FGCU Entrepreneurial School and Gulfshore Opera Featured at Engage Estero Community Meeting January 29, 2026

Introduction

Following the Pledge of Allegiance and wishing everyone a Happy New Year, Engage Estero President Allan Bowditch joked to the crowd that, because of the relatively low attendance, many registered residents might have thought they were “better off staying in bed” rather than braving the cold. But for those who missed coffee and conversation, we have produced a YouTube Video of the meeting as well as this summary document.

While road construction and traffic safety are usually the hot-button topics in our village, this meeting took a different, refreshing turn. The focus shifted to the “soul” and the economic importance of new entrepreneurial start-ups in our community: cultural enrichment and economic innovation. Bowditch said that Estero needs to encourage new start-ups to develop their businesses locally, and we need more residents to support music and the arts to help establish a local Community Theater in Estero.

Bowditch quoted Harth-Bedoya, a Peruvian Orchestral conductor and now distinguished resident director of orchestras and professor at the Rice Shepherd School of Music, who recently said,  “There’s a saying that you cannot touch music- but music can touch you! It can move emotions, spark your imagination, and awaken your sense of beauty; that’s the power of music.”  Given its health benefits, we should also embrace the many local and international artists who are here on our doorstep more often.

The morning featured two powerhouse speakers who happen to be our neighbors here in Estero: Dr. Bill McDowell, Dean of the School of Entrepreneurship at FGCU, and Stephanie Pierce, the founder and General Director of Gulf Shore Opera.

The Business of Dreaming Big at FGCU

First up was Dr. Bill McDowell. If you think university entrepreneurship programs are just dusty theory classes tucked inside a business school, think again. McDowell, a happy Estero resident who moved here from Texas, made it clear that FGCU is doing something radically different.

FGCU is home to the Daveler and Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship. It is an independent school—not part of the College of Business or Engineering. In fact, it is one of only four independent schools of entrepreneurship in the entire nation.

“FGCU is your university,” McDowell reminded the room, emphasizing that the school is a major driver of the local economy. The numbers he shared were staggering. They have over 900 students majoring or minoring in entrepreneurship. To put that in perspective, most university programs have 10 to 50 students. FGCU has about 750 majors.

But what are these students actually doing? They aren’t just writing business plans; they are launching companies.

McDowell highlighted the school’s “Runway Program,” which provides funding to students across campus to start their businesses. “We actually fund them to start their businesses,” McDowell explained. In the first semester, students get between $250 and $500 to form their LLCs. Later, the school writes checks ranging from $500 to $20,000. This is non-dilutive equity, meaning the school takes zero ownership. They have given out over $1 million to student startups.

The results speak for themselves. While national research shows that only 10% to 30% of startups survive for 5 years, FGCU student- and veteran-founded startups boast a 70% success rate.

McDowell shared some local favorites you might recognize:

• Cattyshack Cafe at Gulf Coast Town Center.
  • Jade Springs, a six-figure music business.
  • Bounceback Pickle, a company started by a student who recycles pickleballs and is now manufacturing new ones from the recycled material.

They are also staying on the cutting edge with new concentrations in blockchain, sustainability, and the “creator economy”. McDowell noted they even have a professor who helped start MTV and Nickelodeon, teaching media entrepreneurship.

“It’s not just cute ideas,” McDowell said, mentioning a graduate making up to $60,000 a month creating ASMR videos and another with two billion views on TikTok. These students are building the future of our local economy, right here in our backyard.

But enhanced support to encourage even more students to remain in our locality is very important, not least because it would provide economic benefits for the Village and reflect well on our community, illustrating its forward-looking perspective.

Bringing Grand Opera to the Village

Following the high energy of the startup world, the meeting shifted to high culture. Amy Jacimedi introduced Stephanie Pierce, a former international opera singer who performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center before founding Gulf Shore Opera (GO).

Pierce, who has lived in Estero for over a year, explained that GO is the region’s professional opera company. They moved their headquarters to Estero in 2021 because they realized the growth was happening “north of Naples.” Their HQ is right on Corkscrew Road—”right next to the Arby’s,” as Pierce helpfully pointed out.

GO’s mission is to make opera accessible and destigmatize the art form. They don’t just stay in one theater; they tour three counties, bringing world-class culture to us. “We bring in over 300 professional classical singers, musicians, and directors,” Pierce noted.

The company produces full-scale grand operas, the only production company in the area doing so at professional theaters like Barbara B. Mann and Artis-Naples. Pierce showed a clip from their recent sold-out production of Carmen, which featured a 40-piece orchestra and 65 chorus members, ages 8 to 80.

But they also do smaller, intimate events. Their upcoming chamber opera, a jazz-infused version of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, will tour from March 27 to April 1. They also host “Taste of Opera” events—elegant dinners with live performances at local country clubs.

Perhaps most touching was Pierce’s discussion of the Harmony Choir, a youth engagement initiative. One of their strongest chapters is right here in Estero at Three Oaks Academy. The program helps at-risk youth, including children with autism, by offering free music education. They recently started a program connecting these youths with seniors, who perform at facilities like the Brookdale Senior Center.

However, Pierce highlighted a significant gap in our community infrastructure. GO wants to bring productions like Porgy and Bess to Estero, but “there is no such venue in Estero yet,” she said. While they have a small studio next to Arby’s, they are actively looking for a collaborative performing arts venue where local organizations can share the stage.

Community Updates: Library, Cinema, and Veterans

Before closing, Allan Bowich provided several important comments for residents. He thanked those who had provided valuable donations to the organization. 2025 has also seen a considerable increase in the attendance at our Community Meetings as well as social media growth, and a recent expansion in those who receive our communications along East Corkscrew.

nBowditch reminded everyone of the opening of the Estero Library on Three Oaks following a $10 million renovation.

He discussed Engage Estero’s and the Shadow Wood Community’s strong objection to a proposed development at Coconut Point. The plan involved removing the cinema and replacing it with a five-story residential development and multi-story car park. Bowditch noted that the high density and appearance didn’t fit the “overall tenure” of Estero. Interestingly, Pierce chimed in, noting that she had tried to buy the building for an arts center three years ago but was told it wasn’t for sale.

Looking ahead, Bowditch announced the Don Eslick Person of the Year Gala on February 26th. This year’s honoree is Dr. Larry Antonucci, President of Lee Health, recognized for his work improving healthcare facilities in the village.

He also flagged a Public Forum on March 17th at FGCU titled “Shaping Estero’s Future,” and a meeting for veterans at the library to discuss a potential veterans’ recognition park.

The 2025 Annual Report will be released next week. It highlights a year of significant progress and growing responsibility in service to the Greater Estero community. The report outlines key achievements across transportation advocacy, development oversight, environmental protection, volunteer engagement, education, healthcare, and expanded community communications. It also shares our vision for the future and the resources needed to sustain and expand our impact. We hope you have an opportunity to read it and consider financially supporting our work in 2026.

How You Can Help

The recurring theme of the meeting was that a thriving community requires participation. Both speakers made it clear that they need us, the residents of Estero, to help them succeed.

1. Mentor the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs: FGCU’s School of Entrepreneurship has about 50 to 60 mentors, but they need about 150. You don’t need to be a business tycoon to help. As Dr. McDowell explained, they need people with life experience to offer support, operations advice, or strategic networking. Whether you can help with market research or just be a “mentor circle” voice for students, your time is valuable.

• Action: If you are interested in mentoring, contact the Daveler and Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship: Contact Dr William McDowell -wmcdowell@fgcu.edu

2. Support the Arts and a New Venue: Gulf Shore Opera is looking for community leaders to join a “think tank” regarding a future performing arts center in Estero. As Pierce noted, they can’t grow their programs or bring shows to our village without a proper space. Contact Steffanie Pierce – steffanie@gulfshoreopera.org

• Action: Sign the “Share the Dream” sheet or contact Gulf Shore Opera if you have ideas, a location, or want to be involved in the conversation about a local arts venue.

As Allan Bowditch concluded, “We’d love to have a theater here… but obviously we need to support what’s here already”.

Stay warm, Estero, and let’s get involved!