Ross talks with Jeff Meade, Founding Director of Entrepreneurship at Paul Quinn College, about the "Every Quinnite Is an Entrepreneur" program — an initiative that requires every student to launch a real revenue-generating business before graduation. The conversation covers venture-based learning, why entrepreneurial thinking prepares students for an uncertain future of work, and how Paul Quinn is building a model that could help small colleges become more sustainable. Jeff Meade is the Founding Director of Entrepreneurship at Paul Quinn College. With over 20 years of experience growing companies and advising businesses, Jeff has scaled marketing agencies to multimillion-dollar revenues and built client-side programs featured in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Entrepreneur Magazine. He is now pioneering venture-based learning — a model that equips students with an entrepreneurial mindset, creativity, and real-world experience to thrive as founders, innovators, and intrapreneurs in any field. In this episode, we discuss: What "Every Quinnite Is an Entrepreneur" means and why every student must launch a real business before graduating Venture-based learning — experiential learning with real stakes, where students actually get customers, generate revenue, and run businesses Why the future workforce demands entrepreneurial thinkers — and why rote skills alone no longer suffice How entrepreneurial skills transfer to corporate, nonprofit, and any organizational role The case for college as a place of exposure and exploration — and why it's a lot to ask a 17-year-old to know what they want to do Aligning K–12, higher education, and workforce development around career readiness What students learn about themselves when they have to start a business — motivation, group dynamics, and accountability Pattern recognition, diagnosing problems, and leading by influence rather than title Paul Quinn's corporate work college model — where students both start businesses and hold internships simultaneously A long-term vision for small colleges: owning businesses, creating new revenue streams, and building a sustainable model beyond tuition dependence Learn more about Paul Quinn College's entrepreneurship program: https://paulquinn.edu/entrepreneurship Connect with Jeff Meade: https://jeff-meade.com About today's guest Jeff Meade is the Founding Director of Entrepreneurship at Paul Quinn College, where he leads the "Every Quinnite Is an Entrepreneur" program. The initiative ensures every student launches a venture before graduation, making entrepreneurship a core life skill rather than an extracurricular option. With over 20 years of experience growing companies and advising businesses, Jeff has scaled agencies to multimillion-dollar revenues and built client-side marketing programs that gained national recognition. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Entrepreneur Magazine. A graduate of Babson College, the number one school of entrepreneurship in the world, Jeff is pioneering venture-based learning — a model that equips students with an entrepreneurial mindset, creativity, and real-world experience. Connect with Jeff at jeff-meade.com or on LinkedIn. About the host Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K–12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn. Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.
