Sarasota Chamber of Commerce honors local businesses with spectacle

Michelle Olivo of Castle Concierge told attendees at the 2025 Sarasota Business Awards that she has three principals she follows as a business owner. 

Those are passion, perseverance, and patience, but after receiving the Breakthrough Business of the Year award, she had more to add.

"Today I'm going to add a fourth 'P,' and it's pride," she said. "I'm very proud of myself for being up here, in addition to being very honored."

Held June 20 at The Ora, the awards, which are hosted annually by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, drew a full house for a spectacle that included local entertainers and performers greeting guests as they entered.

Heather Kasten, president and CEO of the Chamber, said the event celebrated the excellence, perseverance and innovation on display.

"These are the folks who pour time, talent, their savings and their sanity, into building something that truly matters," she said. "And let's be honest, owning a business is not for the faint of heart. It takes grit, guts and a really good coffee maker, you're the ones who work before the sun comes up and long after it goes down, and somehow you're the first ones to say yes when there is a need in this community."

She said since October, the Chamber has welcomed more than 266 new members, and a few weeks ago, the Chamber was named a national finalist for Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, with results to come in July.