Ecosystem Builder Interview with Bret Carpenter of Reinventing Rural  

Rural communities are so often left behind, but if we work to bridge the resource gap and empower these communities to work together for the common good, we can change the region as a whole. This week, episode 6 of Entrepreneurship on the RISE Podcast is about bridging the resource gap in rural communities!

CO.STARTERS Generator is a modular, self-paced program that helps middle school, high school, and college students explore their passions through generating, testing, and launching ideas for businesses and social ventures. With the ability to participate individually or with a classroom or community group, CO.STARTERS Generator is a great way to inspire youth with the vision, enthusiasm, and tenacity needed to move from idea to action. 

In this episode of Entrepreneurship on the RISE Podcast, Jacob and Lauren, joined by their guest Bret Carpenter are sharing the importance of providing the resources needed to help smaller communities survive and prosper in the digital world and creating a pipeline for entrepreneurship by bringing the right resources into our schools.

By working together, rural communities can band together and create cyclical resources that provide feedback to the region. 

In this episode, we sat down with Bret Carpenter of Benton County, Oregon.  Bret has a wealth of experience in entrepreneurship and small business support. He describes himself as Business Instructor, Reinventing Rural Ambassador, Business Advisor and Technology Geek.

We met Bret back in 2021 through a series of virtual trainings hosted by our partners at CO.STARTERS. Although Oregon and Virginia are literally across the country from each other, the entrepreneurship ecosystem building work happening in both places is driven by a belief in rural America. 

Key Takeaways

• The commonalities between small home businesses and larger, more established companies (hint: they have more in common than you might think.)
• How Mighty Networks brings smaller communities to share resources and grow together. 
• The importance of having an online presence for rural businesses and how the pandemic has encouraged this pivot more now than ever. 
• Co. Starters and Idea Buddy are two valuable resources to promote growth in these communities by forging a path forward. 
• Helpful resources for expanding technological literacy for both students and businesses. 
• How Mentor Match helps students build entrepreneurial skills and teaches them there is more than one path than going into corporate America.

CONNECT WITH BRET CARPENTER:

Reinventing Rural

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: 

Co. Starters

IdeaBuddy 

Airtable

Grow with Google Programs 

Google Digital Garage

GCF Learn Free 

Entrepreneurship in the Wild by Felipe G. Massa

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

Morning Brew 

Ecosystem Builder Interview with Kristin Slice of Arizona State University

It is so important for every type of entrepreneur to have a seat at the table because there is strength in experiences from all walks of life and that strength is going to be what keeps other entrepreneurs motivated to move ideas forward. This week, episode 2 of Entrepreneurship on the RISE Podcast is about generating inclusivity and accessibility in entrepreneurship!

CO.STARTERS Generator is a modular self-paced program that helps middle school, high school, and college students explore their passions through generating, testing, and launching ideas for businesses and social ventures. With the ability to participate individually or with a classroom or community group, CO.STARTERS Generator is a great way to inspire youth with the vision, enthusiasm, and tenacity needed to move from idea to action.

In this episode of Entrepreneurship on the RISE Podcast, Jacob and Lauren, joined by their guest, Kristin Slice are sharing the importance of moving the conversation around entrepreneurship forward and creating a pipeline to support entrepreneurs within our communities.

In this episode, we sat down with Kristin Slice of the Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at Arizona State University. At the time of our interview, Kristin’s title was Senior Program Manager, Peoria Forward, Community Entrepreneurship. She is now the Director of Community Entrepreneurship. 

We first crossed paths with Kristin when she and a RISE Collaborative team member were both in a professional development course offered through the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Kristin’s deep expertise and understanding of entrepreneurship-led economic development of ecosystem building are simply exceptional. We were thrilled when she accepted our invitation to be a guest on our podcast. 

Podcast Episode Coming Soon

Key Takeaways

• How do we define entrepreneurship, why it is so important for entrepreneurship to be inclusive, and how we can wipe away the power dynamics we have held onto to create these inclusive opportunities. 
• Using “catalyst drivers” to identify, empower, and give a platform to create innovative and quality programs for the benefit of the communities they serve. 
• Kristin’s advice for adapting and pivoting to a virtual environment. 
• The ways Kristin’s program leverages students to exemplify the entrepreneurial culture and journey early on in hopes of building the future of entrepreneurship from the ground up. 
• The importance of fostering a culture of leadership that promotes creative freedom to solve issues and promote economic growth in a new way. 

CONNECT WITH KRISTIN SLICE:

Email: kristin.slice@asu.edu

Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: 

Complexity Podcast by the Santa Fe Institute