Orlando "Lab" Catalyzes Entrepreneurs

  Serving as the bedrock for unprecedented entrepreneurial expansion, Former President Donald Trump's Opportunity Zone policy serves as the bedrock for unprecedented entrepreneurial expansion in many parts of the United States. "The Lab" in Orlando's Parramore district places local residents in the driver seat by seeking to promote a mission of growth and business development in the community.

   Founded by RC Williams and Julianna Ormond in 2020, the pair yield a robust and formative influence on the community. Committed to promoting the intersection of community, business, investor, and government interests, the Lab operates as a hub to train and educate burgeoning businesses in the area.

   The Lab describes their mission as a mission to "empower the communities where Labs are present by providing community residents with tangible life skills, helping entrepreneurs to scale their business and create jobs, and crowdsourcing solutions to community challenges to deliver meaningful ROI to investors, sponsors, and supporters."

   As Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Builders, the Lab's founders sought to foster a location where entrepreneurs and innovators of all stripes might further equip themselves in their mutual objective: community development and business incubation. Before COVID-19, the pair came in with a completely different notion of what the lab would be: "When we signed the lease [and COVID-19 happened], we thought, what do we do? We were in an Opportunity Zone and all the advantages that provided we started to share," Williams explained. "We're in one of 8700 Opportunity Zones around the country making an impact."

   Ormond also extrapolated on the importance of reaching out to businesses of all sizes and the Lab's work promoting new technologies for them to employ: "We have also built technologies to empower the small to mid-sized market. We are all about finding ways to empower the community."

   One Million Cups, a Shark-Tank right here in Orlando, gave Williams and Ormond the idea of starting their venture. Sponsored by Rollins Crummer School, the program stems from Kansas City, Missouri's Kauffman Foundation which promotes the mission of Ewing Muriel Kauffman. Kauffman engineered his organization to propel and educate entrepreneurs.

   A graduate of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Ormond attained a degree in forensic psychology and says her training helps her connect the dots of entrepreneurship: "I am one of the weird people who used my degree. All the technologies we've built use forensics." A mother of three adult children, Ormond also acts as CEO of the Lab.

   Starting his career in Broadcast Journalism, RC Williams spent significant time on air and in management in radio across the country, with special focus on the Kansas City area. Williams says he understood the intersection of technologies importance for the radio industry early on: "In 1998, I ran an entire division in a company that specialized in making radio station websites.... I've been with technology and podcasts since the very origin..."

   A journey through the Lab consists of a collage of history and progress. Once used as a car dealership, the Lab now joins together businesses and entrepreneurs from Parramore and beyond in their aspirational objectives to catalyze entrepreneurship. Above the first floor, an art museum and photographers paradise awaits for those in need of fun and flashy studio portraits. In RC William's office, memorabilia from his years on radio and in Kansas City line the walls in addition to photos from his favorite moments in sports history.

   The first to play Boney James' CD on the air, Williams keeps a special copy on his wall along with other treasures: "You'll find that the messaging in many of these notes is very unique." Signed photos with special messages from Ann Nesby and Ruff Ends adorn the wall right below that of James'.

   The same spirit of innovation these musicians imbued in their work now drives RC Williams and Julianna Ormond in their crusade to better equip entrepreneurs and small businesses with the tools they need. Opportunity Zones provide a one of a kind avenue for this entrepreneurial incubation machine. During Donald Trump's tenure as President, The Executive Office of The President on Domestic Policy The Department of Housing and Urban Development both supported the pair's efforts, inviting the Lab's founders to a roundtable discussion last autumn. The Office of Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) also commended the Lab's work and the venture has been featured nationally in addition to receiving local commendation from both sides of the political aisle.

   The Lab continues to grow and always welcomes entrepreneurs of all stripes and backgrounds to participate in the process of building a better tomorrow for us all based in technological innovation and community partnership.

If you're assionate about entrepreneuriship, be sure to visit The Lab Alliance for more information.

Pictured: Photos of the historic Lab building, past and present as well as three of William's souvenirs from his days in the radio industry.