Author: Nidhi Jani

InnerVision Psychiatry — For Psychiatrist-Led Outpatient Ketamine Treatment

*(L.-r.) Amanda Thompson, Dr. Joseph Pullara and Dr. Simon Chamakalayil of InnerVision Psychiatry, which is located in the Summergate*
*Professional Center behind Sam’s Club north of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. (Photos by Charmaine George)*

Isn’t it frustrating to feel like you’re out of options or settling for an incomplete solution to a problem? Many people with treatment- resistant anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are in that boat. However, Drs. Simon Chamakalayil and Joseph Pullara of InnerVision Psychiatry, in the Summergate Professional Center behind Sam’s Club in Wesley Chapel, may be able to offer these patients another treatment option — Ketamine.

What’s Exciting About Ketamine?

Ketamine was approved in 1970 by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as a general anesthetic, but also has been used off- label (without formal approval yet from the FDA) for short-term pain relief and sedation, chronic pain management and migraines. In recent years, Ketamine has been increasingly studied for use in patients with psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and even suicidal ideation.

The exact way that Ketamine works to help patients with psychiatric conditions is not completely understood, but it is believed to be related to the drug’s psychedelic properties, which can cause feelings of detachment or disconnectedness. Since this is a new treatment approach, it can be helpful in patients who did not receive enough relief from more traditional treatments.

Unfortunately, because Ketamine has been available for more than 50 years, it is no longer protected by a patent and can be sold by any pharmaceutical company. This greatly reduces the potential profit that a pharmaceutical company can make off of Ketamine, even for a new use, and has eliminated those companies’ incentives to pursue the large- scale clinical trials required to submit for and receive FDA approval for Ketamine as a psychiatric treatment.

In 2019, Janssen Pharmaceuticals did successfully get FDA approval for one form of Ketamine called Esketamine, under the brand name Sparavato®. While this helped legitimize the use of Ketamine for psychiatric conditions, Esketamine was only FDA approved for treatment-resistant depression and depressive symptoms in adults who have acute suicidal ideation or behavior. Also, it is only available as a nasal spray that must be given under the supervision of a healthcare provider.

But thankfully, barriers for pharmaceutical companies do not stop independent research. In fact, it was while reading promising findings about Ketamine in medical journals when Dr. Pullara first became interested in Ketamine.

Is Ketamine safer than other anti-depressants or anti-anxiety/PTSD medications? It, like other psychiatric drugs, has side effects and potential for abuse if used in high (more than medically required) doses. Drs. Chamakalayil and Pullara are aware of this and take measures to minimize these issues.

As both doctors explain in a variety of posts and videos on Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms, they use only low-dose Ketamine in their clinic, as that is the dosing that was mainly studied and supported by the medical community. In order to ensure patient safety and deter potential abuse, they only give Ketamine by intravenous (IV) infusions in their clinic under healthcare provider supervision, as opposed to oral Ketamine that could be given at home. “Monitoring is important,” says Dr. Pullara. “We don’t support at-home or oral Ketamine because it can be risky without monitoring.”

He adds that many of the main side effects of Ketamine — including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness and increased heart rate and blood pressure — are often temporary and can be monitored and improved upon by adjusting the infusion rate.

A plus for IV Ketamine therapy for anxiety, depression and PTSD treatments is that it does not need to be given every day. The initial treatment — aka, the loading doses — are usually six doses over a two-week period. After that, if the Ketamine is helping, the patient will continue on maintenance treatment, which is based on managing symptoms.

Dr. Chamakalayil explains on InnerVisionPsychiatry.com that after completing the initial six treatments, they recommend bi-weekly treatments for the following month. After that, the frequency depends upon each patient’s need, ranging from every other week or monthly, every two to three months, or even every six months.

Perhaps the best part is that patients can experience an improvement in their symptoms much faster than they can using older treatment options.

“Ketamine works more quickly and differently than traditional anti-depressants,” says Dr. Chamakalayil. “With other drugs, it usually takes at least four weeks just to see an effect. With Ketamine, you can see a benefit within a few days to the first week.”

The Matthew & Maya Cases

There have been a few public cases in which Ketamine has been associated with bad outcomes, such as with “Friends” star Matthew Perry and locally, with Maya Kowalski.

Maya Kowalski did not suffer harm from Ketamine, but her healthcare team was concerned about her Ketamine use at a young age, and at her mother’s insistence. However, they initially did not know that Maya has a rare disease called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and Ketamine was medically prescribed at higher doses to manage her pain. As stated earlier, for psychiatric conditions, only low-dose Ketamine is recommended.

Maya’s mother Beata ultimately committed suicide herself when doctors at All Children’s Hospital in Tampa feared she was abusing her daughter. The Kowalski family successfully sued the hospital in the now- famous “Take Care of Maya” case, which will reportedly be appealed to a higher court.

As for the unfortunate death of Matthew Perry, the doctors explain the circumstances behind his Ketamine use.

“By now, we have all seen the headlines… “Matthew Perry died of the ‘acute effects of Ketamine,’” says Dr. Pullara. “The level of Ketamine found in his system was consistent with that of someone undergoing high-dose anesthesia. These high doses, combined with the sedative effects of buprenorphine, lorazepam and clonazepam found in his system, put him at a significant risk of sedation and respiratory depression. This is why the autopsy listed drowning as a ‘contributing factor’ in his death.”

He adds, “It was reported that Matthew was indeed undergoing IV Ketamine infusions for depression, similar to those offered at InnerVision Psychiatry. But his last infusion was about 1.5 weeks before his death, and as the autopsy report itself points out, the Ketamine in his system ‘could not be from that infusion therapy, since Ketamine’s half-life (time required for 50% of the drug to be eliminated by the body) is 3 to 4 hours or less.”

The Doctors Behind InnerVision

Dr. Pullara was born and raised in Lutz. After completing a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biological Sciences at Florida State University in Tallahassee, he attended medical school at the American University of the Caribbean in St. Maarten and received his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree in 2015.

Dr. Pullara’s dedication to research-guided treatment advances led him to co-found The Journal of Psychedelic Psychiatry with some of his colleagues during his four-year psychiatry residency at the University of Kansas in Kansas City, MO, where he also served as chief resident. He currently serves as one of TheJournal’s deputy editors.

After finishing his residency in 2020, Dr. Pullara returned to Florida and began working at Lakeland Regional Hospital as a psychiatrist, where he met Dr. Chamakalayil, who was similarly interested in Ketamine for use in his psychiatric patient population.

Dr. Chamakalayil completed a combined BS/MD program in 2015 at the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. Afterwards, he was a general psychiatry resident at Temple University Hospital, also in Philadelphia, where he also served as chief resident.

Discovering a passion for helping children and adolescents, Dr. Chamakalayil obtained further specialization in child and adolescent psychiatry by completing a two-year fellowship at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC, where he served as clinical chief fellow, in 2021. After completing his training, Dr. Chamakalayil relocated to central Florida to work at Lakeland Regional Hospital.

While working at the hospital together, both doctors saw difficult cases of patients requiring hospital admission for psychiatric care — and experienced exciting success when using Ketamine to treat these patients.

Dr. Pullara, who eventually moved from Lakeland to Wesley Chapel with his wife and two children, felt strongly that patients in his hometown area shouldn’t have to travel all the way to Tampa or Clearwater for psychiatrist- led Ketamine treatment.

Looking To The Future

Together, the doctors opened InnerVision Psychiatry in Wesley Chapel in November of 2021, becoming the first clinic offering IV Ketamine infusions for anxiety, depression and PTSD in Pasco County.

Converting a former Sylvan Learning Center location from the bottom up, they creating a tranquil, state-of-the-art facility for their patients. Working with their office manager Amanda Thompson and a team of four nurses, the clinic is open by appointment only during the weekdays to offer Ketamine infusions.

All patients must complete a screening form to ensure that they are good candidates for Ketamine treatment. It’s important to note that InnerVision does not treat pain, so any patients looking for Ketamine for pain relief are referred to pain management providers.

The doctors do not believe in a quick, walk-in treatment approach. They always provide a one-hour consultation to new patients to learn their treatment and medication histories and the symptoms they are experiencing before starting Ketamine treatment. If necessary, they will touch base with a patient’s primary care provider and psychiatrist. Then, on each appointment day, there is a pre- and post-treatment check-in to make sure patients are comfortable and feeling well before and after receiving Ketamine.

Even though the office just hosted a ribbon cutting event in January, the doctors estimate that they’ve already helped about 50 patients. Even better is that they’ve already heard great feedback from several of those patients.

One of Dr. Chamakalayil’s first patients at InnerVision was struggling with severe anxiety and PTSD since childhood. Like all of the clinic’s patients, this patient had already tried several different treatment options in the past and was therefore diagnosed with treatment- resistant disease.

After receiving the loading dose Ketamine treatments, Dr. Chamakalayil recalls that the patient said, “This is the calmest I’ve felt in my entire life. Now I understand what calm means.”

Later, after completing the loading doses, the patient provided an update. With the guidance of the patient’s psychiatrist, the patient stopped taking the two oral anti-depressants that the patient was previously taking. In the patient’s own words, “Ketamine saved my life.”

Right now, the doctors are focusing on Ketamine infusions. But, they believe strongly in evidence-based medicine and are keeping up with the latest research on other psychedelics. They are hopeful about offering patients new treatment options for difficult to treat psychiatric diseases in the coming years.

“There are promising clinical trials for mi- domafetamine or MDMA (the active ingredient in the street drug ecstasy) in PTSD treatment,” says Dr. Pullara. “It’s possible that by the end of this year, MDMA could receive FDA approval. Currently, there are only two FDA-approved treatments (for PTSD), so this would be the third. We would be interested in providing MDMA treatment to patients upon FDA ap- proval and the release of more research data.”

Dr. Chamakalayil also is looking to make a change. His family is still living in Lakeland for now, but they hope to make the move to Wesley Chapel soon, so they can be closer to the clinic— especially since he and his wife are expecting to welcome their first child in May.

InnerVision Psychiatry is located at 27774 Cashford Cir., Suite 102. The clinic is open by appointment only, Mon.- Fri., 9 a.m.–5 p.m. For more info, call (813) 428-5420, visit InnerVisionPsychiatry.com. The website also has links to the clinic’s social media pages, which are regularly updated with easy-to-follow, informative posts and videos.

Murtha & Flischel — New Name, Same Great Accounting & Tax Services!

The friendly, professional staff of Murtha & Flischel, LLC, is led by co-managing partner Kyle Flischel, CPA (in lighter blue jacket), Tom Murtha, CPA, and co-managing partner Patrick Murtha. (Photo provided by Captured by Arlene Photography)

New year, new tax returns to file — and a new name for a trusted staple of the local community.

As of Jan. 1 of this year, the well-known local Certified Public Accountant (CPA) firm known as Murtha & Murtha, LLC, has been operating under the name of Murtha & Flischel, CPAs, as the firm’s long-time senior accountant Kyle Flischel is now a named managing partner with fellow managing partner and co-founder Patrick Murtha.

Thomas Murtha, CPA, Patrick’s father, is still at the firm, located in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off S.R. 56, as a co-founder and senior partner, working with his core clients and providing expertise in complex situations. Also, the firm’s second office in Zephyrhills, which was formerly known as Henson & Murtha, CPAs, also is being rebranded under the new name.

The trio of Patrick, Kyle and Tom, with more than 60 years of combined experience, can handle accounting, bookkeeping, mergers and acquisitions, taxes and other related services for their clients.

Coming Full Circle

Before Murtha & Flischel, it was originally Kyle’s dad, Raymond Flischel, and Tom Murtha who started working together as Flischel, Murtha & Associates in 1997 in Englewood, FL. Ray became a CPA in 1978 and worked for more than 40 years in the profession before retiring.

Tom Murtha also is a CPA and he earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Management from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY, in 1976, and his M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration) degree in Accounting from St. John’s University in Queens, NY, in 1981. He has been doing business valuations, mergers, acquisitions and taxes since the 1990s and also taught accounting courses at Hillsborough Community College and the American Institute of Banking for more than 15 years.

Patrick and Kyle may have gotten the tax and accounting “bug” from their fathers, but they became friends and colleagues all on their own. They both attended the University of South Florida (USF), where Patrick received Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in both Finance and Accounting in 2009 and 2015 and Kyle obtained a B.S. in Accounting in 2011 and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Accounting with a tax concentration in 2017.

During 2009 and 2010, Patrick helped sell Tom and Ray’s Englewood firm and opened a new firm with Tom — Murtha & Murtha, LLC, in Tampa. Then, in 2015, the Murthas moved to Wesley Chapel, where Kyle joined them.

*When you work with Murtha & Flischel CPAs, you get the benefit of more than 60 years of experience with*
*(l.-r.) Patrick Murtha, Kyle Flischel & Tom Murtha. (Photos by Captured by Arlene Photography)*

Since then, the business and its staff have grown steadily over the years. The Wesley Chapel office has expanded in size over time to a full building in the same office park to accommodate two additional senior accountants as well as new bookkeepers and receptionists, who help with clients across the state, as well as day-to-day administrative tasks.

Patrick and Kyle have both taken on another challenge recently — getting their pilot’s licenses. Patrick has his already and Kyle is working on getting his soon.

While Patrick admits this endeavor is “90% hobby,” becoming pilots has already proven beneficial to their business, too.

“We consult with clients statewide,” shares Patrick. “So, we were recently working with a client on a business acquisition on the east coast of Florida and it took us only 45 minutes to fly there versus the usual three hours or so driving on I-4.”

Complicated Tax Returns? Murtha & Flischel Can Help!

Tax season, which just began, is undoubtedly the firm’s busiest time of year. While there are many tax software and online tax services available to use at home, people with complex situations — such as needing to file in multiple states due to moving, working or owning properties in other states, etc. — may find that doing their own taxes at home isn’t so easy.

“We’re well-versed in helping clients file in multiple states, along with their federal taxes, if they have income or assets from multiple states,” says Patrick.

What separates Murtha & Flischel from TurboTax® software or nationwide firms like Jackson Hewitt is the firm’s personal touch and responsiveness. Patrick and Kyle insist on meeting clients “eyeball to eyeball” and Patrick says the person who meets with you will be the same person who files your tax returns, and will return your calls throughout the year.

“We believe in building long-term relationships, so we can answer questions year-round, not just during tax season,” Patrick says. “A lot of clients who come to us from another practice say they liked who they were working with, but that they didn’t return calls or answer emails. Our primary goal is to communicate well with our clients.”

Potential clients who worry that hiring a tax professional may be too costly shouldn’t hesitate to call Murtha & Flischel. The initial consultation is always free and the firm’s rates are similar to those of national tax preparation companies. Plus, they will look at your tax paperwork for the current year and tax returns for the previous three years to better understand your financial situation — as well as look for opportunities to submit for missed savings — and ultimately put more money back into your pocket. “Kyle is excellent and we have been using his services for over three years,” shares client David Ernst. “I only wish I had found him sooner. Kyle has helped not only with our taxes, but also with audits and making amendments to prior years.”

Business Owners — Take Note!

New this year, Patrick and Kyle are reaching out to all business owners to inform them of an important new federal requirement that went into effect on Jan. 1 of this year.

Under the U.S. Department of the Treasury is a group called the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), which is now requiring many businesses to register all beneficial ownership information (BOI) or decision makers.

According to FinCEN.gov, this requirement comes as a result of bipartisan legislation called the Corporate Transparency Act, which was passed in 2021 to “make it harder for bad actors to hide or benefit from their ill-gotten gains through shell companies or other opaque ownership structures.”

“This requirement can apply to limited liability corporations (LLCs), other corporations and partnerships, and even rental property owners,” says Kyle.

If your business was created prior to 2024, you have until the end of the year to report BOI, but for businesses newly established in 2024, owners will only have 90 days.

It’s free and relatively simple in most cases to register BOI online through the BOI e-filing system, but the penalties for not registering or registering incorrectly are steep — “civil penalties up to $500 for each day the violation continues” and possibly “criminal liabilities of up to two years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.”

If e-filing your BOI independently seems daunting, Murtha & Flischel can guide you through the e-filing process or help you determine if your business falls within the 23 exempted groups. And, while the FinCEN requirement is new, helping business owners is something the firm has been doing for a long time.

A popular service Murtha & Flischel offers is the “CFO retainer package.” With this package, the firm helps businesses and people who are self-employed do monthly accounting and bookkeeping as well as budgeting for the future. Murtha & Flischel also offers advice for tax planning, mitigating tax bills and about health insurance or retirement plans.

“Patrick Murtha did my business’ taxes from 2022 forward,” shares a client named Khaled. “Great knowledge. Very responsive to all my questions. He is beyond just a regular CPA, he is a tax strategist. I highly recommend Patrick Murtha for small business owners, particularly doctors.”

Additionally, if you’re considering selling your business, Patrick says the firm can help you understand the current and potential future value of your business with the principals’ expertise in business valuations and appraisals.

“If you have a publicly traded business, you can estimate your piece of the business’ worth by multiplying the number of shares you own by its current trading value, but small businesses can’t do that,” explains Patrick. “We help businesses estimate their worth by looking at their budgeting, financial statements, sales and cash flow, which can help to set realistic goals and benchmarks for growing or selling your business in the future.”

The Wesley Chapel office of Murtha & Flischel, CPAs is located at 2236 Ashley Oaks Cir., Suite 101. The Zephyrhills office is at 5315 8th St. For a free consultation or tips on tax filings, call (813) 991-1120, or visit TampaTaxFirm.com today.

Accountant Accounting Kyle Flischel Murtha & Flischel Murtha & Murtha New Tampa Patrick Murtha Thomas Murtha Wesley Chapel

Upgrade Your Home For Less With Hangliter Residential!

*(L.-r.) Ken Hangliter, Sr., Ken Hangliter, Jr., Jordan Hangliter and Jarrett Hangliter of Hangliter Residential, LLC, are the licensed*
*contractors you want to turn to for kitchen, bath and other home remodeling projects. (Photos provided by Jordan Hangliter)*

“Residential remodeling is all we know and all we do,” says Jordan Hangliter. “It runs in our blood.”

The Hangliters are a proud family of all-around handymen. Four generations ago, Bobby Hangliter started in the remodeling business, and since 1983, Ken Hangliter and his sons have continued the family business with their company, Hangliter Residential, LLC.

With decades of experience in home remodeling, repairs and restoration, the Hangliters are licensed contractors specializing in kitchen and bathroom remodeling, but they do all types of residential work. They pride themselves on delivering exceptional service and high-quality work.

“We are licensed and bonded in the state of Florida as home improvement contractors,” says Jordan. “We always treat each project we complete as if we are doing it for our own family.”

Ken Hangliter and his sons Ken Jr., Jordan and Jarrett certainly work well together as a family. At one point, because the three sons were living in three different states — Florida, Maryland, and Ohio — they were actually completing projects across the country. But, with Jordan moving to Wesley Chapel over a year ago to join his father and brother Jarrett, who were already living in the area, the Hangliters now mainly work in Florida.

“We of course serve the Wesley Chapel area, but we are happy to take projects in neighboring towns like Zephyrhills, Dade City, Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, New Tampa, and even as far south as Tampa,” says Jordan.

Recently, the Hangliters have been busy with full bathroom remodels — updating older homes, converting tubs and Jacuzzis into walk-in showers, installing custom bathroom tile from floor to ceiling and more.

When it comes to kitchens, the Hangliters have experience with “just about everything from A to Z,” says Jordan.

“With the exception of projects that require heavy new electrical or plumbing installation, we can usually do it all,” explains Jordan. “No need to work with five different contractors, like an electrician, plumber, etc. We do everything ourselves and we don’t sub out our work out to anyone else.”

Beyond kitchen and bathroom work, the Hangliters also can install custom windows, doors and flooring, repair lighting, HVACs and plumbing — and much more.

*Let Hangliter Residential create the kitchen of your dreams, too.*

Jordan emphasizes that regardless of the size of the project, it never hurts to contact Hangliter Residential. You might just hear of options — and pricing estimates — that competitors won’t offer.

“We’ve definitely heard from customers with projects in which the big companies offer expensive estimates or flat out just say no,” Jordan says. “Then, the only option is to scrap everything and start over. But, we are comfortable with undertaking non-conventional solutions that other companies won’t even consider.”

New customers David and Debbie Morgan shared a wonderful experience that they had with Hangliter Residential LLC when they completed an extensive door and window repair in their home six months ago.

“Hangliter Residential saved us over $15,000,” says David. “Ken did an amazing job on the remodel and restoration of our 50+-year-old Colonial-style home! We had an estimate from another company to replace eight windows and three exterior doors for over $34,000, due to rotten wood damage from the wet Florida weather. Ken looked at all of the windows and assured me that he could REPAIR them all, and that a complete replacement would be a huge waste of money!”

He adds, “Ken told us that his repair would preserve the original, classic look of our home. Our final cost came to less than half of our original estimate, plus he did three extra windows! Ken did an absolutely incredible job and the results far exceeded my high expectations.”

With those savings, the Morgans decided to renovate one of their bathrooms with Ken as well.

“We partially ‘invested’ the money we saved into a brand new, custom, complete shower and bathroom renovation that we had Ken do for us as well,” David explains. “He completely removed the old walls, down to the 2 x 4 studs, and the leaking shower floor. We had him make the new shower door opening about six inches wider, and he suggested to drop down the new step-in height by several inches as well. Ken was able to build us a new shower that looks like it belongs in a four- or five-star vacation resort!”

“And,” he adds, “Ken worked here for five and sometimes six days a week for us. He was here for over three months doing literally over a dozen different repairs, upgrades, remodeling, neglected maintenance, etc. Don’t underestimate his ability to make your dreams of home improvement a reality.”

To schedule a free design consultation estimate with Hangliter Residential, LLC, call (813) 460-4548 today.

Bobby Hangliter Hangliter Residential Jarrett Hangliter Jordan Hangliter Ken Hangliter New Tampa Remodeling Residential remodeling Wesley Chapel

Decorating Den Interiors — The One-Stop Design Shop That Comes To You!

*Decorating Den can help you find the unique pieces you need to create the living room (above) or bedroom (below) of your dreams. (All photos provided by Debbie Demboski)*

From Better Home & Gardens to HGTV to Instagram influencers, it seems like everyone is telling you that you can decorate (or redecorate) your home yourself “to the tens” on a minimal budget. But, let’s face it, there’s a lot of time, effort and money spent in shopping, woodworking, painting and crafting — and sometimes, you simply don’t want to “DIY.” If you need help furnishing a new home, refreshing your walls, artwork or carpets, or setting up a special look for the holidays, consider calling Debbie Demboski and her daughter Sara Nelson at Decorating Den Interiors.

Established in 1969, Decorating Den Interiors has nearly 300 franchises across the U.S. and Canada. The company covers everything when it comes to home décor — inside and out. Decorating Den designers offer design ideas and sell furniture, lighting, window treatments, bedding, paintings and artwork, as well as carpeting and rugs, patio furnishings and more.

Whether you need help with one room or your entire home or office, Debbie and Sara offer a free, no-risk (or obligation) consultation and they will bring their design studio to you. They each travel with a Decorating Den van filled with thousands of design samples — wallpaper books, color swatches, fabrics, blinds and sample designs from other successful projects.

After parking their studio in your driveway, Debbie and Sara begin by touring your home and asking questions to get a feel for your decorating vision and budget. Then, Debbie and Sara will get to work on a new design right then and there. They will take measurements, share samples and sketch out the sizes, shapes and colors of possible new designs.

“With the two of us, you will get two different approaches,” Debbie says. “I am more traditional, so I still use pen and paper, but Sara is handy with technology so she’ll often use her Apple Pencil and iPad for her sketches.”

She adds, “With our first visit, our goal is always to get it right the first time, so that the next time you see us will be for product delivery and installation of your new look. Sometimes, we will come back for a second visit to put together new design ideas or show a personalized design presentation, but I’d say about 50% of the time, we can help you choose your new design at the first appointment.”

Decorating Den negotiates directly with more than 130 design suppliers through its LIVV Home Collection and passes on the savings to its clients.

“Because we’re such a big interior design group in North America, we have tremendous buying power,” explains Debbie. “We buy wholesale directly from the manufacturers at very competitive rates and then sell at affordable retail prices to our clients. Of course, if you are looking to buy just one or two things, you may find them somewhere else at a similar or lower cost. But, for designing multiple things, instead of spending the time looking, price-comparing and negotiating at many different stores, we can save you time and money.”

Debbie also says that people often don’t know that Decorating Den can even help them buy custom pieces.

“We work with many name-brand manufacturers, such as Lexington, but we can also help you design and order custom, one-of-a-kind furniture, upholstery and bedding too,” says Debbie.

The best part, she says, is that if you buy through Decorating Den, you don’t have to pay an hourly consulting fee to Debbie or Sara. Their compensation is derived from each item they sell.

“Our model actually depends on us negotiating the best possible wholesale prices from manufacturers because we are then able to sell at prices that include our fees but still stay below suggested retail prices,” shares Debbie.

The strength of their franchise is the amount of repeat business they receive through word of mouth/referrals. For example, Debbie has worked on Kay Morgan’s home in New Tampa as well as her daughter’s home and a friend’s home on Harbour Island. Sara also has many repeat customers, such as Vicki Reese, who have worked with her multiple times.

“Working on the Harbour Island home was very satisfying,” shares Debbie. “The client selected a few things, went up north for the winter, came back for summer and everything was done. She didn’t have to deal with any of the stress and she came back to a brand-new-looking home.”

Three Generations…

Tampa Bay native Debbie Demboski has been a Decorating Den franchise owner since 1989. After earning her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Fashion Merchandising & Business from West Virginia University (WVU) in Morgantown in 1976, Debbie worked for several retail companies, including Montgomery Ward. About 34 years ago, she learned about Decorating Den from a friend and decided to buy her own franchise location when Sara was only 9 months old.

Debbie’s mom Phyllis came to help care for Sara and found herself working with Debbie as a regional secretary and office manager as Debbie’s business and role within Decorating Den grew. As one of the company’s most successful and longest-tenured franchise owners, Debbie also is the Regional Director of Decorating Den’s Central Florida franchises and has the master license of all 13 franchises across the area from St. Pete to Melbourne.

“Each franchise runs independently, but I do help them get started and check in with them one-on-one and with events, like our holiday parties,” explains Debbie. “Recently, a new location opened in Windermere, so the owner and I worked together to set up a Grand Opening event and I spoke there as well.”

*The award-winning local Decorating Den franchise is a story of three generations of designing women — Debbie Demboski, her mother Phyllis & Debbie’s daughter Sara Nelson.*

Debbie has received many corporate accolades, including Decorating Den’s Region of the Year three times, President’s Club sales award and 2020 Franchise of the Year. Many of her designs also have been published in national design contests.

“Debbie Demboski has decorated three homes for me now,” says Debbie G., a long-time client. “Thanks to her, they have all been beautiful and tasteful. The best thing is that she comes to you, and brings all of her books and materials. Debbie listens carefully to what you like, and creates beautiful rooms from your direct input. She will hunt until she finds just the right furniture, blinds, curtains, fabrics, flooring or accessories for your home. Debbie is the best!”

It should come as no surprise that Sara caught the interior design bug from her mom — eventually. Sara graduated from the University of South Florida (USF) with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Journalism and certification in business management. After graduation, Sara continued working with the “As Seen On TV” company that she started working with as an undergrad and worked all the way up to becoming Regional Manager for the Tampa Bay area.

But, in 2014, she decided to join forces with her mom and pursue her own creative interests with Decorating Den. Sara completed a year-long internship with Debbie before starting on her own projects. She also went to training offered by Decorating Den in Texas, where she earned a window treatment certification and the prestigious Decorating Den Certified Designer (DDCD) certification.

Structured to align with the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)’s national standards, the DDCD exam is given over three days with a written test and practical design portion. By earning the DDCD certification, Sara joined the ranks of only 5% of all Decorating Den employees.

Now with nearly ten years of experience at Decorating Den herself, Sara is a design pro in her own right, especially with window treatments, and she takes on the majority of new consultations. She also tackles social media and marketing for the franchise. While Sara is well poised to take over the business someday, Debbie says she isn’t ready to hand over the reins just yet.

“People often ask me if I am thinking about retiring, but then I point to my mom,” shares Debbie. “She’s 92 years old and she’s still working. So, I always say, I can’t think about retiring until Mom does.”

But the real reason is simple — Debbie just isn’t ready to give up her love of designing.

“Sara has grown up seeing my business evolve and expand from the very beginning,” says Debbie. “Still, there are so many challenges to deal with, such as unique projects and back orders. I work hard to stay up to date with design trends and I hope to work for as long as I can. I always tell Sara, ‘Franchises allow you to be in business for yourself, but not by yourself,’ and that we’re lucky to have a strong team with each other and with Decorating Den as a whole.”

To schedule a free in-home or in-office design consultation with Debbie and Sara at Decorating Den Interiors, call (813) 817-2264, e-mail debbied@decoratingden.com, or visit DebbieD.DecoratingDen.com.

Debbie Demboski Decorating Den Interiors Design Home Design New Tampa Sara Nelson Wesley Chapel

Jessica & Joel Provenzano Offer A Unique Real Estate Combination

*Realtors® Joel & Jessica Provenzano of Florida Executive Realty in Tampa Palms offer a unique combination of skills to help you buy or sell a home. (Photos provided by Joel Provenzano)*

Choosing a real estate agent when buying or selling a home can be difficult. But, what if you could get two agents working for you instead of one — and they are both locals of almost 20 years, who have lived, worked and raised a family in this growing and changing community?

Jessica and Joel Provenzano are Realtors® licensed in Florida and they work together at Florida Executive Realty (FER)’s Tampa Palms office. FER, founded in 1992 at the former Tampa Palms Welcome Center (off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. on Amberly Dr.) by Doug Loyd and John Zielenbach, has now expanded to more than 100 agents in six offices across the Tampa Bay area, including Brandon and Lithia.

“Jess and I are a team on every deal and for every client,” explains Joel. “We’ve been married for 18 years and found very early on that we actually work pretty well together, not just relationship-wise, but in professional settings, too.”

“Our different skill sets complement each other,” Jessica adds. “I work more on communication and contracts and Joel does more research and is more hands-on with things like inspection reports and technical issues. But, we always work as a team for all of our clients.”

The Provenzanos have been together since they were high school sweethearts who met as teens in Estero, FL. While dating, they worked at the same seafood restaurant, with Jessica working in the front of the house and Joel working in the kitchen. Despite their different roles, they found themselves constantly communicating on how to improve the service and flow of the restaurant.

They moved to Tampa by 2004, got married and bought their first — and current — home in Wesley Chapel in 2005. While Jessica worked for several companies in sales and marketing and Joel worked as an engineer for 22 years, they still found ways to work together. For four years, they both worked at a local design and construction company, American Consulting Engineers (now American Consulting Professionals). They also volunteered together at Lifepoint Church in New Tampa, mostly in the kids and student ministry.

*Is this your idea of a dream kitchen? If not, let Jessica & Joel Provenzano help find yours, too.*

About a year and a half ago, Jessica was the first to get started in real estate. She says she always had a strong interest in real estate because, as a child, she moved 18 times, due to her father’s job at Lowe’s, as he helped the home improvement warehouse’s underperforming stores. Thus, she became very familiar with both the moving process and financial challenges, such as dealing with multiple mortgages, which can happen when families move from home to home.

Joel initially began working with Jessica only on weekends and after hours, but decided to leave engineering to work with his wife full-time in May. His transportation and land development engineering background, both for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and as a private consultant, gives him tremendous insight into, and the ability to research, new construction, roads, permitting, inspection reports, damage mitigation due to the Florida elements and more He also provides research for this publication.

“We are more than happy to take buyers to the construction sites and describe the stages of construction or map out how an empty lot will be transformed when construction is complete,” Joel says.

Now that they’re a team again, the Provenzanos are putting their work and life experiences to good use — helping prospective buyers find their dream homes and getting sellers the best offers in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas and beyond.

Ashley Sullivan shares her experience buying her first home with Jessica and Joel.

*Jessica and Joel can help you find the unique elements you want when buying a new home, or provide great photographs of those elements in your home when selling.*

“I had the pleasure of working with Jessica and Joel Provenzano when purchasing my first home,” says Ashley. “(I was) new to the area and they were the perfect fit to help me find my dream home. Not only did they give me a good feel for the different neighborhoods, they also told me all about the area. Putting in an offer was incredibly smooth and I felt supported all along the way. Even with some bumps in the road, they handled everything quickly and professionally. They really made sure I wasn’t left in the dark. I honestly don’t think I could’ve found a better realty team.”

Another client, Sam Benoit, says, “Jess and Joel were extremely helpful and detailed in every way. They were available anytime we had questions and made the process painless. It was more about finding the right place for us rather than making a sale for them. I would recommend them to anyone looking to purchase.”

The Provenzanos are uniquely positioned to help buyers and sellers in New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and the surrounding areas. They were in their 20s with a tight budget when they bought their home in the Meadow Pointe II neighborhood in Wesley Chapel. They bought during a housing boom, which quickly became a recession. This taught them about home loans, refinancing and how to negotiate with lenders.

With two daughters, Kayla, 13, and Lily, 12, and changing jobs and careers, they understand financial planning for the uncertainties in life. Their involvement with their girls’ schools, their church and the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce gives them awareness of the local community and helps them find business partners for inspections, appraisals and more.

Jessica & Joel’s Tips For Prospective Buyers:

• New construction has become extremely competitive, so this is one of the best times to buy a new construction home. In some cases, newly constructed houses can be more affordable than existing homes, even in the same communities. You will get better energy efficiency and upgraded finishes are basically standard now.

• For many new communities, the builder’s lender has many incentives to keep their construction momentum going — more cash towards closing, interest rate buydowns and matching or beating rates from private lenders. Buyers should always work with a Realtor, especially with new construction, to get competitive loan offers.

• Lenders crunch your numbers before offering loans, but that doesn’t always mean that their terms are comfortably within your means. While predatory lending practices have declined in recent years, it is important to have an honest conversation with a Realtor to make sure you get loans with terms that are flexible enough to fit within your budget.

Tips for Prospective Sellers:

• Our best advice for sellers is that the property must be priced correctly from the beginning. If it’s even slightly too high, it can lose momentum in this competitive market. You can always get more money for a property by getting the price right from Day One.

• A knowledgeable Realtor will help you price your home for sale by performing market comparisons, also known as “comparables.” The Realtor will check on recently sold properties as well as properties currently for sale and how long they have been on the market. Then the Realtor can price the property appropriately to stand out among the rest.

• Good photography makes a big difference. We do most of our real estate photography ourselves. We work with sellers to declutter and stage each room to look as appealing as possible to potential buyers. Unnecessary items can completely distract from the room being shown.

Jessica & Joel Provenzano are with Florida Executive Realty (15802 Amberly Dr., Tampa Palms). Call or text (813) 956-4093, visit JProvenzano.FloridaExecutiveRealty.com for a free consultation today.

Florida Executive Realty Jessica Provenzano Joel Provenzano New Tampa Real Esate