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Kim Richmond
Entrepreneurship Evangelist | Startup Supporter | Career Catalyst
Kim Richmond is the Director of the 26 West Entrepreneurship Center at the State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota (SCF). She has held this position since May 2021, where she is instrumental in creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports local entrepreneurs, mentors, and aspiring business founders.13
Richmond has a strong background in branding and marketing, having worked with major brands such as FAO Schwarz, Kraft Foods, and Sears. Her experience includes over a decade in senior management roles with significant profit and loss responsibilities.1 In her current role, she manages various initiatives aimed at fostering entrepreneurship, including the Business Growth Lab, Launch! Student Incubator, and several educational programs that provide experiential learning opportunities for students.12
In addition to her professional responsibilities, Richmond is actively involved in community service, serving on the Board of Directors for The Literacy Council of Sarasota and previously on the Board of Governors of the Philly Ad Club. She is also a published author, with two books focused on personal branding and sales.14
Highlights
We are lucky enough to do some pretty amazing things at the 26 West Entrepreneurship Center at State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota. My favorite thing we do is create and innovate to solve problems for businesses. Our mission is to develop people, grow businesses, and drive our local economy. We are expanding our team with a new role - Business Development Manager. If you are a biz dev pro or know someone who is, let's talk.
What an honor to be recognized by The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce as a Finalist in the Rising Star category. Celebrating today at the Small Business Awards Luncheon was an amazing moment to share with Todd G. Fritch and the 26 West Entrepreneurship Center team. Our impact and accomplishments wouldn't be possible without our truly amazing team - Kayla Yother, Amarin Cannon, Eileen Bryson, Mitchell Hoeft, and Roberta Rodgers-Mislyan. Thank you for all that you do every single day. This is what fearless looks like. #SBA2024 #26WestCenter #Entrepreneurship
