Alan Henderson is a Tampa native and next-generation leader who's redefining what it means to serve a city. From building record-breaking companies to inspiring young changemakers, he's spent his life turning bold ideas into action. Now, as Tampa's youngest mayoral candidate, Alan is focused on bridging innovation with community — leading with empathy, vision, and a belief that real progress starts by listening to our people.
Alan Henderson didn't wait for permission to lead—he just started building.
A Tampa native who turned ideas into movements, Alan built brands that shattered expectations and connected with millions. But somewhere between the milestones and the momentum, he realized something: the most important work wasn't happening on screens. It was happening in his own backyard.
While others saw Tampa as a backdrop, Alan saw a city at a crossroads. He'd spent years helping entrepreneurs find their footing, watching neighborhoods evolve, and listening to the quiet frustrations of people working twice as hard for half as much. The gaps were obvious. The solutions? Less so.
So he did what he's always done—he showed up.
He walked every district. Sat with families watching their rent climb faster than their paychecks. Talked to business owners hanging on by their fingernails. No cameras. No speeches. Just listening. Because before you can fix something, you have to understand what's actually broken.
What he found wasn't apathy—it was exhaustion. People tired of being talked at instead of heard. Neighborhoods changing so fast that long-time residents feel like strangers in their own zip codes. A city growing up around people instead of with them.
Alan's not interested in managing Tampa. He wants to activate it; as a place where growth doesn't mean goodbye, where innovation serves people instead of pricing them out, where leadership means being present even when it's inconvenient, not just when it's visible.
He's not bought. He's not an "Insider". He's not another suit with a consultant-written platform.
Alan plans on earning his credibility one conversation, one block, one solved problem at a time.
"We have a choice — we can invest in the community we have, or the city they want to build. We can build up our own people, or keep building for more tourists. I'm choosing Tampa's people, every time."
"Tampa isn't just growing—it's transforming. We have the opportunity to build something unprecedented: a city where innovation serves everyone, where technology creates equity, and where tomorrow starts today."
Every challenge is interconnected. Housing affects transportation. Education impacts economic development. True solutions address the whole system.
Technology should serve people, not the other way around. Every policy decision starts with the human experience.
We can't solve tomorrow's problems with yesterday's thinking. Bold vision requires bold action.
Founded and scaled multiple successful ventures, learning firsthand how innovation can drive economic growth while creating meaningful jobs for communities.
Organized grassroots movements for affordable housing, leading neighborhood meetings and connecting with residents across Tampa's diverse communities.
Developed comprehensive policy frameworks that blend technological solutions with social equity, creating blueprints for next-generation governance.
Transformed his own life through discipline and community support, understanding that lasting change begins with personal accountability and grows through collective action.
Visionary leadership isn't about having all the answers—it's about asking the right questions and building the future together.