Business
Entrepreneurship is on the rise, as more and more people seek meaning and control over their work. But figuring out what, exactly, they want to do and how, exactly, they want to do it can be one of the toughest parts of building a new business. Stories can help - by giving new entrepreneurs the clarity, confidence and courage they need to succeed. And that's what I explore in this episode with Karen Greve Young. Karen's the CEO of Futurpreneur Canada, the only national non-profit organization in the country that's dedicated to supporting young entrepreneurs age 18-39. Futurpreneur’s unique model combines loan financing, mentorship and other resources to fuel the success of thousands of young entrepreneurs in every Canadian province and territory. Before joining Futurpreneur, Karen worked in leadership roles at non-profits around the globe, most recently serving as the Vice President of Corporate Development & Partnerships at MaRS Discovery District, a global innovation hub based in Toronto. Karen shares stories of how they help entrepreneurs use their own stories to shape and grow their businesses, through processes ranging from business model design to mentoring. She also tells us how Futurpreneur has stepped up its own storytelling, sharing entrepreneurs' stories across staff, partners and the board to strengthen connections to the purpose and people they serve. As a result, they've tripled their employee engagement in less than three years. Plus, we explore the role entrepreneurs play in helping communities create, share and deepen the stories that bring them together, by developing places and experiences where everyone can support shared values. Join us to hear the incredible stories of entrepreneurs like Devon Fiddler, who started SheNative accessories to employ and support Indigenous women, and Mai Eilia, a refugee who started home-building business Magnum Construction to create employment for other refugees – and find out more about how you can use stories to grow your business today.