A passion to dream

The bright yellow sign outside the purple and yellow building announces the edifice is home to Dream House Marketing. Dream House is the inspiration of owner Gus Guadagnino.

Guadagnino also owns Brooksville's Joni Industries and says his expertise in management and marketing has led him to his most recent endeavor.

"It's more of an overall business management consulting service than just marketing," Guadagnino said. "Most clients come in asking how they can better market their business. But to really help them, I have to get into the person before I can get into the business. I have to find out where the real passion is."

Guadagnino says that while many business owners subscribe to the philosophy that "marketing is the key to success," he believes that success is built around the culture of a business.

"It's all about culture," he continued. "In today's world, mass marketing no longer works. We have six identifiable generations to market to. Putting it all together is the real fun part for me. Each challenge is different; what works for one company doesn't work for the other."

Guadagnino claims a passion for success and for seeing Hernando County businesses improve. He says his strategies stem from his expertise in business management and marketing and his 25 years of contributing to Hernando County on the boards of agencies including the Greater Hernando Chamber of Commerce, Girl Scouts, sheriff's associations and the entrepreneurial academy.

"I subscribe to the philosophy that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care," he said. "People like to do business with people they like."

Dream House uses consultants based on an individual client's business requirements. Guadagnino says he has a host of local experts in business, real estate, banking and other areas and that having "experts on call" is an advantage over being locked into depending on the expertise of a single staff.

"It's a matching up of needs with the most appropriate options to meet those needs," he said. "There's a lot of business talent in the area that can be tapped to help other businesses succeed."

The "Dream House" name was inspired by the way Guadagnino helps his clients.

"My business professionals and I go to the purple and yellow house and dream. We're the dream team in the dream house, coming-up with the most creative and cost-effective ways to help people build their businesses."

Guadagnino says his experience on nonprofit boards is another factor in his success.

"It teaches you to market without lots of money - to be efficient and to present your product as unique. You learn to be fruitful. Working on so many different boards has given me a wonderful knowledge of my community, which I've applied to my business world."

Guadagnino came to Hernando County in 1985 and subsequently opened Joni Industries, which sells imprinted promotional items ( www.joniindustries.com). His son Joseph is now highly involved in Joni's daily operations, so Guadagnino concentrates on Dream House and his passion for improving Hernando County culture.

"One of our biggest assets is untapped culture. I have a vision of someday having a 50,000-square-foot cultural arts center right next to the highway. We have a beautiful environment here. People love the terrain, the relaxing atmosphere and all the natural settings."

Guadagnino's passions and philanthropy led him to donate a large portion of Dream House space to the nonprofit organization he created, Hernando POP, which officially sprang to life in January. "POP" stands for "People of Passion," a group of seven area artists whose goal is to bring people together in a fun, creative environment to promote, preserve and encourage the arts.

POP Executive Director Lynne Simone led the charge to convert the building into a "dreamy," artistic workspace. Simone is also the Spring Hill Art League's publicity chair. The new digs were decorated by the artists, every wall and window evidence of their claim, "it's a place to allow creativity to happen."

Each artist specializes in a different medium. The group plans to work with organizations like the Art League and Fine Arts Council to promote arts in Hernando County. They've already hosted three "Days of Discovery" where artists help participants experiment with media including pastels, watercolors, oils, sculpture, batik and fabric dying. The event includes lunch and costs $25.

Guadagnino added, "A lot of people who have passion and are creative, artistic or musically inclined like to be in the same environment. We have all this talent that people don't know about."

He said the symbiotic relationship between Hernando POP and Dream House Marketing helps market the arts, while the artists' creative environment adds an integral factor to the success of Dream House's innovative business solutions.

Guadagnino says his life mirrors the quote painted above a large wall mural: "Success is not a destination, but rather a road my soul desires to travel."

Dream House Marketing or Hernando POP can be contacted by phoning Guadagnino.

Biz at a glance:

Name: Dream House Marketing/Hernando POP

Location: 417 W. Jefferson St., Brooksville

Telephone: 352-345-4462