Happy Valentine’s Day Orlando Entrepreneurs

Hey Orlando, we know being an Entrepreneur is no easy feat, and it can get be expensive to start your own business. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to break the bank here in Orlando. Here are some fun ideas to spend your February for cheap. Personally, we love going to the planitarium…

National Association of Marketing Technology Launched by Local Founder

Hey Orlando Entrepreneurs and Marketers. Local entrepreneur Dan McGaw of Effin Amazing and his team just launched the National Association of Marketing Technology (NAMT.com) here in Orlando.   This is a non-profit dedicated to supporting marketers, companies and software vendors with education and certification to keep their marketing technology safe,…

Orlando’s Fattmerchant Featured by Forbes as a Fintech 50 Newcomer

Suneera Madhandi, co-founder and CEO of payments startup Fattmerchant appeared in Forbes Magazine for Fintech 50 2020: The Newcomers. Fattmerchant is an Orlando-based company that bundles vendor transactions for processing credit cards transactions in-stores and online. She recently scaled their company reaching 100+ employees! Suneera is an incredible role model…

8 Success & Life Lessons You Can Learn From Harris Rosen

Earlier today I had the privilege to listen to Harris Rosen share his story and business lessons  at the Startup Studio Global Entrepreneurship Summit. Harris Rosen has had a truly abundant, inspiring and impactful career. He shared that he currently has 8 hotels, 7000 rooms, and not a penny of debt. More…

Project Orlando

Project Orlando is a community-based organization with the purpose of engaging and scaling the Central Florida technology community. Our goal is to facilitate an environment where startups and emerging companies have the ability to connect with the right resources; including mentors, peers, investors & capital, resulting in an increase in…

Celebrating ONE year for ViewStub, A Local Tech Startup

  I had the chance to sit down and talk to Spencer Elliott, co-founder of Viewstub, for some insight on the success he’s seen as an entrepreneur. Spencer is a native to Orlando, attending UCF and continuing to call it home as he married and had his first child.   …

Inventors Council of Central Florida

The Inventors Council of Central Florida was formed in the 1950’s and has been continuously running since 1974 to provide an educational, not-for-profit community service organization to encourage creative people of all ages to develop their innovative skills and help them protect their ideas by learning how to use the government patent, trademark, and…

7 Different Ways to Celebrate Orlando Entrepreneurs this Holiday Season

  It’s that time of year, and we are prepping for the Holidays. We know you’re excited to celebrate and we want to help! Why not celebrate the season while celebrating your local entrepreneurs too? Orlando is booming with products and services that will “knock those Christmas socks” right off…

Startup Weekend Orlando 2019

Orlando hosts its annual Startup Weekend at co-working space CREDO Conduit from Nov. 22-24. Startup weekend is sponsored by Techstars, promoting the ability to start building your future in 54 hours. The event offers a space for entrepreneurs to get together, find a team, develop a prototype and receive feedback…

Qualified Opportunity Fund Launches in Central Florida

Orlando Opportunity Fund announced their official kickoff this past Monday, November 18, 2019. Orlando Opportunity Fund is a qualified opportunity fund focused on investing in commercial real estate and technology startups in opportunity zones within the Central Florida area. Their leadership team consists of John Cooper, President of Startup Investments;…

StarterStudio Executive Director Donna Mackenzie Hands Off Leadership to Lilian Myers

StarterStudio Executive Director Donna Mackenzie leaves to launch new venture, longtime board member Lilian Myers to serve as interim executive director ORLANDO, Fla. – After four and a half years as StarterStudio’s executive director, Donna Mackenzie is handing off the organization’s …

Demo Day Recap: StarterStudio

Recap by Kim Johnson Thank you to the organizers, sponsors, and community for putting together such a powerful event on Monday night. For me, as a new addition to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Orlando, this was such an eye-opening experience. Not only were there innovative ideas being presented, but the…

Celebrating 100 Employees and Continued Growth: Fattmerchant

Fattmerchant, Orlando’s fastest-growing payment technology company, celebrates reaching 100 employees. They’ve come a long way since they launched in 2014 where CEO and Founder, Suneera Madhani, was one of only two members on her staff. Fattmerchant got started when Madhani decided that merchants deserve better. She said, “This company was…

Synapse Orlando Event Recap

A message from David Brim: I want to give props to everyone that came together to make the Synapse Orlando event a great success. Thank you Sheena Carlisle Fowler, Vanessa Zablabla, Tim Giuliani and everyone at the Orlando Economic Partnership for all your hard work in planning and promoting. Thank you Synapse Florida team and volunteers. I really…

Negotiating the Deal: Interview with Scott Vachon

With more than 16 years of experience in office furniture, we help our customers save money with new and used blended solutions. In our 50.000 square feet showroom, you will find hundreds of cubicles, chairs, desks, filing cabinets, office suites, and accessories ready to go. Whether you are outfitting a…

The Photo Studio of Your Dreams: Interview with Jeanette and Joshua Johnson

Joshua and Jeanette Johnson are the founders of Wall Crawl, a photo studio concept in downtown Orlando. Joshua is a lifelong entrepreneur whose past projects include work on Sunrail, Rethink Homelessness, the National Entrepreneur Center, Instagram accounts @lakeeola and @orlandokingcobra, and professor of Entrepreneurial Marketing at UCF. Jeanette is the…

But first, let me take a Selfie, at Wall Crawl Orlando

It’s time to re-vamp your Instagram with some photo [worthy] shots! Orlando welcomes Wall Crawl, a new photo studio on Church Street. Offering more than 20 creative backdrops, Wall Crawl gives you the opportunity to snap the impeccably unique picture. There’s plenty of space for you to take selfies, portraits,…

The $400k Tweet: Interview with Founders Justin and Jordan

Justin Mitchell and Jordan Walker have been partners in some exciting tech-based endeavors such as their app development company, SoFriendly, and their latest project, YAC.  Justin and Jordan share their experiences developing YAC such as receiving an investment offer of $400,000 through Twitter and gaining investors without yet having a…

Self-Driving Cars and Trucks are One-Step Closer with Luminar’s $100M Funding Increase

The laser lidar sensors for self-driving vehicles are expected to hit the road in 2022, just about two years from now. Luminar, in Orlando, FL raised an additional $100M. Now, they plan to market a new affordable sensing and perception platform for automated passenger vehicles as well as commercial trucks.…

Office Furniture Outlet

With more than 23 years of experience in office furniture, we help our customers save money with new and used blended solutions. In our 50,000 square feet showroom, you will find hundreds of cubicles, chairs, desks, filing cabinets, office suites, and accessories ready to go.   Whether you are outfitting…

Dial a Doctor: Interview with Mark D. Gebhardt

Mark is a thirty-plus year veteran of the financial services industry. A true industry entrepreneur with broad-based experience in healthcare, marketing, product development, technology and distribution with responsibilities for the conception, planning and implementation of all marketing activities. Mark has authored numerous articles for industry trade publications on sales, marketing,…

Take a Reset: Interview with Charlie Lewis

Charlie Lewis is the founder and CEO of BlueWave Resource Partners and by hobby, a seed investor in the local tech community. His company BlueWave works with venture capital and private equity backed companies that are in high growth to assist with recruiting and talent acquisition. He is also an…

The Hand You’re Dealt: Interview with Melody Montgomery

Coming from a ‘nonlinear’ career path, Melody found herself wanting to find purpose with her work, while balancing a stable family and life schedule.  Finding Two Maids & A Mop, founded by Ron Holt in 2003, gave Melody the perfect way to fulfill her entrepreneurial spirit, spend time with her…

Printing Ideas: Interview with Andy Tran

Andy Tran is the founder and CEO of Millebot Inc., a modular digital-manufacturing platform. He describes himself as being a keen observer, utilizing his skillset to provide unconventional solutions to contemporary challenges.  His team converts ISO shipping containers into mobile digital-manufacturing systems. The machine has the potential to disrupt the…

Technology You Ingest: Interview with Harry Travis

Harry J. Travis is an accomplished senior executive with over 25 years experience in all aspects of pharmaceutical distribution channel management. He has held senior leadership positions with Baxter Healthcare, Cardinal Health, Accredo/Medco and Aetna. At Aetna, he held the position of vice president of the Aetna Specialty Pharmacy, and…