Pathways Podcast

In this edition of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast, Don Macke with e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems hosts Sarah Sinnett from and Pam Abbott from Nebraska focusing on entrepreneurial community initiatives in their communities. Sarah and Pam have become leaders in ecosystem building initiatives in their respective western Nebraska communities. Their experiences provide insight into the challenges and opportunities of pivoting communities toward community-centered entrepreneurial ecosystem building and operation. Both are community leaders and ecosystem champions.

In this edition of Espresso and Entrepreneurs Podcast, Lea Ann pulls up a chair and enjoys a cup of coffee with Ellie Bowman of Prickly Pear Farm and Home in Kinsley, KS.  As the average age of small business owners in our rural communities keeps bumping upward, Ellie is bucking that trend.  Arguably one of the youngest lumberyard owners in America, Ellie purchased her lumberyard last year, at age 21, and has been working hard all year to make improvements and expand its offerings – all while being mindful to give back, and mentor other young entrepreneurs along the way. 

Join us, as we meet Ellie and find motivation and valuable insights from  her journey.

In this edition of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast Don Macke with e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems hosts Rachael Barry from St. Helens, Oregon and Alisha Juelfs from Sidney, Nebraska focusing on Entrepreneur Navigators. 

Both Rachael and Alisha were part of e2’s Spring 2023 Entrepreneur Navigators Professional Training.  Rachael is a community leader working with an eNavigator in this part of Oregon and Alisha is the eNavigator for Sidney and Cheyenne County, Nebraska.  We will talk about the professional training and their perspective of eNavigation within their emerging community-centered entrepreneurial ecosystems.

In this edition of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast Don Macke with e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems hosts Caleb Pollard of Ord, Nebraska. 

Caleb has been an economic developer, is an entrepreneur and is also a business coach.  Caleb and his wife and partners created Scratchtown Brewing in Ord, Nebraska.  Previously, he held a number of state and local economic developer jobs.  In his spare time Caleb is also a first in class business coach.  Learn more about not only Caleb, but discover the power of entrepreneur navigation.

In this edition of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast Don Macke with e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems hosts Amara Kniep, Director of the E-Community Partnership with NetWork Kansas about the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge and the VentureDash resource.  Energizing young people on entrepreneurship is a game changer for both personal life careers and cultural change in communities.  This episode explores the Kansas youth entrepreneur statewide competition and the associated VentureDash business plan completion resource.

In this edition of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast, Don Macke with e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems hosts John Monson with Compeer Financial and Pam Bishop with the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) focusing on the exciting partnership between Compeer Financial and the SMIF to expand REV (Rural Entrepreneurial Venture) in its home of Minnesota and into Wisconsin and Illinois. Our conversation will explore the vision behind this collaboration and its potential to expand Entrepreneurial Communities initiatives in the upper Midwest.