Ecosysteming

NC IDEA

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Ecosysteming is the podcast redefining economic development through the lens of equitable entrepreneurship. Join NC IDEA’s Thom Ruhe as he engages with entrepreneurs and experts who are challenging the status quo and driving lasting change. Catch new episodes of Ecosysteming every other Tuesday on all major podcast platforms.

6 天前

Are Franchises Worth It? w/ Anna Dey | Ep. 43

Franchising is often overlooked as a path to entrepreneurship, but Anna Dey is redefining what it means to build a business through the franchise model. In Episode 43 of #Ecosysteming, host Thom Ruhe sits down with top producing franchise consultant, multi-unit and multi-brand franchise owner, and founder of franSPOT, Anna Dey. With more than 15 years of experience, Anna has owned and operated franchises including Anytime Fitness, The Vitamin Shoppe, Smoothie King, Clean Eatz, goGLOW, and several other ventures. She shares what it takes to build, scale, and succeed across multiple franchise brands while helping aspiring entrepreneurs find the right path to business ownership. Whether you're exploring franchising as your first entrepreneurial venture or simply curious about the industry, this episode offers valuable insights you won't want to miss.

44 分鐘
6月16日

No Coaching Without Capital w/ Talib Graves-Manns | Ep. 42

Episode 42 of #Ecosysteming is a real treat as host Thom Ruhe sits down with entrepreneur, investor, and community builder Talib Graves-Manns. This wide ranging conversation explores ownership, wealth creation, entrepreneurship, and the future of economic development. From launching Partners in Equity, to helping business owners purchase commercial real estate, Talib shares why access to capital remains at the center of opportunity. Together, Thom and Talib discuss the power of ideas, the rise of AI, and what it takes to build stronger communities and create generational wealth. As Managing Partner of Partners in Equity, Founder and Executive Director of Knox St. Studios, Aspen Institute Fellow, and Co-Founder of Black Wall Street, Talib has spent years building pathways to ownership and economic opportunity across North Carolina. His insights make for a conversation you will not want to miss.

46 分鐘
6月2日

Why $500K Won’t Save Your Startup w/ Stan Parker | Ep. 41

Once known for tobacco and textiles, Winston-Salem is now producing founders and funders that are catching the attention of the entire nation. On Episode 41 of Ecosysteming, host Thom Ruhe sits down with Stan Parker, General Partner of the Winston-Salem Partners Roundtable (WSPR) Fund and former President of Winston Starts, for a timely conversation about how Winston-Salem is producing so much entrepreneurial talent and why founders often struggle to secure VC investment. You’ll also learn more about our ECOSYSTEM Partner, Winston Starts, and how their work has become a cornerstone of entrepreneurial development in the Triad. Whether you’re a founder preparing to raise capital or considering growing your startup in the Triad, this episode is for you.

44 分鐘
5月19日

She Is Rebuilding America’s Flower Industry w/ Amy Dunlap | Ep. 40

Episode 40 of Ecosysteming welcomes Amy Dunlap, CEO and Co-founder of Stemz, a Winston-Salem based logistics and technology company connecting U.S. flower farmers with floral creatives. Host Thom Ruhe chats with Amy about the unprecedented growth Stemz has experienced over the past year, leading her team to expand beyond North Carolina and raise a new seed round. Amy shares the journey behind that momentum, from designing flowers at Walt Disney World, to closing her custom floral design studio in 2018, to building one of North Carolina’s most exciting emerging companies. Amy’s story is also deeply connected to NC IDEA. Her journey includes NC IDEA LABS in 2019, NC IDEA MICRO ($10K) in 2020, NC IDEA SEED ($50K) in 2021, and most recently, an NC IDEA Rural Impact Grant ($20K) in 2025. For anyone looking to better understand how founders can tap into North Carolina’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, this episode is for you.

47 分鐘
5月5日

A Founder’s Path to a 120K Fellowship w/ Rich Gilliam | Ep. 39

How can a founder fully tap into North Carolina’s entrepreneurial ecosystem? Founder and CEO of Stem Plug, Rich Gilliam, shares his journey on Episode 39 of the Ecosysteming podcast with host Thom Ruhe. Rich’s path began in engineering and evolved through his Master’s in Educational Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship at UNC-Chapel Hill. From there, he became an NC IDEA Startup Analyst Associate, received an NC IDEA MICRO ($10K) grant, and most recently secured the $120,000 two-year Bold Path Fellowship supported by ECMC Foundation, Provident1898, and NC IDEA. In this episode, Rich reflects not only on milestones but also on challenges, including not being selected for an NC IDEA SEED ($50K) grant in this most recent cycle and what this experience is teaching him. Stem Plug is focused on advancing STEM education, sparking entrepreneurial thinking, and building brains beyond books.

46 分鐘
4月21日

The Rise of the Freelancer w/ Margaret McNab | Ep. 38

Episode 38 of Ecosysteming welcomes Margaret McNab, a longtime friend of the Foundation. Host Thom Ruhe sits down with the Principal and Strategic Advisor of McNab & Company to discuss her accomplished career helping people come together, strengthen communities, and expand opportunity for all. At McNab & Company, Margaret helps leaders communicate their vision with clarity and purpose, specializing in the development and implementation of public relations strategies that drive growth across the economic development, nonprofit, and academic sectors. Tune in for a timely conversation about freelancing, its strong connection to entrepreneurship, and why freelancers can thrive even in a declining job market. Jobs may be decreasing, but the work is still there.

46 分鐘
4月7日

How One NC Founder Unlocked It All w/ Runbin Dong | Ep. 37

If you are a founder looking for direction on how to tap into the entrepreneurial ecosystem, this episode is for you. Runbin Dong, Founder and CEO of Scale Social AI, knows how to make the most of the resources available to founders across the state. A biomedical engineer turned Serial Entrepreneur, Runbin has built Scale Social AI to help brands capture authentic customer experiences in real time, transforming raw user generated content into high performing assets. Along the way, Scale Social AI has received both an NC IDEA MICRO ($10K) and SEED grant ($50K). Runbin has also participated in the FCAT Fellowship, CED’s GRO Incubator, the RIoT Accelerator Program, and more. Beyond leading his startup, he is now giving back to the ecosystem as an advisor for The Seed List, an experiential learning program that connects talented students with innovative companies across the Triangle. If you are wondering how to start, build, and scale a business, tune in for an insightful conversation between host Thom Ruhe and Runbin Dong.

42 分鐘
3月24日

The NCInnovation Model Is Here to Stay w/ Michelle Bolas | Ep. 36

Episode 36 of Ecosysteming welcomes a good friend of the Foundation, Michelle Bolas, President and CEO of NCInnovation. What does it take to turn university research into real economic opportunity for North Carolina? In this episode, host Thom Ruhe sits down with Michelle to unpack NCInnovation's model for moving breakthrough technologies out of public universities and into the market faster, smarter, and with statewide impact. Tune in to hear how NCInnovation is helping reshape economic development in North Carolina and building a model other states may soon look to follow.

56 分鐘

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Ecosysteming is the podcast redefining economic development through the lens of equitable entrepreneurship. Join NC IDEA’s Thom Ruhe as he engages with entrepreneurs and experts who are challenging the status quo and driving lasting change. Catch new episodes of Ecosysteming every other Tuesday on all major podcast platforms.

創作者

NC IDEA
活躍年代

2024年 - 2026年
集數

43
年齡分級

兒少適宜
版權

© 2026 Ecosysteming
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Ecosysteming