Leader Insight is a video podcast interview with the top business leaders from in and around Alachua County. The interviews range from fun natured, out of the box, personal questions to questions about their industry, their view on local business issues, how they got started in business, and their advice on how to achieve success in life and in business.
To suggest future interviewees you’d like to know more about or to get information on advertising for free within each video, please click on the respective button above.
Questions:
1. Tell us what Grooveshark is.
2. Tell us how Josh Greenberg was as a child and briefly how you got in to the tech side and a business owner.
3. Tell us how at 25 years old you’ve gained leadership skills and what are the keys to getting employee buy-in?
4. Is there anything you’d do differently when you started in business knowing what you know now?
5. Tell us what is next for you. What new technology or company or breakthrough are you working on?
6. What is it about Gainesville that you like so much?
LEADER INSIGHT INTERVIEW 12: Jeff Tate – President & Director of CTD Holdings, Inc.
Questions:
1) A portion of your work experience is in academia, what’s the biggest challenge for an academic in the business world?
2) CTD Holdings is one of the many start-up companies in our area, talk about the biggest hurdles a start-up faces.
3) How is CTD doing currently and what can we expect from you in the future?
4) Has the local business community been an asset or a hindrance for your operation? How about local government?5) You’re basically a Minnesota boy, how are you adapting to life in Alachua County?
6) What are the biggest rewards of your job…and I’m not talking financial.
7) As a newcomer, talk about the attraction of Alachua County. What makes this area special?
LEADER INSIGHT INTERVIEW 11: Erik Bredfeldt – Economic Development & Innovation Director
Find out:
-Tell us about your new role as Economic Development and Innovation Director.
-Why the change from the Director of Planning and Development?
-Folks get upset that local government overreaches far beyond their job description making it difficult to deliver a product that the market is actually calling for. Tell us how your new role will help make that process better.
-What are the first 3 major things you are going to do or are working on now in your new role to make development in our city easier, faster, and with less headaches?
- What do you love so much about Gainesville?
LEADER INSIGHT INTERVIEW 10: Sadie Darnell – Alachua County Sheriff
Find out:
-From the Sheriff’s perspective and from the perspective of a long time resident, how the county has changed over the last 15-20 years.
-If the Sheriff’s job is harder than it used to be.
-What she does to relax and have fun.
-What is her favorite part about being sheriff.
-What the average law-abiding citizen can do to make her job easier.
-What her thoughts are on whether the sheriff position should be an elected or appointed position.
-What she thinks is so special about Alachua County and Gainesville.
LEADER INSIGHT INTERVIEW 9: Matt Davis – COO of North Florida Regional Medical Center
Find out:
-How at only 39 years old he became the COO of NFRMC.
-What Matt is responsible for on a day to day basis and what are his favorite and least favorite parts of the job.
-What changes he foresees in health care and how that affects his job, NFRMC, and HCA.
-What his crystal ball says about health care in America 10 years from now.
-What personal traits he possess that makes him an effective leader.
-What he loves to do for fun as a family and what he likes to do as an individual?
-What he thinks is so special about Gainesville for himself and his family.
LEADER INSIGHT INTERVIEW 8: Jim Doughton – Publisher of The Gainesville Sun
Find out:
-His history in the newspaper business and how he got started in media.
-How he became publisher for 8 different newspapers all over the southeast when usually a person only handles one.
-When he has a minute to breathe, what does he do for fun?
-At a time when most newspapers are getting smaller the parent company, Halifax, is buying more newspapers. What does Halifax know that other companies don’t?
-How Jim sees the print newspaper industry evolving over the next 10 years?
-Whether Jim fears that the world is becoming less literate because of the proliferation of technology?
-What he thinks North Florida’s biggest challenges in the next few years are?
-What he thinks makes Gainesville and Alachua County such a great place to live and work?
LEADER INSIGHT INTERVIEW 7: Hiro Leung – Co-Creator of Dragonfly Sushi, Rolls and Bowls, and YUME UME
Find out:
-Why his business is so successful.
- How similar his restaurants are to what may be found in Japan?
- What advice he has for young entrepreneurs sprouting up as well as regular folks in jobs they aren’t passionate about?
- What he’d do differently if he had to start all over again.
- What the future holds for Hiro personally and professionally 5 years from now? 10 years from now?
- What it is about Gainesville that he loves so much?
LEADER INSIGHT INTERVIEW 6: Keith Perry – State Representative
Find out:
-His business history in Alachua County.
-What drew Keith to the world of politics.
-Why he decided to go into politics at a time when the building industry was struggling and how he has balanced his business responsibilities with the demands of public office.
-What he does for fun.
-If there are things about the legislature that just make him laugh.
-What Keith sees as North Florida’s biggest challenge in the next 10-20 years.
-Where he plans to go from here and what’s in his political and personal future.
-What Keith thinks makes Gainesville and Alachua County so special.
LEADER INSIGHT INTERVIEW 5: Lee Pinkoson – Alachua County Commissioner
Find out:
- About Lee’s family history in Alachua County.
- What drew him to the fun world of politics.
- What is the most rewarding aspect of being a County Commissioner.
- What is the least gratifying aspect of being a County Commissioner.
- What he sees as the county’s biggest challenge in the next 10-20 years.
- If he is running for re-election and if not, what would be next.
- What Lee thinks makes Gainesville and Alachua County so special.
LEADER INSIGHT INTERVIEW 4: Kristen Hadeed – Student Maid
Find out:
- What Kristen Hadeed does from the time she wakes up until the time she does to bed
- How being young has affected her building a business
- The three most important things she does to build a brand
- How she measures the success of her company
- How she hires, trains, and retains top talent
- If she plans to clone Student Maid outside of Gainesville
- What she loves about Gainesville
LEADER INSIGHT INTERVIEW 3: Ed Crapo – Alachua County Property Appraiser
Find out:
-How his job has been more difficult than usual these past 3-4 years
-How he balances the county’s needs with falling market values
-What the most rewarding aspect of his job is
-What the most frustrating part of his job is
-What Ed thinks about how the market is moving in the next year or two
-What he likes most about Gainesville and Alachua County
Find out:
- What part of law Chic loves most
- What type of work he does more of now compared to 5 years ago
- What part of his work is frustrating
- His feelings on the direction of the market
- How he achieved his level of success and managed to keep it for 47 years
- Why Chic thinks Gainesville is so special
LEADER INSIGHT INTERVIEW 1: Bob Cameron – TD Bank
Find out:
- How Bob got started in banking
- What banking’s biggest challenges are
- Why banks change names so often
- Some positives we can all look forward to
- Secrets to a successful career for 40 years
- Why Bob thinks Gainesville is so special
