By Krysten Brenlla
New York City – the city where ambition never sleeps, and every street corner hums with the energy of people chasing their next opportunity. For over 20 years, Lillya Nashanchik was part of that hustle.
However, after working closely with startups, top talent, and founders in the Big Apple, she’s now setting her sights on somewhere new: South Florida’s booming tech hub; Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.
A GROWTH JOURNEY THROUGH TECH AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Originally from Rochester, New York, she earned a liberal arts degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology, and upon graduation, she faced the question many graduates know all too well: What’s next?
“My parents were both technologists, and hoped I’d become a software engineer, but it wasn’t my strong suit,” Nashanchik said. “With a liberal arts degree, my options felt limited. So, I took a chance – I moved to New York City, and landed a job at a staffing agency that specialized in recruiting women. I had the people skills, and they had a great training program. That’s what sparked my career in talent acquisition.”
From the start of her career, Nashanchik knew she loved entrepreneurship and working with smaller startups and founders, especially women. She saw firsthand how the rise of the internet shaped businesses, and how founders pushed boundaries – sometimes beyond what was technically possible at the time.
But what really captivated her was witnessing how startups and industries evolved through innovation, changing the way we think and operate.
“Back then, more startups failed than succeeded – the Amazons and Googles survived, but smaller startups did not,” Nashanchik said. “But, when industries and companies started introducing services or products that changed how we do things as a society, that’s when I saw technology – and startups – begin to progress.”
For years, she worked with talent acquisition agencies that focused on big-brand-names. Eventually, she realized that choosing her own clients would be more impactful – not just for her, but for the industry.
“The people I helped early in their careers land their first jobs or gigs have since become founders and leaders, and they’d come back to me for help growing their companies,” Nashanchik said. “That’s how I fell in love with picking my own clients and starting my own company.”
Now, as the founder of LN Talent Partners, Nashanchik has helped 500 different clients (both startups and talent), and has dedicated her career to helping early-stage tech startups and talent find the missing piece of their puzzle.
With some recognizable clients on her roster, like Rent the Runway, a fashion company built on technology that allows customers to rent their clothing and accessories instead of buying them, she works with early-stage startups to help them integrate new technology, innovation, and talent within their companies.
Now, she’s focusing on helping build the South Florida startup scene.
MOVING TO SOUTH FLORIDA’S BOOMING TECH SCENE
When Nashanchik moved to South Florida in 2019, she arrived just in time to witness Miami’s tech boom. A year later, in December 2020, City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez tweeted his now-famous response to a suggestion about relocating Silicon Valley to Miami: “How can I help?”
That’s when she knew she was in the right place to discover fresh talent and ambitious founders.
“Moving to South Florida is a totally different way of life – it’s much more relaxed, because everything isn’t always rushed to get done,” she said. “It’s also about being part of something younger, which is exciting for talent moving to South Florida – you can actually have an impact on a growing tech ecosystem.”
Since moving to South Florida, Nashanchik is in business development mode, and is dedicated to finding her next roster of talent and startups to influence our tech ecosystem. “If you work with me, you can expect to have a partner who is very direct, collaborative, and open,” Nashanchik said.
For those looking to break into the South Florida tech scene, Nashanchik has one key piece of advice: network.
“Attend every event you can, and talk to as many people,” she said. “It’s not a question of applying online – there’s so much competition out there. What matters is recognition within the industry. Talk to people, follow up, and show them what you can bring to their companies or life.”
For founders, her advice is simple: be humble.
“As a founder, you have to understand that many fail before they succeed,” she said. “South Florida is a great, supportive ecosystem. It’s small enough to make an impact, but big enough to leave an impression on some truly great people who want to help you.”
THE GROWING LANDSCAPE OF SOUTH FLORIDA TECH
South Florida’s tech scene has grown rapidly, with billions of dollars invested in startups in just a few years, resulting in Miami being one of the top U.S. metro areas for venture capital results. And, with an increasing number of big-name companies relocating to South Florida, the demand for top tech talent continues to rise.
“Crypto, blockchain, and web3 has branded Miami as a tech hub – it’s come a long way,” Nashanchik said. “There are so many accelerators and programs that help bring tech and innovation to the forefront – there are a lot of forces coming together in South Florida to improve and continue growing the tech ecosystem, and I’m just excited to be part of that.”
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