Field writing from SourceLink practitioners on Research & Impact.
Scott Asmus did not come to entrepreneurship with a traditional playbook. He came with an outsider’s eye, a deep belief in putting people first, and a determination to make Nebraska’s entrepreneurial ecosystem easier to navigate. Through SourceLink Nebraska, he is helping turn a maze of resources into a connected system built around real people, real needs, and real movement.
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Scott Asmus did not come to entrepreneurship with a traditional playbook. He came with an outsider’s eye, a deep belief in putting people first, and a determination to make Nebraska’s entrepreneurial ecosystem easier to navigate. Through SourceLink Nebraska, he is helping turn a maze of resources into a connected system built around real people, real needs, and real movement.
Network news
Five-year-old workforce data or, worse yet, costly, hard-to-access data became a stick wedged in the wheel of progress for early-stage company founders and civic planners in Nebraska. The 2024 Statewide Nebraska Quarterly Workforce Indicators Dashboard, a partnership between SourceLink and SourceLink Nebraska, addressed the challenge of generating accurate real-time reports based on current entrepreneur-focused data. Data Disparity Local companies, innovation-driven startups, and entrepreneurs drive job creation and community-based growth. In fact, small businesses with fewer than...
Economic Development
Detroit’s recently launched MI Small Business Helper platform took years of persistent development to become a national model. Here’s what ecosystem builders can learn from their experience. Detroit is a city that’s shown it can take a punch. It’s also shown it can build something that lands. After years of building the foundation, pushing through...
Economic Development
Across the field of economic development one truth stands out: supporting entrepreneurs requires more than good programs; it requires good systems. The city of Santa Fe has no shortage of entrepreneurial talent, committed partner organizations, or inspiring success stories. What’s harder is addressing the systemic side of the work. Becoming an entrepreneur depends on dozens...
Economic Development
This four-part series addresses why tracking and measuring the activity of your entrepreneurial ecosystem is crucial to its long-term sustainability and the economic success of your community. Part 1 of this series covers why measurement is important, Part 2 discusses what to measure, Part 3 provided insights into how to measure, and Part 4 delves...
Ecosystem Building
This four-part series addresses why tracking and measuring the activity of your entrepreneurial ecosystem is crucial to its long-term sustainability and the economic success of your community. Part 1 of this series covers why measurement is important, Part 2 discusses what to measure, Part 3 provides insights into how to measure, and Part 4 delves...
Research & Impact
A lot is changing in the world of entrepreneurship-led economic development; from utilizing AI to increase capacity to a multitude of professional development opportunities. However, one topic kept resurfacing as we connected with affiliates and partners over the year: what’s the best way to measure the impact of our work? And what’s a compelling way...
Research & Impact
This four-part series addresses why tracking and measuring the activity of your entrepreneurial ecosystem is crucial to its long-term sustainability and the economic success of your community. Part 1 of this series covers why measurement is important, Part 2 discusses what to measure, Part 3 provides insights into how to measure and Part 4 delves...
Economic Development
SourceLink Continues to Grow, Adding New Staff and Affiliates Welcome to our new SourceLink staff member, Solomon Lee. Solomon will serve as a project manager and brings considerable expertise to our team. Prior to joining SourceLink, Solomon was with Louisiana Economic Development, where he helped implement the Louisiana Business Hub platform statewide and across multiple...
Research & Impact
This four-part series addresses why tracking and measuring the activity of your entrepreneurial ecosystem is crucial to its long-term sustainability and the economic success of your community. Part 1: Why Measurement Is Important In today’s fast-paced and dynamic business landscape, entrepreneurship is center stage. Entrepreneurial communities continue to grow all across the United States, fostering...
Research & Impact
For the better part of the last decade, our field has greatly evolved. The concept of building networks of support, or what has sometimes been referred to as, forging “entrepreneurial ecosystems”, has been a key focus for many advancing the idea that innovation and entrepreneurship will be the future of not just our recovery- but...
Research & Impact
Congratulations to all the grantees awarded funds to participate in the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program. You are embarking on work that is critical to building back inclusive and more resilient communities. We are excited to see so many in our SourceLink℠ network become hubs and/or spokes, and eager for this program roll out as...