EPISODE 19
How to Get Partnerships and Ecosystem Mapping Right – This week’s episode is about the value of helping people to believe entrepreneurship is for them, the challenges of effective ecosystem mapping, and what bartending has to teach us about the work of economic development. This week’s guest, Jay Sparks, serves as the Entrepreneurship Coordinator at Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI) based in Columbia, Missouri. In this interview, Sparks and host David Ponraj discuss what it takes to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem with “no wrong doors.”
Learn more about Jay’s work at: www.columbiaredi.com
About Breaking Down Barriers
This podcast explores the opportunity to build wealth in local, regional, and national economies through entrepreneurship-led economic development. Episodes feature changemakers with innovative approaches to empowering people to start businesses that create wealth for their families and improve outcomes for their communities. Conversations highlight work being done in communities across the U.S. to break down barriers to entrepreneurial opportunity in underserved and underrepresented communities. In this series, we share authentic stories about the impact that entrepreneurship-led economic development has on the local economy and connect a global network of passionate economic developers.
Special thanks to our renowned guests for joining the podcast! Click here to send us ideas. Subscribe in the footer to our newsletter to get updates and news delivered to your inbox!
Breaking Down Barriers is a presentation of Economic Impact Catalyst and is hosted by David Ponraj with production and editing by Jacqui Dietrich and Lauren Bernard with voice talent by Antoine Long. Please rate, review, and subscribe to Breaking Down Barriers, available for free wherever you listen to your podcasts!
