Finance and Fashion

How Lauren Kurtz (BSBA Finance ’27) balances her life as a small business owner and Warrington undergraduate finance student.

One garage sale became a turning point for Lauren Kurtz (BSBA Finance ’27). In late 2019, her family sold a variety of items out of their garage. At the time, Kurtz thought it might’ve been easier to list things online.

“Right at the garage sale, I listed two or three items and one of them immediately sold,” Kurtz said. After that, she started selling Funko Pops and other items around the house through eBay. Since 2019, she has sold over 1,000 items on the platform and is a “Top Rated Plus Seller.”

While Kurtz’ online listings did well, she realized that she wanted to use her skills to do something more personal and special. That’s where her passion for fashion came in.

From a young age, Kurtz has always loved clothing. It was an avenue for her to express herself creatively—something she learned from her mom.

“My mom has always been the best dressed person I know,” she said.

After seeing other small business owners resell vintage luxury, Kurtz was inspired. For two years, she spent time researching the process for launching a business, developing relationships with suppliers and creating a unique brand. 

In June 2024, Kurtz officially launched Rens Vintage, a vintage luxury reseller that’s sold over 200 items through the online platform Poshmark. She sells vintage designer handbags, sunglasses, shoes and costume jewelry primarily from the 1990s through the 2000s. Kurtz has resold brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Dior and Chanel.

Kurtz is in the process of developing her own official online store and has also sold items at the Florida Vintage Market in Gainesville and Orlando.

“Seeing my clients in person is just so fulfilling,” Kurtz said. “That’s really special to me, just interacting with them face to face.”

Aside from her work as a small business owner, Kurtz is also a sophomore pursuing her BSBA in finance. She is currently taking Principles of Entrepreneurship with Jamie Kraft.

“That class has helped me a lot with my small business,” she said. “Learning from his class does put it into a different perspective.”

Kurtz shared that basic principles from her accounting course like profit, losses and expenses have further helped shape her entrepreneurial outlook.

She is also a volunteer with UF Blackstone, a network that ensures entrepreneurship is accessible and relevant to every college student, regardless of their major or future goals. Kurtz learned about the program from her professor, Sierra Calhoun Pollard, who is also the program director.

“UF has so many resources to help with entrepreneurs,” Kurtz said. “[There’s a] really great support system with professors and the faculty.” Kurtz encourages her peers to specifically take advantage of the Gator Hatchery Program and the Big Idea Competition.

The Gator Hatchery Program is a student business incubator that provides all UF student entrepreneurs with co-working space, office support, mentors and other resources necessary for early-stage growth. The Big Idea Competition was created to help students grow their business ideas through a four-month competition where teams of students create growth-oriented business models.

“They want students to be successful,” she said.

Kurtz urges her peers to push through their entrepreneurship efforts. “Starting a business is not always easy,” she said. “There’s always bumps in the road [and] there’s always risks involved” especially when balancing schoolwork on top of it. However, Kurtz believes that perseverance and a willingness to adapt are what truly set successful entrepreneurs apart.

“Every challenge is just another lesson,” she said. “The key is to keep going, no matter what.”