Entrepreneurship on the RISE

Entrepreneurship on the RISE Podcast

Entrepreneurship on the RISE, hosted by RISE Collaborative, tells the story of change-makers to advance the knowledge for rural ecosystem building. In each episode of this limited series, co-hosts Lauren Mathena and Jacob Dolence speak with industry leaders, entrepreneurs and small-business owners, and change-makers for rural ecosystem building in Southern Virginia and across the country to hear how they are building up their local communities.

Featured Guests

Michael Scales headshot April 2022

Michael Scales

Longwood SBDC Business Consultant

Tad Deriso standing outside the SOVA Innovation Hub in South Boston, VA

Warren Reid

Reid Executive Group

Natalie Hodge

Founder and Owner of Rudy’s Girl Media

Tad Deriso

MBC & SOVA Innovation Hub

All Podcast Episodes

Brian Deurloo // FrogCreek Partners

Brian Deurloo // FrogCreek Partners

Entrepreneur Interview with Brian Deurloo, President & Founder of FrogCreek PartnersWhen it comes to your startup, if you don’t have the passion behind what you’re selling, you’re not going to make it as far as you think. This week, season 2 episode 2 of...

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Anika Horn on Putting People First in Ecosystem Building

Anika Horn on Putting People First in Ecosystem Building

Anika Horn on Putting People First in Ecosystem BuildingWe often fall into this trap of only looking at the professional facet of a person rather than the people themselves. When you take the time to understand the person, what it is they want, and how you can support...

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Warren Reid on Present, Community-Centered Leadership

Warren Reid on Present, Community-Centered Leadership

Interview with Warren Reid, Owner of The Reid Executive Group  Not everyone has the privilege to travel the world so it is even more important for the ones that can to bring some of that knowledge and perspective back to their small towns for the greater benefit....

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About the Hosts

Our podcast is a real-time reflection of the behind-the-scenes and everyday conversations happening among entrepreneurs, ecosystem builders, and small-business resource providers in our region and around the country. Hosts Lauren Mathena and Jacob Dolence interview interesting people leading equity-driven entrepreneurship and innovation movements in small towns in Virginia, Colorado, Oregon, Wyoming, and Minnesota. Stay tuned – we have been completing lots of interviews and can’t wait to share our guests’ stories and expertise with you!

HOST | Lauren Mathena

Growing up in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, Lauren has lived in Virginia and North Carolina for her whole life. Lauren joined the team at RISE Collaborative through her work with entrepreneurship and digital skills programs for the SOVA Innovation Hub in her role at Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation She brings experience as an entrepreneurial project manager, knowledge of the region, and 15+ years in community engagement to her work as an ecosystem builder with a background in healthcare and innovation

HOST | Jacob Dolence

A native of Wyoming, Jacob worked in higher education entrepreneurship centers in Flagstaff, Arizona and at West Virginia University before joining the faculty at Longwood University in the Cormier Honors College for Citizen Scholars. In addition to teaching freshman and senior level honors courses in social entrepreneurship, Jacob is a lead facilitator for CO.STARTERS powered by RISE Collaborative.  Still relatively new to Virginia, Jacob Dolence brings fresh eyes and an abundance of experience to his role as an ecosystem builder with RISE Collaborative.