Alumni Testimonials
Kaylee Anderson
Why Stetson? Why Family Enterprise?
"I grew up in a family business and fell in love with the working dynamic that took place from the office to family dinners. I wanted to learn more about what makes family businesses so special and how they operate differently than non-family businesses.
"I started to look for schools that not only had good academics when it came to the business school but also had a solid beach volleyball program. I was offered a scholarship to come and play beach volleyball for Stetson. Before I could accept I had to make sure that Stetson had the right program for me academically. After some research, I knew that Stetson and the Family Enterprise program were an all-around great fit for me."
How did the major prepare you for the future?
"The major itself prepared me in more ways than I was expecting, particularly the internship course. The internship I had was with a family business that owned five different restaurants and a gourmet market. I was lucky to study the ways of a family business other than my family business and see how each one is unique in its own way. After my internship, I made the decision that after graduation I would try to work for a family business other than mine. I will always be there to help my parents with the business but I also wanted to branch out and see what else was out there for me to learn.
"I think one of my favorite things about the major is the connections you make along the way. Dr. Botero taught me so many lessons that I use not only in the professional setting but in my everyday life. She pushed me to compete in the Family Enterprise Case Competition during my senior year, and that was an experience of a lifetime."
Ashley Frederik
Why Stetson? Why Family Enterprise?
"Oddly enough, after already attending Stetson for a few weeks, I stumbled upon the Family Enterprise major. The director of the program told me about the major, and I instantly was interested. I took FENT 235 and was hooked!
"I still stay in touch with two of my prior professors who opened my eyes to the uniqueness of family businesses. In fact, without my one professor, I never would have drummed up enough interest to switch to the major."
How did the major prepare you for the future?
"The major has prepared me to take over my family business, something for which I will be forever grateful! I honestly never even considered working in my family business, until this major sparked my interest. In our capstone course, Dr. Botero taught us extensively on succession planning - one of the key reasons why most family businesses struggle. Dr. Botero has launched my family and me from just discussing succession to taking actionable steps to plan for it."
Frederik Welding
Why Stetson? Why Family Enterprise?
"Being part of a family that owns a business, I knew early on that I wanted to pursue a business degree. While more traditional programs like business administration have great merit, I felt like they might not prepare me for many of the unique challenges that relate to managing and owning a family business.
"After attending the introductory course during my first semester, I knew that family enterprise was the perfect major for me."
How did the major prepare you for the future?
"For me, a big part of the family enterprise major was being able to exchange ideas and experiences with other students from family business backgrounds. It was great to learn what unique solutions have worked for them and how they have managed adversity. It was also interesting to be introduced to the many different forms and shapes a family business can take in terms of ownership, management structure and family policies.
"I have gained a profound understanding of the unique challenges, but also opportunities that come with a family owned business. Being the only next-generation member with a business degree background, I believe it was even more important to learn about not only business but family business. Understanding how to create and maintain family cohesion, facilitate estate planning and mediate conflict are essential skills that will help me steward our family and the business to a successful future."