“Don’t call it a dream, call it a plan.” This is the quote I see on the cover of her journal as she writes. I can’t help but think how she, Jolene Taracatac, has truly taken these words to heart. She is determined, brave, and not to mention well-dressed. Not only is she my internship employer, but she is the founder and CEO of her own growing fashion app, Style Squad.
Growing up in a school uniform, the opportunities she had to express her style growing up were far and few between. However, she always thrived on being able to put together her own outfits and expressing her personal style any chance she got. She headed to UCF for college, where she studied business management. Once becoming a UCF alumna, she realized the best option for her would be to continue her studies in Los Angeles, this time focusing on fashion. It was while working with stylists in LA that she had an idea. What if she could simply post an outfit photo to a platform that would provide her with instant style feedback?
Rather than sitting back and wishing such an app existed, Jolene decided to take matters into her own hands. That’s when she entered into Orlando’s start up world. With the ultimate goal of encouraging self-love and empowerment, Style Squad came to fruition. As CEO and founder, Jolene’s own creativity led her to solve a problem she was passionate about. She uses this app as a place to help people feel confident in their own skin through helping them find their best personal style. Launching in December 2017, the app is now available for anyone who needs style advice or help deciding on a potential clothing purchase. Something she had thought up just a couple years earlier has become a reality.
So what challenges does Jolene face in running her own app? Well, in her own words, there’s no “guidebook” on how to do it. It’s true that people can offer you advice, but they’ll never be able to tell you exactly how to handle a problem when you’re paving a new way. The biggest thing Jolene has found is that you have to be okay with trying, failing, and trying again. In other words, finding out what works will involve a lot of finding out what doesn’t work. Jolene has also found encouragement in being around people with the same level of ambition.
“My favorite part of creating my own start up is that it never gets boring and I’m constantly meeting other visionaries who are inspiring, doing amazing things, and blazing their own trails,” she told me. I’m not sure if I’ve ever met someone who truly turned their dreams into plans the way Jolene has. The moment I joined her team, I knew I was going to be a part of something special, and I was right. I’ve learned so much already during my time at Style Squad, but one of my favorite pieces of advice Jolene has offered is the following: “Follow your passions and fate will find you.”