Minnesota's business chiller

It's not just the freezing winters that pushed Lonny and Robin Kocina to open an office in Fort Myers.

The couple founded Minnesota-based Media Relations Inc. in 1988 and has grown their firm to 45 employees. Clients include Great Clips, Cargill, GNC and CNS, the maker of Breathe Right Nasal Strips.

But over the years, Lonny Kocina says Minnesota has become an increasingly unwelcome place to do business. “They're developing such an anti-business climate, they turn folks against you,” he says. “I'm just sick of it.”

Kocina isn't moving the entire business to Southwest Florida, but he plans to spend more time here. “I want to grow this down here,” he says. “We've been calling into the area. We have a database of people we've communicated with down here.”

The Kocinas have vacationed in the region for years and purchased a home in Cape Coral five years ago. “A couple of employees wanted to move down here,” he says. “We have a number of clients in Florida already.”

Kocina says business opportunities abound in Florida despite the heavy competition. “I'm really blown away by what I'm seeing,” he says. “They're hopping down here.”