SEC Student Stories
Taylor Abreu started her production company TaylorMade Production LLC back in 2018 while working at the Strome Entrepreneurial Center. The company focuses on production services, songwriting, composing, creating original audio, and is currently working on a documentary. Abreu first began her business pitch during a capstone course here at Old Dominion University. However, she did not plan or think she would be able to follow through until later in her career. She said that "the Strome Entrepreneurial Center (SEC) made me believe that I could start my business earlier than I expected, and they really wanted to help me succeed."
Her primary goal with TaylorMade is to help create opportunities for women in leadership, acting, and directing. She said, "if you want work, you have to create it".
Abreu credits the SEC with helping her start her company. She stated that the center was always there. Even since she graduated, the SEC continues to be there for her and offer guidance and assistance along the way by providing resources and advice on how to find investors and grants as well as helping write business proposals and planning. Abreu recalls Nancy Grden giving her business contacts and directions on how to make business connections that could become resources. Sharon Scannel, the SEC Program Manager, also helped Abreu develop her business plan and set goals. During her time as a student, she was able to attend SEC workshops that provided not only vital information, but incredible networking opportunities. Abreu recalled those workshops speaking directly to the local business owners and startups, "they helped motivate me, but I also took the advice of not only the success they achieved but the mistakes they made as well."
Currently, Abreu has a documentary showing at the Zeiders American Dream Theater in Virginia Beach. She is also beginning a project with the ODU Women's Studies Department. As for her future business goals, she would love to expand to TaylorMade Agency and focus not only on production, but also marketing and events to broaden her business.
Sophia O'Neal graduated from Old Dominion University in 2019 with a degree in international business. While at ODU she interned for Grow and started several companies while working at the Strome Entrepreneurial Center (SEC) as a student assistant with a focus on digital marketing and branding.
After working at the SEC along with her degree in IB, she was able to take her experience and begin working as head of marketing for Chick-fil-A and IPConfigure. Her entrepreneurial spirit later moved her to start her own business, Ignore No More, in November 2021. Ignore No More is a branding and marketing agency focused on developer-led startups and SaaS (Software as a Service) companies.
As a child, O'Neal remembers receiving her first pair of Warby Parker glasses in the mail and fell in love with the packaging, branding, and the feeling she got when receiving it. She wants to help business owners create the same feeling for their clients. Ignore No More helps startups scale their business by managing their branding and marketing strategy for up to two years. After the initial two years, she assists in the hiring and training of a full-time, in-house head of marketing that allows for a smooth transition.
O'Neal recalls the community she built within the SEC. The connections she made encouraged her to continue pursuing entrepreneurship and have provided a supportive network she continues to cherish.
O'Neal plans to expand and hire more people to grow her team, with the goal of having a full-time employee by summer 2022. Long-term, she would like Ignore No More to be the top Go-to-Market agency for SaaS startups.
