Graduate Lori Ramsey shakes hands with Mayor Dean Trantalis. Also pictured is Acting City Manager Chris Cooper. [All photos by Diego Maldonado/New Pelican]
By Diego Maldonado | New Pelican Writer
Fort Lauderdale – On Sept. 24 at ArtServe Fort Lauderdale, the city celebrated the graduating class of its entrepreneurial program StartUp FTL.
Using the renowned Kauffman FastTrac Model for Entrepreneurs as a structure, the taxpayer funded initiative helps local individuals in the pre-launch and planning phases of their business ventures.
“I’m excited to be here. Tonight, we’re recognizing these individuals for their entrepreneurial spirit because they’re the next generation of leaders that will build our city,” said Mayor Dean Trantalis.
As the largest group so far at StartUp FTL, the 27 graduates participated in the six-week program attending hands-on workshops and reviewing topics such as registering a business, creating a business model, understanding overhead costs, and adapting digital tools for growth. The initiative also hosted industry experts who taught students how to develop a clear business idea, understand legal requirements, identify revenue streams, conduct market research, understand startup costs, practice basic financial planning, and build confidence for public speaking.
“Working at my local school board, I come from an educational background. So, I created 52 Weeks of Growth – a venture designed to help kids with academic and behavioral challenges,” Said Lori Ramsey, a graduate of the current cohort.
Amber Cabrera, program Manager for the Economic Development Division of the City Fort Lauderdale, introduces cohort member Lanisia Butler to the panel of judges. Butler won the 30-second pitch competition with her business idea, Elite AI Consulting.
“What I liked most about my experience at StartUp FTL was meeting everyone and knowing that we’re all facing the same obstacles and challenges. We connected and learnt from each other.”
Despite founding this entrepreneurial initiative back in 2023, the City of Fort Lauderdale only just created the Economic Development Division last year to oversee business programs like StartUp FTL.
“When our office was created, it furthered our commitment to helping local businesses. Our hope is to support businesses of all sizes, nurture budding entrepreneurs, and attract more economic activity,” said Maggie Gunther, the city’s chief economic development officer.
Gunther, a Broward resident since 2003, reflected on the changes to the local economy.
“There’s been a strong push to diversify outside of tourism because having a variety of industries can make our economy more resilient to crashes. For example, during COVID when the hospitality sector stalled, our community remained strong because of our diversified businesses that didn’t just rely on tourism.”
Since its beginning, StartUp FTL continues to provide its participants with resources while it evolves. “The curriculum has been improved to educate on common business challenges. Moreover, we have added new guest speakers for specific business topics compared to the first two cohorts, which covered general information versus each participant’s direct needs,” said StartUp FTL Coordinator Melissa Mata, who also serves as a management analyst for the city’s Economic Development Division. “
We’ve seen a variety of businesses and ideas come through such as aerospace products, advanced technology that shares key health findings, and an under-18 competitive cheerleading team for girls. Some of our success stories include two individuals from our very first cohort that are now full-time business owners.”
April Robinson hears feedback from the panel of judges after delivering her pitch. Robinson’s initiative featured her cleaning services venture, ANR Tailored Cleaning Solutions.
During the end of the ceremony, graduates competed in a 30-second elevator pitch contest judged by experienced business professionals: JR McFarling from the Urban League of Broward County’s Entrepreneurship Center, Damian Williams from Regions Bank, and Randa Quraan from Socially Loud.
“This is my third event for the City of Fort Lauderdale serving as a judge. The most rewarding part for me is watching how individuals develop and flourish thanks to programs like these,” said McFarling. The trio awarded first place to Lanisia Butler from Elite AI Consulting, second to Stephanie Mathieu from Sistrunk Tech Center, and third to Breanna Chestnut from Comfy Haven.
Visit fortlauderdale.gov/government/departments/community-services/economic-development for more information.
Damian Williams listens while Randa Quraan provides feedback to a graduate’s pitch. Meanwhile, J.R. McFarling writes notes in the background. The City of Fort Lauderdale invited these three figures to the panel because of their unique and vast experience in their respective business careers and entrepreneurship.