- Florida State University and Domi Station are joining forces to help new business owners find success.
- The dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at FSU says those business skills reach beyond Tallahassee.
- Domi has been supporting small business since setting up shop in 2014.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It's a new partnership to help start-ups in the capital city.
I'm Terry Gilliam, your neighborhood reporter in Southwest Tallahassee.
Florida State University and Domi Station are joining forces to help new business owners find success. Here's how it works…
Brian Wyatt Jr.-"I think the biggest joy of being an entrepreneur for me is the (ah-ha) moment."
Brian Wyatt Jr. Has been a full-time entrepreneur since 2016 and has been living in Tallahassee for seven years.
Brian Wyatt Jr.-"I was couch surfing from friends house to my frat house."
He knows the sacrifices it takes to become your own boss.
Brian Wyatt Jr.-"I was able to build my way up and get my first contract as a graphic designer."
Now, Wyatt says the new partnership between Domi Station and FSU could help new business owners have an easier time starting up.
Brian Wyatt Jr.- "Some of the things I'll be looking forward to using between the partnership with Domi and FSU is maybe some workspace, going to events and connecting with some of the professionals that might be presenting or speaking or learning on how I can make my business better."
Making businesses grow is the mission behind the Domi and FSU partnership.
"It's the backbone of our economy."
That's dean of the Jim Moran college of entrepreneurship at FSU, Susan Fiorito. She says those business skills reach beyond Tallahassee.
Susan Fiorito-"When you think about it, this country is built on small businesses."
Domi has been supporting small business since setting up shop in 2014.
FSU and Domi station have been in talks for years on collaborating, and now this new partnership is the next step in the relationship.
Wyatt's advice for other startups?
Brian Wyatt jr.-"One of the things that's really inspiring to me, when I hear it, and I listen to it over and over again, it's something that I heard from will smith. He said if you're going to fail, fail forward. I always considered my losses lessons."
The biggest takeaway that the Domi station and FSU partnership wants entrepreneurs to get out of is the problem solving.
Susan Fiorito- "And solving problems, not seeing a problem and ignoring it, but seeing a problem and saying what can I do to solve that, how can I solve that. So, we encourage that every day."
And Wyatt couldn't agree more.
Brian Wyatt Jr.- "You have to be very creative and come up with some very creative solutions to the problems that you want to solve, whether it's in your business or in your community."
Earlier this year, we learned Domi Station, and its participating companies have created over 1,000 jobs, raised over $42 million in wages, and attracted more than $18 million in investment to the area since it started in 2014. This in Southwest Tallahassee, Terry Gilliam, ABC27.
