Hello Reader,

You have NO idea how long I've been looking forward to this season of Ecosystems for Change! While the show is only a year old, I knew early on that I wanted to share the stories of those among us who threw in the towel, who were bullied out, who were brave enough to acknowledge that they couldn't soldier on with the sometimes thankless work of ecosystem building.

At the same time, it's been hard to find retired ecosystem builders who were willing to share their story. Some of my peers decided they didn't want to burn any bridges, others didn't want to revisit some of the darkest times of their careers - and I absolutely get it.

The more honored I am to have six guests join me for this season of Ecosystems for Change!

On the homefront here in the Shenandoah Valley, I'm excited to host our inaugural community event for Creatives in our region. Inspired by Creative Mornings, Megan Burrows (one of my new favorite small business owners) and I have been scheming to create a shared safe space for the tinkerers, makers, doodlers and creators in our region: a monthly breakfast speaker series that takes the audience into spaces they typically wouldn't experience and hear from those they typically wouldn't hear from. Our first event sold out two weeks in advance and I can't wait to open the doors on Thursday!

While I'm building locally, I invite you to catch up on the first two episodes of season 5:

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I come across a lot of resources that I think every ecosystem builder should get their hands on. While I share them far and wide on many channels (mostly LinkedIn & Instagram), I love curating a list of the best insights, opportunities and resources for you:

• A red thread that runs through this season is Simon Sinek's book The Infinite Game.
• For a shorter version, check out this blogpost I wrote in 2020.
• Read Joe Maruschak's farewell letter to his Eugene community (2021).
• Joe recommends these two books:
  • ​The New Geography of Jobs, Enrico Moretti​
  • ​The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Making of the New Future, Sebastian Mallaby​
• If you want to find out what I've been working on in the Shenandaoh Valley, read my 1-year update on our Community Navigator Pilot Program.
• Interested in data cooperatives and front-line grassroots community building? Join my friends at Zebras Unite on February 22 for their Crowdcast Co-operatives & Liberation: Or, why Black community leaders in Baltimore are forming a data co-op.
• In preparing for the Startup Champions Network Summit in Washington, D.C. on June 7 & 8, I'm studying up on Right to Start - a national initiative to advocate for the needs of entrepreneurs on the federal level.
• Jobs:
  • SourceLink KC is looking for a Business Development Director in Kansas City.
  • The Skoll Foundation is hiring an Portfolio & Investments Analyst in Palo Alto, California.
• I recently joined Lauren Mathena & Jacob Dolence on their podcast Entrepreneurship on the RISE. We talked about the field of ecosystem building and my journey so far:

Mark your calendars!

• April 23-26: ICBI37 InBIA’s 37th International Conference on Business Incubation​
• April 24-26: Sourcelink Affiliate Summit, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• June 7-8: Startup Champions Network Policy Summit, Washington, DC
• June: RuralRISE Summit, Maine

I'll be back in your inbox in two weeks to introduce you to two more Quitters.

In camaraderie,

Anika