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Breaking Down Barriers

Economic Impact Catalyst
Artificial Intelligence
CDFI
Entrepreneurship
Economic Impact Catalyst
Denver, United States
California
Strive305 Hub
Entrepreneurship Led Economic Development
Velocity
Launch Chattanooga
IEDC
Micro Businesses
Rural Entrepreneurship
Data and Impact Measurement
Technology
Scaleup Network
Public Sector Innovation
Cdfis
Right To Start
America the Entrepreneurial

This podcast explores the opportunity to build wealth in local, regional, and national economies through entrepreneurship-led economic development. Episodes feature changemakers with innovative approaches to empowering people to start businesses that create wealth for their families and improve outcomes for their communities. Conversations highlight work being done in communities across the US to ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes108Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EntrepreneurshipBusinessNon-Profit

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Artwork for Breaking Down Barriers

Latest Episodes

In this episode of Breaking Down Barriers, McKenzie sits down with Becky McCray to unpack why the old lines between "business" and "community project" don't hold up anymore, especially in rural America. Becky has spent nearly two decades at the inter... more

In this episode of Breaking Down Barriers, David sits down with Marci Goodwin, co-founder of SmartStart Business Development and creator of the SmartStart Navigator, to talk about the "hidden entrepreneurs" quietly reshaping small-town economies acro... more

Guest: Deb Brown, rural economic development specialist and co-founder of SaveYour.Town Host: McKenzie Dial-Fritscher, SVP of People, Economic Impact Catalyst

Episode Summary Deb Brown has spent over a decade working with rural communities across th... more

David Oliver sits down with Rhonda Ladig, Director of Entrepreneurship at the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), to challenge common assumptions about rural innovation. Rhonda shares how CORI's 43 member communities and 101+ tech startups span health... more

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Recent Guests

Becky McCray
Publisher of Small Biz Survival; co‑founder of SaveYour.Town; cattle rancher
SaveYour.Town; Small Biz Survival
Episode: Becky McCray on Blurring the Lines Between Business and Community
Marci Goodwin
Founder/CEO of SmartStart Business Development and Navigator platform
SmartStart Navigator / SmartStart Business Development
Episode: Finding the Hidden Entrepreneurs: How SmartStart Navigator Is Turning Microbusinesses into Main Street Revivals
Deb Brown
Rural Economic Development Specialist and Co-Founder of SaveYourTown
SaveYourTown / Rural Economic Development
Episode: "Failure Is Just Data:" Deb Brown on Building Small-Town Momentum
Rhonda Ladig
Director of Entrepreneurship, Center on Rural Innovation (CORI)
Center on Rural Innovation (CORI)
Episode: Rethinking Rural Innovation with Rhonda Ladig of CORI
Amarie Bartel
Vice President of Economic Development for Oklahoma Farm Bureau
Oklahoma Farm Bureau
Episode: Planted Where They Are: How Oklahoma Farm Bureau Built a Rural Entrepreneurship Engine
Garrett Saunders
Economic Development Special Programs Manager
Oklahoma Farm Bureau
Episode: Planted Where They Are: How Oklahoma Farm Bureau Built a Rural Entrepreneurship Engine
Sadie Slagle
Economic Development Operations Manager
Oklahoma Farm Bureau
Episode: Planted Where They Are: How Oklahoma Farm Bureau Built a Rural Entrepreneurship Engine
Nathan Ohle
President & CEO of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
IEDC
Episode: System Stewardship and the Next 100 Years: A Conversation with IEDC President & CEO Nathan Ohle
David Ponraj
CEO of Economic Impact Catalyst
Economic Impact Catalyst
Episode: Building a Technical Assistance Program That Works (and Proves It)

Host

David Ponraj
Host of Breaking Down Barriers and co-host with a focus on ecosystem development and tech-enabled solutions

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 10 ratings
  • Awesome Podcast!!!

    Breaking Down Barriers Podcast, highlights all entrepreneurship, business, changemakers and more in this can’t miss podcast! The host and expert guests offer insightful advice and information that is helpful to anyone that listens!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    roweereyes
    Philippines4 years ago
  • Great Job👏🏽

    Thank you for having Lyneir Richardson on, he did an amazing job on explaining economic development in the community. I’m an entrepreneur fromDetroit Michigan and I’m trying to understand and create angel investment group right here in my city. This helped a lot. I also reached out to Lyneir via LinkedIn and email. I’m very optimistic and hopeful to get some direction from him.

    Tiffany Glenn

    Entrepreneur on a 7 figure journey!!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Queen FUR
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Insightful and practical for practitioners in economic development and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
Positive feedback on the host's ability to connect theory with on-the-ground outcomes.
Valuable real-world perspectives on financing and program design for underserved communities.
Polished discussions with a strong emphasis on actionable takeaways for investors and policymakers.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

"Failure Is Just Data:" Deb Brown on Building Small-Town Momentum
Q: Deb, welcome to Breaking Down Barriers. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Deb describes over a decade of work in rural communities, collaborating with Becky from Oklahoma, and delivering keynotes, workshops, and hands-on support to help towns leverage their existing assets.
Finding the Hidden Entrepreneurs: How SmartStart Navigator Is Turning Microbusinesses into Main Street Revivals
Q: What geographical areas do you serve and what does your program look like on the ground?
We started in Central Illinois and Eastern Iowa, and we've been expanding to more rural communities. The program runs through the Navigator dashboard, which guides users through baby steps like opening a business checking account, finding a bookkeeper, and conducting customer development, then pairs them with local mentors and pathways to capital as they scale.
Finding the Hidden Entrepreneurs: How SmartStart Navigator Is Turning Microbusinesses into Main Street Revivals
Q: Tell us what you do, and what motivates you to stick with this work.
We focus on microbusinesses—those with fewer than 10 employees—because they are the heartbeat of local economies. Our approach helps communities identify hidden entrepreneurs, provide a structured, DIY platform, and connect them with practical steps, mentors, and capital readiness so they can grow sustainably without leaving their towns.
Building a Technical Assistance Program That Works (and Proves It)
Q: What metrics should be tracked for funding and local stakeholders?
Track milestone properties like number of employees, revenue, profit, and capital infusion, then capture ongoing session data to reflect changes over time and report progress to funders.
System Stewardship and the Next 100 Years: A Conversation with IEDC President & CEO Nathan Ohle
Q: How do you view the shift from transactions to systems thinking in economic development?
The guest explains that the field must break out of silos, integrate across sectors, and treat housing, workforce, and education as interconnected pieces of the economic development puzzle.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Breaking Down Barriers

What is Breaking Down Barriers about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A market-focused show exploring how entrepreneurship-led economic development can create wealth in local and regional ecosystems. Episodes frequently cover cohort-based programs, equitable access to capital, and scaling strategies for small businesses in underserved communities. Guests range from city and state public-sector leaders to nonprofit innovators and fintech pioneers, offering practical frameworks for program design, underwriting, policy advocacy, and data-driven impact. The mix of case studies—from kitchen incubators to regional startup ecosystems—makes it a useful resource for economic developers, funders, and practitioners seeking actionable tactics and scalable models. A notable strength is its emphasis on collaboration across... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with Breaking Down Barriers:

1. The Economics of Everyday Things

How many episodes of Breaking Down Barriers are there?

Breaking Down Barriers launched 6 years ago and published 108 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Breaking Down Barriers?

Recent guests on Breaking Down Barriers include:

1. Becky McCray
2. Marci Goodwin
3. Deb Brown
4. Rhonda Ladig
5. Amarie Bartel
6. Garrett Saunders
7. Sadie Slagle
8. Nathan Ohle

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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