Today we’d like to introduce you to Eddy Mazarredo
Hi Eddy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In December 1961, my parents emigrated to Miami, Florida from the island of Cuba. Escaping the communist regime with little more than a few cents to their name and only the belongings that could fit into a suitcase, they arrived, enrolled in school, and took on jobs to support their family. Although they were friends on the island, my parents married in Miami, and in 1971, I was born. Like most other Cuban-Americans of our generation, I saw first hand the struggles they faced and the drive they had to continue to seek better opportunities for our family. They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery – my parents have always been my role models and are the driving force behind my success. After graduating from Florida International University with a double major in Finance & International Business, I set my sights on entrepreneurial grandeur. After many years of business start ups, ideas, proof of concepts, and trending analysis, I founded ORLANDO STATE — Thee Hipster Collegiate brand. A vanity collegiate themed lifestyle brand in Orlando, Florida. The brand operates in licensing & merchandizing streetwear apparel. Coming off our most explosive growth cycles in 2019, we launched the ORLANDO STATE newsletter in Sept 2020, which highlights local businesses, artists & musicians in a monthly email delivery publication. As we continue to evolve, our executive leadership team has big plans for 2021. In January 2021, we will launch the ORLANDO STATE Foundation, with the goal of providing athletic scholarships to local student-athletes. In May 2021, our 1st Annual Golf Tournament & in November, Thee ORLANDO STATE GALA.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being an entrepreneur & philanthropist, we are constantly faced with daily struggles. I find that organization & a solid business infrastructure, along with daily and weekly goal setting at the pinnacle of our success. When you are creating a concept, you would be surprised at the amount of negativity and naysayers you will meet. I have found that this can sabotage your venture. A strong mind and heavy will is required to persevere through constant rejection. Last year we sought out mentoring from the local SBA chapter and other entrepreneurial resources for a small business such as SCORE (score.org). They offer no-cost mentoring on all aspects and phases of your business, education (live & zoom training sessions on tools like QuickBooks) & amazing networking opportunities.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Ever since my youth, I have had an innate ability to make people laugh. About five years ago, I decided that it was time that I tried standup. I would go to all open mic spots in town and practice – joke formation & delivery. I would often study pauses of other comedians that I followed locally & nationally. Being an adventurer & seeker of knowledge, comedy & performing jokes got my blood boiling again. I felt alive, and my public speaking skills had evolved that I could perform in front of anyone. To increase crowd interaction and participation at my shows, I self-taught myself to play guitar and write melodies to my jokes and premises. Now, I run a local cover band called Eddy & Friendz – acoustic jam sessions. An adhoc group where I invite musicians to jam and share our love of music and its powers with other good vibing people of Orlando. We have started booking gigs in other cities and towns nearby. I think I get my empathy and hospitality skills from my mother. She goes out of her way to make sure anyone who visits is treated just like family – offered plenty to eat and drink and made to feel at home. I have implemented EMPATHY as a core value www.orlandostate.com and the way we handle our customer base.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Central Florida is such a wonderful & dynamic place to live. To start, we are the center of the state and home to the attractions. In 2019, Orlando was the #1 travel destination in the US, seeing 75million visitors from a vast variety of countries. In addition, our location is so centric that we are 45 min from Thee World Famous Daytona Beach (home to the finest raceway in the country & the annual February event – The Daytona 500). Also home to JeepBeach and BikeWeek, Daytona and its beaches are great spots nearby to take. Also nearby is Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach, home of Ron Jon surfshop. Our city is growing like mad and our hipster culture is quickly evolving and making it one of the coolest spots to hang out in the country too. Top-level chefs are moving to Orlando to provide their edible arts & culinary treats to the foodies and travelers alike; Orlando now boasts over 35 local microbreweries from Daytona to Kissimmee and also host many live music events and nationally known bands & acts spanning many genres… ORLANDO iz the place to be!
Contact Info:
- Email: gohigher@orlandostate.com
- Website: orlandostate.com
- Instagram: @orlando.state
- Facebook: @orlando.state
- Twitter: @orlando_state
- Other: goodtimeZ.orlandostate.com
