FSU Women in Entrepreneurship

Students Business Spotlight: London Cailliau
Degree: Real Estate '28
Company: Sea La Vie Swim “Where every body is a bikini body!”
Company Website: https://sealavieswim.com

About Sea La Vie Swim:
Sea La Vie Swim is an inclusive bikini brand created by London Cailliau in Tampa, Florida. The brand was started in 2021 with the hope of making everyone feel confident in their skin. Sea La Vie Swim has had the pleasure of helping women all over, from Hawaii to Puerto Rico, know that “Every body is a bikini body.” This not just our slogan, but what we truly believe and is our passion to make everyone feel that way when wearing Sea La Vie Swim. All bikinis are handmade with love on a sewing machine in Tampa, Fl.

We are excited to announce Sea La Vie Swim is moving to Tallahassee with game day bikinis and gear!

Join us in supporting FSU today! By supporting the FSU Women in Entrepreneurship fund, you are supporting the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders! Did you know the percentage of female-owned businesses has increased by 114% in the past 20 years.

The WIE initiative aims to offer collaborative programming, networking, support, and promotion of Florida State University students, alumnae, faculty, and community partners pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors.

Women in Entrepreneurship | SPARK FSU The percent of female owned businesses has increased by 114% in the past 20 years. Support the Jim Moran College by helping us provide resources, sharpen business skills, and create networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

Join us tomorrow with to celebrate 👭💕Make sure to try the yummy Pink Red Velvet Latte! ☕️We can’t wait you see everyone there!!

So excited to introduce our 2023 VP of Finance , Natalie Medina!

So excited to introduce our 2023 President, Ellie Gutierrez! Business

Name: Dr. Rebecca Walenz
Degree: Doctor of Music,Trumpet
Business: My Music Minutes
Website: https://a.co/d/jfMyCtp

Tell us a little about your business:
My Music Minutes is a musician's practice journal that's designed to offer improved organization, structure, focus, and retention to daily practice sessions. It also is home for a musician’s goals and dreams, upcoming performances, to-do lists, and brainstorming sessions. It is my hope it serves as a safe haven for musicians everywhere to grow and develop at their own desired pace.

What inspired you to launch your business?
Three university music degrees, twenty years of private music instruction, and hundreds of concerts and performances are at the core of why the My Music Minutes Practice Journal was created. After spending my 10-year college education combating poor time management and organization, mental fatigue, and high stress levels, I designed the My Music Minutes Practice Journal to help other musicians improve their own focus, progress rates, energy levels, and attitude. Now, I celebrate the opportunity to share the music-making progress with musicians across the globe!

How did your start your business?
A private teacher encouraged me to write down what I was practicing and how long I was practicing for a week. That was when I realized there was no product to hep me organize my practice content outside of just a blank sheet of notebook paper. I then stumbled upon the micro grant through Florida State University’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. I applied, interviewed, and won the grant! With their funding, I hired a graphic designer, and my small business journey began.

Biggest tip or advice?
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! Sometimes, it takes a lot more tries than you’d like. The success is in your patience and persistence between tries

Congratulations to our 2023 WIE Student Board Officers!!! We can't wait to see all you will accomplish!

Name: ReNita E. Bowman
Degree: FSU '09 B.S. Criminology
Business: We Maid It Tallahassee, Inc.
Website: www.WeMaidItTallahassee.com

Tell us about your business:
My company is We Maid It Tallahassee, Inc. A residential and commercial cleaning company. Although Tallahassee is in the title, we have customers in Quincy, Crawfordville, Wakulla, Monticello, and Havana. I started my company in April of 2020 as a solo cleaner. I worked around the clock in an effort to build my customer base. After six months, I was able to employ two staff members to assist me. I absolutely love what I do and I enjoy giving my customers something to smile about. My father was an entrepreneur in Gadsden County and he is my "why." Seeing how he started his shoe repair shop with literally nothing, but his knowledge, and expertise, and treating his customers fairly - this gives me the fortitude to push when I have difficult moments.

When did you launch your business & how has it evolved?
I launched We Maid It Tallahassee, Inc. in April 2020 after working in state government for seventeen years. I am extremely proud of my company's growth in two and a half years. We offer residential and commercial cleaning, including deep cleanings, move-in and out cleanings, AirBnB Turnovers and Compassion Cleanings. My cleaning staff is exceptional and enjoy cleaning. I'm excited to be partnered with some amazing vendors and welcome the opportunity to evolve even more.

How did you start your business:
My background before launching my cleaning company was in state government. I worked with the State of Florida for seventeen years and honestly thought that I would retire. The pandemic caused my department to temporarily close and we were sent home and without any definitive information or return date. After two months of being home and no income or a plan, I decided to dedicate my waking hours to starting my cleaning company. I thought, "If I can give the State of Florida seventeen years, I can surely give my own dream the same." The research began. Being a Criminology graduate from Florida State honed my research interests and skills. I did just that. I reached out to a fellow entrepreneur who had a cleaning company to ask for help. That didn't go well so I knew that I had to do it on my own.

Biggest advice for those starting a business:
Do it!! The time may never be the right time, the funds may not be there, and the support may be wavering, along with doubt and excuses. Do it anyway. Figure it out as you go. Just don't quit.

SAVE THE DATE! Spring semesters 1st general body meeting February 8th at 6 PM.

WIE Spotlight: Darrian Lee
Degree: FSU M.M. in Violin Performance
Business: HERo Music Inc.
Website: www.her-omusic.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/HERo.musicians

Tell us about your business:
HERo is a nonprofit 501c3 that I started in May of 2022. Our mission is to find innovative ways to connect and promote women in music through education. Through many different avenues of outreach, such as the HERo Ensemble, community concerts, the HERo Talk podcast, and the HERo Conference, we seek to educate any person and musician that wants to learn about women in music and expand the classical canon. HERo wants to help evolve classical music into a safe and inclusive space.

What inspired you to launch your business?
I launched HERo almost by accident. It started with my interest in music outside the classical canon and music by women. I have always felt that there is a wall between our audiences and the musicians. Education is the only way to help new listeners understand classical music. I want to provide engaging and interesting opportunities for people to learn about classical music and music they would never have been exposed to. Hopefully, with this, I can help make classical music more welcoming and inclusive. I think people want to learn more about music and experience it in many different ways. Too often classical music is seen as pretentious and exclusionary. I think I wanted to not only be a musician but be a person that can aid the future of the music I love so much.

How did you start your business:
I started my business with an idea for a concert series that then morphed into a conference, and then became an entire company. I received support from Dr. Greg Jones at the College of Music at FSU. After, I started forming my director board. I found amazing like-minded young women that wanted to participate in making HERo happen. HERo wouldn’t be where it is in less than a year without my fellow directors.

Introducing our Recording Secretary, Isabel Gonzalez!
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“WIE has created a safe space for women entrepreneurs to speak openly about their ideas and receive feedback on their current or potential business ventures. These outstanding ladies serve as an extra support system for me, empowering and inspiring me to pursue my desired career path. Our members are doing exciting things, and I cannot wait to see what they accomplish.”