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Welcome to Florida State University's official entrepreneurship and innovation podcast, The InNOLEvation® Mindset! Hosted by Mark McNees and powered by the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. This podcast features audio and video versions of our podcast, which highlights student and alumni entrepreneurs and innovators from FSU.
Get inspired by the next generation of young business leaders and hear their inside stories. Learn from faculty who teach entrepreneurship and innovation courses at FSU as they share key insights.
On this channel, you'll find:
-Full video episodes of our podcast conversations with founders of startups born at FSU
-Business advice and thought leadership from FSU professors focused on entrepreneurship
-Fireside chats and interviews recorded live with enterprising alumni making their mark
-Special segments and speaker events at FSU focused on innovation
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a current business owner, or you just love hearing success stories - subscribe now to see inspiring individuals daring to turn ideas into reality. With new episodic content added regularly, The Innovation Mindset podcast tells tales of vision, grit, failure, and triumph straight from the FSU community.
This channel visually brings the podcast to life with photos, graphics, and video. Join us by subscribing if you bleed garnet and gold!
Episodes
Saturday Nov 08, 2025
Saturday Nov 08, 2025
Saturday Nov 08, 2025
In the 99th episode of the Innovation Mindset podcast, powered by the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, host Mark McNees welcomes Caity Burdash, the CEO and founder of Burdash Bikinis. Caity discusses her upbringing in Weston, Florida, the entrepreneurial influences of her brother and uncle, and the journey of starting her swimwear brand during the COVID pandemic. She shares the highs and lows of establishing her business, the impact of social media, and the importance of empowering women through her designs. Caity also touches on mindset challenges like imposter syndrome and how she maintains positivity and creativity in her work. Tune in to learn more about Caity's inspiring story and the future of Burdash Bikinis.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:32 Caity Burdas's Background and Influences
03:41 Starting Ash Bikinis During COVID
06:14 Challenges and Successes in Entrepreneurship
10:53 FSU Experience and Support
18:40 Imposter Syndrome and Overcoming Challenges
29:19 Future Plans and Reflections
31:11 Final Thoughts and Farewell
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
Saturday Nov 01, 2025
Saturday Nov 01, 2025
In this episode of the InNOLEvation® Mindset, powered by the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, host Mark McNees sits down with Ivelices Thomas, and we dive into her journey as a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from the Dominican Republic. Growing up with a strong emphasis on education, she never envisioned becoming an entrepreneur. She pursued a career in law, focusing on labor and employment, but later transitioned into human resources. Her experiences working in large corporations and her passion for helping smaller organizations led to the creation of HR and Beyond, a consultancy that provides affordable HR support to small and medium-sized businesses. She shares her challenges, her educational endeavors, and her aspirations for the future, all while emphasizing the importance of balancing professional ambition with family life.
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:23 Early Life and Education
03:48 Career Beginnings in Law
06:06 Transition to Human Resources
07:19 Founding HR and Beyond
15:03 Challenges and Growth
26:41 Future Goals and Aspirations
29:17 Personal Reflections and Advice
Sunday Oct 26, 2025