Chances are good that each of us has benefited from a mentor and served as a mentor to someone else. Mentoring is a widely used tactic for helping us sort through challenges, explore opportunities and find unique solutions in support of what we are doing. In much of rural America up to 80% of all the assistance local entrepreneurs need can be provided from within the immediate region. We suggest that creating a mentoring program with cost-sharing support is foundational to a vibrant and impactful area entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Below are some resources to get you thinking about your own mentoring program:

Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast Episode - Entrepreneur Mentors. Shelley Paasch and Don Macke explore the “why,” “what,” and “how” of entrepreneur mentoring programs. This episode also explores tried-and-true cost-sharing programs for providing customized technical assistance to entrepreneurs including mentors.

Nebraska E-Communities Initiative (E3) - These are recently shared e2 resources shared during our Energizing Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (E3) work in Nebraska:
Other e2 News
RuralRISE – Rural Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builders
At e2 we have a strong alignment with RuralRISE, created to advance entrepreneurship ecosystem building throughout rural America. It is a learning and sharing network. Its annual Summit (September 28-30, 2022) in Emporia, Kansas is a “go-to” gathering (both in-person and digitally in 2022) for anyone working on rural community ecosystem building. Check out our new episode with RuralRISE’s Tina Metzer and Jessica Glendinning.
Did You Miss It?
On June 16th e2 joined fellow panelists for the Kansas Leadership Center's Lessons From Ord, Nebraska - What’s Right With Ord webinar. Panelists offered good food for thought for communities on the road to greater economic prosperity. Ord’s success has applications for other heartland communities who are willing to invest, empower local leadership, and double down on supporting entrepreneurship. Watch now.
Field News
Research: The Average Age of a Successful Startup Founder is 45. This Harvard Business Review article finds successful entrepreneurs tend to be middle-aged, not in their twenties.

Counties with Recreation-Based Economies Show Biggest Recovery from Long-Term Poverty. This article in The Daily Yonder suggests some improvements may come from lower-income residents leaving to avoid a higher cost of living.

Stronger Together – Federal funding and planning strategies. On May 11th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development released a joint resource guide to help access USDA & EDA resources to boost economic development in rural America. View the resource guide.

Events
Radically Rural Summit, September 21-22, 2022, is a virtual and in-person event, showcasing innovation and entrepreneurship in the beautiful Monadnock Region of New Hampshire. This summit draws hundreds of registrants from across the U.S. Learn More.
Rural Rise, Summit 2022, September 28-30, 2022, is an in-person event in Emporia, Kansas. More Info.