Make Startups: The Podcast

What does entrepreneurship have to do with community health? In this episode of the Make Startups Podcast, Eric Parker talks with Dr. Vahe Heboyan, Professor of Health Economics at Augusta University, about the economic forces shaping entrepreneurship, recovery, workforce development, and long-term community health. Together, they explore why small business entrepreneurship matters, how economic w...

When Dr. Aanu Gopald graduated with a computer science degree, she had never touched a computer. At her final job interview, she was told she would need to trade her body to secure the role. She refused. Years later, that moment became the catalyst for Africa Agility. Today, Africa Agility has supported more than 170,000 young women across 52+ countries, training them in tech, mentoring founders,...

What happens when entrepreneur support gets local but forgets scale? In this week’s episode, Eric Parker talks with Moonshot CEO Scott Hathcock about why traditional incubator models break in small markets, how networked systems make local support survivable, and what “Five Seats” reveals about scaling founder support without losing community context. Subscribe for more talks, tools, and insights...

In this Ideas Worth Championing talk, recorded live at the Startup Champions Network Fall Summit, Lexie Irvine, Ecosystem Builder at theClubhou.se , uses three Taylor Swift songs to explain the core work of ecosystem builders. Through “Opalite,” “Change,” and “Shake It Off,” Lexie explores: • why ecosystem building is about reflecting the light of others • how real change happens in systems piece...

During our recent tour of Denver and Boulder, we had the privilege of sitting down with Wendy Lea—one of America’s foremost leaders in building innovation communities. As Co-Founder & Chair of Energize Colorado, Co-Founder & Partner of TechHubNow!, a Board Member at Elevate Quantum, and a member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE), she is a driving f...

This episode brings us to the heart of Baltimore's Bromo Arts District. We’re visiting to learn first hand about how new models of grassroots entrepreneur support and ecosystem building are directly impacting communities. What did we discover? Highlights: - How a chance meeting with Paolo Gregory sparked Dwight’s journey with Cohado. - The story behind Cajou’s rise from a local shop to Whole Foods...

In this first of two episodes on Baltimore's ecosystem, we sit down with Paulo Gregory, founder of Cohado and ecosystem builder spearheading the Black Butterfly Network in Baltimore. We explore how he is transforming the city's entrepreneurial landscape by focusing on collaboration and community-building. Highlights: - Why collaboration, not competition, is the key to sustainable business growth....

In this episode, we sit down with Mark Lawrence, managing partner of Incubate, to explore how he’s reshaping entrepreneurial ecosystems through community-driven economic empowerment. From building innovation hubs at local community colleges to creating spaces where minority entrepreneurs can thrive, Mark shares insights on how to foster broad-based entrepreneurship that impacts underserved communi...

Discover the impact of the NSF Engines Program on regional growth! Grace and Eric had the privilege of sitting down with Thyaga Nandagopal, Division Director for the Division of Innovation and Technology Ecosystems (ITE) at the National Science Foundation, to talk about this new initiative that your organization should be considering. In this interview, we find out answers to all the big questions...

Do you want to know how the Small Business Administration (SBA) is powering startups? In our latest stop in D.C., we spoke with Brittney Sickler, Director of Ecosystem Development at the SBA. Discover how everything from microloans to major federal funding is driving entrepreneurial success across the nation. Get the inside scoop on innovative funding models and the passionate people behind them....

Can rural startup communities thrive? That’s the question we seek to answer in this episode tour of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Learn about the struggles and successes of entrepreneurs in small towns and find out how the Shenandoah Valley is transforming itself through: Community-driven growth Innovative new funding models Focusing on startup founders as people vs commodities Be sure to subscrib...

What does it take to build a supportive startup ecosystem? In this episode, we travel to Birmingham, Alabama, to uncover its evolving startup ecosystem. This episode dives into the city's entrepreneurial scene, featuring in-depth interviews with local leaders Naila Jackson and Tanesha Sims-Summers. Discover how Birmingham is tackling the challenges of funding access and systemic barriers while...

Most of our tour stops are focused on learning about established startup ecosystems, ever wondered what it takes to launch one? In this episode we meet with Steve Justice, former Director of the Georgia Centers of Innovation and Aerospace Engineer, who came out of retirement to launch, Launch Fayette. How will his experience in shaping statewide ecosystems translate to building a local startup com...

Invite us to your city! Our goal is to visit 24 startup communities to meet with the people, organizations, and founders making a difference - fully immersing ourselves in their #startup ecosystem. From the tour, we'll share inspiring stories and important lessons to help ESO's nationally be more intentional and impactful. SIGN UP TODAY - add your community to our destination list: https:/...

Our latest stop on the Ecosystem Tour took us to Sacramento, CA, where we learned about a startup community in transformation. The city is transitioning from a government-centric economy to one that thrives on innovation, particularly in health, agriculture, and clean technology sectors. Invite us to your city! Our goal is to visit 24 startup communities to meet with the people, organizations, and...

Our first stop on the Make Startups Ecosystem Tour is Reno, NV. For this episode we interviewed Doug Erwin, Senior Vice President at EDAWN (Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada). Afterwards we visited the University of Nevada, Reno Innevation Center to participate in a roundtable discussion with stakeholders from across the community and the Nevada Office of Entrepreneurship. What do w...

This year, we are visiting 24 startup communities to meet with the people, organizations, and founders making a difference - fully immersing ourselves in their #startup ecosystem. From the tour, we'll share inspiring stories and important lessons to help ESO's nationally be more intentional and impactful. Before we hit our first city, we had a long drive across Northern California and thro...

With each episode of Make Startups, we explore the stories of founders, investors, philanthropists, and policy makers. This episode features ⁠John Dearie⁠, President at the ⁠Center for American Entrepreneurship⁠ and Co-Author of “⁠Where the Jobs Are⁠”. We learn about John’s evolution from working at the Federal Reserve, to CEO of the Financial Services Forum, to Founding the Center for American En...

Welcome to Make Startups, where Host Eric Parker talks to real entrepreneurs and leaders from around the world. The topics: All about how to improve YOUR startup experience. This Episode Features a Roundtable with: Congressman Rick Allen - Representative Ga 12thGrace Belangia - Executive Director of TheClubhou.se Chris Crozier - Mobile Mentors Shirlonda Evans-Mclain - Peacing Life Together Eric Ha...