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. 

Life Guard Imaging — Saving Lives While Honoring Founder’s Father 

The 3D imaging scanner at Life Guard Imaging in the Rocky Point area of Tampa allows those concerned about their overall health to have a full-body scan that can help save their lives by detecting a number of diseases early. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

Imagine being a medical professional, feeling a little off and undergoing a hospital CT (computed tomography) scan of your stomach because, with your background, you know when something is wrong in your body. You receive a clean bill of health despite not feeling well, only to receive a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer 10 months later and tragically lose your battle in six short weeks. 

Due to gaps in the standard scan you, as a doctor, trusted, it failed to detect cancer on the backside tail of your pancreas, and it went untreated. While healthcare in the US is better than in many places, the downside is that it still is more reactive than proactive. 

After losing his father, surgeon Benjamin J. Maldonado, Jr., 25 years ago to this usually deadly form of cancer, Frank Maldonado was inspired to establish Life Guard Imaging with his wife Amy. 

The company opened in Tampa on Rocky Point Dr., off the Courtney Campbell Cswy. in Tampa in August 2021 to be easily accessible to the (predominantly) older demographic that has had their medical needs unchecked but who want to be proactive about their health. A second location of Life Guard Imaging opened in October 2023 in Phoenix, AZ, and a third location is coming to Sarasota in the summer. 

Unlike traditional scanners, Life Guard Imaging’s low-radiation, high-resolution 3D imaging scanners are programmed with slices that are so thin that they can capture something as small as a 2 mm ball-bearing-sized shadow. 

“At that detectable size, we can monitor it to make sure it doesn’t become something dangerous or if it is something dangerous, have it eradicated early enough,” says Maldonado, who is Life Guard Imaging’s director of operations. “With these thin slices, we see things so small that we can often capture them before they become metastatic, hitting the lymph nodes and spreading throughout the body. Our patients are surviving diseases that are taking millions of lives a year. Our motto is saving lives through early detection.” 

Your full-body scan at Life Guard Imaging can help detect deadly diseases before they become deadly. 

Life Guard Imaging’s detailed scans reveal insights well beyond what basic bloodwork can show. Much like a mammogram, your first scan acts as a baseline for all future scans. If anything changes, your doctor can plan a course of action. The CT scan radiation dosage is so low that it is safe to do annually or, if necessary, even multiple times a year 

“From the shoulders to the base of the pelvis, we are trying to find things at the earliest possible moment,” Maldonado says. “Even a deadly disease like cancer, if it’s found early enough, can be survivable.” 

The company’s vision is to bring this technology and capability to as many cities, states and potentially even other countries as possible. Maldonado and his team want to allow people to detect these once-silent killers before the first symptoms are felt. 

“Because, generally, that’s when it’s too late,” he explains. 

Life Guard Imaging offers a comprehensive scan of your vital organs. Among the services available are: 

• Coronary artery calcium scans that can detect and quantify calcium in the arteries of your heart, allowing you to know your risk for blockage and a potentially life-threatening heart attack. 

• Lung scans that can visualize nodules as small as 2 mm, detect diseases, particularly lung cancer, early, while it is early and more treatable. 

• Comprehensive and gentle colon examinations with Life Guard’s “virtual colonoscopy” scan that does not require any anesthesia, dyes or long probes. 

• CT bone density scans that use X-rays via computed tomography to measure how many grams of calcium and other bone minerals are packed into a segment of bone and calculate your risk of breaking a bone. This scan can be added to a lung or full body scan. 

• The most comprehensive scan is the full body scan. It can uncover abnormalities and changes that occur in the vital organs of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. 

New Technology 

The team is excited about upcoming additions to the facility. Life Guard Imaging just got a new scanner that is significantly faster and allows for half the radiation dose of prior machines. 

“We also have ultrasound equipment coming and will be able to do carotid artery screenings,” says director of imaging Stephanie Martin. And, upcoming is totally AI (artificial intelligence) calcium scoring software that’s not out on the market yet, but it’s going to be coming. It’s always good to have an extra set of computer eyes. All scans are performed by registered CT techs and read by Board-certified radiology doctors. We’re really confident about the results that we’re putting out.” 

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers placekicker Martin Gramatica was so impressed by the service he received he became part of the team. Gramatica, who is now Life Guard’s VP of Business Development, says, “We tell our patients we want you to come in before your first symptom. We want people to know they can come in and do a preventive scan. Our goal is to open one to three new locations per year and keep the family atmosphere. Our patients are the priority, from the front desk to the patient advocate to when they get their scans.” 

Life Guard’s VP of Business Development (and former Tampa Bay Bucs placekicker) Martin Gramatica joined the team because he was so impressed with the services.

He adds, “When our patients come in, they will meet with a patient advocate who will explain other scans. The patient will be in the scanner for 5-6 minutes. It’s very fast. It’s an 18-inch donut; patients’ heads never go through the donut, so there are no issues with claustrophobia. It will probably take them longer to walk to the scanner than the actual scan.” 

Though preventive scans, like those at Life Guard Imaging, are not covered by insurance, the company offers individual scan pricing, a comprehensive, affordable Legacy Imaging program, and also accepts Care Credit. 

“Our Legacy Imaging program is a few dollars a day, less than a Starbucks coffee,” Gramatica says. “The first full body scan is the baseline, and everything is compared year to year. If anything changes, we’re going to catch it early. The sooner cancer or heart disease is caught, the higher the percentage of survival, avoiding chemotherapy and radiation, and having a good quality of life. We find many things before they become deadly, and that’s the goal. We’re literally saving one to three lives per day.” 

Life Guard Imaging also honors current and veteran military, firefighters and police officers with discounted programs on its diagnostic imaging services. 

Maldonado adds, “This technology has existed for over 25 years. Tell me how it’s possible that it is not readily available all around the country, let alone all around the world? Our goal is to help as many people as possible. The fact that people don’t know this is available in the medical world is a tragedy. For every life we save, hundreds of thousands are lost. We’re giving people more time on earth, more memories with their families, and more good to be done in the world. More people need to have access to this.” 

Despite being open less than three years, Life Guard Imaging has hundreds of testimonials from people who say their lives were saved with early detection. One of those is Tuyen Tran, who says she only got scanned herself in June 2023 because her husband Vihn went for one. To their surprise, it was Tuyen who ended up being diagnosed with Stage 1B lung cancer, despite having never been a smoker, as well as with fibroid masses in her uterus, all of which have been removed. 

“My pulmonologist said that it was very unusual for a lung malignancy to be found so early,” Tuyen says. “He said that most people don’t get checked until they have symptoms, which is usually Stage 3 or 4, or too late to be helped. Instead, now we’re just watching it every six months with my oncologist. I just want everyone to know that it works.” 

Vihn adds, “I believe that Life Guard Imaging has, essentially, saved my wife’s life. It was well worth it (the cost). Even if they find nothing, that’s OK, too. It’s good to have that peace of mind.” 

Life Guard Imaging is located at 3001 N. Rocky Point Dr., Suite 185. For more information, visit LifeGuardImaging.com, call (813) 524-1010. You will receive a heart scan at no cost if you mention this story. This reporter made an appointment for a scan after conducting this interview. 

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.

Upcoming Events: St. Paddy’s Day At O’Brien’s, Book Signing & Book Sale! 

Although we no longer have a regular Community Calendar listing in our print issues, there are a number of upcoming events that merit your consideration, so we decided to include as many of them here as possible. 

If you have an event upcoming that takes place after March 19, feel free to email me at ads@ntneighborhoodnews.com and I will see about getting it included in our next New Tampa issue. 

Friday, February 23, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. & Saturday, February 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. p.m. — The Friends of the New Tampa Library’s Annual Giant Book Sale. The Friends of the New Tampa Library will host their annual Giant Book Sale at the New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.). With most books being sold for just 50 cents, all proceeds will benefit the library’s Summer Reading programs for children and events and classes for all age groups.

Monday, February 26, 7 p.m. — Monthly meeting of the New Tampa Democratic Club. The New Tampa Democrats are gearing up for the upcoming 2024 Presidential and local election season. For more information, see the ad to the right. 

Wednesday, February 28, 6 p.m. -8 p.m. — Book Launch Performance & Book Signing for Running From Yesterday by Margarette Allyn. Margarette Allyn (photo, right) is an author, speaker and dancer who believes in the healing power of making choices guided by instinct, intuition and faith. 

Two unexpected episodes played pivotal roles in Margarette’s life, introducing her to the world of the performing arts. 

The first was watching “The Nutcracker” on TV. The second was encountering the iconic TV show “Fame,” which struck a chord with its relatable characters and stories that felt just like her own. Dance soon became Margarette’s refuge — a way to escape and express herself. Her dance aspirations took flight when she was accepted into Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts — the real “Fame” school — in New York’s Upper West Side. 

Author & performer Margarette Allyn will sign her book Running From Yesterday & dance at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center on Feb. 28. (Photo provided by Margarette Allyn) 

It was a dream that seemed beyond reach, especially for a young woman from Harlem. But, Margarette held onto the idea that the sky has no limits. However, unforeseen circumstances, ego and personal choices halted her burgeoning dance career, crushing her dreams of attending Juilliard and leaving her with a deep sense of loss. 

At the age of 24, Margarette embarked on a new path, joining the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Despite battling an overwhelming cloud of dread, despair and her complex relationship with alcohol, she clung fiercely to her discipline, determination, and the will to truly live. 

Supported by her loyal friends and colleagues, she dedicated twenty years to her police career, retiring as a Sergeant in 2019. 

Today, Margarette resides in New Tampa with her husband and two sons. 

This remarkable journey serves as the focal point of her inspiring memoir, Running From Yesterday, A True Story of Hope, Courage, and Love. Grateful for the grace and mercy bestowed upon her, Margarette finds purpose in giving back to those she mentors, is dancing once again, accepts motivational and inspirational speaking engagements and looks forward to many more years of being on stage. 

Friday-Sunday, March 15-17 — Three-Day St. Patrick’s Day Parking Lot Celebration at O’Brien’s Irish Pub. O’Brien’s (5429 Wesley Chapel Village Market) will again be hosting the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Wesley Chapel with an indoor-outdoor party every day of St. Paddy’s Day weekend. 

On Friday, MoonShine Abby will be performing from 8 p.m.-midnight. According to their website, MoonShine Abby is “the best blend of mature artistry, vigorous technique, and honed skill all wrapped up into a high-energy, party-style band. 

What’s a St. Pat’s Day party without bagpipes? You can come out to here pipers on Saturday and Sunday. On Sat., 25-year-old Gemma Briggs (plays the pipes from 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Gemma says she is, “passionate about providing high-quality bagpipe music, professionalism and an unforgettable touch to any occasion.” 

Gemma (photo right) will be followed at 8 p.m. on Sat. night by the Ryan Marchand Band. 

Ryan’s website says he uses “live-looping (to create) sonic landscapes with layered beat-box percussion, vocal harmonies, and a bevy of guitar effects to cover the frequency and timbre spectrum. He draws inspirations from studio albums from Pink Floyd, The Beatles and more.” 

Then, the main event at O’Brien’s will be held on Sun., St. Paddy’s Day itself. 

From 4 p.m.-7 p.m., “The Irishman” Capt. Kirk, will play all of your favorite Irish tunes. Inside, from 7 p.m.-midnight, DJ SAF will spin dance music inside, but outside, the City of Mt. Dora pipe band will play your St. Pat’s favorites from 7:30 p.m.-8 p.m. 

Then, the Daniel Sprouse Band will play your favorite rock and country hits from 8 p.m.-midnight outside. 

Please note that no coupons will be accepted all weekend at O’Brien’s and there will be a $10 cover charge on Sun. only. For more info, call (813) 97309988 or visit ObriensWesleyChapel.com.

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.