If you’re looking for inspiration as a new business owner, look no further than your own backyard. Orlando is home to many successful entrepreneurs who have made it big in a variety of industries. From tech startups to brick-and-mortar retail, these five business owners have built thriving enterprises from the ground up. Read on to learn their stories and get inspired to start your own Orlando-based business.
1. Jeneva Stone: CEO and Co-Founder of Credo Beauty
2. John Rife: Owner of Ace Metals, Inc.
3. Maryann Ferenc: Founder and President of Zebra Creative
4. Mike Roussell: CEO of Nutritioulicious
5. Sheri Goldstrohm: Owner of The Spice & Tea Exchange
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1. Jeneva Stone
- CEO and co-founder of Credo Beauty, a clean beauty retailer with stores across the country.
- A native Orlander, Stone started her career in the fashion industry before making the switch to beauty. In 2012, she launched Credo with the mission of making clean beauty products more accessible to consumers.
- Today, Credo is a major player in the $15 billion global beauty market, and Stone was recently named one of Forbes’ “Top Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2020.”
2. John Rife
- Owner of Ace Metals, Inc., a steel fabrication and erection company based in Orlando.
- Rife founded Ace Metals in 1978 with just two employees, and today the company employs over 150 people and has annual sales in excess of $20 million.
- Ace Metals has worked on some of Central Florida’s most iconic structures, including the Amway Center, Camping World Stadium, and Orlando City Stadium. In 2019, Rife was inducted into the Central Florida Business Hall of Fame.
3. Maryann Ferenc
- The founder and president of Zebra Creative, a full-service marketing agency based in Orlando.
- Ferenc started her career as a newspaper reporter before making the transition into marketing and advertising. She launched Zebra Creative in 2006 with just one employee, and today the agency has grown to a team of 20+ full-time staffers with clients all over the world. Ferenc was named one of Orlando’s “People to Watch” by Orlando magazine in 2019.
4. Mike Roussell
- CEO of Nutritioulicious, a healthy meal delivery service based in Orlando.
- Roussell started his career as a personal trainer before getting into the food business; he launched Nutritioulicious in 2013 with just two employees.
- Today, Nutritioulicious delivers over 10,000 meals per week to customers all over Central Florida, and Roussell has plans to expand nationwide in 2020.
- He was named one of Orlando’s “40 Under 40” by BizJournals in 2019.
5. Sheri Goldstrohm
- Owner of The Spice & Tea Exchange, a gourmet spice shop with locations all over the country (including two in Orlando).
- Goldstrohm started her career as a teacher before opening her first Spice & Tea Exchange store in St Augustine in 2008; today there are nearly 60 locations nationwide. Goldstrohm was named one of Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneurial Winning Women” in 2017 and one of Franchise Times’ “Top 200 Movers & Shakers” in 2018.
These five successful business owners from Orlando prove that it doesn’t matter where you come from or what your background is—if you have an entrepreneurial spirit and are willing to work hard, you can make your dreams come true right here in Central Florida!