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When American ecosystem builders gather, we often talk about the entrepreneurial programs we offer to support entrepreneurs and their development. Programs and resources are essential for high-performing ecosystems. However, e2’s field experience is clear – do not begin with programs and resources! Begin working with area entrepreneurs, build relationships, learn about their needs and wants, and then network them to available relevant resources. e2 and Shelley Paasch, of Kansas Main Street, discuss this approach as the entrepreneurial ground game.

In this edition of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast, Don Macke with e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems hosts Tara Risewick, the new e2 (Entrepreneurial Ecosystems) Director.  Tara lives rural, knows rural and works rural.  Her family operates a chain of rural grocery stores, she had led a rural-centered community foundation, and now she is the next generation of e2 leadership.  In this podcast we introduce Tara, explore her personal journey into entrepreneurship work, and explore the future of e2’s North American work. 

NetWork Kansas (created in 2004) is most likely North America’s most robust, longest running and highest impact statewide community-centered entrepreneurial ecosystem-building initiative. Central to NetWork Kansas’ remarkable sustained level of entrepreneurial deal flow is its Entrepreneurship (E-) Community Partnership, launched in 2007. Erik Pedersen, President and COO, leads NetWork Kansas’ E-Community Program that now saturates many of both Kansas’ rural and, increasingly, distressed urban communities. NetWork Kansas’ Entrepreneurship Community Partnership is best in class and offers inspiration and learning opportunities for both rural and urban communities.

In this edition of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast Shelley Paasch hosts Don Macke with e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems focusing on Entrepreneurs as Community Solutions.  When we think about entrepreneurs, for-profit businesses ranging from mom and pop cafes on main street to growth-oriented locally-owned manufacturing plants.  For all rural hometowns, community building related to housing, childcare, broadband and the like are very important.  This episode focuses on how entrepreneurs can create innovative solutions for these community-building needs and wants.

GRO – Growing Rural Oregon: A Promising Rural Entrepreneurial Communities Initiative In this edition of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast Don Macke with e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems hosts Anne Kubisch, President of The Ford Family Foundation and Kathleen Flanagan with The Ford Family Foundation and GRO or Growing Rural Oregon.   Anne leads The Ford Family Foundation, a critical important rural community development partner in Oregon and Northern California. GRO is an exciting new entrepreneurial communities’ initiative rooted in rural Oregon.  Kathleen is the driving force behind GRO and The Ford Family Foundation’s commitment to rural communities through entrepreneur-led development.  The Foundation’s story is special as it was created by a family with wealth generated from rural Oregon and Northern California in the harvesting and processing of timber.   GRO is on a short list at e2 of promising new E-Innovations.  

In this edition of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast Shelley Paasch hosts Don Macke with e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems focusing on E-Communities and Workforce.  Workers or human talent is foundational to communities and their economies.  For decades a worker shortage has been building in the United States.  This shortage is now becoming a crisis and in this podcast we explore ways rural employers and communities can grow their human talent and workforce.

In this edition of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast Don Macke with e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems hosts KC Belitz, Chief Operating Office with the Nebraska Community Foundation and leader for a new E-Community initiative based in Nebraska called E3 for short or Energizing Entrepreneurial Ecosystems.  E3 is off to a very promising start and has a vision of taking entrepreneurship statewide over the coming decade. The Nebraska Community Foundation is a best-in-class rural statewide community building initiative rooted in community philanthropy.

Whether a brand new start-up or an existing business seeking to grow, mentoring can be a powerful tool within any community’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Shelley Paasch and Don Macke explore the “why,” “what,” and “how” of entrepreneur mentoring programs. This episode also explores tried-and-true cost-sharing programs for providing customized technical assistance to entrepreneurs including mentors.

In this podcast episode, Don Macke hosts Tina Metzer and Jessica Glendinning with RuralRISE, an important entrepreneurship initiative focusing on Rural America. Tina and Jessica share their personal development journeys and the “why” and “what” of RuralRISE. Additionally, they explore how folks can participate in the upcoming September 28-30th RuralRISE gathering in Emporia, Kansas along with other networking and learning opportunities.

In this episode of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast Shelley Paasch and Don Macke focus on Entrepreneurial Communities and Business Services. Foundational to entrepreneurial ecosystems is their ability to connect area entrepreneurs to relevant resources like capital, technical assistance, and mentoring. In this podcast, Shelley and Don explore the role of area business services as both mentors and go-to components of any community-centered entrepreneurial ecosystem whether rural or urban.

In this episode, Don Macke talks with Andy Stoll, Senior Program Officer for Entrepreneurship at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Andy is a champion of community-centered entrepreneurial ecosystem building. Our conversation explores Andy’s life journey, Nebraska roots, ecosystem building in Iowa, and now his work within the Kauffman Foundation.

In this podcast episode, Don Macke’s guest is Elizabeth Hutchison with Carson+Co Global, a key creator of e2’s new Ord, Nebraska, Articulate 360 e-Learning Resource. You will learn about Elizabeth’s personal development journey, Carson+Co Global, and explore the web-based learning resource that captures the entire Ord, Nebraska, transformative entrepreneurial story. Listen for ideas on how your community can use this resource’s courses to grow a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Capital access and financial packaging are core ecosystem resources. One potential source of capital for entrepreneurial ventures is Limited Liability Company (LLC) investors. When paired with community-centered ecosystems, more deal flow and greater development impacts are enabled. In this episode, Shelley Paasch with Kansas Main Street and Don Macke of e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, explore this capital source for rural entrepreneurs with real-life examples from across rural America.

Don Macke hosts David Iaquinta, Nebraska Wesleyan University professor and member of our e2 Ord story capture team. In the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, David touched based with a number of Ord entrepreneurs and community leaders to find out how they were doing. This episode focuses on community resiliency through the lens of David’s interviews and remarkable writings.

In this episode Shelley Paasch and Don Macke focus on Rural Retailing. e2 has curated a list of top likely rural entrepreneurial development opportunities with increasing area spending capture as one of those opportunities. This episode features innovative and successful rural retailing models, stories, and tactics.

In this episode Don Macke hosts Chris Harris from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The episode focuses on the Foundation’s commitment to entrepreneurship investments in the four states adjacent to the Foundation’s home in Kansas City including Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Regional development is one of e2’s likely entrepreneurial development opportunities. Areas in rural America with strong regional development organizations are better positioned for successful community economic development. In this episode Shelley and Don explore the importance of e2’s “top-down” and “bottom-up” entrepreneurial ecosystem building strategy with some amazing examples of regional development.  

In this episode Don Macke talks with Robert Stowell. Bob has been a visionary and leader in Ord and Valley County, Nebraska region’s remarkable evolution from challenge and despair in 2000 to one of America’s most thriving rural communities today. This podcast is part of e2’s focus on Ord and the lessons it holds for other rural communities seeking prosperity.

Nearly every rural community has commuters. During this episode Shelley and Don explore the importance of commuters in rural community economic development and how commuters, both physical and electronic or digital commuters, can be a significant source of entrepreneurial talent.

In this episode Shelley Paasch and Don Macke discuss transformative economics. They take listeners through e2’s Hierarchy of Community Economic Development framework using the Ord, Nebraska case story to illustrate how that community transformed its economy. Throughout 2022 e2 will release the entire Ord story collection.