TAMPA, Fla. — A group of small business professionals is helping educate and empower entrepreneurs. About fifty professionals wrote a book together.

They say the key is to network during good times and bad.

Rieki Master, Brenda Griesheimer with Mind and Body Clinic contributed to the book. Her advice, "Get to know your fellow networkers so they will trust you with their clients. Be a source for positive connection in your community,” said Griesheimer who performs energy healing.

"What we’re doing is connecting the universal life-force energy with your energy so you’re actually healing yourself,” said Griesheimer

The practice helps clear stress and anxiety using crystals and hands-on therapy.

"It’s the life-force energy coming down and connecting with this person’s energy and it just clears the energy points in our bodies — body, mind and spirit," said Griesheimer.

Griesheimer went public with her business during the pandemic and says networking gave her the push she needed.

"It would have been so easy to isolate and not network but I didn’t want to do that,” said Griesheimer.

During the pandemic, small business professionals like Brenda could participate in about a dozen virtual networking meetings a week through the RGA Network, now entrepreneurs have the option to also meet in person.

"My business is promoting your business,” says President and Founder of RGA Network, Mark O'Donnell.

He says the book, The Best Business Minds in Tampa Bay was born from that experience.

"These are people that survived the pandemic and literally pivoted with us and wrote their stories,” said O'Donnell.

The book which launced December 7th includes stories from some fifty small business professionals.

“From sound branding ideas, the jingle writer to a business coach who helps immigrants to Hot Mamma's Hauling, so this lady will haul away your junk so you don’t have to," O'Donnell explained as he flipped through pages of the book.

"What I want people to take away from this is, you can do this," said O'Donnell.

"It’s all about relationship building and I like to say that when love and service come together you get joy," said Griesheimer.