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## Posts

- [The struggle for legitimacy](https://socialventurers.com/struggle-for-legitimacy/) - The struggle for legitimacy Why ecosystem builders still struggle for legitimacy, and what a federal funding freeze reveals about the gap Last week, a LinkedIn post stopped my scroll. The author, Heath Naquin, was breaking down what had just happened to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, a major federal funding pipeline for early-stage
- [Builder Deep Dive with Morgan Allen](https://socialventurers.com/builder-deep-dive-with-morgan-allen/) - You can’t talk about startup communities and ecosystems without mentioning Chris Heivly. Having engaged with over 5,000+ founders across 70+ cities and 20 countries, Chris lives by the mantra “put entrepreneurs front and center”.
- [2025: A Year of Building, Belonging, and Becoming](https://socialventurers.com/2025-review/) - As 2025 draws to a close, I took a moment to look back at everything we worked on together. What stood out to me was not a big insight or a neat theme. It was the accumulation of small things that shaped this year: the conversations that grounded me, the moments of clarity that showed up at unexpected times, and the collaborators that showed up - seemingly out of nowhere - to walk part of the way with me. You know who you are.
- [Builder Deep Dive with Chris Heivly](https://socialventurers.com/builder-deep-dive-chris-heivly/) - You can’t talk about startup communities and ecosystems without mentioning Chris Heivly. Having engaged with over 5,000+ founders across 70+ cities and 20 countries, Chris lives by the mantra “put entrepreneurs front and center”.
- [Builder Deep Dive with Fay Horwitt](https://socialventurers.com/builder-deep-dive-with-fay-horwitt/) - You can’t talk about startup communities and ecosystems without mentioning Chris Heivly. Having engaged with over 5,000+ founders across 70+ cities and 20 countries, Chris lives by the mantra “put entrepreneurs front and center”.
- [Builder Deep Dive with Dr. Amy Beaird](https://socialventurers.com/builder-deep-dive-with-dr-amy-beaird/) - You can’t talk about startup communities and ecosystems without mentioning Chris Heivly. Having engaged with over 5,000+ founders across 70+ cities and 20 countries, Chris lives by the mantra “put entrepreneurs front and center”.
- [S07E11: Season Finale: Hard-Won Lessons from America's Boldest Innovation Experiment](https://socialventurers.com/s07e11/) - For season finale, I’m sharing some of my key takeaways and I’ll chat with three practitioners from The Engine who’ve been working closely with all of the Innovation Engines over the last year to get their perspective.
- [S07E10: Regenerative Economic Development with Brian Sherman at the NSF Futures Engine in the Southwest](https://socialventurers.com/s07e10/) - NSF Futures Engine in the Southwest CEO Brian Sherman talks us through what they're doing to address challenges in energy, water, and air systems in the American Southwest.
- [S07E09: Batteries for America, by America with Meera Sampath at the NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York](https://socialventurers.com/s07e09/) - I sat down with the NSF Energy Storage Engine CEO, Meera Sampath, to learn about why bringing battery and energy storage innovation and production to the US is so important.
- [S07E08: Safeguarding the Fabric of our Nation with Anne Wiper and Molly Hemstreet at the NSF Textile Innovation Engine in North Carolina](https://socialventurers.com/s07e08/) - I sat down with Molly Hemstreet and Anne Wiper to talk about how the Textile Engine is working to bring sustainability and circularity to the industry in North Carolina and beyond.
- [S07E07: The Future of Energy Innovation with Mike Mazzola at the NSF FUEL Engine in Louisiana](https://socialventurers.com/s07e07/) - I sat down with Michael Mazzola, Executive Director of the NSF FUEL Engine in Louisiana to learn more about why Louisiana is uniquely qualified to drive innovation in carbon use, capture, and sequestration.
- [S07E06: Powering Ideas That Feed The World with FARMS CEO Dr. Hollie Mackey](https://socialventurers.com/s07e06/) - I’m sitting down with FARMS CEO Dr. Hollie Mackey to get the scoop on how they’re empowering North Dakota’s diverse communities to create thriving, resilient food systems for now and the future.
- [S07E05: Scaling Regenerative Medicine for Global Impact with Tim Bertram and Jesse Thornburg at the Piedmont Triad Regenerative Medicine Engine](https://socialventurers.com/s07e05/) - Tim Bertram and Jesse Thornburg of the Piedmont Triad Regenerative Medicine Engine are giving us a crash course in regenerative medicine and how their Engine is helping companies build, grow, and scale in the Piedmont Triad region.
- [S07E04: Building a Climate-Ready Future in Colorado and Wyoming featuring Mike Freeman](https://socialventurers.com/s07e04/) - I'm talking to Mike Freeman, CEO of the Colorado-Wyoming Climate Resilience Engine about the region’s unique resources and how they’re building a community-based commitment to climate resiliency.
- [S07E03: From NeoCity to National Security: How Florida Is Shaping the Semiconductor Industry with Tawny Olore](https://socialventurers.com/s07e03/) - We’re headed to NeoCity and the Central Florida Semiconductor Innovation Engine to talk with CEO Tawny Olore about why building semiconductor ecosystems isn’t just a matter of economics, but one of national security.
- [S07E01: Innovation Ecosystems: Inside the NSF Regional Innovation Engines](https://socialventurers.com/s07e01/) - This season, I’m going to introduce you to the Regional Innovation Engines Program, funded by the US National Science Foundation. In partnership with the Builder Platform I will highlight nine Engines and their place-based strategies for solving wicked problems.
- [S01E07 - How to Build a Full-Service Ecosystem Support Organization with Michelle Arévalo-Carpenter](https://socialventurers.com/s01e07-how-to-build-a-full-service-ecosystem-support-organization-with-michelle-arevalo-carpenter/) - We are talking with Michelle Arévalo-Carpenter about how she set out to fight loneliness for change-makers in Ecuador and ended up building Ecuador's first co-working space for Impact entrepreneurs with her co-founder Daniela Peralvo. Since then, Impaqto has become Ecuador’s first B Corp, expanded to five locations, and has grown into much more than a co-working space.
- [S07E02: Solving Global Water Challenges from the Great Lakes Region featuring Alaina Harkness](https://socialventurers.com/s07e02/) - I'm talking to Alaina Harkness of Great Lakes ReNEW about how this ecosystem is leading efforts across the region to transition to a circular water economy, and protect and steward the Great Lakes for generations to come.
- [Fay Horwitt](https://socialventurers.com/fay-horwitt/) - Fay Horwitt Durham, North Carolina. Inclusive Entrepreneurship Expert. Artist and swimmer. Traveler and Mother. Fay and I have moved in the same circles of Startup Champions Network and the ESHIP community for a little over a year now but it wasn’t until I moved to the Research Triangle area in November that we had the
- [No more snoring panels!](https://socialventurers.com/no-more-snoring-panels/) - Set a timer. Think back to the last time you listened to an absolutely fantastic, engaging and insightful panel. What was the topic of the conversation? What did you learn? How did you implement what you learned? This exercise might take a minute. Now I want you to think back to the last three to
- [Ecosystem Building 101](https://socialventurers.com/ecosystem-building-101/) - Each month, three out of a thousand Americans start a new business (Kauffman Foundation 2019). For these entrepreneurs to succeed, they need varying levels of support: mentorship and advice, affordable work space, flexible financing, a favorable business environment, the list goes on… Broadly speaking, they need an ecosystem that helps them start and grow sustainable
- [The Coach](https://socialventurers.com/the-coach/) - The Coach Four days a week, I get up at 4.45 a.m. and ride my bike to a Crossfit gym at the corner of Avenue Road and Davenport in the heart of Toronto. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays are non-negotiables. If nothing else gets me out of bed at this godly hour, coach DK does. This
- [Carina Boston Pinales](https://socialventurers.com/carina-boston-pinales/) - Carina Boston Pinales Entrepreneur and coworking space owner. Pollinator and catalyst. Breaker of barriers. Nestled halfway between San Antonio and Austin, Texas, Carina Boston Pinales has uncovered what her entrepreneurial community needs and in doing so created a safe space for these “orphaned entrepreneurs” to excel in their work while living their purpose in life.
- [Ecosystems For Change: Logbook #7](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-7/) - This logbook is a fun way for me to let you in on my thought processes and an invitation for you to contribute your own thoughts and experiences that make this show what it is.
- [Build the Fort: Simplifying Startup Community Building with Chris Heivly](https://socialventurers.com/build-the-fort-simplifying-startup-community-building-with-chris-heivly/) - I'm talking to Chris Heivly about why he wants to see more ecosystem and community builders come together and build a fort.
- [S06E07: What We Learned: Stories That Redefine Entrepreneurship In Our Communities](https://socialventurers.com/s06e07/) - As I reflect on the season, the key piece is that storytelling is not just some fun marketing campaign; it’s a tool to show the community what is possible.
- [Ann-Christin Kortenbrede](https://socialventurers.com/ann-christin-kortenbrede/) - Ann-Christin Kortenbrede Impact Investor. Recovering banker. Lover of figure skating, yoga & pilates. “I came to Guatemala to volunteer and learn Spanish. Now I’m engaged, have a family and work as an investor at Pomona Impact.” Ann-Christin tells me from the rooftop of Impact Hub Antigua. Three volcanoes, one of which is active, is the
- [S06E06: Stories of Tech and Innovation in Rural America with Austin Danforth](https://socialventurers.com/s06e06/) - We’re headed to Vermont to meet Austin Danforth of the Center on Rural Innovation, who tells stories about extraordinary rural communities throughout the US.
- [S06E05: Entrepreneurship Indiana: A State-Wide Storytelling Campaign with Julie Heath, Polina Osherov and Morgan Allen Part 2](https://socialventurers.com/s06e05/) - I’m continuing my conversation about Yearbook Indiana with Polina Osherov of Pattern, Morgan Allen of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and Julie Heath, formerly of IEDC.
- [S06E04: Entrepreneurship Indiana: A State-Wide Storytelling Campaign with Julie Heath, Polina Osherov and Morgan Allen Part 1](https://socialventurers.com/s06e04/) - At every stage of the process, from vision to execution to the final product, I have rarely seen such a well-produced, coherent, and meaningful storytelling campaign as Yearbook Indiana.
- [S06E03: Changing the Narrative of Rural Entrepreneurship with Natalie Hodge](https://socialventurers.com/s06e03/) - Natalie Hodge shares why she belives it’s so vital to share the stories of rural entrepreneurs.
- [S06E02: A Global Storyteller: Solutions-Based Journalism with Eva-Maria Verfürth](https://socialventurers.com/s06e02/) - Eva-Maria Verfürth is driven by a desire to transform journalism in a way that moves beyond mere disaster reporting and emphasizes inspiration and progress.
- [S06E01: The Power of Storytelling in Ecosystem Building](https://socialventurers.com/s06e01/) - I’m speaking with storytellers to learn their tips and tricks of the trade and how they find and tell stories that propel their communities forward.
- [Ecosystems For Change: Logbook #6](https://socialventurers.com/ecosystems-for-change-logbook-6/) - Welcome to my 6th logbook where I share what’s happening behind and beyond the scenes. And I’m introducing a segment, the Unsung Heroes of Ecosystem Building.
- [S05E08: What We Learned: Knowing When and How to Move On as an Ecosystem Builder](https://socialventurers.com/s05e08/) - Over the course of this season, I found that quitting a purpose-driven role is much more complex than a simple lack of internal or external resources as in The Infinite Game.
- [S05E07: Unlearning Systems, Sharing Power, and Stepping back from Your Startup with Naomi Ryland](https://socialventurers.com/s05e07/) - Naomi Ryland talks about how to turn your organization from a hierarchical to a self-organized one, and how to shift and share power as a person with privilege.
- [S05E06: The Art of Quitting: Gracefully Navigating the Responsibility of Change with Lucas Lindsey](https://socialventurers.com/s05e06/) - Lucas Lindsey talks about planning for succession and the importance of the built environment for entrepreneurial ecosystem building.
- [Summer Skill Sessions: Ecosystem Mapping](https://socialventurers.com/summer-skill-sessions-ecosystem-mapping/) - The idea behind these Summer Skill Sessions is to bring you short snippets of episodes that introduce you to a very practical skill for ecosystem builders. In our first Summer Skills Session, we are going to talk about ecosystem mapping.
- [S05E05: Start. Hand over. Repeat. The cycles of ecosystem building with Larkin Garbee](https://socialventurers.com/s05e05/) - Larkin Garbee talks about handing initiatives over to people who can carry them forward, and the upside of spending over a decade in an ecosystem.
- [S05E04: Grief, Quitting, and Listening to the Your Heart with Annie Wood](https://socialventurers.com/s05e04/) - Annie Wood talks about the grief of letting go, and how to find your way back to yourself when you’re letting go of a part of your professional identity.
- [S05E03: Self-Trust and Curating Impactful Community with Julia Firestone](https://socialventurers.com/s05e03/) - In this episode, you’ll hear about Julia Firestone's first Big Quit and how she built a network of impact professionals like no other.
- [S05E02: Recognizing Your Strengths and When It's Time to Sail On with Joe Maruschak](https://socialventurers.com/s05e02/) - When Joe Maruschak left his home ecosystem of Eugene, Oregon, it sent ripples through our community of ecosystem builders.
- [S05E01: The Quitters: Quitting the Infinite Game of Ecosystem Building](https://socialventurers.com/s05e01/) - In this season, I’m talking to my guests about their experience with quitting. I’m sitting down with ecosystem builders who stopped playing–either temporarily or for good.
- [The Ecosystem Builders: Where Are They Now?](https://socialventurers.com/the-ecosystem-builders-where-are-they-now/) - I wanted to catch up with some of my previous guests to hear what they are working on these days. So I invited a few of them to come back and let us know how their world has evolved.
- [Federal Funding for Ecosystem Builders with Melissa Roberts Chapman](https://socialventurers.com/bonus-melissa-roberts-chapman/) - I am excited to introduce you to Melissa Roberts Chapman, who breaks down funding opportunities for ecosystem builders here in the US.
- [Ecosystems For Change: Logbook #5](https://socialventurers.com/ecosystems-for-change-logbook-5/) - Welcome to my fifth logbook, an in-between-seasons update on what’s happening in the field of entrepreneurial ecosystem building.
- [S04E09: Season 04 Review: Conflict, Trust, and Social Capital](https://socialventurers.com/s04e09/) - This season, we traveled to the lowest valleys and highest mountaintops of ecosystem building, from naysayers and saboteurs to the magic of social capital.
- [S04E08: Succession Planning: Transferring Social Capital To The Next Generation with Rick Turoczy](https://socialventurers.com/s04e08/) - Rick Turoczy talks about succession planning and transferring and leveraging social capital to put the next generation of ecosystem builders in place.
- [S04E07: The Know-How via Know-Who of Social Capital with Julie Heath](https://socialventurers.com/s04e07/) - Julie Heath shares how she and her team spread the ecosystem gospel among economic developers and gives us a new way to think about social capital.
- [Rick Turoczy](https://socialventurers.com/rick-turoczy/) - Rick Turoczy Portland, Oregon, USA. Minimizer of friction. Silicon florist and Zebra. Introvert. The first thing I learned about Rick Turoczy was that he would be hosting the spring Summit of Startup Champions Network in Portland, OR, in March 2019. The second thing I learned was that he is an incredibly calm and kind person
- [S04E06: Investing in the Lives of Founders with Todd Nuckols](https://socialventurers.com/s04e06/) - Todd Nuckols may not be keen on confrontation and conflict, yet he has managed it masterfully as a keystone in RVA’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- [S04E05: Communities of Practice: Taking the Time to Build Trust with Margo Fliss](https://socialventurers.com/s04e05/) - Margo Fliss talks about an ecosystem convening that went sideways and talks about how she moved through this experience with grace and professionalism.
- [Kaat Peeters](https://socialventurers.com/kaat-peeters/) - Kaat Peeters Powerhouse and cheerleader. Advocate. Executer. Director at Sociale Innovatie Fabriek. I first met Kaat at a conference in London in 2015. She immediately invited me to swing by her organization Sociale Innovatiefabriek - Social Innovation Factory - on my first European trip for Social Venturers. An invite I happily accepted. Six weeks later
- [S04E04: Dissent, Trust and Conflict with Cecilia Wessinger](https://socialventurers.com/s04e04/) - Cecilia Wessinger shares what types of conflict she has encountered in helping convene an ecosystem of ecosystem builders and how she approaches trust building.
- [S04E03: The Power of Positive Social Capital with Jess Edwards](https://socialventurers.com/s04e03/) - Jess Edwards talks about how she builds and leverages her social capital when she parachutes into a community and why ecosystem building is like a roadtrip.
- [S04E02: Equitable Ecosystem Building: Speaking Your Truth with Fay Horwitt](https://socialventurers.com/s04e02/) - I invited Fay Horwitt to share some of her hardest-won lessons when it comes to managing conflict in ecosystems and to tell us how Forward Cities builds trust.
- [S04E01: Social Capital: Building a Culture of Trust and Collaboration](https://socialventurers.com/s04e01/) - How do we build a culture of trust and collaboration within our ecosystems so that we might look beyond individual agendas and focus on what is best for entrepreneurs? In short, how do we build social capital?
- [Ecosystems for Change: Logbook #4](https://socialventurers.com/ecosystems-for-change-logbook-4/) - Welcome to my fourth logbook, an in-between season update where I share what's going on in ecosystem building and give insights into what I’m working on.
- [Summer Skill Sessions: Productivity](https://socialventurers.com/summer-skill-sessions-productivity/) - I don’t know about you, but the start of fall usually leaves me feeling super recharged and ready to tackle the rest of the year with a lot of enthusiasm and really, really big plans.
- [Summer Skill Sessions: Storytelling](https://socialventurers.com/summer-skill-sessions-storytelling/) - If you tell your friends or post on social media about your favorite local businesses, you are already telling their stories. I'm sharing five steps to telling meaningful stories about your ecosystem.
- [Summer Skill Sessions: Outreach](https://socialventurers.com/summer-skill-sessions-outreach/) - I hope you’re by the pool, headphones on, eager to add another skill to your toolbox as an ecosystem builder. Today, we’re talking about entrepreneurial outreach.
- [Ecosystems for Change: Logbook #3](https://socialventurers.com/ecosystems-for-change-logbook-3/) - Welcome to my third logbook, the in-between seasons update where I share what’s going on behind the scenes, a peek of what's ahead and how you can get involved.
- [S03E07 - Season 03 Review: Constant Work in Progress](https://socialventurers.com/s03e07/) - This season confirmed that there is no magic formula, no secret ingredient. It all comes down to priorities, to looking at the big picture and deciding what kind of life we want to live, and making changes to our lifestyle accordingly.
- [S03E06 - Slow Your Roll: Creating a Healthy Lifestyle with Shelly Rose](https://socialventurers.com/s03e06/) - Shelly Rose and I talk about sleep, nutrition, staying hydrated, taking good care of your nervous system - which I think we could all use some advice on.
- [S03E05 - The Value of Therapy and Building Your Own Support Network with David Hirsch](https://socialventurers.com/s03e05/) - David Hirsch shares his experience with burnout as a community builder. He talks about the mental, emotional and physical effects of burnout.
- [S03E04 - Honoring Life's Ups and Downs with Candace Dalmagne-Rouge](https://socialventurers.com/s03e04/) - Candace Dalmagne-Rouge has lived the startup life of ecosystem building and Silicon Valley and has come out the other end intact to start a business that is deeply aligned with her personal experience and purpose.
- [S03E03 - Redefining Fitness: The Ebb and Flow of Self-Acceptance and Mental Health with Alex Boross-Harmer](https://socialventurers.com/s03e03/) - Alex Boross-Harmer takes a holistic approach to helping others move their body. Alex talks about making the fitness industry more human and honoring their own needs.
- [S03E02 - Creativity, Reputation and Boundaries in the Social Impact Space with Isaac Jeffries](https://socialventurers.com/s03e02/) - Isaac Jeffries and I chatted about setting and upholding boundaries to ensure we don’t disappoint ourselves or the people around us who matter.
- [S03E01 - Burn Both Ends: The Mental, Physical, and Emotional Toll of Ecosystem Building](https://socialventurers.com/s03e01/) - In season 3, I talk to practitioners who can help us build a solid foundation of physical, mental and emotional health so that we can stay in this game of ecosystem building for a long time to come!
- [The future is rural](https://socialventurers.com/the-future-is-rural/) - Matt continued: “For the last hundred years, rural and urban places have largely tracked each other in terms of economic performance. Until the great recession of 2008 when all the communities in the US came crashing down. Only the recovery was fundamentally different for urban areas which were quickly climbing well past their pre-recession economic
- [Ecosystems For Change: Logbook #2](https://socialventurers.com/ecosystems-for-change-logbook-2/) - Welcome to my second logbook, an in-between-seasons update on what’s been going on behind the scenes of this show and in my work in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
- [S02E09 - Season 02 Review: Models of Leadership in Systems Change](https://socialventurers.com/s02e09/) - When we set out on this season, it was all about the great unknown of complex, adaptive systems. Scary, right? After hearing from our seven guests, I hope that things are a little less unknown.
- [S02E08 - Building The Future With An Indigenous Worldview with Vanessa Roanhorse](https://socialventurers.com/s02e08/) - I’m sitting down with Vanessa Roanhorse to talk about the Indigigenous worldview, how it might inform our approach to thinking in systems, and what exhausts her about being asked to show up as an Indigenous female entrepreneur and educator.
- [S02E07 - Good trouble: Stakeholder Capitalism & Global Cooperativism with Kate "Sassy" Sassoon](https://socialventurers.com/s02e07/) - I talked with Kate "Sassy" Sassoon about the role of stakeholder capitalism and global cooperativism and how both models help us rethink the current system.
- [S02E06 - Sitting in the Fire: Giving Birth to New Systems with Lana Kristine Jelenjev](https://socialventurers.com/s02e06/) - Lana Jelenjev, community alchemist, hospice worker for dying systems and midwife for new emerging systems, introduces the two-loop model that explains her work and shares how she sets and upholds boundaries when helping others cross over from old to new.
- [S02E05 - Thriving In a World of Ambiguity, Uncertainty, and Constant Change with April Rinne](https://socialventurers.com/s02e05/) - I wanted to have a conversation with April Rinne because her book, Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change is exactly the kind of thinking that changemakers and systems thinkers need to not only keep their heads above water, but to actually thrive in our constantly changing circumstances.
- [S02E04 - Servant Leadership, Co-writing New Narratives and Burnout in Ecosystem Building with Jeff Bennett](https://socialventurers.com/s02e04/) - Jeff Bennett talks about servant leadership, the importance of co-writing a new narrative with our communities and the frustrations that come with shifting a system.
- [S02E03 - The Slow Dance of Change: Emergence and Systems Thinking with Lauren Higgins](https://socialventurers.com/s02e03/) - Lauren Higgins has been working with systems thinking for more than half her life and today she shares her journey to becoming a systems thinker and talks about how she remains anchored and sane in the wild dance with systems.
- [S02E02 - Humanity-Focused Systems Design with Madelynn Martiniere](https://socialventurers.com/s02e02/) - Madelynn Martiniere and I talk about the importance of finding community and belonging, what role technology can play in driving systemic change and what it means to design an ideal world.
- [Mara Zepeda](https://socialventurers.com/mara-zepeda/) - Mara Zepeda Plumber of alternative infrastructure. Startup founder and movement maker. Zebra and calligraphy artist. Managing Director at Zebras Unite. Mara Zepeda is co-founder and CEO of Switchboard, a system design and technology firm serving institutions in transition, including higher education, media, capital markets, and civic engagement. We serve these partners through both our service
- [S01E01 - My Journey From Social Enterprise Enthusiast to Ecosystem Builder](https://socialventurers.com/s01e01-my-journey-from-social-enterprise-enthusiast-to-ecosystem-builder/) - In this first episode, I want to share with you how I transformed from social enterprise enthusiast to ecosystem builder. Join me as we zoom out of your role as a lone wolf and together, take a systems view of supporting entrepreneurs of ALL backgrounds.
- [S01E02 - How to Build Up Community Capital to Nurture Your Ecosystem with Debbie Irwin](https://socialventurers.com/s01e02-how-to-build-up-community-capital-to-nurture-your-ecosystem-with-debbie-irwin/) - In today’s episode, we’re headed to Staunton, VA, to talk with Debbie Irwin about how she became an entrepreneurial ecosystem builder. As you’ll learn in this episode, the term “community capital” is about a lot more than investing money.
- [S01E03 - How to Build Trust Within an Ecosystem with Charlton Cunningham](https://socialventurers.com/s01e03-how-to-build-trust-within-an-ecosystem-with-charlton-cunningham/) - In today's episode, I’m sharing a conversation I had with Charlton Cunningham during his recent visit to Mexico City. Charlton used to be based in Atlanta, GA, but has been living a nomad life since the pandemic began. In our conversation, Charlton talks about how to build trust in an ecosystem.
- [S01E04 - How to build an island-wide ecosystem with Denisse Rodríguez](https://socialventurers.com/s01e04-how-to-build-an-island-wide-ecosystem-with-denisse-rodriguez/) - Today, we’re headed to Puerto Rico to talk with Denisse Rodríguez. Denisse left her high-flying career on Wall Street to return to her home country where she’s now dedicated to making entrepreneurship more accessible for founders all across the island.
- [S01E05 - How to Manage Copycats and Grow Ecosystems Together with Darlisa Diltz](https://socialventurers.com/s01e05-how-to-manage-copycats-and-grow-ecosystems-together-with-darlisa-diltz/) - Darlisa shares what happens when the work you’ve been doing for years suddenly becomes all the rage, but powerful players don’t take the time to truly understand their communities’ needs, about bad actors in the ecosystem who outright copied her programs. And what advice Darlisa has about nurturing community and becoming a truly inclusive ecosystem builder.
- [S01E06 - How to Approach Economic Development Through an Ecosystem Mindset with Christina Oldfather](https://socialventurers.com/s01e06-how-to-approach-economic-development-through-an-ecosystem-mindset-with-christina-oldfather/) - Christina Oldfather is a seasoned ecosystem builder and economic developer. We talk about the shared objectives and differences between economic development and ecosystem building as approaches to fostering entrepreneurship. And Christina spills the beans on how her ecosystem convenes and how they support founders post-acceleration.
- [S01E08 - Season 01 Review: Co-writing the Playbook on Ecosystem Building](https://socialventurers.com/s01e08-season-01-review-co-writing-the-playbook-on-ecosystem-building/) - As I look back at Season 1, there were three main themes that really stood out to me, and today, I’m revisiting my conversations from the season to illustrate those essential points.
- [Ecosystems For Change: Logbook #1](https://socialventurers.com/ecosystems-for-change-logbook-1/) - I have been writing monthly Logbooks ever since I started Social Venturers. It’s been my way of keeping myself accountable and sharing with other people what I’ve been working on the month before, what I was planning, and how people could get involved.
- [S02E01 - The Slow and Complex Nature of Systems Change](https://socialventurers.com/s02e01/) - In Season 2, my goal is to break open “complex adaptive systems,” and to talk to practitioners who can help us all understand how we can think and act more in these systems in order to support entrepreneurs and build thriving ecosystems in our communities.
- [Veronica Guguian](https://socialventurers.com/veronica-guguian/) - Veronica Guguian Romanian expat living in the Netherlands. Marketer and connector. Zebras Unite chapter co-lead Amsterdam, Netherlands. A Zebra is… ... a company that is in business for a few years (because you need to have product-market fit and understand your niche to be profitable) and is guided by a certain set of values: Is
- [Sharon Chang](https://socialventurers.com/sharon-chang/) - Sharon Chang Future architect and shaker of systems. Rainforest thinker and guerilla gardener. Impact investor and founder. Zebras Unite founding member. A Zebra is… … a provocation against the status quo. It’s a curiosity in itself and a creature of beauty. It’s an invitation for people to get into something different. The Issue with Two-dimensional
- [Logbook November 2021](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-november-2021/) - Logbook November 2021 As the third year of Social Venturers comes to a close, I've reflected on the journey so far and what I've learned about generating, curating and distributing knowledge in an emerging field like entrepreneurial ecosystem building. So here's a slightly different logbook as 2021 comes to an end: Phase I: Discovery (2019)
- [Soenke Zehle](https://socialventurers.com/soenke-zehle/) - Soenke Zehle Sensemaker and storyteller. Lover of abstraction, language and poetry. Zebras Unite chapter co-lead Saar region, Germany. A Zebra is… … an ethos. A lot of people around me have been asking themselves ‘Why isn’t change happening even though so many of us want to see it happen?’ There’s no dearth of people who
- [Zebra Growth | Moh Al-Haifi & Celina Uhl](https://socialventurers.com/zebra-growth-moh-al-haifi-celina-uhl/) - Zebra Growth | moh Al-Haifi & Celina Uhl Celina: Fem tech enthusiast. Growth Marketer. Social entrepreneur. Moh: Ethical Growth Marketer. Social entrepreneur. Nomad. Founder of Zebra Growth. Zebras Unite founding member. A Zebra is… Celina: … a company that is conscious and starts with a personal why. It focuses on a deeper purpose and creating
- [No more problem solving! (pt. 1)](https://socialventurers.com/community-leadership-1/) - No more problem solving! (pt. 1) We have a hundred ways of encouraging individual development, but we are semiliterate when it comes to the question of communal developmentPeter Block, 2012, p. 3 This series shines a light on two essential concepts in our work as ecosystem builders and creators of an alternative future: Community and
- [Feeders, Keystones & Conveners (pt. 2)](https://socialventurers.com/community-leadership-2/) - Feeders, Keystones & Conveners (pt. 2) Leadership in ecosystems The term leadership is loaded with preconceived ideas about corralling the troops, getting teams fired up, being the charismatic founder of a startup team and so on… Leaders seem surrounded by a magic aura of inspiration and can-do attitude. In ecosystem building, our role is -
- [Moral leadership for systemic change (pt. 3)](https://socialventurers.com/community-leadership-3/) - Moral leadership for systemic change (pt. 3) Community Stewardship on a Systemic Level The nature of our ecosystems is not always local, especially when it comes to systemic challenges which - as we have discussed with various Social Venturers - require systemic solutions. What you will find, however, is that people - geographically close or
- [Unlocking ecosystem Building](https://socialventurers.com/unlocking-ecosystem-building/) - Unlocking ecosystem building Why we need a holistic approach to ecosystem building. What they don’t tell you in ecosystem building school When one of my earliest mentors changed cities and careers, I was befuddled that he could step back from his work. He had co-founded the region’s first accelerator for high-growth startups and advocated for
- [Rooted in WHY (Power of Purpose pt. 2)](https://socialventurers.com/rooted-in-why/) - Rooted in WHY (Power of Purpose pt. 2) In my conversations over the years, social entrepreneurs, organizational leaders and some self-employed service providers (advisors and consultants) have shared with me - sworn to absolute secrecy - that they are secretly thinking about what’s next for them. I often get the sense that social entrepreneurs in
- [The Infinite Game of Ecosystem Building](https://socialventurers.com/the-infinite-game-of-ecosystem-building/) - The Infinite Game of Ecosystem Building The Infinite Game “In a finite game, the game ends when its time is up and the players live on to play another day (unless it was a duel, of course). In an infinite game, it’s the opposite. It is the game that lives on and it is the
- [Francene Chadwick](https://socialventurers.com/francene-chadwick/) - Francene Chadwick Holly Springs, North Carolina, USA. Co-founder & CEO. Infrastructure builder and Financial Equality Advocate. Dyslexia and Mental Health Advocate. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Backer. A Zebra is… The people, communities, and organizations that understand our societies have systemic issues that governments and the private sector, primarily well-intentioned, can't possibly solve. Zebras find solutions,
- [logbook October 2021](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-october-2021/) - Logbook October 2021 October in review On October 12, 2021, I found myself in front of 20+ emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem builders who were curious to find out what this job entails and how they can make a difference in their communities. After being locked away in my home office for almost two years, the simple
- [Talie Smith](https://socialventurers.com/talie-smith/) - Camille is a profitability advisor and investor. After two decades at Dell, she now helps emerging businesses use Big Tech secrets to turn capital into profit.
- [Vanesa Nahir Acosta & Agustín D'Elio](https://socialventurers.com/vanesa-nahir-acosta-agustin-delio/) - Vanesa Nahir Acosta & Agustín D'Elio Buenos Aires, Argentina. Vanesa: Social Innovation consultant. Agustín: co-founder of Huerta coworking space. Community builders and Zebras Unite chapter co-leads. A Zebra is… Vanesa: “For me, a Zebra is a company that exists to tackle an injustice that its founders are intimately familiar with. It’s also a company that
- [Jackson Ward Collective](https://socialventurers.com/jackson-ward-collective/) - Jackson Ward Collective Kelli Lemon, Rasheeda Creighton and Melody Short are creating a resource hub for Black entrepreneurs in the former capital of the Confederacy. In December 2020, I sat down with Melody Short, Kelli Lemon and Rasheeda Creighton, the three co-founders of the Jackson Ward Collective. Kelli Lemon is best described as Richmond’s Varsity
- [Unlocking entrepreneurship](https://socialventurers.com/unlocking-entrepreneurship/) - The Dan River region and Springfield are no outlier cases. Many communities around the U.S. and beyond are struggling to keep up with the accelerated pace of digitalization and globalization. For decades, economic developers have worked hard to attract big business to struggling communities in hopes of revitalizing local economies. But this attraction-based strategy only
- [logbook September 2021](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-september-2021/) - Logbook September 2021 September in review I'm almost embarrassed by how excited I am about shifting to a podcast format! I know, I know. There are a bazillion podcasts out there and the topic of entrepreneurship is not that rare, either. But let me tell you, after more than 800 hours spent on interview production,
- [Camille Nisich](https://socialventurers.com/camille-nisich/) - Camille is a profitability advisor and investor. After two decades at Dell, she now helps emerging businesses use Big Tech secrets to turn capital into profit.
- [Sheeza Shah](https://socialventurers.com/sheeza-shah/) - A Zebra is… a beneficial, kind and community-centric company that prioritizes societal welfare alongside profits. What’s wrong with the status quo? There are a number of things that I've discovered along the way and each learning has informed much of my own journey, ultimately leading me to Zebras Unite. The main thing that has driven
- [Douglas Locklin](https://socialventurers.com/douglas-locklin/) - Douglas Locklin Turku, Finland. Expat. Technologist. Believer in the long way. Zebras Unite chapter lead Turku, Finland. A Zebra is… … rare and wild. It’s an undomesticable animal that is unique and searches for a way to survive in a world in which their habitat is seriously jeopardized. Our realities are often in conflict with
- [Jenny Atout Ahlzen](https://socialventurers.com/jenny-atout-ahlzen/) - Jenny Atout Ahlzen Jordan. Swedish expat living in the Middle East. Impact Investor with a gender lens. Zebras Unite chapter co-lead Jordan. A Zebra is… ...real! As opposed to the nearly impossible to reach concept of a unicorn, zebras actually do exist and they’re everywhere. They have different stripes but they’re never identical but, as
- [Value: Redefined](https://socialventurers.com/value-redefined/) - Value: Redefined Have you ever had a question buried so ferociously in the back of your mind that you couldn’t shake it? A voice that piped up every time you came to a crossroads in your personal or professional life? A sense of this-is-not-how-it’s-supposed-to-be that has sunk its claws so deeply into your psyche that
- [logbook August 2021](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-august-2021/) - Logbook August 2021 Welcome back friends! Taking 5 weeks off this summer does indeed feel like a new season is upon us and I sure hope it brings some positive change for us all! Even though paid work has been the slowest it’s ever been since I set out on my own, I kept busy
- [Nic Gunkel](https://socialventurers.com/nic-gunkel/) - Nic Gunkel New Milford, Connecticut, USA. Senior Vice President at Forward Cities. Research and policy expert. German. Father. Nicolas Gunkel is the Senior Vice President at Forward Cities, a nonprofit that works with communities to strengthen their support structures for all their entrepreneurs. Nic has shaped the organization's research and evaluation agenda, leads the nascent
- [Catherine Griffin](https://socialventurers.com/catherine-griffin/) - Catherine Griffin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Impact translator and data lover. Democratizer of impact data. Founder and adjunct professor. As founder and CEO of ImpactableX Analytics, Catherine helps social entrepreneurs and their investors to leverage data that can drive impact at scale. Her cutting-edge approach to impact modeling democratizes impact data and analytics by delivering a
- [Isabelle Swiderski](https://socialventurers.com/isabelle-swiderski/) - Isabelle Swiderski Ottawa, Canada. Ecosystem weaver and facilitator. Collaborator and perpetual student. Nature lover and cook. Isabelle Swiderski started her agency in 2007 and since then has worked with social entrepreneurs around the world to bring their ideas to live and scale their impact. “Initially, my team and I were working with not for-profits exclusively
- [Bistra Kumbaroska](https://socialventurers.com/bistra-kumbaroska/) - Bistra Kumbaroska Ljubljana, Slovenia, and Vienna, Austria. Impact activist and co-creator. Extrovert & poet. Multilinguist and citizen of Europe. Head, heart, and social innovation Bistra Kumbaroska is the co-founder and managing partner of Heartbeats Innovation and Communication, a Vienna- and Ljubljana-based agency (more on that later) that works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs and organizations to discover,
- [Tomás de Lara](https://socialventurers.com/tomas-de-lara/) - Tomás de Lara Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Extreme collaborator and host of deep conversations. Circular economist and systems thinker. Pollinator and empathetic listener. Collaboration: the most important engine of life “In 2011, I co-founded Engage: a technology, business strategy and consultancy for social change, civic engagement and social innovation projects. Our goal was to give
- [Dell Gines](https://socialventurers.com/dell-gines/) - Dell Gines Oklahoma, Nebraska, USA. Inclusive Urban and Rural Economic Development Professional. Senior Advisor for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. PhD with an early bedtime. I first learned about Dell Gines when he took the stage at the 2019 ESHIP Summit. As part of this Firestarter talk, he walked us through the shift
- [Deldelp Medina](https://socialventurers.com/deldelp-medina/) - Deldelp Medina | Black & Brown Founders San Francisco, CA. Executive director of Black & Brown Founders. Connector and opener of doors. Ecosystem Builder. Daughter of a painter and writer/historian. A Zebra is … nimble. I grew up and currently live in San Francisco and I’ve seen all the changes that the city and the region
- [Malii Watts Witten](https://socialventurers.com/malii-watts-witten/) - Malii Watts Witten | Engage Between San Antonio, Texas, USA. Culture builder and centerer of people. Founder of EngageBetween. Mama. Zebras Unite founding member. A Zebra is… … a cool, real-world creature that needs protecting in the wild of our world. A people-based future I am Bahá’i by faith. As a Bahá’i, I believe in
- [Mike O'Donnell](https://socialventurers.com/mike-odonnell/) - Mike O'Donnell Kirk, Colorado, USA. No sufferer of fools. Advocate for small business and character-based lending. Entrepreneurial ecosystem builder. Australian living in the US. A Zebra is… … a business that invests in itself, the community and employees!!!! About 20% of small businesses with employees in the United States will survive at least 20 years
- [Héctor Reyes Flores](https://socialventurers.com/hector-reyes-flores/) - Héctor reyes Flores Mexico City, Mexico. Community Builder. Creator and entrepreneur. Impact Investment Advocate. A Zebra is… … the balance between the economic power of society, equality and the planet. Being able to balance all that is what makes a Zebra a Zebra. A mindset to build with every stakeholder in mind. Whether it’s a
- [Danielle Anderson](https://socialventurers.com/danielle-anderson/) - Danielle Anderson Nairobi, Kenya. World-traveller. Movement builder. Empowering women-led businesses. “I left London in June 2016 and spent some time in the US, Africa and Jamaica. In early 2017, I returned to Kenya and started exploring the ecosystem for startups. What I heard was ‘We love what you’re doing and we want it, but we
- [Martyr in recovery](https://socialventurers.com/martyr-in-recovery/) - Martyr in recovery How I stopped making myself miserable in the name of social change Most afternoons in the last year, I emerged from my home office at 4.30 p.m. completely and utterly exhausted. Spent. Empty. On the really tough days, the five-minute walk to my daughter’s daycare was unthinkable. I couldn’t possibly put one
- [Community over competition: An ecosystem builder's approach](https://socialventurers.com/community-over-competition/) - Community over competition: An ecosystem builder's approach For a few years now, I have been deeply entrenched in the world of entrepreneurial ecosystem building. You’ll find me in seventh heaven when I get to spend time with like-minded peers whose eyes brighten up when I casually sprinkle the words ecosystem building into a conversation! And
- [Logbook June 2021](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-june-2021/) - Logbook June 2021 What I've been working on. What lies ahead. How you can help. June in review Complexity has been front of center over the month of June. The complexity of trying to build a service-based business in a crazy niche that seems to be ruled by a handful of big organizations. The complexity of
- [Logbook May 2021](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-may-2021/) - Logbook May 2021 What I've been working on. What lies ahead. How you can help. May in review After renovating the home of Social Venturers (hello shiny new website!), most of May was dedicated to letting my circles far and wide know about the new products and services that are now available to change makers
- [Kate 'Sassy' Sassoon](https://socialventurers.com/kate-sassy-sassoon/) - Kate 'Sassy' Sassoon Bay Area, California, U.S. Human System Engineer. Facilitator and unpacker of power. Lifelong co-op advocate. Zebras Unite founding member. A Zebra is… ...someone who attempts to do meaningful work to build a better world both within and against the business-as-usual economic structure. There’s the myth of the “unicorn” in the VC world
- [Complexity as a mindset](https://socialventurers.com/complexity-as-a-mindset/) - Complexity as a mindset Why thinking in complex adaptive systems makes us better ecosystem builders. My phone rings on a Thursday morning. “Why is ecosystem building so addictive?” It’s my friend Larkin, community builder and small business advocate extraordinaire. I know how she feels. I’ve been giddy and restless since we returned from an ecosystem
- [#1 Put entrepreneurs front and center](https://socialventurers.com/principle-1/) - #1 Put entrepreneurs front and center This article belongs to the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. Read #1 Put entrepreneurs front and center. This resource guide is no longer available for download. Sign up for Impact Curator to never miss another resource! As ecosystem builders, we
- [#2 Create serendipity (1/3)](https://socialventurers.com/principle-2-serendipity/) - #2 Create serendipity (1/3) This article is a 3-piece exploration of Ecosystem Building principle #2 Foster Inclusive Conversations and belongs to the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. Read #1 Put entrepreneurs front and center. This resource guide is no longer
- [#2 Inclusion & Hope (2/3)](https://socialventurers.com/principle-2-inclusion/) - #2 Inclusion & Hope (2/3) This article is a 3-piece exploration of Ecosystem Building principle #2 Foster Inclusive Conversations and belongs to the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. Read #1 Put entrepreneurs front and center. This resource guide is no
- [#2 Turning words into action (3/3)](https://socialventurers.com/principle-2-action/) - #2 Turning words into action (3/3) This article is a 3-piece exploration of Ecosystem Building principle #2 Foster Inclusive Conversations and belongs to the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. Read #1 Put entrepreneurs front and center. This resource guide is
- [#3 Enlist collaborators. Everyone's invited.](https://socialventurers.com/principle-3/) - #3 Enlist collaborators. Everyone's invited. This article is the third installment of the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. This resource guide is no longer available. Sign up for Impact Curator to never miss another resource. Human behavior that is conducive to innovation (...)
- [#4 Live the Values (1/2)](https://socialventurers.com/principle-4-misalignment/) - #4 Live the Values (1/2) This article is a 2-piece exploration of Ecosystem Building principle #4 Live the Values and belongs to the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. This resource guide is no longer available. Sign up for Impact Curator
- [#4 Live the Values (2/2)](https://socialventurers.com/principle-4-values/) - #4 Live the Values (2/2) This article is a 2-piece exploration of Ecosystem Building principle #4 Live the Values and belongs to the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. This resource guide is no longer available. Sign up for Impact Curator to never
- [#5 Connect People (2/2)](https://socialventurers.com/principle-5-systems/) - #5 Connect People (2/2) This article is a 2-piece exploration of Ecosystem Building principle #5 Connect People Bottom-Up, Top-down, Inside-Out etc. and belongs to the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. This resource guide is no longer available. Sign up for Impact Curator to never miss
- [#5 Connect people (1/2)](https://socialventurers.com/5-connect-hierarchy/) - #5 Connect people (1/2) This article is a 2-piece exploration of Ecosystem Building principle #5 Connect People Bottom-Up, Top-down, Inside-Out etc. and belongs to the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. This resource guide is no longer available. Sign up for Impact Curator to never miss
- [#6 Tell Authentic Stories 1/2](https://socialventurers.com/principle-6-approaches/) - #6 Tell Authentic Stories 1/2 This article is a 2-piece exploration of Ecosystem Building principle #6 Tell your community's authentic story and belongs to the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. This resource guide is no longer available. Sign up for Impact Curator to never miss another resource:
- [#6 Tell Authentic stories 2/2](https://socialventurers.com/principle-6-practice/) - #6 Tell authentic stories 2/2 This article is a 2-piece exploration of Ecosystem Building principle #6 Tell your community's authentic story and belongs to the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. This resource guide is no longer available. Sign up for Impact Curator to never miss another resource:
- [#7 Start. Be patient.](https://socialventurers.com/principle-7/) - #7 Start. Be patient. This article belongs to the 7-part series Ecosystem Building 101. The entire series is developed in Fireside Chats with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders around the world. The resource guide is no longer available. Sign up for Impact Curator to never miss another resource. In an infinite game, (it) is the game that lives on and it is
- [The Purpose Gap](https://socialventurers.com/the-purpose-gap/) - The Purpose gap How to operate in your zone of genius and give your ego a much-needed break I remember this moment very clearly: I was eleven years old and sitting in the middle of the bus on my way home from school. I could feel the slow drip of ink on my hair and
- [Daisy Ford-Downes](https://socialventurers.com/daisy-ford-downes/) - Daisy Ford-Downes Edinburgh, Scotland. Systemic thinker and community builder. Behind-the-scenes-operator and spreadsheet aficionado. Zebras Unite chapter lead Edinburgh, Scotland. A Zebra is … someone who does the work. Whether they’re founders or funders or advisors, Zebras are the ones who roll up their sleeves and actually do the work to build better systems and do
- [CRUX - Lauren Ruffin](https://socialventurers.com/crux-lauren-ruffin/) - CRUX Albuquerque, New Mexico. Co-op founder & champion for Black artists. Digital events magician. Zebras Unite founding member. A Zebra is … someone who is constantly questioning the status quo. As Zebras, we recognize that we are operating within systems that just don’t work for us. And there comes a moment for each of us
- [Logbook April](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-april-2021/) - Logbook April 2021 What I've been working on. What lies ahead. How you can help. April in review If you read my March logbook, you know that my mind has been trying to work out how I can be of better service to all of you - for a reason: I experienced my Dark Night
- [logbook October 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-october-2020/) - I’ll be the first to admit that I am writing and working as much as I can to distract myself from this week’s presidential election here in the U.S. Luckily, I have been able to channel all that energy throughout the month of October! We are four sessions into our series of Fireside Chats and
- [Esmeralda Herrera](https://socialventurers.com/esmeralda-herrera/) - Born and raised in the Bronx, Esmeralda Herrera is an ecosystem builder who works at the intersection of business and social impact to support local entrepreneurs. As Director of Programs and Community Relations at Communitas America, Esmeralda manages an accelerator in the Bronx that works directly with founders – primarily women and entrepreneurs of color
- [Philipp von der Wippel](https://socialventurers.com/philipp-von-der-wippel/) - Philipp von der Wippel started ProjectTogether when he was 16 years old. Before and during his studies at Oxford University, he worked for the BMW Foundation, the German Federal Ministry of Finance and PwC Public Sector Consulting. With meanwhile 8 years of experience in the field of Social Innovation. I caught up with Philipp as
- [logbook November 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-november-2020/) - It feels like I shared the October logbook just yesterday and yet here we are in the last month of the year already! I’m about to take some time off for the holidays and to devote the month of December but not without sharing an update on all that’s been cooking behind the scenes of
- [logbook December 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-december-2020/) - One of my favorite traditions at the end of each year is writing personal notes to friends of Social Venturers and sending them out onto all continents (well, at least 4). It is a much needed reminder how far our network of dedicated impact makers reaches and how much we collectively achieve by connecting and
- [Matt Dunne](https://socialventurers.com/matt-dunne/) - The Rural Edge: Durango, Colorado As a result we had this huge divide between rural and urban America. We could account for most of the difference with digital economy jobs because automation and globalization created a lot of jobs in urban places and took them away almost exclusively from rural places. Add to it the
- [David Ponraj](https://socialventurers.com/david-ponraj/) - “Startup Space arose out of a need that I myself had as an entrepreneur. In short, it helps small businesses find local resources. The secret sauce in this is that we don’t have to create these resources because often there already is a lot of infrastructure in place to support these businesses. It’s the connectivity
- [logbook January 2021](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-january-2021/) - In January we took a closer look at how we might better understand value and impact at the intersection of social entrepreneurship and ecosystem building. It’s an overwhelmingly complex topic and you can read some of my observations in Value: Redefined. The second highlight for me was hosting our first global meetup of impact-driven solopreneurs.
- [Dr. Angela Jackson](https://socialventurers.com/angela-jackson/) - “I was raised by my grandparents. My grandfather worked at the Chrysler factory in Wisconsin and he was able to make a living wage. Because he was part of the union, I was able to go to undergrad and then on to get my doctoral degree. Today, that's not true anymore for factory workers. If
- [Mildred Franco](https://socialventurers.com/mildred-franco/) - “When school started last August (2020), 70% of the kids in Pine Bluff opted for remote learning instead of in-person. By mid-October 68% had not even logged into the system.” Our community does not have adequate broadband, our city is what they called underserved. In the U.S. in the 21st century, inadequate broadband is leaving
- [Carlie Dole](https://socialventurers.com/carlie-dole/) - “What I found really difficult about a traditional mother's group was that it was this hardcore focus on baby development. It became a bit of a competition, we forgot ourselves and focused solely on our babies. I knew there had to be another way! I wondered whether we could get together and connect on a
- [logbook February 2021](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-february-2021/) - Friends, it feels I never stop turning the page here at Social Venturers. As with every good change, it feels monumental on the inside and looks insignificant on the outside. Over the 18 months that Social Venturers has been online, I have published 120 interviews and articles. But I want to do more than tell
- [Servane Mouazan](https://socialventurers.com/servane-mouazan/) - “Orixas are the spirits that you are born with. During my time in Brazil as a capoeira player, the mother of one of my friends there explained to me that your orixa is the spirit you’re born with and that protects you. My spirit, she explained, was Yemanjá Oguntê, a feminine patron spirit, protector of
- [Clarity & Focus](https://socialventurers.com/clarity-focus/) - When I graduated from my East German high school, it seemed everyone knew their destiny - bank apprenticeship, tourism degree, communications. After over a decade of schooling, I had no idea why I was in this world and what I would do with my one wild and precious life. After traveling and volunteering far away
- [Titania Veda](https://socialventurers.com/titania-veda/) - “One of my favorite client projects was a year-long contract with the city of Austin, Texas. Bloomberg philanthropies funded us to design a project that would create better services for people experiencing homelessness. As service and content designer for this project, one of my directives was to actually create the lived experience of a year-long
- [logbook March 2021](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-march-2021/) - At the beginning of this year, I embarked on a journey to better understand what is keeping impact makers up at night: What is standing in their way of creating deep and meaningful impact in their community? What obstacles make their day-to-day harder than necessary? And how do they go about their work without sacrificing
- [Charlton Cunningham](https://socialventurers.com/charlton-cunningham/) - Charlton Cunningham serves as the Head of Programs at HBCUvc, an organization dedicated to bringing more diversity into the venture capital industry. He formerly was Executive Director of Startup Atlanta, a City of Atlanta-funded non-profit focused on economic and community development. Prior to Startup Atlanta, Charlton held roles in brand strategy and member experience design
- [Chris Cain](https://socialventurers.com/chris-cain/) - I originally met Chris Cain through our work at Startup Champions Network. At the time, Chris ran the Staunton Creative Community Fund before switching over to take the charge at the newly created Staunton Innovation Hub in Virginia. In May 2019, Chris took the role of Chief Experience Officer at Alternatives Federal Credit Union in
- [Rachel Gerrol](https://socialventurers.com/rachel-gerrol/) - Rachel Gerrol is a "Catalyst at Large", working at the intersection of philanthropy, social innovation & community building. She is Co-Founder & CEO of NEXUS, the leading international network of next gen philanthropists & impact investors, with 6000+ members from 70+ countries representing families with a combined net worth of $650 billion. Her work stems
- [Armillaria](https://socialventurers.com/armillaria/) - Armillaria Designing an operating system for planet earth. Zebras Unite founding member. For 2021, I teamed up with Zebras Unite, a global movement of entrepreneurs, investors, activists and entrepreneurship supporters of all types, sizes and - you guessed it! - stripes who believe in the power of business as a force to make the world
- [Rooted in Purpose](https://socialventurers.com/rooted-in-purpose/) - Rooted in Purpose Having interviewed more than 70 ecosystem builders for social change, I've had a few (70+) conversations about what drives them. When asked about their purpose, responses range from a desire to contribute to a world worth living in to creating equal access to opportunity, building community wealth and wellbeing, unlocking human potential
- [Asetila Koestinger](https://socialventurers.com/asetila-koestinger/) - Asetila Koestinger Vienna, Austria. Social entrepreneur. Community builder for women entrepreneurs. Zebras Unite chapter lead. A Zebra is … a business that doesn't stand for only one thing anymore. And that is designed intentionally to be good and profitable, for us and for future generations. Challenging the status quo First of all, we need to
- [Rehana Nathoo](https://socialventurers.com/rehana-nathoo/) - Rehana Nathoo is the Founder and CEO of Spectrum Impact, a strategy firm that supports organizations looking to expand their impact investing footprint. Her work has been shaped by a decade-long learning journey in impact investing. Rehana previously led the impact investing portfolio at the Case Foundation and worked with Bank of New York Mellon
- [Cameron Madill](https://socialventurers.com/cameron-madill/) - Cameron Madill is CEO at Pixelspoke, a worker-owned coop that focuses on websites and digital marketing for social impact organizations. Based in Portland, Oregon (like Rick Turoczy), Cameron is not only IN one of the U.S.’ centers of purpose-driven businesses - he has been instrumental in building it over the last four years! “Portland first
- [Jessie Elisberg](https://socialventurers.com/jessie-elisberg/) - I was introduced to Jessie through our mutual friend and impact maker Lee Crockford. What transpired in our conversation was a deep commitment to helping social entrepreneurs thrive and - in times of COVID-19 - survive. Jessie shared some great insights and examples from members of the International Youth Foundation’s (IYF’s) YouthActionNet initiative and how
- [Markus Sauerhammer](https://socialventurers.com/markus-sauerhammer/) - Markus Sauerhammer was a farmer, entrepreneur and start-up consultant. He studied agricultural marketing and management and completed an Executive MBA in business creation and innovation. He was responsible for cooperations at Startnext, the largest crowdfunding platform in Germany. As chairman of the Social Entrepreneurship Network Germany (SEND) he work on a better framework for shaping
- [Andrea Gamson](https://socialventurers.com/andrea-gamson/) - Andrea is a lean start-up trainer, design thinker and marketer who is passionate about personal and professional development. When she’s not running _SocialStarters – helping corporate professionals share their skills with social entrepreneurs - she likes to discover new places to walk, sleep & eat throughout the UK around the world. This nomination sailed into
- [Manu Musa](https://socialventurers.com/manu-musa/) - Emanuele - Manu - is an author, speaker, trainer, strategic advisor and expert in open and social innovation. He is co-founder of Babele: an open-social innovation platform for the co-development of impact strategies & business models. Emanuele is a YTILI Fellow of the US States Department. He believes in the power of transparency and hold
- [Rana Dajani](https://socialventurers.com/rana-dajani/) - Rana Dajani is a professor of molecular cell biology, currently* Cmalakova Fellow at the Jepson School of Leadership at the University of Richmond, Harvard Radcliff fellow, a Fulbrighter, Eisenhower fellow, former center of studies director at Hashemite University, Jordan, Ashoka Fellow, visiting professor at both Yale and Cambridge. Rana is a world expert on genetics
- [Banks Benitez](https://socialventurers.com/banks-benitez/) - As CEO, Banks is responsible for the organization’s strategy and long-term direction. A Denver native who joined Uncharted in the spring of 2012 as an unpaid intern, Banks has served in a variety of roles: leading entrepreneur selection, managing the mentor network, leading the expansion of the Institute around the world, managing the organization’s day-to-day
- [Ilka Hennet](https://socialventurers.com/ilka-hennet/) - Earlier this year, I had high hopes of meeting a representative of the BMW Foundation in person on my visit to Berlin. Between my time in Toronto and conversations with Michelle Arevalo-Carpenter, I had met my fair share of Responsible Leaders, yet still hadn’t had a chance to talk to the organization that had created
- [Dana Bakich](https://socialventurers.com/dana-bakich/) - Relationships. If I there was ever a person that could be described in this one simple word, it would be Dana! Dana and I were introduced through Hannah Gay and over the course of our conversation realized that we both are huge fans of Michelle Martello (aka Smartello) in Richmond, Virginia, even though Dana lives
- [Topher Wilkins](https://socialventurers.com/topher-wilkins/) - Over the course of 2019, I came across a number of people who do absolutely fascinating work in the field of ecosystem building for social change, only they weren’t exactly ecosystem builders in the traditional sense. There was more to conversations with them because in one way or another, they had moved into a position
- [Laura Haverkamp](https://socialventurers.com/laura-haverkamp/) - Laura is a partner at Ashoka Germany and Board member at the Social Entrepreneurship Network Germany (SEND). As a social entrepreneurship enthusiast, she believes in the power of each individual to support and create change for the better. What gets her up to work each day? Making great ideas happen on the way to creating
- [Michael Wunsch](https://socialventurers.com/michael-wunsch/) - Michael has worked with social entrepreneurship for over a decade - first as a founder, later as a supporter for social entrepreneurs. He is the manager of the Social Impact Lab Frankfurt and co-founder and manager of scientific cooperations for the Social Entrepreneurship Network Germany. Michael's passion lies within building pragmatic ecosystems that solve society's
- [Noa Gafni](https://socialventurers.com/noa-gafni/) - Noa Gafni is the Executive Director of the Rutgers Institute for Corporate Social Innovation. Noa began her career as an entrepreneur, founding a social network for women in 2005. She then joined the founding digital team at Hearst Magazines as Head of Social Media. During her MBA at London Business School, Noa became deeply interested
- [Christina Marie Noel](https://socialventurers.com/christina-marie-noel/) - Christina Marie Noel is an award-winning Social Entrepreneur, Marketing Strategist, Executive Coach, & speaker that specializes in helping organizations thrive through a unique combination of strategy and storytelling. Christina is a leader within the global B Corp movement. She is the co-founder of the NC B Corp Champions and in 2015, she received B Corp
- [Making it through Covid19. Advice from an Impact Investor](https://socialventurers.com/covid19-guide/) - This guest post was written by Social Venturer Ann-Christin Kortenbrede and originally published on The Social Business. Working with numerous portfolio and pipeline companies in the past few weeks has given me valuable insights into how companies and investors first reacted to the current crisis and then adjusted their medium-term strategies accordingly. In this blog
- [Yuliya Tarasava](https://socialventurers.com/yuliya-tarasava/) - Yuliya Tarasava is the COO and Co-founder of CNote, an impact investment platform delivering competitive returns by investing in women, minorities and low-income communities across America. As an experienced financial professional with expertise in risk management and product development, Yuliya focuses on leveraging financial tools to increase economic opportunity for everyone. Previously, Yuliya led the
- [Lilli Ebner-Stoll](https://socialventurers.com/lilli-ebner-stoll/) - Lilli strives to make a dent in the crisis of chronic malnutrition by building sustainable and scaleable social organizations and leveraging cross-sectoral partnerships.She is the founder of Listo Maní+, a social enterprise that transforms scientific solutions against malnutrition, like fortified peanut pastes, into popular products that are highly accessible and affordable to all families in
- [Evgeni Kouris](https://socialventurers.com/evgeni-kouris/) - “In a Mittelstand enterprise Up to two natural persons or their family members (directly or indirectly) hold at least 50% of the company shares andThese natural persons also belong to the management of the enterprise. According to the definition of the Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn, the terms Mittelstand, family enterprise and owner-managed enterprise are
- [Ana Amrein Esnaola](https://socialventurers.com/ana-amrein-esnaola/) - Ana has dedicated her life to social innovation and social entrepreneurship. She studied International Relations in Switzerland, where she began her career at the Impact Hub Zurich. She has lived and worked in Vietnam, Costa Rica, Mexico, Spain and Germany. She worked in a social consulting firm managing projects on financial inclusion, gender equality or
- [Chintan Panchal](https://socialventurers.com/chintan-panchal/) - 10 years ago, Chintan Panchal left his position as a lawyer at a large international law firm to start his own shop, “While I had learned a lot and relished the complexity of the work we were doing, I was missing something. I realized I needed three key ingredients to be fulfilled in my work:
- [Gabriela Martinez](https://socialventurers.com/gabriela-martinez/) - Founder and CEO of Wanuna.Store, an L.A. based social enterprise that connects consumers to ethically sourced goods from the Andean region. Gabriela is a qualified attorney in Ecuador, and an HSE Specialist with a strong knowledge in international trade of goods, workplace management systems and conformity assessment processes. After 7+ years working as an HSE
- [Kristin Leutz](https://socialventurers.com/kristin-leutz/) - Kristin Leutz is the Executive Director at Startup Champions Network and past CEO of Valley Venture Mentors. She is passionate about connecting and supporting entrepreneurship ecosystems to build a stronger, equitable economy for all. As a consultant, Kristin has worked in organizational development, fundraising, and communications for clients such as Women Moving Millions, Forward Cities,
- [Larkin Garbee](https://socialventurers.com/larkin-garbee/) - Larkin and I share a long history of working together: From slinging biscuits for the homeless at 20 degrees Fahrenheit to launching several support programs for fledgling entrepreneurs, we have done A LOT. Most recently we had the opportunity to work together at Startup Champions Network (SCN) that she leads as Executive Director. "Larkin embodies
- [Daniel Nowack](https://socialventurers.com/daniel-nowack/) - “As I’m walking through Berlin at 27 degrees in Berlin in April, I am reminded that we’re not fast enough in creating systemic change. How can we be more effective and faster? We need to get better and work at greater scale and influence more people to create lasting change.” Dan says while we are
- [Michelle Arevalo-Carpenter](https://socialventurers.com/michelle-arevalo-carpenter/) - Michelle is an Alumna of The Coaching Fellowship and currently part of the Global Good Fund Fellowship. Her official role, however, is that of co-founder and CEO of IMPAQTO, a social enterprise accelerator and network of co-working spaces building an impact ecosystem in Quito, Ecuador. “My role has been everything, from janitor to strategy. From
- [George Tsiatis](https://socialventurers.com/george-tsiatis/) - 500 Fellows. 80 countries. 300 social enterprises. 2.5 million people reached. Welcome to The Resolution Project. What started out as an idea tagged onto youth leadership summits at Harvard University has evolved into a 14-person strong non-profit headquartered in Manhattan that supports idea-stage social entrepreneurs globally through mentoring, funding, and pro-bono resources. Co-founder George Tsiatis
- [Rob Lalka](https://socialventurers.com/rob-lalka/) - I first met Rob during my first phase of Social Ventures. Back in 2015, Rob was still with Propeller in New Orleans and has since moved on to Tulane University where he heads up the Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Tulane’s Freeman School of Business. “My role is to teach entrepreneurship to
- [Kristina Notz](https://socialventurers.com/kristina-notz/) - I remember the first time I met Kristina in 2015. Though both German we were in London for a conference of the then newly launched Global Social Entrepreneurship Network. After two days of conversations and story-sharing with some of Europe’s finest ecosystem builders for social change (you’ve already met Kaat Peeters!), Kristina and I both
- [Todd Nuckols](https://socialventurers.com/todd-nuckols/) - Todd Nuckols influenced my journey as an entrepreneurial ecosystem builder like few others (you will soon meet Larkin Garbee). We had the opportunity to work together and move in the same circles while I was living and working in Richmond. Even now I try to see him whenever I am in town to talk shop
- [Isaac Jeffries](https://socialventurers.com/isaac-jeffries/) - Isaac is hands-down one of the most intriguing, inspiring and dedicated, yet humble people I have met in the field of social enterprise to date. And he would argue that none of that is true - and you see immediately why I’m such a fan. We first met in 2016 when I interviewed him for
- [Enoch Elwell](https://socialventurers.com/enoch-elwell/) - Meet Enoch Elwell, founder and CEO of Co.Starters, a network that equips grassroots leaders with the best tools and resources needed to support starters of all kinds, fueling vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems.
- [Nora van der Linden](https://socialventurers.com/nora-van-der-linden/) - Nora van der Linden was one of the first Social Venturers I ever interviewed and from the moment we met, I appreciated her straightforwardness and no-bs attitude. Nora is based in Amsterdam, NL, where she works as co-director of Kennisland. Think of Kennisland as a think tank that researches and designs social progress with partners
- [Jacky Habib](https://socialventurers.com/jacky-habib/) - I met Jacky through another Social Venturers Interview. Danielle Anderson, who is based in Nairobi, Kenya, introduced us via Twitter and two weeks later, Jacky and I caught up for coffee at Dark Horse Espresso Bar in downtown Toronto. Jacky is a journalist, media consultant, and social entrepreneur. She reports on social issues, community development,
- [Leon Reiner](https://socialventurers.com/leon-reiner/) - Meet Leon Reiner, a tall, charismatic German with a passion for social innovation and community building. Leon is the co-founder and managing director at Impact Hub Berlin where he focuses on business development and partnerships. Success in a nutshell? “A strong and happy team, the right projects, members at the right time and an ever
- [Hannah Gay](https://socialventurers.com/hannah-gay/) - I first came across Hannah on social media. Then I checked out her website. Then I fell in love professionally. “Social Impact without the B.S.” is Hannah’s M.O. Why hadn’t I come up with that? Because I’m not Hannah and she is incredible, that’s why! Hannah lives in Denver, Colorado, and is a teacher turned
- [Tom Allen](https://socialventurers.com/tom-allen/) - One of the very first people I called when I Social Venturers started to take shape was Tom. We had originally met in 2016 when I interviewed him during the first phase of Social Venturers in Brisbane. At the time, Tom was focused on creating the right mindsets to tackle big problems and was bringing
- [Lee Crockford](https://socialventurers.com/lee-crockford/) - Lee Crockford and I go a long way back. A long way. In 2013, I was helping run a global Fellowship program for young social entrepreneurs in Hamburg, Germany. Lee had just left the on-site part of the program and returned to Brisbane, Australia, where he was working to redefine masculinity for Australian men. His
- [Naomi Ryland](https://socialventurers.com/naomi-ryland/) - “I wanted to be a hairdresser in the morning, a teacher in the afternoon and a ballet dancer at night.” Naomi Ryland has never been short of ambition or willingness to work. And while she has somewhat narrowed her focus since childhood, her dedication to making a difference in the world has remained untethered. We
- [Peter Ptashko](https://socialventurers.com/peter-ptashko/) - Peter and I first met in 2015 when he was working at Unltd in the UK. He has since struck out on his own as a consultant in London. I checked in with him in the spring of 2019 to see how self-employed life was treating him. “Overall, I worked with UnLtd for six and
- [logbook September 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-september-2020/) - The month of September just wrapped up with a whirlwind of conferences, which - despite being virtual - have brought a lot of fresh ideas and insights into the field! One of which is a new offer: a masterclass on how to thoughtfully design and execute engaging panel conversations and/or keynotes! I wrote an entire Insights
- [Allyship with the New Majority (Allyship pt 3)](https://socialventurers.com/allyship-3/) - On whatever personal level you connect with the issue of bias and racism - or don’t - the numbers don’t lie. Here’s a lay of the land: In June 2017, I was sitting in the first row at the Kauffman ESHIP Summit in Kansas City as Melissa Bradley, founder of 1863 Ventures took the stage
- [This is YOUR job (Allyship pt. 2)](https://socialventurers.com/allyship-2/) - “I see you, I love you, and I don’t need you to respond. I just want you to know.” This is what my friend Ace Callwood asked for in his article The Burden of (Finally) Being Seen. In the immediate aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and consequential outbreak of protests across the country
- [Knowing what I know now (Allyship pt. 1)](https://socialventurers.com/allyship-1/) - In entrepreneurial ecosystem circles, we have talked about the importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for several years. In that sense, I consider myself fortunate to have been around empathetic and outspoken changemakers who have always stood up for what’s right even when I was unable to fully comprehend the extent to which it
- [Purpose led us here (Power of Purpose pt. 1)](https://socialventurers.com/purpose-led-us-here/) - There are leaders and there are those who lead. I had heard the quote before but it wasn’t until I picked up “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek that I started to appreciate the nuance of what it takes to get others so excited about our cause to the point of willingly and happily following
- [Purpose, Success & Happiness (Power of Purpose pt. 3)](https://socialventurers.com/purpose-success-happiness/) - When Katrin-Tanja Davidsdottir became the Fittest Woman on Earth at the 2016 Crossfit Games, she looked at her coach Ben Bergeron who she had trained with day-in and day-out for years and said "I am not as happy as I thought I would be". In part 1 of this series, we discussed the importance of
- [logbook August 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-august-2020/) - So… that vacation month I was going to take did not quite work out (insert shrug emoji). August turned out to be the busiest month with client work and promoting Masters of Impact, our 3-month mastermind (did you miss it? Get on the waitlist for 2021!). And while I didn’t run any interviews this month,
- [logbook June 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-june-2020/) - June in review We’re halfway through a turbulent 2020 friends! Catch up on all things that happened in the month of June and see what I have lined up for you for the month of July before taking a break in August! While COVID-19 has put severe limits on our ability to meet in person,
- [logbook July 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-july-2020/) - July in review As so often, getting ready for a vacation feels a bit like frontloading some of the work that you would otherwise do in that month. In that sense, July has somehow flown by! I am still in the midst of unpacking our most recent series on Allyship for changemakers and ecosystem builders
- [logbook May 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-may-2020/) - Being forced to slow down over the last three months has opened up quite a bit of space to explore some of the bigger and more philosophical topics in the world of social impact and entrepreneurship. I finally picked up a copy of Start with Why by Simon Sinek (only nine years late, I know!)
- [logbook April 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-april-2020/) - I have relished seeing how Social Venturers around the world have sprung into action to support entrepreneurs in their communities! Tip of the heat to everyone who instead of being stifled by fear and uncertainty (me right here!) jumped in with both feet to help purpose-driven founders navigate these rough times. I am SO excited
- [logbook March 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-march-2020/) - I’m finding it hard to say much these days that seems to matter in light of the heavy news that I seem to wake up to every day. If I have anything to contribute to the current conversation, I want to be intentional about bringing you nothing but insightful, optimistic and useful content that helps
- [Ecosystem builders as 2nd responders](https://socialventurers.com/ecosystem-builders-as-second-responders-to-crisis/) - Co-authored by Michelle Arevalo-Carpenter & Anika Horn For several years now, we both have actively supported entrepreneurial ecosystems in our respective regions as what is referred to as ecosystem builders. According to the Kauffman Foundation “An ecosystem that allows for the fast flow of talent, information, and resources helps entrepreneurs quickly find what they need
- [logbook February 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-february-2020/) - This logbook is pretty special because it is number 12! Do you know what that means? Social Venturers turns 1 this week! Version 1 of Social Venturers looked like this and I think we can agree that we have come a long way since then! I posted the first logbook on Medium on March 7,
- [Your Unfair Advantage](https://socialventurers.com/your-unfair-advantage/) - The more I talk to entrepreneurial ecosystem builders for social change (35 and counting), the more I learn about the unique world views and skillsets that make these people put the needs of purpose-driven founders before their own. What I notice at the same time is that they often are not even aware of just
- [logbook January 2020](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-january-2020/) - We don’t have time. Not in a the-world-is-going-to-implode-kind of way, but in a don’t-waste-your-days-doing-meaningless-things kind of way. In the last four weeks, we have lost two of my icons in the world of social impact and ecosystem building - one arguably a little more famous than the other; but both equally appreciated, celebrated and missed
- [logbook December](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-december/) - When I started working on Social Venturers in October 2018, I had about 20 contacts to talk to and an idea of how I wanted to go about it. I knew I would apply the Lean Startup Method best I could with an initial focus on customer discovery and as many experiments as possible to figure
- [logbook November](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-november/) - More nights than not over the last two months, I have found myself sleepless with ideas and excitement rumbling through my head. As poetic as it sounds, it gets exhausting. I call it experiencing a Larkin - the only other person I know who is likely to respond to your email at 3 a.m. all
- [What you do matters.](https://socialventurers.com/what-you-do-matters/) - A tribute to my fellow ecosystem builders. I remember staring out the window of Lamplighter on a sunny afternoon in November of 2017. Lamplighter is a local coffee shop in Richmond, VA, that became my office away from the office when I needed to think. I was devouring my one Americano a day and Maurice Williams &
- [logbook July 2019](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-july-2019/) - July can be summed up like this: Picture the inside of an old desktop computer: Large boxes stuffed with wires and microchips, accompanied by a constant humming sound from the vent that prevents said boxes from overheating and going up in flames. Now picture a mini-me climbing through a web of said wires and chips,
- [logbook September](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-september/) - September was a quiet month. I spent some time with family in Germany and prepared for a big personal move. And I mean that literally. We are moving again! Yes, you read that correctly! After 16 months in Canada, we are returning to the U.S. Turning yet another page in our lives, this was an
- [Goals, Metrics and The Monkey's Paw](https://socialventurers.com/goals-metrics-and-the-monkeys-paw/) - By Isaac Jeffries One of the best ways to separate the strong entrepreneurs from the soon-to-be-frustrated entrepreneurs is to ask them about their goals.Sharp entrepreneurs set clear goals, which are easy to measure and genuinely contribute to their vision.Frustrated entrepreneurs talk about their dreams and set micro targets for their days, but these never turn
- [logbook October](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-october/) - October gave me a lot of time and space for introspection. Between long road trips and decompressing in the mountains of North Carolina, I’ve had ample opportunity to read and listen and figure out what I want 2020 to look like. Here are three things I learned in October: Everything is Figureoutable, Marie Forleo Taking
- [Coffee shops: The gateway to ecosystem building](https://socialventurers.com/coffee-shops-the-gateway-to-ecosystem-building/) - “Every morning, I see her walk from their shop - past Cork Coffee Roasters - to Starbucks and return with a tray of coffee for her team.” my sister explains to me as we ourselves sip coffee at Cocoalatte in Toronto. “Think about it. That easily eight euros (USD 10) a day that go to
- [logbook August 2019](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-august-2019/) - Social Venturers is live and I couldn’t be more excited, thrilled, proud and grateful! [insert karate kick moonwalk emoji] As always when you hit a big milestone, you look back on months of blood, sweat and tears, and the outcome right in front of you seems nothing short of inevitable. But in zooming in, I
- [logbook March 2019](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-march-2019/) - I have been behind my desk for two months now. Piles of paper with notes and articles strewn across our dining room table (because why use your desk if you can take up living space?) and a strong cup of coffee never far out of reach. While I enjoy all the reading and highlighting and
- [It's Love, Actually.](https://socialventurers.com/love-actually/) - Ending my one-sided relationship with ecosystem building. Ecosystem building and I have been going through a rough time lately. It’s not like we’re breaking up but it’s fair to say that we need some time apart, figure out what we see and value in one another, imagine life without the other, find some assurance that
- [logbook May 2019](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-may-2019/) - After close to two months on the road, I am back in Toronto. And while trying to recap the entire trip is near impossible, here are some of the highlights: The trip started off in April with a week in the state of Virginia. In Richmond, I caught up with some of my favorite entrepreneurs
- [logbook June 2019](https://socialventurers.com/logbok-june-2019/) - While April and May were all about travel, I kept my feet firmly planted on Toronto ground throughout June. In a country where winters and long and dark, we take summer seriously! Despite the tempting outdoors, I got a number of great interviews in this last month. I spoke to Danielle Olson from Portland, Oregon,
- [logbook April 2019](https://socialventurers.com/logbook-april-2019/) - The first quarter of 2019 is over. I focused on gathering data, running interviews and getting ready for my first talk about Social Venturers which is going down next week Friday (April 12th) at Tom Tom Festival in Charlottesville, VA. Whoop! A quick recap of March I rescheduled two and ran three more interviews. I am constantly

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- [Home](https://socialventurers.com/) - I build thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems. ANIKA HORN 10+ years in the field · 170+ practitioner interviews · 7 podcast seasons · Author of It Takes a Valley I've spent a decade at the center of ecosystem building. Now I help you do the same. I'm Anika Horn, and I've spent a decade documenting, connecting, and
- [Book-order](https://socialventurers.com/book-order/)
- [Book](https://socialventurers.com/book/) - It Takes a Valley How to build thriving, equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems in your community PRE-ORDER(opens in new tab) Launch Events VIRTUAL (Sep 14)(opens in new tab)STAUNTON (Sep 15)(opens in new tab)HARRISONBURG (Sep 16)(opens in new tab)RICHMOND (Sep 29)(opens in new tab) You know the frameworks. But nobody told you it would feel like this. The
- [Social](https://socialventurers.com/social/) - Impact Curator (opens in new tab)MY BOOK: It Takes a Valley(opens in new tab)VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH (Sep 14)(opens in new tab)BOOK LAUNCH Staunton (Sep 15)(opens in new tab)BOOK LAUNCH Harrisonburg (Sep 16)(opens in new tab)BOOK LAUNCH Richmond (Sep 29)(opens in new tab)MY PODCAST: Ecosystems for Change(opens in new tab)MY BOOKSHOP(opens in new tab)SPOTLIGHT: Anika Horn
- [Ecosystem Intensive](https://socialventurers.com/ecosystem-intensive/) - A complete 12-month coalition strategy, custom-built for your ecosystem. The Ecosystem Intensive takes the strategic clarity from your Roadmap Session and turns it into finished work your coalition can implement. Every version includes the same core deliverables: a 12-month coalition roadmap, a convening sequence with defined objectives and formats, and a narrative foundation document with
- [Work with me](https://socialventurers.com/work-with-me/) - Ecosystem strategy for the people doing the invisible work. Because the most important work in your ecosystem happens when the right people are finally in the same room. You're building something that's never existed before. You know your entrepreneurial ecosystem better than anyone. You've been building relationships, brokering conversations, and holding things together for years
- [VIP](https://socialventurers.com/vip/) - You're in. On May 20, 2026, you'll get the link before anyone else. It Takes a Valley is a book about the real work of ecosystem building, told through the stories of 50+ practitioners across the United States and beyond. Not the polished retrospectives, but the honest accounts of what it actually takes to build
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- [About](https://socialventurers.com/about/) - I stand shoulder to shoulder with systems thinkers (and doers!) who believe in the power of community to create social change. I educate, train and advise on how to build thriving equitable ecosystems that propel changemakers forward. I tell their stories. What is an ecosystem builder? Individuals who help entrepreneurs in their communities thrive by
- [Almost There](https://socialventurers.com/almost-there/) - Almost there! Check your inbox. Nobody likes spam. Once you click the link I just sent you, the algorithm knows you're human and we can be on our way! If you're using Gmail, you can use this link.
- [Contact](https://socialventurers.com/contact/) - Learn how to build ecosystems for social change without burning out! Want to connect? Email me directly to anika@socialventurers.com or fill out the form below!
- [Impact-Curator](https://socialventurers.com/impact-curator/)
- [Julie Heath](https://socialventurers.com/julie-heath/)
- [Speaking](https://socialventurers.com/speaking/) - I talk about ecosystem building A LOT. Anika Horn Anika is one of the top 5 thought leaders in the United States in entrepreneurial ecosystem building.It's a new and emerging field. There's lots to figure out and she has done more than many to help move the practice of entrepreneurial ecosystem building into main street
- [Podcast](https://socialventurers.com/podcast/) - Ecosystems for Change The podcast for ecosystem builders Transforming Communities is hard work How can we make our communities better places to live, work and play in? How do we revitalize neighborhoods, villages, towns and rural regions that are breaking down because they can't keep up with the pace of digitalization and automization? How might
- [Season 7](https://socialventurers.com/podcast/season-7/) - Season 7: Innovation Ecosystems Water scarcity, food insecurity, and wasteful textile supply chains are major societal challenges with no easy solutions. But some of the nation's leading scientists, researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs are committed to tackling these problems. In season 7 of Ecosystems for Change, I'm going to introduce you to nine different innovation ecosystems
- [Season 4](https://socialventurers.com/podcast/season-4/) - Season 4: Building trust and managing conflict in entrepreneurial ecosystems through social capital [Browse episodes here] Throughout this season, we traveled through the lowest valleys and highest mountain tops of ecosystem building: My guests shared some of their hardest experiences of facing and trying to navigate conflict. We heard some pretty hairy tales about naysayers
- [Season 3](https://socialventurers.com/podcast/season-3/) - Season 3 review: Work in Progress [Browse episodes here] At the end of 2017, I was eight months pregnant and I sat on a morning news tv set with my friend Shannon Siriano Greenwood. I had wedged myself into some heels, a cute maternity-meets-CEO wrap dress and I had put on more make-up than ever
- [Season 5](https://socialventurers.com/podcast/season-5/) - [Browse Episodes Here] Knowing when and how to move on Over the course of this season, quitting became a constant topic. One of my team members quit to take on a new role closer to home. A new friend talked to me about quitting her job to spend more time enjoying her family and less
- [Season 2](https://socialventurers.com/podcast/season-2/) - "From a very early age, we are taught to break apart problems, to fragment the world. This apparently makes complex tasks and subjects more manageable, but we pay a hidden, enormous price. We can no longer see the consequences of our actions; we lose our intrinsic sense of connection to a larger whole. When we
- [Season 1](https://socialventurers.com/podcast/season-1/) - "The essence of an entrepreneurial ecosystem is its people and the culture of trust and collaboration that allows them to interact successfully. An ecosystem that allows for the fast flow of talent, information, and resources helps entrepreneurs quickly find what they need at each stage of growth. As a result, the whole is greater than
- [Season 6](https://socialventurers.com/podcast/season-6/) - [Browse episodes here] Stories that redefine entrepreneurship in our communities As an ecosystem builder in the Shenandoah Valley, I have been entrusted with telling the stories of local entrepreneurs and our ecosystem. In the summer of 2023, we launched our second storytelling campaign to shine a light on entrepreneurship in the Valley. I sourced and
- [Summer Skill Sessions](https://socialventurers.com/podcast/skill-sessions/) - Browse Skill Sessions
- [](https://socialventurers.com/101-2/) - Ecosystem Building 101 Take a systems approach to supporting entrepreneurs in your community. February 24, 2022. 10 a.m. PST | 1 p.m. EST | 7 p.m. CEST No (social) entrepreneur succeeds in a vacuum. It takes a village, or an ecosystem, to help a purpose-driven founder start, manage and grow a socially and/or environmentally responsible
- [Community](https://socialventurers.com/community/) - Community Since 2019, I have interviewed more than 80 Social Venturers to talk about how they're supporting (social) entrepreneurs in their community, what challenges they encounter, and how they move forward despite the obstacles they face. These are their stories.
- [Insights](https://socialventurers.com/insights/) - Insights The latest research insights and observations from the frontlines of ecosystem building for social change. A one-person think-tank.
- [Shop](https://socialventurers.com/shop/)
- [Privacy Policy](https://socialventurers.com/privacy-policy/) - Who we are Our website address is: http://socialventurers.com. What personal data we collect and why we collect it Comments When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection. An anonymized string created from

## Categories

- [Community](https://socialventurers.com/category/community/) - Meet our experts and learn more about their career paths, motivation and approach to supporting purpose-driven founders around the world!
- [Insights](https://socialventurers.com/category/insights/) - Some of the most common experiences and best kept secrets that I come across in my work – bite-sized and actionable!
- [Logbook](https://socialventurers.com/category/logbook/) - Join me behind the scenes of Social Venturers to find out what I’m working on and thinking about!
- [Podcast](https://socialventurers.com/category/podcast/)
- [season 1](https://socialventurers.com/category/podcast/season-1/)
- [season 2](https://socialventurers.com/category/podcast/season-2/)
- [Season 3](https://socialventurers.com/category/podcast/season-3/)
- [Skill Sessions](https://socialventurers.com/category/podcast/skill-sessions/)
- [Season 4](https://socialventurers.com/category/podcast/season-4/)
- [Season 5](https://socialventurers.com/category/podcast/season-5/)
- [Season 6](https://socialventurers.com/category/podcast/season-6/)
- [Season 7](https://socialventurers.com/category/podcast/season-7/)

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