I’ve been watching Florida’s business mood swing from cautious to downright upbeat, and lately the vibe is unmistakable: confidence is back. A fresh reading of CEO sentiment in Q3 2025 shows executives in the Sunshine State feeling more optimistic than their peers nationally, with stronger expectations for hiring, capital spending, and sales growth. That upswing matters because CEOs’ outlooks often foreshadow where investment, jobs, and office demand are headed next.
Hiring: from holding pattern to green light
In the past year, many companies in Florida played it safe with their number of employees. Now, however, these companies are changing their approach and expanding their teams to meet increasing demand rather than continuing to squeeze productivity out of their already limited workforce.
Although the labor market remains competitive, company leaders believe they are now capable of attracting the necessary talent; this has been supported by continued population growth in Florida as well as an overall business-friendly environment. For prospective candidates, this means increased opportunities in the growth sectors; for companies, this means moving away from the “wait-and-see” mentality and toward an emphasis on “build-now”.
Moreover, company executives are not recklessly hiring for the sake of hiring; they are strategically adding those positions which generate increased income or provide improved efficiencies, while at the same time leveraging automation and improved processes in order to manage their operating costs.
The executives are taking a practical approach by growing in the areas that create value, while eliminating positions that do not generate value; this leads to the expectation of continued job growth based on merits rather than subjective conjecture.
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Investment: betting on Florida’s fundamentals
Businesses are becoming optimistic about future growth and development by continuing to spend money on capital expenditures. Developers are allocating funds to purchase new equipment, implement technology improvements and selectively expand through capital expenditures. As a result, there are now signs that business manager confidence has been turned into business activity.
Increasingly, because of increased borrowing costs, many companies still plan to move forward with projects that improve productivity or provide new market opportunities. Some business leaders have identified many positive attributes regarding Florida’s regulatory environment, logistics network and economy with continued activity in many sectors such as tourism, construction, real estate, health care technology (e.g. logistic), aerospace and financial technology (Fintech).
The broader backdrop helps. Compared with national peers, Florida CEOs are reporting a stronger growth pulse, which tends to crowd-in investment when others hesitate. That relative outperformance can draw additional capital and talent to the state, creating a positive feedback loop for local supply chains and commercial real estate.
You can also read: Why the Southeast is winning big in industrial real estate
Sales outlook: confidence with caveats
The sales story is equally constructive. CEOs expect a rise in demand during 2026, particularly in areas such as professional and business support, and industries tied to population growth. Still they’re not blind to risks. While inflation has cooled, it remains a variable. That’s why Florida is implementing a prudent approach: lock in pricing where possible, diversify suppliers, and keep cash buffers healthy in case the macro picture changes.
For real estate watchers, upbeat sales and capex plans tend to translate into more office absorption, industrial demand, and steady retail footprints—tempered by flexible-space strategies and hybrid work realities that aren’t going away.
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Credit: Original reporting and insights from Florida Realtors’ article “Florida CEOs Project Growth, Optimism Surges,” which covers Q3 2025 CEO sentiment, comparative optimism versus national peers, and forward-looking expectations for hiring, investment, and sales in Florida’s economy.