Sarasota isn't just for retirees. The area continually proves to be a hub for the best and the brightest talents in everything from dance to finance—all under the age of 30. In an ongoing series throughout the year (and beyond), SRQ highlights under-30's who are doing big things, both in their own careers and within the community. 

The Peace Keeper

JACOB GROLLMAN, 27
Criminal Defense Attorney, Glenn and Hibbert, PA

Quick Stats

  • Formerly an Assistant Public Defender.
  • Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Sarasota County Class of 2016–2017.
  • Judge for Teen Court of Sarasota, Inc.
  • On the Committee for the Ringling College Library Association Lecture Series. 

Your nickname: Jake from State Farm. Judge Henderson in Bradenton called me this the first time I appeared in front of him and that seems to have stuck. Your brand tagline/personal philosophy in 7 words or less: “Strong opinions, weakly held.” Would you rather be an inventor or a leader? Leader. Share your biggest ah-ha moment: I continue to experience these moments when I see how committed the more established members of the Sarasota community are in developing the skills and success of the younger generation of professionals. Tell us about a time when things felt helpless but you knew you could pull through: Veteran criminal defense attorneys stress the capacity for empathy. Sometimes I get empathy fatigue, which can lead to hopelessness. When that happens, I am reminded of my successes whether it’s a thank you letter from a client or a word of encouragement from a colleagues. I remind myself how grateful I am for what I have, which allows me to get over that hopelessness. How has Sarasota failed Millennials? Sarasota has failed Millennials by not reaching out to get us involved in the political process. Without involvement by Millennials, we will never get a seat at the table. Your heart goes out to: The Salvation Army. As someone who has sent clients to their various programs and works closely with the staff there, my heart goes out to an organization that has to balance providing services to the least-fortunate members of the community. Your most recent social media post? I am not the biggest user of social media but I did enjoy seeing a friend of mine wearing my firm’s “Call My Lawyer” t-shirt on my news feed. In Sarasota-Bradenton, we do too much_______ and too little ________: In Sarasota-Bradenton we do too many fundraising events and not enough grassroots efforts. What’s next? I will become board certified in criminal law once I have the requisite number of trials. I will continue to be committed to helping the least-fortunate members of our community while also striving for the highest quality of life for all of us.

Healthy Drive

MATTHEW DIMAURO, 25
VP Sales & Marketing, BizZoom, Inc.

Quick Stats

  • Oversees sales and marketing for FYZICAL, a brand founded and launched by BizZoom, Inc.
  • Helped FYZICAL become the fastest growing healthcare franchise in the nation, with over
    170 locations in 35 states.

Your nickname: Matt. Your brand tagline/personal philosophy in 7 words or less: “Ask people what they want. Don’t assume.” Would you rather be an inventor or a leader? Leader. Share your biggest ah-ha moment: It came from Jim Rohn, one of the great philosophers of our time, when he said, “Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” At this stage in my life (15 years old) I did not read for pleasure. After I understood what Jim Rohn meant, I began trying to obtain as much knowledge as I possibly could—I started reading personal development books hand over fist. It’s now become habitual for me. I read a new book every week. Tell us about a time when things felt helpless but you knew you could pull through: When I was 15 years old, the book The Secret was released. While reading this book, I learned I could control my feelings by choosing my thoughts. For all of us, our thoughts control our emotions. For over a decade, I can’t think of a time when I have chosen to feel helpless. There are always answers and I repeatedly tell myself this whenever I face a challenge. How has Sarasota failed Millennials? Sarasota has not failed Millennials. If anything, Millennials may have failed Sarasota. I recently read an article about the 2015 city elections—below 3 percent of the registered Millennial voters showed up to vote. Your heart goes out to: No Kid Hungry. Your most recent social media post? I shared a FYZICAL video titled, “What is your plan to offset declining reimbursement?” on Facebook. The primary use of social media for me is to advance our business, I don’t engage much from a personal standpoint. In Sarasota-Bradenton, we do too much_______ and too little ________: In Sarasota-Bradenton we do too much fixing and too little preventing. What’s next? The first brand we launched, FYZICAL, is the fastest-growing healthcare franchise in the world with 175-plus locations. We just launched our second brand called Praxis S10 & PriceFixer.com and within two months, 111 locations have already established. My long-term career will be dedicated to BizZoom, Inc., where we have already begun identifying enumerable national brand opportunities.