While attending Florida State University, Ogden set up a booth in the center of campus and started selling fresh smoothies. Eventually he developed such a large following that he started visiting other local smoothie vendors and decided it wouldn’t be too challenging to create a better-tasting product. So at 21 years old, he opened his first permanent smoothie store. After seven successful years he sold the business and started again with Juiceblendz. By then he knew the secret to gaining loyal customers was to use only real fruit from the places with the tastiest varieties. “I get special strawberries from Colombia and South America,” he divulges. “And we use our own proprietary blends of powders, vitamins and minerals.”

Though Ogden’s product is of the highest quality, it was the founder’s charisma that initially attracted investor—and former Miami Dolphin—Jason Taylor to the brand.  Taylor’s investment is paying off, as Ogden claims his same-store sales are up year after year. The franchise started with a corporate store in Weston and has grown to incorporate 10 locations, including mobile units and two sites in North Carolina. He also recently opened two new locations at Nova Southeastern University. Forty more locations are in the works, and Ogden promises Juiceblendz is Miami-bound in 2010.

All lectures are FREE and open to the public. Seating is limited, please visit events.lynn.edu/ceo or confirm before attending by calling Florence Dajuste at 561-237-7856.