Frank Russo and Rachel Rodriguez unveil $100M Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla., Independent gubernatorial candidate Frank Russo and his running mate, Rachel Rodriguez, unveiled a $100 million initiative aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs in Florida. The proposal, titled the Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative, seeks to bolster business education, professional guidance, technology readiness, mentorship, and performance-based grants.

According to Russo, the initiative aims to fund the $100 million effort through identifying government waste, improving agency management, and reprioritizing existing resources. "Florida does not need another government program that starts with a new tax and ends without accountability," Russo stated. "The Governor can establish priorities, work with the Legislature, and use the line-item veto to demand results."

Rodriguez, a Palm Beach attorney and 20-year litigator, emphasized the need for government to remove obstacles and provide practical support for women entrepreneurs. "Women do not need government to build their dreams for them," she said. "They need government to stop creating unnecessary obstacles against their fair opportunity to succeed."

The proposed initiative includes several key components: - Business Education: Practical training in starting, managing, and growing a business. - Professional Support: Access to legal, accounting, business-formation, and regulatory guidance. - Technology and AI Readiness: Tools and training to help women-owned businesses compete in a rapidly changing economy. - Mentorship and Capital Readiness: Assistance in developing business plans, strengthening financial discipline, and connecting entrepreneurs with lenders and investors. - Performance-Based Grants: Grants of up to $25,000 for qualifying participants who complete approved training and meet measurable program requirements.

Russo highlighted the initiative's commitment to clear eligibility standards, transparent reporting, and measurable performance requirements. "This is not about handing out money without expectations," he said. "It is about giving women the knowledge, tools, and opportunity to build sustainable businesses, and requiring accountability for every public dollar invested."

The initiative also invites Florida's most successful business leaders, particularly Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, to contribute to a privately supported fund dedicated to women's entrepreneurship. Russo called on Bezos and other business leaders to help attract up to $250 million in voluntary private contributions. These funds would be administered through an independent, publicly accountable trust with safeguards ensuring that every dollar supports women's entrepreneurship.

Rodriguez noted that the initiative aligns with the Russo-Rodriguez ticket's broader commitment to expanding economic opportunity while maintaining fiscal discipline and government accountability. "When women build successful businesses, they create jobs, strengthen communities, and give their families greater independence," she said. "Florida should be the best state in the country for women who are ready to work hard, take a risk, and build something that lasts."

Russo, a lifelong Floridian with extensive business leadership experience, is running for Governor to restore affordability, strengthen Florida's economy, and build a government focused on practical solutions that prioritize Floridians.