You can't control an entrepreneurial ecosystem. It has its own form, its own life. It's the magic that happens when certain things and people come together. On episode 10 of the Entrepreneurship on the RISE podcast, one of those people, Longwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Executive Director Sheri McGuire, joins us to talk about the ever-evolving nature of rural ecosystem building and how a strong ecosystem benefits not only entrepreneurs and business-owners, but entire communities as well.
RISE Collaborative is striving to create a more inclusive and vibrant regional economy in which makers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and service providers interact organically and collaboratively. Our mission is to enhance equity and access to entrepreneurship and innovation for people who have been underserved based on geographic location (anyone who lives, works, or owns a business in Southern Virginia) and for people who have been underrepresented based on race, gender, religion, or other factors.
In this episode of Entrepreneurship on the RISE Podcast, Jacob and Lauren, joined by their guest Sheri McGuire, share the parallels between entrepreneurial ecosystem building and Sheri’s interest in music and baking. They also discuss the importance of in-person connection and relationship-building, and how the future of ecosystem building hinges on the ability to leverage both in-person and virtual relationships.
Some of the talking points we go over in this episode include:
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Learn more about RISE Collaborative at https://sovarise.com/
CONNECT WITH SHERI MCGUIRE:
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Strategic Doing by Edward Morrison
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Startup Community by Brad Feld
Waking Up White by Debby Irving