Hello Reader,

Most mornings over the last eight weeks, I woke up to an already-at-work mind:

• How many extra t-shirts do we need to order?
• I should create another template for the flip charts that will report out from the knowledge exchange.
• I need all dinner hosts to review their runs of show, and
• I really DO need to remember to pack the retractable banners when we leave Harrisonburg on day 1.

You know... really important life-or-death decisions that couldn't possibly wait until my alarm went off hours later.

We're one week out from the Startup Champions Network Summit here in the Valley and I'm excited, sleep deprived and at an all-time low of caffeine consumption (my mind is already in overdrive and doesn't need further stimulation).

With all this being said, I am SO EXCITED for this event. I host a lot of events in my day job and through Creative Mornings but this one is close to my heart.

It was my first Startup Champions Network Summit in Santa Barbara in 2016 that I first heard the term "ecosystem builder". After years of thinking there was something wrong with me because I cared so damn much about seeing entrepreneurs and changemakers thrive, I learned that this was a GOOD thing. And maybe most importantly, I met twenty other people who were just like me. Not to overly dramatic but joining Startup Champions Network put my entire career on a different path that I have been on for the last eight years.

Hosting this group in my new home ecosystem to show what's already working and what we're still trying to figure out means a lot to me: These are the professionals peers who have raised me (hi Larkin & Andy!), they are my mentors and I've met many more along the way (can't wait to see you Amy!).

Between my ears

Life, most recently: Things I'm excited about, pondering and trying out:

• I'm in the middle of Yellow Face by R.F. Kuang and y'all! I'm recommending this left and right because I am so in awe of the writing, the pacing, and the story of an anti-hero main character. I really need to debrief with someone about this!
• I tore through Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice and am impatient for the next part to come out. A great book to put on your summer reading list!
• My sister came for a long weekend and I had no idea how much I'd needed to spend time with the person who knows me best in the world. We went to Warm Springs for a soak, had lunch at the Omni Homestead, tried some new wineries and spent lazy afternoons on my back patio grilling, playing cornhole and watching my daughter play (I talked a little more about it on Instagram).
• I'm considering signing up for a local farm share to get fresh vegetables, eggs and whatever else is on offer. Have you tried this and if so, any recommendations on what to look for and what to avoid?

On my desk

What I'm working on right now:

• We're hosting CreativeMornings this Friday and if you're local, I'd love to see you at the Staunton Augusta Art Center!
• Hosting our ecosystem builder summit next week is pretty much all I've been working on. If you're curious, they wrote a short blogpost about me as a host:

Featured Episode

​

Meet one of my mentors Larkin Garbee has been with me on this ecosystem building journey since day 1 and talks about the lifecycle of this work: Listen & subscribe

On my radar

I come across a lot of resources that I want to share with fellow ecosystem builders and changemakers. If we're connected on LinkedIn or Instagram, they might already show up in your feed! In case you missed any, here's my curated list from the last two weeks:

​George Neighbors recently entered my orbit and I don't know how I ever lived without knowing that people like George are in the world. He is one of the most caring, compassionate, servant leaders you'll ever meet and he is opening the doors to his first ever coaching program (at a super reasonable rate!).

Mark your calendars for 2024:

• April 30-May 2: Startup Champions Network Summit, Shenandoah Valley, Virginia (Come meet me in person!)
• May 6-8: Main Street Now Conference, Birmingham, Alabama
• May 15 - 17: CityScapes Summit, Durham, North Carolina
• May 29-31: Inventures, Calgary, Canada
• June 13-14: Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation Research Conference, Boulder, Colorado
• June 16-18: IEDC's Economic Future Forum​

I will be back in your inbox in two weeks!

In camaraderie,

Anika