The 2022 Entrepreneurs-in-Residence program increased by adding a fourth member. Meredith Mazie (class of 2010), Ryan Reisdorf (class of 2019), Matt Fiedler (class of 2011) and Kristin Sweeting (class of 2010) answered questions and talked about their businesses and fields of expertise in a panel on Sept. 21.
Belmont has enhanced the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program over the years, creating a more relatable experience for the student body.
New to Entrepreneurs-in-Residence is alumna Kristin Sweeting who is the founder of Kristin Sweeting Photography and Dangerous Creatives, a consulting business for creatives.
“The thing that I’m really loving doing now is mentoring people on how to take something that they love doing, a passion, and turn it into a business,” Sweeting said. “I found a way that business and making money also feel creative.”
Mazie runs a women’s clothing boutique called ABEDNEGO in the Germantown neighborhood in North Nashville which she founded in 2015. ABEDNEGO was recognized as a Top Women’s Boutique in Nashville by Nashville Guru.
“I didn’t really find a place in Nashville that was approachable when it came to boutique shopping,” Mazie said. “It was a very high price point, and it wasn’t really accessible for where I was- coming out of college as a young adult. So, I wanted to bring something different to the community. And that is what ABEDNEGO is.”
Reisdorf is the founder of Placemat, a concierge chef service dedicated to nourishing and improving communities by bringing neighborhood ingredients to your kitchen.
“I think the coolest thing for me today is that we are providing jobs for people,” Reisdorf said. “I just want to create jobs and create wealth for more people.”
Fiedler started Vinyl Me Please in 2013 after studying entrepreneurship at Belmont. Vinyl Me Please is projected to reach $5 million in revenue this year. After eight years as CEO, Fiedler recently transitioned to the Board. In his newest venture, UNBRKBLE, Fiedler advises aspiring entrepreneurs.
“It’s been a fun journey since graduating,” Fiedler said. “I walked all the same halls as you. Now there’s just a thousand times more halls than I remember.”
This successful collective of young entrepreneurial alumni are available to all university students no matter their field of study as mentors, consultants, or simply to utilize as sounding boards for ideas and entrepreneurial endeavors.
Fiedler lives in Colorado and holds his meetings and class sections via Zoom. Reisdorf, Sweeting and Mazie live locally and will be available for on campus or off campus meetings as well as through Zoom or by phone when students schedule an appointment.
Students can book appointments with the Entrepreneurs-in-Residence on the Center for Entrepreneurship website.
