CPA, nonprofit founder, entrepreneur

More than an accountant

As a Senior Accountant in SEC Reporting & Technical Accounting at Helen of Troy, Sean Warner (BSAc ’18, MAcc ’18) puts the skills he gained at the Fisher School of Accounting to work every day.

That’s not the only place he uses his accounting background, though, which also includes experience at Big Four accounting firms Deloitte and EY.

As an undergraduate at the University of Florida, Warner founded Gator Junior Golf Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities and providing mentorship for young people.

 A decade later, the organization has raised $2 million while serving over 200 children across Alachua County, while remaining a meaningful part of Warner’s life and work.

More recently he founded Warner Safari, a premium original-print apparel brand that is licensed with 18 institutions, including the University of Florida.

Even with his accounting “day job,” Warner continues to find ways to turn his interests and expertise into opportunities that extend beyond the course.

“The common thread throughout my career has been that one experience has continually opened the door to another.”

Climbing the Mountain

When Warner first arrived at the University of Florida, he planned to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a doctor.

“Chemistry class had other plans for me,” he said, quickly realizing that he needed to pivot.

“In hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise,” he said. “An unsuccessful first plan does not prevent you from doing something equally meaningful—or even better.”

After taking Introduction to Accounting with Jill Goslinga, Warner knew what he wanted to study.

“Accounting became the mountain I wanted to climb,” he said.

Outside of academics, Warner also found himself pushed outside of his comfort zone through networking.

“The Fisher School of Accounting did an excellent job of connecting students with accounting firms and creating a structured environment for professional development. As a natural introvert, I probably would not have pursued many of those networking opportunities on my own,” he explained.

However, accounting wasn’t the only thing occupying Warner’s time at UF. At the back of his mind was his second dream: becoming a professional golfer.

Turning passion into a nonprofit

As an undergraduate, Warner decided to maintain his passion for golf by volunteering at a children’s golf association in Ocala. Eventually, he decided to start his own teaching program closer to home.

In 2016, he founded Gator Junior Golf Association in Gainesville.

“By being involved in the business side of the nonprofit world, it made my college classes much more engaging and I was able to directly apply what I was learning,” he explained. “Running a nonprofit allowed me to see immediately how the concepts we were learning could be applied in the real world.”

At the time, Warner balanced coursework with teaching roughly 10 classes a week. 

“I had to mature really fast to transform into a leader,” he said.

Gradually, Warner started to delegate responsibility by hiring coaches, many of them UF students.

While Warner no longer lives in Gainesville, he serves as the “glue to the organization behind the scenes.”

“I may handle the behind-the-scenes work, but our coaches are the real heroes by generously giving their time every single week for the past decade,” he said. “Seeing their selfless commitment keeps me fired up to keep working toward reaching our dreams for Gator Junior Golf.”

That dream is to change lives through golf.

The nonprofit has provided no-cost golf instruction in partnership with various Alachua County after-school programs over the past ten years, including Girls Place, Reichert House and Kids Count. It also offers scholarships to families in need.

“We’ve [also] done a no-cost program with Shands Children’s Hospital called the Child Life Program where we brought plastic golf clubs and golf balls inside the hospital to teach the inpatient children and their families.”

For Warner, words cannot describe the impact he sees the organization having in the community.  

“Building Gator Junior Golf’s programs has shaped who I am today. It gives me goosebumps thinking about it. I don’t know where I’d be without it all, so the best way I can show my appreciation is by remaining steadfast in my dedication to the kids.”

Warner started Gator Junior Golf Association with just $1,500 of his own money.

“As time went by, I realized we would need robust and diverse sources of money if we were going to make it long term,” he explained, seeking out grants and sponsorships to support his growing nonprofit.

One fundraiser became the opening drive for his apparel company, Warner Safari.

Launching Warner Safari

“In 2024, Gator Junior Golf conducted a golf-shirt fundraiser that received a much stronger response than I expected,” Warner explained. “That experience helped me recognize a broader opportunity in the licensed-apparel market and ultimately inspired me to establish Warner Safari as a separate, independently operated for-profit company.”

Warner has worn “nearly every brand of golf shirt out there.”

He noticed that many officially licensed golf shirts were generally not as stylish as golf shirts outside of the licensed industry.

“I never really knew how to go about getting into trademark licensing,” he explained. Although he had thought about becoming a golf apparel licensee earlier in his life, “I had largely written off that dream as unattainable.”

Warner wanted to create distinctive, officially licensed shirts at a more accessible price point than the $130 shirts he had seen on the market.

In 2024, he pursued licensing agreements with his alma mater and Florida State University.

“Securing those licenses as a startup was challenging, but my education and presentation experience at UF helped me articulate the gap I saw in the market and the opportunity to serve fans differently.”

Now, Warner Safari is licensed with 18 academic institutions across the nation. You can shop their Florida Gators Polo collection on the official Warner Safari website and even at the University of Florida Bookstore.

Warner plans to build Warner Safari into a nationally recognized licensed-apparel company, known for distinctive products, exceptional service and fast shipping.

His accounting education gave him the technical foundation to become a CPA but has also taught him how to break down complex problems, defend his conclusions and communicate them clearly.

“Those skills were essential in audit and later in SEC financial reporting and technical accounting roles at public companies. They have been equally important as an entrepreneur,” Warner explained. “An inventory-based business can grow quickly while still creating significant financial and operational challenges. My accounting background helps me understand cash flow, evaluate risk and make more informed decisions about inventory, pricing and expansion.”

Still, at the heart of his company lies Warner’s passion for golf and giving back.

Sales from officially licensed products contribute to children’s programs within each team’s local community.

“As Warner Safari expands, I hope its success will allow me to support more youth organizations while also working with independent local retailers in the communities represented by our licenses.”

The common thread

“Accounting gave me the skills to build and manage organizations. Golf led me to youth development work, and my experience with the game of golf helped me recognize the opportunity that became Warner Safari.”

Warner is proud of his company’s growth but is equally proud that its success allows him to support causes that matter to him.

“Warner Safari and Gator Junior Golf are separate, independently operated organizations, but both reflect my belief that business skills can be used to create opportunities for other people.”

He is grateful to the University of Florida and the Fisher School of Accounting for giving him the foundation to pursue a career that combines accounting, entrepreneurship and community service.

He encourages others to live outside of their comfort zone.

“I never expected that an accountant with no traditional artistic background would end up creating apparel designs using software I had never used before,” he said. “I also never expected that volunteering with a youth golf organization would lead me to establish Gator Junior Golf or that a fundraiser would eventually inspire me to start Warner Safari.”

By staying uncomfortable and exploring his passions, Warner has successfully built his career as a CPA, nonprofit founder and entrepreneur. 

“I am still in the early stages of what I hope to accomplish, and that is what makes the future so exciting.”