Finding your inner entrepreneur and using that passion to start your own business is a momentous undertaking, especially if you have never done it before. Fabiola Mistelske had the drive to make her dream business – Fabiola Mistelske Beauty – come true and become a success, she just didn’t know where to start. Fabiola decided to turn to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) for assistance and is happy she did.
Fabiola Mistelske Beauty is comprised of a team of beauty professionals who specialize in bridal beauty – meaning they focus solely on providing brides and their bridal parties with hair and makeup services. “What makes us unique is our company is all about the details,” said Mistelske. “Especially when it comes to bridal work, every single detail matters because we customize every single look for every single bride every single time. I train my artists to pay attention to every detail because doing so encompasses everything you are looking for in your bridal look.”
Mistelske came to entrepreneurship with limited business experience but with a clear vision for her company and a wealth of energy to make it happen. “In my journey with the SBDC, I have discovered myself within my business,” she said. “I started from zero but all the steps and all the information I have received working with my FSBDC consultant Sharon Smith has been amazing. She has been there since the beginning, holding my hand since I started the business. I couldn’t be more grateful for this help, for this opportunity.”
Mistelske’s journey with the FSBDC included taking advantage of its no-cost, expert consulting; its business training and workshops; and its access to extensive market research and databases. “Today, 11 months later, I have seven stylists with me. We do weddings pretty much every single weekend and, for the past three months, we have been able to double book our weekends, and we’re already booking for 2023 and 2024,” Fabiola proudly remarked. “This is where Sharon has been so amazing, guiding me through everything I needed in order for me to get to where I am today.”
Becoming an entrepreneur has been wonderful in other ways for Mistelske. When her nine-year-old daughter Agatha and her class were asked in school if anyone knew what an entrepreneur is, Agatha drew a blank. However, when her teacher explained the meaning and asked if anyone knew one, at that moment Agatha recognized that her mom was an entrepreneur and hers was the only hand to shoot up. “My Mom is an entrepreneur,” Agatha declared with pleasure. When Fabiola heard the story later, she was overwhelmed. “She was so proud of me,” Fabiola recalled. “It was a great moment and I realized that all my efforts had been summarized in it.”
“For anyone thinking of working with the FSBDC, it should be a no-brainer,” Mistelske concluded. “The help is endless. The opportunities are endless. The help is right there for you to grab it. I’m growing my business, I’m growing my team, and it’s all because of the FSBDC.”
Learn more about this local Orlando business: Fabiola Mistelske Beauty.
