​Unlock Your Potential at the Female Founders Forum 2025: The Power of Action! Powered by GOOGLE​

Calling all dynamic female founders, ambitious entrepreneurs, and trailblazing business professionals! Are you ready to elevate your startup and connect with a community of like-minded women?​

Join us on May 17, 2025, at the Newman Alumni Center, University of Miami, for an unforgettable day of empowerment, networking, and inspiration.

At Women for Success (WFS), we're more than just a nonprofit—we're a powerful community dedicated to uplifting women by providing invaluable free workshops, essential tools, abundant resources, mentorship opportunities, small business grants, and innovative Business Showers! Here, every woman gets the chance to define success on her own unique terms.

Why Attend?

• Inspiring Keynotes & Expert Panels: Gain insights from top-notch speakers and industry leaders on critical topics like funding, finance, investing, and growth.​

• Dynamic Workshops: Participate in interactive sessions designed to provide actionable takeaways to propel your business forward.​

• Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow leaders, professionals, and founders. Remember, you're just one connection away from changing your entire life!​

• Support a Great Cause: Your participation helps fund the Business Shower Fund and Incubator Program, awarding grants to ambitious entrepreneurs and women-led startups

Event Details:

• Who: Driven women leaders and professionals, women ready to launch or scale their startups, or anyone looking to connect with a community of ambitious peers.

• What: A full-day conference featuring workshops, keynote sessions, and collaborative discussions.​

• Where: Newman Alumni Center, University of Miami.​

• When: May 17, 2025, 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM.​

• Why: Entrepreneurship can often feel like a solitary journey, but it doesn’t have to be. With the support of a vibrant community of like-minded women, your entrepreneurial path will be filled with collaboration, encouragement, and fulfillment!​

Secure Your Seat Today!

Don't miss this opportunity to transform your future. Grab your Biz Bestie and join us for a day that promises to be both engaging and transformational.

MEET OUR SPEAKERS!

Ericka Arias-Bertani, Founder & CEO Gira Business Development

Passionate about data and growth, Ericka brings over 20 years of marketing expertise to help businesses thrive. As a Cuban American from Miami, she understands the drive it takes to succeed. Ericka has tripled ROI and KPIs for companies of all sizes, streamlining processes with her expertise in CRM, database management, data analysis, and email marketing. A spreadsheet enthusiast, her passion lies in helping businesses leverage data to achieve their goals. Ericka believes in fostering a supportive community and is proud to serve Women for Success, a place where women can share their experiences and strategies for achieving success.

AILEEN MARTINEZ, MBA, Owner & CEO Rise Up Bookkeeping

With an MBA specializing in data analytics from Florida International University, advanced certifications from QuickBooks Online, and being recognized as an Intuit Certified Bookkeeping Professional, Aileen Martinez has extensive experience working in the bookkeeping industry. As a business owner herself, she knows firsthand how stressful running a business can be, the dread of the never-ending to-do list, and the overwhelm that comes with wearing all of the hats in a business. She understands the importance of outsourcing to the experts to take back her time and make more money, which is what she helps other womenpreneurs do as the CEO of Rise Up Bookkeeping®: Igniting Business Growth with More Profit and More Time®.

Elizabeth Gonzalez, Founder & CEO of Specialty HR Consulting

Elizabeth is the driving force behind Specialty HR Consulting, bringing a hands-on, people-first approach to HR solutions. With a deep passion for helping businesses thrive, she specializes in making HR simple, strategic, and compliant. Known for her ability to connect with business owners and solve complex workforce challenges, Elizabeth is committed to creating workplaces where both companies and employees succeed. When she’s not leading SHRC, she enjoys working out at Crossfit, spending time with family, and finding new ways to support growing businesses.

Raquel (Gonzalez) Riano, Vice President - Mortgage Loan Officer at Seacoast Bank

With over two decades of experience in the banking industry, including the past five years as a mortgage loan officer, I am dedicated to finding the ideal mortgage product and program tailored to your needs. I provide exceptional service and guidance throughout the entire process ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience. My expertise, integrity and dedication to a seamless mortgage process are at your service. If you are seeking a mortgage lender in South Florida and want to explore all your loan options, contact me today. You can prequalify by calling 305.795.0494 or by completing our simple online request form. Let me help you find the perfect Seacoast personal mortgage loan. I am bilingual and ready to assist you.

Bianca Paggi, Founder & CEO of Branding with B

Bianca attended Loyola University New Orleans and graduated with a B.A. in Marketing with a minor in Public Relations. She is half Salvadorian and Italian, but born and raised in the Atlanta; making her bilingual in Spanish and English. She has always been creative since she can remember, and while studying abroad in Barcelona, Bianca took a branding class where they had to develop a product and market it to the locals in Spanish. From there she knew that she wanted to pursue her love for creativity and branding locally and internationally. Bianca founded Branding with B with the passion and purpose to help other entrepreneurs and businesses take their business to an elevated level and thrive. She always wanted to start her own business, but didn't know when. Bianca took the plunge after working in the corporate fashion world for 10 years and decided it was time. With her Marketing, PR and Project Management background and experience, she always approaches each project with the mindset of creating an on brand aesthetic, but something that will successfully resonate with your audience and capture their attention.

Lauren Marsicano, Esq., Co-Founder of Marsicano + Leyva PLLC, Your Business and Family Law Attorneys

Lauren Marsicano, Esq. is the founding partner of Miami-based boutique law firm Marsicano + Leyva PLLC and has worked with global Fortune 100 companies like Bank of America and Ryder. Outside of her law firm, she is the creator of the Networking Maverick community where she helps her clients turn their networks into net-worth, and in 2020, Lauren founded the nonprofit Women for Success that is creating generational impact by empowering self-identifying women through grants, education, ementorship, support, community, and Business Showers to allow them to define success on their own terms. Lauren has been recognized as a “Top 40 under 40 Lawyer in the Nation” by the American Bar Association and has been named a “Florida Super Lawyer, Rising Star” as well as the Best She-Owned Miami Business Owner by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce. She received her law degree from the University of Miami and has studied at Oxford University.

Emily Barbe, Founder & CEO of FAAV: Finance As A Verb

From an early age, I developed an entrepreneurial spirit. Crafting, creating, and shamelessly bossing around my younger brother and friends to create driveway-based craft shows and lemonade stands was just the beginning of what would start my path toward understanding money and owning businesses. My parents were also incredible money mentors, teaching me invaluable financial literacy skills and the important lesson that “money does not grow on trees!” These lessons would spark a passion in me to pass onto others what I was able to begin learning in childhood. Upon graduating from Indiana University in 2012, I accepted a position in wealth management at Merrill Lynch, where I could help others to better understand their finances personally and professionally. After over a decade at some of Wall Street's biggest wire houses, I launched my own financial planning practice, FAAV (pronounced 'fave') in 2023, allowing me to pursue my passion of working with small business owners from the ground up, something I often couldn't do while working at the traditional firms where asset minimums were often $500,000+.

Francia Cabral, Founder of Francia Cabral Law

Francia Cabral has been in the legal field for as long as she can remember. In fact, she’s played almost every role in a law firm. Francia began her career as a legal assistant and then went on to become a lawyer. Francia attended law school at Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law all while working full time at a premier family law firm in Miami. Though Francia has experience in both family and civil litigation, she was especially drawn to the family law practice by her passion for children’s issues and desire to help clients resolve deeply complex legal issues during emotionally trying times. Francia has worked as a family law attorney for almost a decade now. She has handled a wide array of matters including: divorces, child support and time-sharing disputes, spousal support issues, paternity suits, relocations and post-judgment modifications, as well as international child custody disputes. Because she understands that each client’s goals are unique, she adapts her approach to the specific needs of her clients.

Lorna Flores, Founder of Lil Chef Big Food

I am Lorna Flores. I am the founder of Little Chef Big Food, a mom of 3, wife, and entrepreneur. Have you ever heard the term, “health is your wealth”?
I have been a professional chef since 2006, when I turned my passion with food into a career. In 2015, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease after a miscarriage. Being the persistent woman I am, I wanted to understand why I was facing all these health issues. Even more so, I wanted to understand why these health issues are so normalized in the health care system. Yet, they didn’t feel normal at all to me. It was at this moment that my passion and career became my life’s mission. When I turned to alternative medicine and reached the root causes of my disease, it led me to study functional nutrition.
My mission in life is to help people feel their best thru nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. I have helped client with autoimmune diseases, chronic illnesses, mold, cancer, weight loss, and people seeking preventative medicine thru the power of food. By teaching the misconceptions of the results in a healthy lifestyle vs diets I have been able to share the fruits of my labor with others.

Yazzy Giraldo, Founder of Sexy Sassy Strong

Yaisesmid Giraldo “Yazzy” originally from Argelia Valle, Colombia. Yazzy’s passion for dance started at a the young age of 6. She moved to Cali, Colombia when she was 14 years old and began Acting & Dance training. In Cali she was introduced and fell in love for the first time with Salsa de Cali. Yazzy received her early training at SENFOL Escuela de Salsa y Folclor Colombiano and also at Stilo y sabor escuela de salsa. Later, she attended María Sanford Schools were she won a scholarship and was introduced to contemporary dance, belly dance, ballet, Hip-Hop, Samba and Jazz. At the age of 19, Yazzy danced and toured internationally, to Ecuador, Peru, and the United States. Yazzy studied at New York Broadway Dance Center and The House of Dance in New Jersey. In 2009 moved to Miami and worked as a dancer and cast member in the tv show El Vacilon en MegaTV, at the same time studied with theatrical instructor Gosvany Medina. She was a cast member in DESCONTROL tv show in Telemundo. In 2012 worked as a cast member in La Noche De Perros in Telefutura. In 2014 She founded Sexy Sassy and Strong with the unconditional support of her husband. She loves to teach and share her enthusiasm and love for the art of dance and fitness with all of her students.

Romi Wallach, Co-Founder of The Daily Drip

Romi Wallach began working in Financial Services in 2017. In early 2022 she joined NOW CFO as a Business Development Representative in the South Florida market. Romi’s background working with business owners and decision makers has allowed her to expand and provide even more resources and support to the large community of business owners and professionals that she has served over the years. In November of 2023 she became the Director of Business Development for ISA – an organization that provides innovative solutions to business owners looking to grow and scale their business by leveraging remote Global Talent.
In 2021, she Co-founded The Daily Drip, a media platform providing content, resources, programming, and community to support South Florida businesswomen on their journey to maximum potential. The Daily Drip is a thought leadership platform amplifying the voices of the modern female business professional. From Palm Beach to South Beach, they are now a community of 4,000 and growing!
Romi serves as a member of the Joe DiMaggio Planned Giving committee, a Board Member for Piper’s Angels Foundation, a 3 x Crossing Crusader in the Crossing for CF, Mentor for the Crossing for CF, Core Committee Member for the Crossing for CF, member of Women Know Y, Club 211 Broward Lifetime member, Circle of Wise Women and Co-President for IBDPros.

AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED!

For Sponsorship Opportunities or Table Discounts | Contact Lauren@GiveForSuccess.org!

* As this is a nonprofit event, no refunds will be provided; however, we will allow you to transfer your ticket to another person 7 days or more before the event.*

####

Editor’s Note: Lauren Marsicano, Esq., Founder of Women for Success is available for Interview.