Miami-based innovators who are leading a movement of change, growth and advancement in our community and beyond.
Haleigh Rosa PHOTO BY @RIOCAM
Haleigh Rosa: ADA, Advocate, @halrosa
Please share how you hope to innovate your industry.
I’m focused on making ableism part of the diversity and inclusion conversation, not only in fashion but across all creative industries.
What first sparked your interest in your industry?
While working for an NBC News affiliate at the age of 25, I was injured in a car accident leaving me paralyzed from the waist down. Aft er noticing the lack of representation in society for the disabled community, I knew I needed to make changes.
How do you think your innovation fills a void or need in the community?
Inclusivity has failed to be recognized for many years. The disabled community deserves equality at every level.
What change do you hope to drive in the future through your work?
Ultimately, the inclusion of all.
On your road to success, what were some of the turning points for you?
The first major turning point was collaborating with Virgil Abloh. My campaign for Off White, titled FOR EVERYONE, was cited by CNN as one of the fashion industry’s moves to set a new precedent for inclusive casting. Since then I’ve worked with companies such as Tommy Hilfiger, Jennifer Zeuner and most recently collaborated with LVMH to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities by opening an art pop-up featuring artists with different abilities at Art Basel.
What other projects or news can we buzz for the year ahead?
I’ve started a foundation, FOR EVERYONE, to help push this entire movement forward. You can also keep an eye out for me in a new Tommy Hilfiger campaign!
James Brennan PHOTO COURTESY OF ENLIGHTENED BRAND VENTURES
James Brennan: CEO, Enlightened Brand Ventures, ebvlp.com
Please share how you hope to innovate your industry.
I have kept innovation paramount in all the businesses we’ve started. When I launched a restaurant in 2009, I was the first to have DJs spinning records in the middle of the dining room, which I then sold to Hakkasan Group in 2014. Then, I co-founded Suja Juice in 2012 and innovated the ultrapremium juice category by using a process centered around pressure, rather than pasteurization—which essentially cooked all the valuable nutrients and vitamins out of the juice. Suja’s process kept those intact. Most recently, I co-founded Kopari Beauty, which was at the forefront of clean beauty, eliminating all of the toxic ingredients from everyday skincare.
When creating a new brand, what do you set out to accomplish?
I love creating things that solve a problem.
How do you think your innovation fills a void or need in the community?
Innovation should always make things better for the end consumer. If it doesn’t, it likely won’t be a business that is around for very long.
On your road to success, what were some of the turning points for you?
The biggest turning point in my life came in 2008 when the world seemed like it was collapsing and so was I. I was on the verge of bankruptcy, business and personal. I decided to make significant changes in the way I lived my life that allowed me to grow and rebuild my career.
What other projects or news can we buzz for the year ahead?
I currently have a handful of projects that I’m working on that are very exciting. We are preparing to launch a new brand with Sephora with my partners Winnie Harlow and Kim Perell that will disrupt the beauty industry. I am also working on something in the medspa space called Uglow Face & Body, which has some patented technology that will help women and men feel a lot better about themselves. Lastly, I have a project I am helping launch in the electric vehicle charging space, and it doesn’t get more innovative than that!
Jaclyn Baumgarten PHOTO COURTESY OF BOATSETTER
Jaclyn Baumgarten: CEO, Boatsetter, boatsetter.com
How do you hope to innovate your industry?
At Boatsetter, we are making all the amazing experiences you can have out on the water available to everyone, everywhere. In the past, it was pretty hard to have a boating lifestyle; it basically required you (or a very close and generous friend) to own a boat and to sink huge amounts of money and time into buying and maintaining that boat. With Boatsetter, everyone with a smartphone and a free afternoon can get out on the water anytime they want with just a few clicks. Everything from an afternoon with friends on a little runabout to weeks in the islands on a megayacht, Boatsetter makes people’s boating dreams entirely accessible. Boatsetter has boats available all over the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico, the Mediterranean and Asia—and of course right here in South Florida. And as Boatsetter is a marketplace, like Airbnb, we are bringing all these boat renters together with boat owners and boat captains, delivering huge business opportunities for owners and captains.
What first sparked your interest in your industry?
Without a doubt, my best childhood memories were the long summer days my brothers and I got to spend with my father out on a boat on Fox Lake in Illinois. My father was a workaholic entrepreneur, who worked crazy long hours to provide for our family, and the one time he was fully present with us was when we were out on the boat, in the moment, all together. Those times were magical, and I wanted to make those types of experiences accessible to everyone.
How do you think your innovation fills a void or need in the community?
Boats are very expensive and time consuming to own and maintain, excluding many people from purchasing. When I started Boatsetter, most boat owners were predominantly men with an average age of 58. Boatsetter’s innovation has been to decouple enjoying boating from actually having to own a boat—and for those who do have one, delivering a secure, insured and turnkey way to generate money from their ownership. Because of this, we’ve brought waves of new blood into the boating lifestyle, opening it up to new demographics and generations. Right now, 73% of our renters are under the age of 45, and 46% of our users are women, which makes this a truly revolutionary expansion in the boating industry.
On your road to success, what were some of the turning points for you?
A key early turning point that made Boatsetter and peer-to-peer boat rentals possible was originating the insurance that covers owners, captains and renters during a peer-to-peer boat rental through our partnership with GEICO and BoatUS. The recreational boat insurance normal boat owners have ceased coverage as soon as a single dollar is taken in return for use of the boat. Boatsetter’s insurance takes over as primary during the rental, making the experience secure and covered for everyone involved. Th at was the linchpin of the entire business, and what truly sets us apart from everyone else.
What other projects or news can we buzz for the year ahead?
Boatsetter is currently working to expand our #MindYourWake campaign in the upcoming year. In the past, we’ve donated to several 501(c) (3) organizations and sponsored beach cleanups in South Florida. As Boatsetter strives to make boating accessible for everyone, it’s important that we also work to protect the beautiful marine environment that our incredible boating experiences take place in. We’re also rolling out a rental referral program in Q2 to help encourage users to spread their love for Boatsetter more easily with friends and family.
Alastair Dorward PHOTO COURTESY OF AMYRIS
Alastair Dorward: Chief Brand Officer, Amyris, amyris.com
Please share how you hope to innovate your industry.
Amyris is a pioneer in the synthetic biology industry, using our technology to disrupt several major industries including skincare, food, pharmaceuticals and more. We have proven that the ingredients we rely on for our haircare, skincare, beauty and other personal care habits can be made to benefit both people and planet. Using biotechnology, we sustainably develop virtually any molecule that exists in nature. Our proprietary Lab-to-Market platform has successfully developed and commercialized 13 ingredients used in more than 20,000 products. We also have our own family of consumer brands to further demonstrate the effectiveness of our ingredients including Biossance, Rose Inc., Purecane, OLIKA and JVN Hair, among others. With each ingredient we develop, Amyris is enabling a shift to more sustainable consumption.
How do you think your innovation fills a void or need in the community?
Amyris is guiding the industry toward sustainable consumerism by harnessing the power of synthetic biology. We’re offering environmentally friendly choices that are effective and appealing to consumers. A great example is Reb M, our sweetener ingredient available through our Purecane brand. Purecane offers a variety of sweetener products that are zero-calorie, diabetic friendly and, most importantly, delicious. Reb M was traditionally difficult to access in large quantities, but we’ve been able to unlock this molecule at scale and make it widely available using Amyris’ fermentation technology. Our portfolio of ingredients, including Reb M, follows the No Compromise approach to provide innovative, scalable solutions to make what is scarce abundant for all.
What change do you hope to drive in the future through your work?
I hope to continue delivering on our No Compromise approach to sustainable and effective products designed to improve human and planetary health. We look to establish and maintain consumers’ trust so they understand the impact of their buying decisions and the sustainability progress we make as a company, such as achieving net zero by 2030.
What other projects or news can we buzz for the year ahead?
One endeavor includes launching a menopause wellness brand with Naomi Watts to support women’s health and destigmatize menopause with Amyris’ ingredients. By 2025, there will be over 1 billion people experiencing menopause in the world, which will be 12% of the world’s entire population. Stigma, lack of open discussion and a very small market of affordable products contribute to a major barrier to care. The consumer demand for our products and ingredients has been astounding. In order to keep up with demand, we’re also planning to open up two new plants—one in Brazil and one in the U.S.—to meet consumer expectations.
Patricio Navarro PHOTO COURTESY OF YUPIX
Patricio Navarro: CEO, YUPIX, yupix.com
How are you innovating in your industry?
What we find most exciting about our work at the moment is that we’re innovating in an industry that doesn’t exist yet. We are finding ways to disrupt the traditional way of accessing luxury goods—specifically before they are even physically available to the consumer, as is the case with the innovative and collaborative partnership we have with PMG at E11EVEN Hotel & Residences and E11EVEN Residences Beyond. With YUPIX, we are able to provide consumers with a deeper comprehension of the product and accelerate the time frame for decision-making.
What first sparked your interest in your industry?
Tied to our current work in the metaverse, my passion for virtual reality technology started in high school. After studying architecture in college, my brother and I founded the first architecture visualization firm in South America. We were pioneers in that field and have been working successfully in that realm for more than three decades now.
How do you think your innovation fills a void or need in the community?
Our mission at YUPIX is to redefine reality. It means that we have a commitment to empower the end user. When making an important decision like investing in real estate or a similar luxury asset, the more knowledge and deep comprehension we can provide, the better. Our platform gives users access to more tools and resources that can help them make a decision with more confidence through firsthand experience in the metaverse. The sales gallery at E11EVEN Hotel & Residences is a first-of-its-kind example of this deeper access in action. Not only does it offer a sense of security for E11EVEN buyers in letting them see the property firsthand, but it also pushes the boundaries of typical sales tours.
On your road to success, what were some of the turning points for you?
Our key turning point to date has been the incredible reception that our product received from users. In 2021, we experienced record-breaking conversion rates with more than 95% of prospective buyers who experienced a YUPIX tour purchasing a unit afterward. It truly went beyond our expectations. Our team is now focused on turning this one-of-a-kind experience into a standard when seeking out and purchasing luxury assets. We want consumers to learn more about YUPIX and come to rely on the experience before making investment decisions.
Shantelle Rodriguez PHOTO BY NICK GARCIA PHOTOGRAPHY
Shantelle Rodriguez: Director of Experiential Art Centers, Superblue, superblue.com
How do you hope to innovate your industry?
Here at Superblue, we like to say, ‘The viewer completes the art,’ meaning Superblue is an immersive experience in every sense of the word, resulting in something memorable, individualized and powerful for our guests. We want to create a space for visitors to not only see revolutionary artwork but create lasting memories and unique moments. Collectively, Every Wall Is a Door reflects the arc of experiential art as a movement and the remarkable ways that artists are innovating with emerging mediums and placing audiences at the center of their work.
What first sparked your interest in your industry?
My passion for the arts started at a young age growing up in Miami, where I was exposed to a diverse range of artists and mediums. After graduating from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, New York, with an MA in art business, I wanted to bring my skill set and newfound knowledge back home to Miami, so I started my career working as the director of arts for Goldman Global Arts. Ever since then, I’ve been passionate about bringing public art to my community and giving South Floridians a chance to interact with world-renowned artwork.
How do you think your innovation fills a void or need in the community?
Not only does Superblue Miami add a new dimension to the arts and culture landscape in our region, but it has helped solidify Miami and Allapattah as a hub for arts and culture in the eyes of the international art community.
What change do you hope to drive in the future through your work?
Our goal is to help create resources, events and other programs that support our community, and drive conversations around the important issues and perspectives that the artists touch on through their work. Each artist on display in Every Wall Is a Door provokes us to see our relationship to the world and each other in completely new ways. In the future, we aim to make this art more accessible for generations to come.
What do you have planned for the year ahead?
We look forward to unveiling new installations at Superblue Miami later this year. Guests are also welcome to visit the art center any day of the week to see some of our latest updates, including Blue Rider Cafe’s new design by Yinka Ilori, light-based reflection holograms by James Turrell and two lightboxes by renowned Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado.
Jeff Yanes PHOTO BY NICK GARCIA PHOTOGRAPHY
Jeff Yanes: Founder & President, Lyfe Social, lyfe-social.com
How do you hope to innovate in your industry?
Innovation begins with finding your niche and solving a previously unsolved problem. We’ve spent countless hours researching and developing at Lyfe Social and have found a solution. We’re bringing a user-friendly solution to help users get together.
What first sparked your interest in your industry?
The tech industry has always been an area of interest for me. The ability to develop solutions that can reach users worldwide, entertain, keep us connected and impact the lives of customers are just some reasons. For me, working in this industry is the best of both worlds.
How do you think your innovation fills a void or need in the community?
We’re launching the ‘know where to go, know who’s there’ app. We will address a previously unsolved problem people face when getting together with friends. The pandemic has put a strain on many friendships and relationships, which makes me excited to launch Lyfe during these times to help us all connect once again.
What change do you hope to drive in the future through your work?
I would like to change the preconceived notions social media companies have of violating users’ privacy. At Lyfe Social, we put features into the app that respect user privacy. Users will control their data privacy levels, meaning they can be as public or private as they wish.
On your road to success, what were some of the turning points for you?
The road to success is never paved. It gets bumpy and dark at times, but you’ll eventually make it onto the paved road if you continue pushing. I’ve been very fortunate to have an indescribably strong support system, including family, friends and co-workers. Perseverance is vital in any business venture—you never give up! I’ve had to shift directions along the way but have never lost focus on the end goal. The turning point for me was when my core management team was complete. We have a powerful core team that couldn’t be more dedicated to the success of our companies.
What’s coming up for the year ahead?
We’re looking forward to launching Lyfe this year with several activations throughout Miami.
RICHARD LAVINA, MICHAEL MOURIZ & WILLIAM SAHATDJIAN PHOTO: BY JOCK FISTICK/COURTESY OF TAXFYLE
RICHARD LAVINA, MICHAEL MOURIZ & WILLIAM SAHATDJIAN: CO-FOUNDERS, TAXFYLE
Having raised over $35 million, this Miami startup has brought change to the accounting industry’s systemic inefficiencies by creating the revolutionary Taxfyle (taxfyle.com) company. While the venture-backed business took off as an idea and now works alongside a list of both international and Big Four accounting firms, Taxfyle’s innovative corporation (it landed on the Inc. 5000 list two years in a row) continues to change the game for tens of thousands of taxpayers on an annual basis.
ALEJANDRO RUSSO PHOTO: BY NICK GARCIA PHOTOGRAPHY
ALEJANDRO RUSSO: CO-FOUNDER & CEO, CANDELA MAMAJUANA
Since the age of 19, local business mogul Alejandro Russo has been churning out triumphant endeavors as a celebration of his Dominican heritage. Now serving as the co-founder and CEO of Dominican rum company Candela Mamajuana (drinkcandela.com), the walking success story continues to make monumental strides in educating people on culture through an extensive lineup of minority-owned business ventures.
CRISTINA ARCAY PHOTO: BY GUILLERMO VISUALS
CRISTINA ARCAY: FOUNDER, ARRO MEDIA
From working alongside world-renowned recording artists and record labels to serving as a member of Women in Music and the Recording Academy, marketing executive Cristina Arcay has been propelling the careers of artists for over a decade. As a result of the pandemic, the one-woman powerhouse spearheads ARRO Media (@arromedia)—a Miami-based, female-led marketing and creative agency committed to representing both notable talent and the Latin community at large.
KYLIE SCHUYLER PHOTO: BY KAREN MAYO
KYLIE SCHUYLER: FOUNDER & CEO, G.L.O.W.
Building a business using her passion for charitable action and gender inclusion, founder and CEO of g.l.o.w. (glowforgood.com) Kylie Schuyler spearheads a local female movement while donating 100% of net profits to charities and nonprofits focused on empowering young girls. Dishing out delectable plant-based fare in the heart of Wynwood, g.l.o.w. by Kylie Schuyler brings an innovative contribution to our tight-knit community, where entrepreneurship meets creative philanthropic efforts.
Photography by: Courtesy of Unsplash
