Media Release | February 11, 2025
Economic Development Council
PASCO COUNTY, FLORIDA (February 10, 2025) — SMARTstart is hosting the GROW Pasco event brought to you by our title sponsor E-Assessment, Inc. to help educate business owners throughout Pasco County and provide an environment to network with like-minded entrepreneurs as we explore healthy mindsets to build and thrive. The event will take place on Thursday, March 20, 2025, at the Saint Leo University
Wellness Center in San Antonio, Florida.
The event will feature 15 breakout sessions led by over 30 business professionals. The speakers will be covering a wide variety of session topics on areas such as digital trends and artificial intelligence, marketing and social media, and valuable local resources for businesses.
The Pasco EDC entrepreneurship program, SMARTstart, is Penny for Pasco supported and features an
innovative suite of programs that provides the tools growing businesses need for long-term success in
areas like funding, education, guidance, collaboration, and workspace.
SMARTstart has helped create over 525 jobs and currently has 43 incubator members. The members’ businesses vary from numerous food businesses cooking in the East Pasco Incubator Kitchen in Dade City to high-technology companies with offices at SMARTstart at the Grove in Wesley Chapel. All members have access to the three Entrepreneur Centers across Pasco County to provide opportunities to best suit their needs.
GROW Pasco is supported by a group of resource partners involved in the SMARTstart program who
provide valuable guidance to entrepreneurs as they navigate the business landscape; the “Community
Resources for Small Business” panel discussion at the event will highlight these available resources.
“GROW Pasco provides engaging opportunities for entrepreneurs that are looking to start or grow a
business in Pasco County.
The session topics are hand-picked from input previous attendees have shared to cover the wants and needs of local businesses,” shared Bill Cronin, Pasco EDC President/CEO.
“We are looking forward to the fifth annual GROW Pasco event. Each year we hear great feedback from attendees who share how much new information they learned and how many connections they made to benefit their business throughout the event,” shared Dan Mitchell, SMARTstart Program Director. “This
year’s keynote presentation will highlight mental health and wellness which is a topic that is applicable to
all attendees.”
The lunch session will feature keynote speaker Johnny Crowder, a suicide/abuse survivor, TEDx speaker,
touring musician, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, and the Founder & CEO of Cope Notes, a text-based
mental health platform that provides daily support to users in nearly 100 countries around the world. His
presentation will highlight “Wellness and Community”.
“Attending GROW Pasco’s networking and learning event was truly enlightening. The event combined
informative presentations with networking opportunities. From practical startup advice to innovative growth strategies, the presentations offered a wealth of insights,” shared Billie Welchman, Core Solutions Group LLC CEO and 2024 GROW Pasco attendee. “
The networking facilitated meaningful connections and collaborations. Overall, GROW Pasco’s event provided a perfect platform for personal and professional growth. I highly recommend it to any entrepreneur seeking to expand their knowledge and network.”
To learn more about the GROW Pasco sessions and to register, visit smartstartpasco.com/events/details/grow-pasco-2025. The cost is $45 per person and includes a
continental breakfast and seated lunch. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
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