Webcast Details

Join us as we kick off the Center of Self-Employment webcast series with an entrepreneur who utilizes strategy and teamwork to start and launch his dessert food truck trailer called Shawn Goes Bananas. Based in Tallahassee, Florida, Shawn Rosier and Team take us on their journey from idea conceptualization, the spark of inspiration, dedicated teamwork, and current growth and goals.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify three key strategies Shawn used on his pathway to success.
2. Identify any accommodations Shawn uses for his work.
3. Describe how Shawn identified that self-employment and his business model were a good fit for him.

Bios:

Shawn Rosier is the proud owner of Shawn Goes Bananas, a dessert food truck that launched March 2024 in the Tallahassee, Florida area. Shawn is a 2020 graduate of Wakulla High School (WHS) in Crawfordville, Florida. While at WHS, Shawn was an active member of Club S.O.A.R. and Wakulla County Special Olympics. Shawn was also actively involved with his classroom business, Ahoy Cookies; the business prepared and sold freshly baked cookies daily to high school students and staff. After graduating from high school, Shawn attended post-secondary transition programs in Leon and Wakulla County, Florida. In 2022, Shawn secured supported employment at SmallCakes cupcakery in Tallahassee, where he worked until the launch of Shawn Goes  Bananas.  

Shawn’s dessert food truck has many offerings, including a decadent banana cream pudding, a gluten-free “skinny” version of the decadent pudding, and various seasonal specialty desserts. Shawn Goes Bananas will be appearing at local festivals and fairs, community events, food truck fairs, and private events within a 50-mile radius of the Tallahassee/Crawfordville area. When Shawn is not preparing his decadent banana cream pudding, he enjoys watching NFL football (the Atlanta Falcons are his favorite team, and Jalen Hurts, quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, is his favorite player). Shawn also enjoys watching his favorite WWE superstar, Roman Reigns, and participating in Florida State University’s Best Buddies chapter! Shawn Goes Bananas exemplifies what can be accomplished when you believe in your ability regardless of your disability!

Sonia Clark-Rosier currently serves as an autism consultant for the Florida State University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. For almost two decades, Sonia served as an exceptional student education (ESE) teacher in both Leon and Wakulla County, FL schools and as an associate dean at Wakulla High School in Crawfordville, Florida. During her tenure at Wakulla High School, Ms. Clark-Rosier secured grant funding from the University of Central Florida to develop a college and career organization (Club S.O.A.R.) for individuals with intellectual disabilities and neurotypical peers to explore post-secondary education opportunities throughout the  state of Florida. Ms. Clark-Rosier has earned degrees from the University of Alabama (BA), Florida State University (MPA), and Amridge University (MA). She is currently a candidate to receive her Education Specialist Degree (Ed S) from Florida State University. After Sonia’s spring graduation, she will continue coursework toward her Doctorate of Education (Ed D) degree at Murray State University. Shawn Goes Bananas is the brainchild of Sonia Clark-Rosier and her husband, Shawn Rosier. Sonia collaborated with Griffin Hammis Associates, Vocational Rehabilitation, and a team of business professionals to create a supported self-employment opportunity for their son Shawn, utilizing the Certified Business Technical Assistance Consultant (CBTAC) Program.

Monica Doyle is a CBTAC currently working with Florida Vocational Rehabilitation clients.

Rhonda Oneslager has a B.A. in Psychology. For approximately 15 years, she has worked as a Case Manager and a Rehabilitation Counselor at mental health and state agencies. In 2018, she became employed at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in Florida, first as a Vocational Rehabilitation Technician and then as a Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. In February 2024, she accepted a position as a Human Services Program Consultant for the Division of Blind Services. She has a passion for assisting those with disabilities to reach their full potential.

Facilitator:
Ciara Ladroma has served the employment and entrepreneurial industries for the last 12 years with a focus on serving people with disabilities, women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. She has supported small business owners nationwide to create, launch, and grow their businesses. Ciara began her career in Supported Employment as an Employment Specialist and has since carried these unique skills and traits to all areas of her career. Previously serving as a Career Coach at Des Moines Area Community College and as the Director of the Iowa Women’s Business Center, Ciara has found ways to elevate communities by guiding people’s success through business ownership and career navigation. As an entrepreneur herself, she is able to take her own experiences and challenges to help others navigate their entrepreneurial hurdles. Ciara provides technical assistance and trainings of best-practices regarding employment service delivery with a focus on Customized Employment and Self-Employment.