From Idea to Entrepreneur: Leveraging Community and Mentorship- Episode 46

In this episode of Leader U, Angie Lion of Black River Performance Management joins Ann Swanson, the Director of the Southeast Idaho Small Business Development Center at the ISU College of Business, to explore the journey “From Idea to Entrepreneur: Leveraging Community and Mentorship.” This conversation covers essential steps for launching a successful business. In addition to a good idea, it demands the cultivation of a support system composed of mentors, advisors, and a community that champions your vision.
Angie and Ann unpack the multifaceted process of transforming an idea into a thriving enterprise. They discuss practical strategies for finding and connecting with mentors who can provide invaluable guidance, as well as ways to tap into entrepreneurial communities that can offer support, resources, and opportunities for collaboration.
Tune in for a discussion that will equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the knowledge and inspiration to build a support system that not only propels their business forward but also sustains its growth and impact over time. Whether you’re in the early stages of ideation or actively working to scale your business, this episode will help you view the process through a lean start-up lens. The conversation will leave you with great tips, perspectives for negotiation, and momentum to launch your idea.
Ann Swanson is the Director of the Region Five Small Business Development Center at the ISU College of Business. In this position, Ann is responsible for helping local businesses grow and improve their bottom lines. She has had an “entrepreneurial” career path that includes work as a marketing director, gerontologist, health administrator, professor, actor, and consultant. Ann began working in digital communications in 2000. Her career includes and marketing director at Portneuf Regional Medical Center; marketing director and teacher at Idaho State University’s College of Business, and small business owner. She has two Master’s Degrees from the University of Southern California and lived for a year in Barcelona, Spain on a Fulbright. Ann joined the Idaho Small Business Development Center in 2012. She has two children ages 14 and 16 and loves to travel, teach yoga, and find her keys.
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