Sydney Grims is a hospitality and business-development leader and the Scarpa Center’s 2026-27 Entrepreneur in Residence. As a Partner and Director of Business Development at Fearless Restaurants, she helps guide the growth of the family-owned restaurant group’s portfolio across Greater Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore. A Cornell graduate with a background in hotel administration and real estate, Sydney brings a practical, people-centered perspective on operations, leadership

Happy Nomad, founded by Beatrice Hilland, Dayana Parra, and Nicole Garcia, is a travel-focused brand featuring Scandinavian-inspired gear for modern families. Their designs include organized gear that simplifies and elevates traveling with children. Beatrice and Katie sat down to talk more about the company and Beatrice's entrepreneurial journey. Q: To start us off, could you tell us a little about yourself and your background? A: I was born in Bergen, Norway. I spent my chi

Rossillo & Licata LLP is a law firm based in Westbury, New York, dedicated to delivering high-quality, legal services. The firm’s founding partners, Joseph J. Licata III and John J. Rossillo, represent insurance companies in the defense of No-Fault claims in both court and arbitration. They also represent clients injured in motor vehicle, slip, trip and fall, and other accidents. With decades of combined experience and a service-oriented approach, Rossillo & Licata strives to

Minsoo Jeon is a first-year law student at Villanova Law Charles Widger School of Law. Minsoo founded Plot Holders LLC, a real estate investment company, in October 2019. Since then, the company has completed more than fifty transactions involving the purchase of raw land, obtaining development permits, and flipping entitled property to a third party (e.g., a local builder). Take a look at Minsoo's company's website here: https://www.plotholders.com/ Q: Tell us about your bus

Lisa Tortolani is the co-founder of 20Fund, a venture capital firm in Turin, Italy. Before beginning her business, Lisa graduated from Villanova University in 2001 with a dual degree in Italian Studies and Political Science. After graduating, Lisa became CEO at ABCya where she raised profits and oversaw a merger with YXL Experiential Learning. She realized the experiences she gathered during her time at ABCya were valuable and that people were curious to learn more about them

Ava Dressendofer is a current 1L law student at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law.  Ava recently launched her business, Mi Ciélo Charm Bar, a charm-based jewelry company that has achieved a 90% profit margin. In this spotlight, Ava discusses what inspired Mi Ciélo Charm Bar, how she pivoted and innovated throughout her journey as entrepreneur and student, and how the law is an essential aspect of growing and protecting her business.  Q: I was doing a bit of re

Brett Mastrangelo, an incoming 3L at Villanova Charles Widger School of Law (“CWSL”), was recently awarded 1st Place at the Villanova Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s 15th Annual Pitch Day Competition and received a $10,000 prize to invest in his company, Adjustiblox. In this spotlight, Brett discusses how he came up with the idea for Adjustiblox, how he balances law school with being an entrepreneur, and how CWSL and the John F. Scarpa Center for Entrepreneurs

On October 17, 2023, as part of Women’s Entrepreneurship Week, The John F. Scarpa Center for Entrepreneurship and Law co-sponsored a...

On October 3, 2023, the John F. Scarpa Center for Entrepreneurship and Law welcomed entrepreneurs Justin Rosenberg and Jane...

Villanova’s John F. Scarpa Center for Entrepreneurship and Law’s Entrepreneur Spotlight Series aims to highlight emerging companies and...