Rust Belt Startup

<p><div class="vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid"><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12"><div class="vc_column-inner"><div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_widget wpb_content_element vc_clearfix vc_video-aspect-ratio-169 vc_video-el-width-80 vc_video-align-center" > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_wrapper"><iframe title="Good Bread, Good Data, Better Lending: Reimagining Access to Capital" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0TjKWwMJzKE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> </div> </div> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <p>In this episode, I sit down with <strong>Noa Simons</strong>, founder and CEO of<a href="https://goodbread.net/" data-type="link" data-id="https://goodbread.net/"> <strong>Good Bread</strong>,</a> a new kind of small business lender working to reinvent how entrepreneurs access capital. If you’ve ever tried to raise money—through banks, credit unions, investors, or anywhere in between—you know it’s never one-size-fits-all. Even in communities with great lending institutions, many founders still fall through the cracks.</p> <p>Noa’s on a mission to fix that.</p> <p>Good Bread is a startup blending <strong>technology, psychology, and trust</strong> to create a more human, accessible path to capital. One of the most fascinating pieces of their approach is the <strong>Boss Index</strong>—a behavioral data tool her team uses to understand creditworthiness far beyond a traditional credit score.</p> <p>In this conversation, Noa and I dig into:</p> <p> </p> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Why access to capital is so difficult for so many entrepreneurs</li> <li>How her co-founder relationships were built and how she&#8217;s raising her own investment dollars</li> <li>How behavioral data can create more equitable lending</li> <li>What a “human-centered” underwriting model actually looks like</li> <li>The role trust plays in entrepreneurship and local economies</li> <li>Why overlooked regions (like ours) are full of untapped possibility</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>If you’re interested in startups, money, trust, or building meaningful businesses in emerging regions, this episode is for you.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <p><iframe src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2223742586&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc; line-break: anywhere; word-break: normal; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-weight: 100;"><a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Rust Belt Startup" href="https://soundcloud.com/user-649200611" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rust Belt Startup</a> · <a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Good Bread, Good Data, Better Lending: Reimagining Access to Capital" href="https://soundcloud.com/user-649200611/good-bread-good-data-better-lending-reimagining-access-to-capital" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Good Bread, Good Data, Better Lending: Reimagining Access to Capital</a></div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid"><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12"><div class="vc_column-inner"><div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <h2 style="text-align: center;">Podcast Highlights</h2> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid"><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-6"><div class="vc_column-inner"><div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_widget wpb_content_element vc_clearfix vc_video-aspect-ratio-169 vc_video-el-width-100 vc_video-align-left" > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_wrapper"><iframe title="Building a Tech Company With Heart | Noa Simons of Good Bread" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ej-waT9PVm8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> </div> </div> <div class="wpb_video_widget wpb_content_element vc_clearfix vc_video-aspect-ratio-169 vc_video-el-width-100 vc_video-align-left" > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_wrapper"><iframe title="Raising Money and Building a Team with Noa Simons of Good Bread" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4XdVSN1zJfY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div></div></div><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-6"><div class="vc_column-inner"><div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_widget wpb_content_element vc_clearfix vc_video-aspect-ratio-169 vc_video-el-width-100 vc_video-align-left" > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_wrapper"><iframe title="How to Ask For Money" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rgJr4M0UXSg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> </div> </div> <div class="wpb_video_widget wpb_content_element vc_clearfix vc_video-aspect-ratio-169 vc_video-el-width-100 vc_video-align-left" > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_wrapper"><iframe title="Good Bread and The Boss Index" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v5ayO-toOfA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div></p>

<div class="vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid"><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12"><div class="vc_column-inner"><div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_widget wpb_content_element vc_clearfix vc_video-aspect-ratio-169 vc_video-el-width-100 vc_video-align-left" > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_wrapper"><iframe title="Blacque Acres: Container Farming and Committing in Cornhill" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bw2h47hCzEI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> </div> </div> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <p class="p1">In this episode, I have an inspiring conversation with James Paul, the founder of Blacque Acres, an indoor hydroponic container farm in Utica, NY. James shares his journey from military service to urban farming, and we’ll talk about how he was able to commit to the project without knowing much about container farming or fundraising to make the first container farm a reality.</p> <p class="p1">We’ll get into how he created buy-in from the community and funders, raising over $200k to start the first farm, and how you don’t need to know exactly what you’re doing to get started on your big idea. Blacque Acres aims to provide fresh, affordable produce to the Cornhill neighborhood an often overlooked part of the city, addressing food insecurity and promoting community health in the process.</p> <p class="p1">James is proving that fresh, affordable produce can be grown year-round in the middle of the city—and that a farm can be about much more than food.</p> <p class="p1">Learn more about Blacque Acres at their website: <a href="http://www.blacqueacres.com">www.blacqueacres.com</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <p><iframe src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2160858057&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc; line-break: anywhere; word-break: normal; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-weight: 100;"><a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Rust Belt Startup" href="https://soundcloud.com/user-649200611" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rust Belt Startup</a> · <a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Blacque Acres: Container Farming and Committing in Cornhill" href="https://soundcloud.com/user-649200611/blacque-acres-container-farming-and-committing-in-cornhill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blacque Acres: Container Farming and Committing in Cornhill</a></div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div>

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/Qe_UEe1_M3k </div> </figure> <p>Today on the podcast I&#8217;m honored to sit down with Erin Hamlin — Olympic Luger, World Champion, and the first American to medal in singles luge. But her story starts in Remsen, NY, where a 12-year-old kid signed up for a wheeled luge clinic on a whim… and ended up competing in four Olympic Games. We go deep on what it really takes to compete at the highest level — not just physically, but mentally. Erin shares what it’s like to train in a barn gym as well as the Olympic training center, the pressures and insane nuance that goes into competing in Luge to get to the Olympics. We also talk about the broken model of youth sports, and how she navigated the incredibly personal decision to retire on her own terms and find what&#8217;s next. This is an inspiring, behind-the-scenes conversation about chasing big goals, mental and physical toughness, and reinventing yourself after a career in professional sports.</p> <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2134865961&#038;color=%23ff5500&#038;auto_play=false&#038;hide_related=true&#038;show_comments=false&#038;show_user=true&#038;show_reposts=false&#038;show_teaser=false"></iframe></p> <div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-649200611" title="Rust Belt Startup" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Rust Belt Startup</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-649200611/2025007-erinhamlin" title="Sliding in to the Unknown: Erin Hamlin’s Olympic (and Post-Olympic) Journey" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Sliding in to the Unknown: Erin Hamlin’s Olympic (and Post-Olympic) Journey</a></div>

<p><div class="vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid"><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12"><div class="vc_column-inner"><div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_widget wpb_content_element vc_clearfix vc_video-aspect-ratio-169 vc_video-el-width-100 vc_video-align-left" > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_wrapper"><iframe title="A Sustainable Fundraising Playbook for Non-Profits with Lara Sepanski Pimentel (Osa Philanthropy)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZJFYhptK8KA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid"><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12"><div class="vc_column-inner"><div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <p>Fundraising expert Lara Sepanski Pimentel, founder of <a href="https://www.osaphilanthropy.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OSA Philanthropy</a> and former Peace Corps volunteer, joins me to unpack what makes a nonprofit—and any mission-driven venture—truly resilient. Drawing on field lessons from community-development work in rural Central America and a decade inside U.S. nonprofits, Lara explains why “capacity” — the people, processes, and systems behind the programs — must come before the next big grant push.</p> <p><strong>In this conversation you’ll learn:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Peace Corps principles in practice – how asset-based thinking, local ownership, and radical resourcefulness translate into stronger donor relationships and staff culture.</li> <li>The “capacity first, cash second” framework – diagnostic steps to spot operational gaps before chasing new money.</li> <li>Fast vs. slow money – a pragmatic playbook for raising six figures quickly through warm individual donors while laying groundwork for longer-cycle institutional funding.</li> <li>Reframing the ask – shifting from “begging for help” to “offering investment” so donors see themselves as partners, not patrons.</li> <li>Running a location-independent consultancy – Lara’s approach to managing global contractors, Zoom-first client work, and family life across continents.</li> <li>Nonprofit earthquake preparedness – why diversified revenue and data-driven dashboards are the new insurance policy in a volatile funding landscape.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid"><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12"><div class="vc_column-inner"><div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2114410830&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc; line-break: anywhere; word-break: normal; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-weight: 100;"><a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Rust Belt Startup" href="https://soundcloud.com/user-649200611" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rust Belt Startup</a> · <a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="A Sustainable Fundraising Playbook for Non-Profits with Lara Sepanski Pimentel (Osa Philanthropy)" href="https://soundcloud.com/user-649200611/a-sustainable-fundraising-playbook-for-non-profits-with-lara-sepanski-pimentel-osa-philanthropy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Sustainable Fundraising Playbook for Non-Profits with Lara Sepanski Pimentel (Osa Philanthropy)</a></div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div></p>

<p><div class="vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid"><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12"><div class="vc_column-inner"><div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_widget wpb_content_element vc_clearfix vc_video-aspect-ratio-169 vc_video-el-width-100 vc_video-align-left" > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_video_wrapper"><iframe title="MVW Full" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N_K871W7kTQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid"><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12"><div class="vc_column-inner"><div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <p>In this episode, I&#8217;m in the shop at MVW Food Trucks with founders Jamie Thompson (Buddha) and Ryan McEwen. They discuss their challenging journey of starting a business in upstate New York, after being laid off from their respective jobs and building a food truck fabrication company from absolute scratch. Jamie and Ryan share their unique experiences, the dynamics of their partnership, and the obstacles they faced as a black and white business duo. Learn how they’ve navigated race dynamics in their business, the struggles with keeping the business afloat, and advice for anyone looking to get into the food truck industry. It&#8217;s a conversation worth sharing, filled with lessons on perseverance, partnership, and passion. Learn more about MWV Trailers &amp; Food Trucks at their website <a href="https://mvwtrailers.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mvwtrailers.com</a> and if you&#8217;re ready to start your food truck, be sure to reach out.</p> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid"><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12"><div class="vc_column-inner"><div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2068034292&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=true&amp;show_comments=false&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=false" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc; line-break: anywhere; word-break: normal; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-weight: 100;"><a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Rust Belt Startup" href="https://soundcloud.com/user-649200611" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rust Belt Startup</a> · <a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Business Resilience, Race, and Respect | MVW Food Trucks" href="https://soundcloud.com/user-649200611/business-resilience-race-and-respect-mvw-food-trucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Business Resilience, Race, and Respect | MVW Food Trucks</a></div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div></p>