliminating unfair trade and non-trade barriers, and driving American investment. At the same time, we have heard from a historic number of small businesses who have made it clear: they need immediate relief from tariffs,” said Suzanne P. Clark, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “As each day goes by, small businesses are increasingly endangered by higher costs and interrupted supply chains that will cause irreparable harm. We applaud the administration’s efforts to negotiate as many new trade agreements as possible that expand market access for U.S. companies and benefit American workers, but these deals take time, and many businesses simply can’t afford to wait while negotiations proceed.”

The letter is part of the Chamber’s advocacy to help businesses get the relief they need. Today, the Chamber is hosting hundreds of small businesses to kick off Small Business Month at its annual CO— Small Business Day. In addition, over 3,000 small businesses participated in a recent Chamber call to help them navigate the administration’s tariffs. The Chamber has been sharing stories from small businesses dealing with debilitating, unplanned tariff expenses, disruptions to products they need for assembly, and depletion of resources that threaten their existence.

In addition to helping small businesses, the Chamber is seeking to protect businesses of all sizes and their workers by establishing an exclusion process for companies and American workers whose jobs are threatened by tariff impacts. Also, the Chamber is asking the administration to prevent escalating prices for consumers through exclusions on products that are not produced in the United States.

“Whether it is coffee, bananas, cocoa, minerals or numerous other products, the reality is certain things just can’t be produced in the United States,” said Clark. “Raising prices on those products will only hurt families struggling to pay their bills. In addition, the administration should protect American workers facing imminent job loss from the impact of tariffs by allowing for exemptions for companies at risk of layoffs.”

Added Clark: “We must work together to avoid a recession and to realize America’s economic potential. The President has no greater ally than the Chamber on our shared pro-growth priorities, like making our current tax policy permanent, reining in regulatory overreach, expanding trade opportunities for American businesses and workers, and unleashing America’s energy potential.”

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce

If you thought Polk County’s industrial market might slow down in 2025—think again.
The first quarter came in hot, with tenant demand, new deliveries, and leasing activity all surging. But behind the bold numbers, a more nuanced story is emerging—one that reflects both the strength of the market and a few signs that developers and investors are becoming more selective.

Tenant Demand? Strong and Steady.
Net absorption reached more than 851,000 square feet in Q1—nearly a 600% increase over the previous quarter. That kind of demand isn’t a one-off. It’s a sign that Polk County continues to be a key location for companies looking for cost-effective space with excellent access to Florida’s population hubs. Positioned between Tampa and Orlando, the region reaches over 11 million consumers within a 100-mile radius.

New Supply Hits Fast.
Six new industrial buildings were delivered in Q1, totaling more than 1.13 million square feet. Each averaged nearly 190,000 SF, bringing total available space in the market to just over 9.28 million square feet. It’s one of the largest delivery waves Polk has seen recently, reinforcing confidence in long-term demand.

Vacancy is Up—But It’s Not Even Across the Board.
Overall vacancy rose to 9.10%, up 5.81% from Q4 2024. But submarket performance varied. South Polk posted the lowest vacancy at 6.5%, while North Polk climbed to 11.3%. These differences highlight how location, product type, and timing can make all the difference in lease-up velocity.

Construction Activity Slows.
Following the surge of new deliveries, developers took a step back. Space under construction dropped almost 61% compared to Q4. This cooling-off period suggests a cautious—but smart—approach to managing future inventory levels.

Sales Volume Down, Confidence Holding.
Sales activity declined 58.4%, but the average price per square foot held at $115, and cap rates stayed steady at 7.5%. Investors may be more measured in their decisions, but they haven’t pulled away from Polk. With 17.6% population growth since 2020 and a steady stream of 85 new residents per day, the fundamentals remain strong.

• Market Indicators:
  • CPI Core (12-month % change): 3.10%
  • Polk Unemployment Rate (February): 4.50%
  • Polk Population Growth (Since 04/01/20): 17.6%
  • Net Migration to Florida / Polk per day: 1,280 / 85

The Ruthvens: Committed to Polk’s Growth.
The Ruthvens are a third-generation, family-run Lakeland company established in 1957, with expertise in developing, managing, and leasing industrial space. We own and manage over 4.5 million square feet across 94 warehouse buildings along the I-4 corridor. Our brokerage services represent an additional 2 million square feet in Polk County. The Ruthvens are actively involved in community, philanthropic, and industry leadership.

​Access the full report HERE.

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Dr. Dixon was chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants nationwide. She joins 32 other chamber of commerce executives, economic development professionals, and association leaders from across the country.

The Business Leads Fellowship Program equips business leaders with the knowledge, tools, and network to tackle critical education and workforce challenges in their communities. This specialized Master Class will focus on addressing the growing child care crisis — a barrier to workforce participation and economic growth in many regions.

​The program kicks off with an in-person session in May 2025 in Boise, Idaho, followed by a series of virtual learning sessions. Participants will connect with national experts, study successful community models, and develop strategies to support local child care solutions.

"As a single mother and former educator, I understand firsthand how critical access to affordable, high-quality child care is for working families. This issue isn’t just personal — it’s a workforce issue and an economic issue. I’m honored to represent the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce in this national effort to create real, community-driven solutions that support both our families and our local businesses."

Through this program, Dr. Dixon will help build a national community of practice focused on addressing child care challenges, positioning the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce as a local leader in workforce and family support initiatives.

The Lakeland Chamber of Commerce Advocacy Committee, along with community partners from Lakeland Electric and the Bartow Chamber, conducted the Chamber's annual Capitol Visits to meet with legislators to discuss the Chamber's 2025 Legislative Priorities.

Our friends at the Florida Chamber of Commerce kicked off our Capitol Visits with an overview of progress during the legislative session, issues on the watchlist, as well as a presentation of the state of education in Polk County. Attendees then met with all members of our local delegation, including Senate President Ben Albritton, Senator Colleen Burton,  Representative Jennifer Canady, Representative Josie Tomkow, Representative Jennifer Kincart Jonsson, and Representative Jon Albert.

On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, the House Ways & Means Committee advanced Proposed Committee Bill WMC1, which includes a reduction of the Florida-only Business Rent Tax from two percent down to 1.25 percent, saving local businesses approximately $310 million annually. Florida remains the only state in the nation that charges a tax on commercial leases, which puts Florida’s job creators at a competitive disadvantage compared to every other state in the nation. The reduction in this Florida-only tax will allow local businesses to hire new employees, reinvest in their business, and invest in their communities.

As negotiations with the Senate are ongoing, the Florida Chamber is actively engaged with lawmakers in the House and Senate working to ensure business-friendly tax relief, especially a reduction of the Florida-only Business Rent Tax, is included in the final product.

Through the Business Rent Tax Coalition, the Florida Chamber has led the effort to fully repeal this tax, starting with its first reduction from six percent to 5.8 percent in 2017. The Chamber remains committed to advocating for further tax reductions that support Florida local businesses, aligning with the Florida 2030 Blueprint goal of making Florida’s business tax climate the best in the nation by 2030.

Source: Florida Chamber of Commerce

Earlier today, the House Education Administration Subcommittee passed Florida Chamber-backed HB 1367, sponsored by Representative Erika Booth, which addresses chronic student absenteeism. This important legislation, paired with SB 938 by Senator Stan McClain, helps ensure students are in the classroom, which benefits Florida’s future workforce.

According to the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Math Matters: Bridging Gaps for Florida’s Future Workforce report, when more students are chronically absent, it directly leads to a decrease in math achievement. A 10-percentage point increase in chronic absenteeism is associated with a 6.8 percent decrease in math proficiency. Poor student outcomes impact Florida’s future talent pipeline as math skill gaps can be a barrier for students pursuing postsecondary education and career options.

By addressing absenteeism, HB 1367 supports businesses by ensuring the next generation is prepared to meet future workforce demands.

Ensuring Florida’s working families have access to affordable, quality child care is essential to bolstering our workforce and strengthening Florida’s economy. The Florida Chamber Foundation’s policy research report, School Readiness in Florida: How We Can Close the Gaps, examines the case for State Median Income in Child Care Tuition Assistance Eligibility. This change will ensure that more Florida families can access the early childhood education they need.

Read the full report below:

​Key findings on the need to expand Florida’s School Readiness program eligibility:

• Florida’s Working Families Are Struggling to Access Affordable Child Care:
  • Child care costs are the number one reason why working parents in Florida with children under six years old quit their jobs.
  • 281,621 Floridians reported not working in the past year to take care of a child, exacerbating the state’s talent shortage, where only about 90 Floridians are looking for work for every 100 open jobs.
  • Under the current system, Florida’s School Readiness program limits eligibility to families earning up to 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). For a family of four, this amounts to an annual income of $46,800. However, this threshold excludes many working families struggling with rising living costs.
• Shifting Eligibility to State Median Income: A Solution for More Families:
  • Shifting eligibility from Federal Poverty Level to State Median Income would ensure families earning slightly above the Federal Poverty Level, but still facing financial challenges, have access to child care assistance.
  • Research shows that child care costs consume 20-30% of household income in Florida, which exceeds the cost of in-state college tuition by nearly $8,400 annually.
  • By setting eligibility at 65% of the State Median Income, 72,000 additional families could qualify for the program, and it is estimated that 15,840 of those families would participate, benefiting 27,500 children in early learning programs.
• Expanding Access to Support Florida’s Future Workforce:
  • Expanding the eligibility for School Readiness aligns with Florida’s broader economic goals by ensuring all children receive the early learning opportunities they need.
  • By shifting to State Median Income as the eligibility threshold, we can provide essential support for families, help reduce childhood poverty, and set Florida’s children on the path to success.

For questions about this report or to learn more about the Florida Chamber Foundation’s ongoing efforts to improve early learning outcomes in Florida, contact Makayla Buchanan at [email protected]

​A special thanks to the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Business Alliance for Early Learning Advisory Board for driving our mission forward. To support the Florida Chamber Foundation’s ongoing efforts to advance progress towards our Florida 2030 Blueprint goals, please contact Makayla Buchanan, Director of Early Learning and Literacy, at [email protected]