TAMPA, Fla. — Jennifer Hill is not bashful about talking shop.  

“My rent in downtown cost me more than five years here,” said Hill.

She runs Peterbrooke Chocolatier Tampa Carrollwood, a franchise she and her daughter have owned for five years. 

What You Need To Know

St. Petersburg College (SPC) just launched another Grow Your Business program. It is designed to provide entrepreneurs with the tools, strategies and confidence to scale their businesses and achieve measurable growth. 
Jennifer Hill and her daughter run Peterbrooke Chocolatier in Tampa Carrollwood. They said the course has brought them increase revenue and helped them with tough business choices. 

SPC says the last cohort of entrepreneurs gained an average of eight to 17 new clients and achieved revenue growth ranging from 20 to 40%, with some businesses experiencing peak increases of up to 86%.

For more information about upcoming entrepreneurial programs at SPC, visit Entrepreneurship Certificate || St. Petersburg College.

They are experts in all things chocolate. 

“Like water and chocolate do not get along at all, so you need to make sure they are extremely dry before you dip them,” said Sydney Morton. 

The pair knows how to make the perfect chocolate covered strawberry, but when it came to running the business, they admit recently they were at a crossroads. 

“We needed a little guidance, a little nudge,” said Hill. 

That is where St. Pete College came in. They currently offer a sponsored Grow Your Business Course for small business owners. 

“Lifelong learners are the ones who succeed. So any time that you can take a skill set and upskill, it’s going to it’s going to lead to success,” said Shawn Partin, St. Petersburg College. 

He runs the course and said they program can help business owners in four key areas: growth, operational improvements, skill development and expansion. 

It can also connect owners who may feel alone. 

“Not only we helped them increase and improve their operations and their finances, which is always great, but also that sense of belonging and a sense of belonging to the community and to the college,” said Emmanuel Hernandez, Ph.D., Dean, SPC College of Business. 

SPC says on average owners who took the course gained eight to 17 new clients and had a revenue growth range of 20 to 40%.

For Hill and Morton, the class helped them with a key decision to relocate from downtown Tampa to Carrollwood. 

“We saw the dollars per customer go up. We saw the clientele in six months repeating and repeating and repeating. We heard zero complaints about parking Is downtown parking was it was awful,” said Hill. 

A choice that has paid off in many ways, thanks to that eight week course. 

As a small business owner, you have to be able to do many things well and they will help you sort out what your weaknesses are and help you figure out if can you get stronger or can you delegate, which they did for me,” said Hill.

Now her shop talk is back to all things sweet. 

The class is for small business owners. 

The next course starts the week of January 19th, 2026 on SPC”s Clearwater Campus. 

To sign up, contact: Hernandez.Emmanuel@SPCollege.edu