South Florida is full of people with big ideas and side hustles, but turning that into a real business is where a lot of locals get tripped up. In this episode, I’m joined by Coral Springs and Parkland business attorney Matthew Fornaro to talk about what it actually looks like to start, grow and protect a business in Broward County, Palm Beach and Miami‑Dade.

We get into the good, the bad and the ugly of business formation, partnerships, contracts and commercial real estate in a market that never seems to stop building. Whether you’re working out of your spare bedroom in Fort Lauderdale or signing a lease on that storefront you’ve been eyeing, this conversation will give you some local perspective before you sign anything.

Chapters

• 00:21 Welcome to Let's Talk Lauderdale
• 04:11 Nostalgic Memories of South Florida
• 10:52 Transitioning from Big Law
• 13:40 Starting Your Business Right
• 19:04 Common Business Mistakes
• 24:08 Partnership Challenges
• 26:23 Real Estate Disputes
• 28:14 South Florida's Changing Landscape
• 32:45 Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
• 40:27 Family Life and Community
• 44:30 Wrapping Up the Conversation

Guest: Matthew Fornaro

• Website: https://fornarolegal.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewfornaro/

People, Places and Events Mentioned

• Who Song and Larry’s (restaurant chain history): https://www.facebook.com/whosongandlarrys/
• Morgan & Morgan law firm: https://www.forthepeople.com
• TopDog Law: https://www.topdoglaw.com
• Cohen and Cohen (injury lawyers): https://www.cohenandcohen.net
• Rubenstein Law: https://www.rubensteinlaw.com
• Florida Bar: https://www.floridabar.org
• Coral Springs Charter School: https://www.coralspringscharter.org/
• Galleria Mall (The Galleria at Fort Lauderdale): https://www.galleriamall-fl.com
• The Wharf Fort Lauderdale: https://wharfftl.com
• Coral Springs Center for the Arts: https://www.thecentercs.com
• Broward Center for the Performing Arts: https://www.browardcenter.org
• Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (West Palm Beach): https://www.kravis.org

Website: https://www.letstalklauderdale.com/
Let’s Talk Lauderdale is hosted by Marvin Bee & Jen Stewart.

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