The Small Nation Podcast

What separates thriving small towns from communities that struggle to move forward? In this episode of The Small Nation Podcast, Jason Duff sits down with Sarah Stephens Krupp and Renee Smith, co-founders of Thrive Community Partners, to uncover the strategies that help rural communities secure grant funding, revitalize downtowns, support entrepreneurs, and build long-term economic momentum. Drawi...

This is episode 104 of The Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small-town success. In this episode, Mayor Christina Muryn unpacks what makes Findlay, Ohio, special and how Findlay is impacting other communities internationally. She shares insights on collaboration, combating negativity, future development, and more. Gue...

This is episode 103 of The Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small-town success. Luciano Gomes is the owner of Legado Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in downtown Bellefontaine, Ohio. Listen as Lu shares why a healthy community is so important and how he uses his business to make a difference in the lives of his students. Guest Li...

This is episode 102 of The Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Katie Neason is a rockstar, small town developer from Bryan, Texas. She came to visit Small Nation in Bellefontaine, Ohio to discuss the power of redevelopment in small markets. Guest Links: Katie Neason Website Katie Neason ⁠Facebook⁠ In...

This is episode 101 of The Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Mother and daughter duo, Robin and Jamie Burton, worked with Small Nation to take their mobile coffee shop into a storefront in downtown Bellefontaine. Allways Brewin’ has become a local favorite and has proven to be a successful addition...

This is episode 100 of The Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. On this episode we host Carly Bogard and Hannah Wischmeyer to share their entrepreneurial journey as sisters and how their business has evolved through the years. Today the own and operated The Morning Riot in downtown Bellefontaine out o...

Welcome to episode 99 of The Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. On this episode we host health and wellness entrepreneur Donna Krech to talk about how to thrive in 2025 and live your life by design. She shares some of the valuable lessons she has learned from running multiple multimillion dollar bus...

This is episode 98 of The Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Public relations can be a difficult part of business to master. On this episode, we speak to the President and Founder of Inspire PR, Hinda Mitchell, to learn the importance of communicating well to the public along with some helpful tips...

Welcome to episode 97 of The Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Small Nation believes that the arts is one of the things that make our communities vibrant and unique and therefore play an important role in community development. On this episode, music director and conductor of the Lima Symphony Orch...

This is episode 96 of The Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Many people have a dream to open their own restaurant, but there are often many hurdles along the path to do so. On this episode, we speak to Michelin Star winning restaurateur, culinary entrepreneur, and cookbook author Rose Previte about...

Welcome to episode 95 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. In addition to sharing some of the highlights of his region, Executive Director of the Grand Lake Region CVB, Matt Staugler, shares his hypothesis on why tourism is so important to economic development and growth of our communities. Tit...

This is episode 94 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Jeni's Ice Cream is a household brand and a fan favorite throughout the entire country. It was a pleasure to have the former CEO, John Lowe, share the Jeni's Ice Cream story and how it launched his career at Amok Consumer Growth Fund to he...

This is episode 92 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Residential real estate development is no easy task and can take a very long time to see through. This is why communities need people like Bart Barok to help navigate the space and bring more housing with intentionality. What are the key i...

This is episode 92 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Residential real estate development is no easy task and can take a very long time to see through. This is why communities need people like Bart Barok to help navigate the space and bring more housing with intentionality. What are the key i...

Welcome to episode 91 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. The nation has been in a housing crisis for some time now, and the need for affordable housing continues to grow. Unfortunately, building affordable homes comes with some challenges. On this episode Market Lead and Design Strategist for...

This is episode 90 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Change can be a polarizing topic, especially in Small Towns. Listen in as the State Representative of the 83rd district Ohio House of Representatives Jon Cross, shares his professional journey and how being an agent of change has played an...

Welcome to episode 89 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Urbanism and development can often be a polarizing topic and can lead to disagreement and negativity in many communities. However, Jon Jon Wesolowski, otherwise known as "The Happy Urbanist" has set out to flip this narrative on its hea...

This is episode 88 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Small Nation is a big believer in effective branding and marketing, and we believe that it is a big contributor to the overall success for both businesses and communities. We brought in the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Nonfiction, N...

Welcome to episode 87 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. We believe that the strongest communities prioritize economic development not only with major players but also focusing on your downtown district and small businesses. This is exactly what the Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership has done...

Welcome to episode 85 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. The Columbus, Ohio region has had some major wins in the area of economic development over the past few years, and it is making a statement at the national level. That success does not happen by accident. Kenny McDonald, the president a...

Welcome to episode 85 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Many people may be familiar with the YMCA, but many may not be aware of everything they do to support the communities they serve. Listen as President and CEO of YMCA of Central Ohio, Tony Collins, shares the their history, programing, a...

This is episode 84 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Many times life throws curveballs at us, and we have to decide how to respond. Listen as mother and serial entrepreneur, Julie Casiano, shares her journey into entrepreneurship how she has overcome unexpected, life changing circumstances....

Welcome to episode 83 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Pharmacies play a vital role in our communities' health and wellness. How can the industry innovate, and what opportunities are there for entrepreneurial minded pharmacist? Listen in as Dean of the College of Pharmacy at Ohio Northe...

This is episode 82 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. Retailers are a vital piece of the downtown ecosystem of our communities. Listen in as Robert Hamel and Ronnie Rhoades share how their entrepreneurial journey led them to Dresden, OH to open Smore Baskets, Smore Christmas, and Smore Sweets...

Welcome to episode 81 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town success. On this episode, we host the Dean of Engineering at Ohio Northern University, JD Yoder, to discuss his professional journey and relationship to entrepreneurship. What role does higher education play in Economic Development? What opportu...