A note from our editor, Elizabeth MacBride:
We had a thrilling launch day for The New Builders, the book I wrote with venture capitalist Seth Levine over the past two years. Those who have been following our work at Times of Entrepreneurship know the book is an extension of much of what we have been have been writing here, looking at the economy from the perspective of the many, rather than the few.
The New Builders tells the stories of and explains the importance of the broad swathe of entrepreneurs in America. Thanks to so many people who believe in the mission, we briefly overwhelmed the Amazon order system and reached #1 in Economics releases. And, we hope, drove sales at many independent bookstores, too. Many people want small businesses back, thriving and healthy. Many people see that women and people of color are the future of the economy.
The New Builders looks at the barriers that hold us all back, squarely. We want to change the toxic attitude toward small business, which exists in part because the entrepreneurs of today are mainly women and people of color. The New Builders has been called easy-to-read, and handbook for understanding today’s economy. Last week, Sarah Catlin of Missouri’s KOPN said, “This is my family’s story.”
See below in this newsletter for an excerpt and upcoming events.
Thanks especially to Brad Feld and Fred Wilson, who blogged about The New Builders on launch day, and to many others who amplified the message.
Pick up your copy today! Amazon restocked rapidly and the Kindle is available too. You can see some of the independent shops where The New Builders is available on our web site, www.thenewbuilders.com. Our fantastic Times of E social media maven, Winnie Hurd, designed the post above for us to celebrate our launch on Star Wars Day.
Times of Entrepreneurship Stories of the Week
A Kansas Entrepreneur Whose Ambitions Include More Than Profit
In The New Builders, launched May 4 and written by Times of E founder Elizabeth MacBride and venture capitalist Seth Levine, the authors look at the landscape of entrepreneurship across America. In this excerpt, the authors focus on Isaac Collins, a well-known businessman in Kansas City.
The Hub: TechStars Teams Up With Minnesota Twins. Plus: $10K Was The Difference For These Venue Owners.
Startups at the intersection of sports, technology, and entertainment are the focus of a new partnership between the Twins and the global accelerator TechStars. Meanwhile, music venues closed by the pandemic are getting a lifeline through the $16B Shuttered Venue Operator Grant program.
UPCOMING NEW BUILDERS EVENTS
Open Assembly Conversation
Come to this conversation about The New Builders from 4-5 p.m. Eastern Time, where we’ll talk about the 40-year decline in American entrepreneurship and what we can do to reserve it.
When: Thursday, May 6, 4-5 p.m. Eastern Time
For information, go here.
Coral Gables Small Business Summit
The New Builders authors are also part of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce inaugural Small Business Summit. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 12:15 on Friday, May 7. We’re on at 10 a.m. Eastern. The event costs $10, but if you use this link and the sign in “Friends of Elizabeth,” you’ll get in for free.
You May Have Missed
Companies Can Learn To Tap the World’s Biggest Market
Social enterprises have been the trendsetters in tapping women as consumers around the world. Surprisingly, they’ve been ignored in many markets.
Best practices: Only a tiny percentage of venture capital goes to founders of color. Pendulum Holdings, a venture capital firm led by Robbie Robinson, former President Barack Obama’s financial advisor, has been working to change that, quietly investing in startups by founders of color, Recode reports. Securities filings indicate the firm, staffed mainly by people of color, is raising up to $250 million.
Buzzworthy: Suzanne Simard grew up in the logging world of British Columbia. Today she is a scientist and a leading expert on plant intelligence and communication. In Finding the Mother Tree: Delivering the Wisdom of the Forest, Simard reveals how trees defend themselves, compete and cooperate—and the lessons they hold for society.
Made in the USA: If you’re looking to hit the road this summer but aren’t ready for a Winnebago, Aero Teardrops, founded in Portland, Ore., is worth checking out. The company, founded in 2015, offers “teardrop” trailers like “The Steel 10 x 10,” ready for camp cooking, singalongs with the Bluetooth stereo and overnight sleeping, including a cabinet you can convert to a bunk for a small child. The price tag: $15,999.
This story and others on Times of E are made possible by a sponsorship from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation that provides access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity – regardless of race, gender, or geography. The Kansas City, Mo.-based foundation uses its grantmaking, research, programs, and initiatives to support the start and growth of new businesses, a more prepared workforce, and stronger communities. For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect with www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn.
