
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
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 108 | Founded | 6 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | EntrepreneurshipBusinessNon-Profit | |||

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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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!
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!!!
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Apple Podcasts | #183 |
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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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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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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
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