TAMPA, Fla. — Florida is leading the way for Small Businesses, adding more new small businesses than any other state.

Since 2020, Florida has seen the creation of 2.6 million new small businesses.

On Friday, the Entrepreneur Collaboration Center in Ybor City is holding a seminar to help even more people realize their dreams of owning their own business.

One of the guest speakers is Roland McDuffie, owner of Rolanda S. McDuffie CPA, a firm specializing in non-profit and business financial and tax services.

McDuffie has been in business for 10 years, after leaving her job in corporate America.

“I was working in corporate America and during that time I was fidgety and I just wanted to do a little bit more outside of what I was doing,” said McDuffie.

McDuffie started as an entrepreneur, doing taxes on the side as she worked her full-time job.

But about a year later, as her side hustle grew, she started her own tax business full-time.

Ten years later, McDuffie’s business is thriving, and she’s also providing guidance for others looking to start their own businesses.

She’s not only speaking at today’s seminar, Empowering Black Entrepreneurship, she also wrote a book to help guide businesses through some of the same pitfalls she experienced along the way.

“It works because it helps other individuals not get involved or fall in to those same traps that non-profits have fallen into in the past,” said McDuffie.

For more information on McDuffie’s tips for entrepreneur’s visit www.rsmcduffiecpa.com.

For more information on Hillsborough Counties Entrepreneur Collaboration Center, visit ecctampabay.org