Nashville native and plumbing services veteran Tab Hunter is bringing his Florida-based company to the area. The twist on the enterprise Hunter acquired in 2010: It's surfer-themed.

“Our brand is sticky,” Hunter says. “When people see our trucks, they always ask, ‘What is that?’ or ‘Who are The Surfin’ Plumbers?’ I think that people who don’t live on a coastline find the brand more appealing. If you think about it, [the Sarasota-Manatee] area is not known for surfing, but the brand still resonates.”