Linda Olson
About Linda Olson
Linda Olson serves as the President and CEO of the FirstWaVE Venture Center, which she helped establish to support tech entrepreneurs in downtown Tampa. She has a strong background in business and finance, with degrees from Florida State University and Columbia Business School, and has received multiple awards for her contributions to the entrepreneurial community.
Work at Tampa Bay Wave
Linda Olson has served as the Founder and President of Tampa Bay Wave since 2008. Under her leadership, the organization has evolved from a local tech entrepreneur meetup into a recognized 501c3 nonprofit organization. She has played a significant role in raising $18 million from various sources, including sponsors, donors, and grants, to support the nonprofit's mission. Additionally, she helped establish the FirstWaVE Venture Center, which provides a 16,000 sq/ft space for tech entrepreneurs in downtown Tampa.
Education and Expertise
Linda Olson holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Florida State University, where she studied from 1988 to 1992. She furthered her education with a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) at the same institution from 1993 to 1994. Olson also earned an MBA from Columbia Business School in 2005. Her educational background in Accounting and Information Technology has equipped her with the skills necessary for her roles in finance and entrepreneurship.
Background
Linda Olson began her career as an Audit Intern at KPMG in 1992. She later worked as a Senior Consultant at Arthur Andersen from 1994 to 1997. Olson transitioned to the tech sector, serving as Corporate Controller at yet2.com from 2000 to 2003. She founded WOMbeat! in 2007, where she served as CEO until 2012. In 2011, she founded Total Web Concierge, which she led until 2013. Her diverse experience spans accounting, consulting, and entrepreneurship.
Achievements
Linda Olson has received several recognitions for her contributions to the community and the tech industry. In 2023, she was honored as a Women in STEAM by Girls Inc. of Pinellas. She also received the Angie Joseph Excellence in Mentoring award from the Tampa Bay Business Journal in 2022. Olson represented the U.S. as a delegate at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Bahrain in 2019 and Riyadh in 2022, showcasing her commitment to fostering entrepreneurship on a global scale.
Key Contributions
Linda Olson played a pivotal role in securing a $1 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to launch the FirstWaVE Accelerator program. She has also delivered keynote speeches at significant events, including the Tampa Bay Organization for Women in International Trade and the Economic Club of Tampa Bay in 2023. These contributions reflect her dedication to supporting entrepreneurs and advancing the tech ecosystem in Tampa.