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Good afternoon and welcome to the City Club of Cleveland, where we are devoted to conversations of consequence that help democracy thrive.

It's Friday, November 7th, and I'm Cynthia Connolly, director of programing here at the City Club.

I am so pleased to introduce today's forum, which is part of our Building Success series in partnership with Huntington, where we dig deep and how we can create a region where all entrepreneurs can succeed.

Yet, becoming a successful entrepreneur and maintaining success.

Any startup business has its own unique set of systemic and structural challenges.

Many of those challenges start well before the hunt for investors and developers begins.

Often, the toughest barriers can be found in simply trying to meet basic needs for themselves or their families.

Access to education resources like food, wraparound services, technology, and even quality mentorship can make or break an entrepreneurial venture.

It can be the difference between a big idea launched or shelved.

So how can we build futures in entrepreneurship?

Today, we are joined by three leaders who will discuss the work being done here in Northeast Ohio that is truly breaking barriers.

Tiffany Cashon is an adjunct faculty member at the Weatherhead School of Management, where she teaches entrepreneurship and is a senior director at Case Western Reserve University.

Think backs.

It's a seven story makerspace and entrepreneurship ecosystem that is free and open to the public.

Kate Fox Nagel is chief executive officer at MetroHealth Community Health Centers.

Launched in 2018, the center support inclusive and equitable community well-being and collaboration with other critical community organizations.

Also joining is Tiffany Scruggs, the vice president of Community Access and executive director of the Community Resource Center at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

Opened in 2022, the Community Resource Center serves as a one stop shop for Healthy Choice Food Pantry and to connect with over a dozen social service partners, all under one roof.

Monitoring the conversation is Renee Richard, president and CEO of Corporate College at Tri-C.

And before we begin, a quick reminder for our live stream and radio audience.

If you have a question during the Q&A portion of the forum, you can text it to (330)541-5794 and City club staff will try to work it into the program now.

Members and friends of the City Club and Cleveland City Club of Cleveland.

Please join me in welcoming all of our guests today.

Thank you, Cynthia, and good afternoon, everyone.

Ladies, let's begin.

We commonly hear people talk about the social determinants of health and how these non-medical factors influence health outcomes and the quality of our lives.

So today, I'd like to shape the conversation around the idea that the social determinants of health also provide barriers to innovation and the continued growth in entrepreneurship.

So let's talk first about the landscape of entrepreneurship in your respective organizations.

And Kate, I'd like to start with you.

Access to health care and the quality of care received as one of these social determinants in your organization.

How do you see entrepreneurs contributing to quality health care, and what does the future for entrepreneurship participation look like at Metro Health?

Thank you, and thanks for having me here today.

At Metro Health we serve many roles in the community.

So first, we're an academic medical center.

And so we have clinicians and researchers and students that are very focused on the traditional aspects of innovation and advancements in medical care and how to how to take something from the bed to the bench to bedside.

And then we also serve a role as an essential hospital and as the county at the county hospital and making sure that we're addressing more than just your health care.

So much of what you just said is very rooted in the very nature of who we are and what we do each and every day.

And you see some of that work reflected in how we stand up, certain programs and services that take, that takes Metro Health out into the community.

You see that within the fabric of what we do from our care delivery system, and that it isn't just in brick and mortar centers.

It may also be in a mobile clinic, maybe in a community resource center, in partnership with the Greater Food Bank and many other places to make sure that every family has that age old adage of, well, at least you have your health.

So we're really trying to make sure that we are involved in each and every step of that work for our patients and the communities we serve.

Yeah, absolutely.

And what a gem Metro health is for our community.

Tiffany, let's switch to the education determinant at Case Western Reserve.

The serious think box has seven amazing floors of maker space.

So between AI and climate to create a marketing influencing or or just product development.

Which trends do you see the most and what are entrepreneurs the most excited about?

Yes.

Thank you.

So we are seeing those AI type of startups.

We always have a product development.

They're because we have such an extensive amount of equipment in the maker space.

But I think what's been most interesting and the trend that we're seeing is why the students are building businesses now.

It's really about wanting to change the system.

They're becoming more of the social entrepreneur, where even if they're building an entrepreneur or an enterprise for money or it's really about how they can change the system.

And that's been a theme that we've started to see maybe in the last couple of years that we hadn't seen before.

Yeah, we noticed that theme at Tri-C coming out of the pandemic and Doctor Best, and realized that a lot of people found the gig economy during the pandemic and decided that they didn't want to work in the most traditional ways.

They wanted to have their own business, their own control of their lives and what they do.

So we did pivot to create the center for entrepreneurs.

And, and a lot of that is, being displayed across the community now.

So let's go to you.

You have the hot button topic of the day, food insecurity.

And, you know, we are really proud you're at the Cleveland Food Bank and with the Cleveland Food Bank is doing for us.

But, can you talk a little bit about what is the food banks top priority right now as we monitor this ever changing environment?

And how do entrepreneurs play a role in the current food chain supply?

Well, thank you, Renee, and thanks again for, everyone for tuning in.

You know, at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, we have been laser focused on buying as much food as possible right now to ensure that our 1000 network of partners in our six county footprint has the resources needed to meet the increased need amongst the neighbors that we serve.

We are grateful for a lot of the support.

Many of you are in the room, and also partners who help us to meet the needs in our community.

We know last year we saw over 400,000 unduplicated neighbors that needed our support, with 25% being first timers who had never relied on our services before.

And we expect to see increased need as we move forward.

But some exciting news.

We also are laser focused on sharing our new three year strategic plan.

And I have my notes here because it's so new.

I haven't memorized it just yet.

So I'm going to read it verbatim as my president and CEO is in the room and I don't want to be wrong.

All right.

So together with our community, we provide nutritious food, essential resources so our neighbors facing hunger can thrive.

Also an aspirational mission vision.

Excuse me, a community free from hunger.

And our new tagline, ending hunger today, tomorrow and for a lifetime to really reflect our growth, impact and evolving needs of the community that we serve.

So that's what we've been up to.

And also making sure that our neighbors and partner organizations has clear information about changes as it relates to Snap and other changes.

In terms of the federal landscape.

Thank you.

Renee.

Yeah.

Thank you.

I know that there are a lot of entrepreneurs in the Cleveland area that are in the food service industry, and I know a lot of the, those entrepreneurs are some of them are in nonprofit organizations that are taking advantage of the opportunities to Cleveland Food Bank provides and are serving food to those 400,000 families that you're talking about.

So we really appreciate thank you for that work.

Let's switch gears to focus a little bit on breaking barriers.

And Tiffany, I'm going to come to you, over in that beautiful makerspace.

Any of you guys drive up, Carnegie or Euclid and go up Cedar Hill to get home from work?

Anybody out there do that?

I've drive by there at least.

Well, for 20 years.

I which I right by there and never realize that there's this free resource of seven floors of makerspace that students and entrepreneurs and individuals can come in and take advantage of.

So all of you all tell your friends and and come over to case and enjoy that makerspace.

Yeah.

So, in the seven floors of, venturing, what are the biggest barriers you've seen or seen others face when they're starting or scaling a new venture?

I think what we see the most is this hesitation.

To start, we have a on our sixth floor is where we serve primarily serve the entrepreneurs.

And we tell our students, come over here and be around the entrepreneurs, whether you have an idea or not, because you need to find your people.

When you find your people and you get the right mentors, then your lived experience becomes your expertise.

And so there are a lot of people that know that it's within them, but they don't necessarily know what they want to work on yet.

So we can connect them with someone else who has a project.

And it's really interesting how eventually they start getting the nerve up to start coming up with their own ideas.

Something about being in cohorts or being in a seat.

Being around people with like minded thinking that helps you feel confident about your ideas.

Yes, yes, Tiff, when we think about having access to a healthy food supply and community resources that address both short and long term food insecurity, what are some compelling data points that support the benefit of operating a one stop shop community resource center?

Sure.

I mean, the reality is we know that 67% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.

And so by us taking a bold stance and now operating a one stop shop community resource center and actually many partners on the stage with me today, we're mindful of the short term impact and also the long and term long term impact as well.

The goal is that we don't want our neighbors to any longer rely on our network of partners to receive food and critical resources.

And so we know that 1 in 5 people in our six county territory is in need of food.

We also are mindful of challenges like low wages, unstable housing, significant gap between median income.

So that's why we partner with some of our workforce and and organizations focused on career planning, such as towards employment.

Benjamin Rose, for example, in Greater Cleveland works.

We know that those tough choices really, really can cause some delays in terms of budding entrepreneurs as well.

We hear from our neighbors on a daily basis.

We also operate a call center, and where we're able to hear some of the challenges that many of our neighbors face, and so we're able to now offer a place where 17 nonprofit organizations are co-located to address the drivers of food insecurity, those being within employment, housing and health care.

And with financial literacy bubbling up as the fourth pillar, we partner with Huntington Bank.

We also partner with PNC Bank to make sure that there's access to the products so that entrepreneurs can understand what loan products are available and understand tax laws to really jumpstart their potential entrepreneurial spirit.

I think about all of you ladies as entrepreneurs because you all are running, divisions and, looking at budgets and providing resources.

And I know, Kate, you are leading the, Metro Health Now Federally Qualified Health center.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't say hello to my friend Ken Griffin, who's the CEO of Care Alliance, who also runs a federally qualified health center.

And the work and the resources that you guys are providing to the community are just immeasurable, you know, such a valued service.

So, if you could talk about how can we dismantle some of the systemic obstacles of underreporting in it?

Founders like access to capital, networking, mentorship.

Yeah.

Well, I think it starts with the root causes, because these barriers oftentimes are compounding in this panel in and of itself is representative that where we have education and health care and food insecurity, we've got health care for the homeless in the audience.

I'm certain that many folks around here are also representing some other aspect of of our very fabric of our society that could, in and of itself, serve as a barrier to getting someone, to seeing out their great idea.

And so I think serving as an access point becomes one of the key issues that we look at first and foremost, the community health Center movement, which gave birth to the federally Qualified Health Centers, grew out of the war on poverty.

It was a recognition that there needed to be a focused effort across the country of taking health care, creating space where people could get access to care regardless of their ability to pay.

There was also a recognition that we could take on the health care aspect of that, but we might not be able to do everything else that comes from what you need in order to stay healthy.

And so looking for partners.

And I think that still exists today.

And that's a lot of why we're up here together of looking at their metro has too many partners.

This would be one of those times where you were trying to thank people, and you would inevitably leave out the most important person, if you tried to list all of the folks that we have said, again, as a federally qualified health center, as a county hospital, we'd like to work together with Tracy on employment and workforce development with the food bank on creating an access point.

We have Opportunity Centers where we bring folks into our clinics in order to help with financial literacy and access to other essential services.

And so I think whenever you're focused on trying to address something that has been in place where we're all carrying a different sledgehammer, how are we?

We're only going to be able to do that if we do it together.

Yeah, we talk about it a lot at the center for entrepreneurs out of Corporate College and this, ecosystem of entrepreneurial ecosystem in this pipeline.

And there's so many ways for us to collaborate with so many different partners across the county.

And we are best when we, collaborate and pool our collective resources.

So we have to keep working at that.

Absolutely.

So I'm going to ask this next question of all three of you, you could kind of think about it a little bit, and just give us your view of what a truly inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem looks like, kind of what we're just talking about.

So, Tiff will start with you, and then we'll work our way back inside.

What?

I think, you know, all of us agree that collaboration and access are critically important.

You know, I do want to remind us 60% of folks don't always know if they're going to pay for medical expenses or food.

73% don't know if they're going to pay for gas in their car, an Uber ride, or food.

50% had to make tough choices.

Do I pay for my rent or mortgage or food?

And 72% had to choose.

Do I pay for food or utilities?

And so when you think about entrepreneurs in that space and the challenges there, we have to be mindful of those basic needs.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs supports that notion that if folks can, it is hard to even think about operating a business.

And so once again, the spirit of collaboration and creating access is critically important.

Once again, I'll go back to the banking products that are important as well.

I had an opportunity to just have a conversation with a neighbor who started her own boutique, and some of the barriers that she reported.

Yes, access to food as she was at our community resource center.

But access to childcare, right?

That serves as a barrier.

You know, for those of us that have had children, we know that diaper disparity is a real problem.

And so we've invited the diaper Bank of Greater Cleveland as one of our 17 on site partners.

We know, in the city of Cleveland, one and two residents don't always know how they're going to afford diapers for their children.

So if you're trying to start a business and you're dealing with all of these challenges, you might not be able to move forward.

So.

So I think building on that, you also have to be good listeners, right?

We have to be able to listen and really hear what people are telling us.

And I think as we open enrollment just started on November 1st.

And one of the areas that Metro Health is very focused right now is helping our patients anywhere we estimate anywhere up to 40,000 folks will need help either staying on Medicaid, getting back on Medicaid, getting connected to the marketplace.

Insurance will need some help moving through that.

We have one central number two one sex my metro that you can call.

We've partnered with the United Way to help us manage all of those phone calls in order to provide the education and the screening that folks need in order to then land where you should go.

And I think that recognizing that access then leads to coverage, which then leads to, we know, improved health outcomes and better quality of life.

And we've seen that trajectory be repeated time and time again.

We've seen that here in Cleveland over the years when we've moved through Metro Care Plus into Medicaid expansion, into where we are today.

And so that is a priority of ours today.

And really creating this inclusivity of ensuring that our patients can not only get on and have access to insurance, but can stay on and and then can navigate throughout the system, either through help from someone at the Community Resource Center or help from one of our own patient navigators or community health workers.

I think it's really important that people can see themselves in the group that they're in, so that they can relate.

Being an entrepreneur is scary enough as it is.

And so finding people and we've talked about we've also this it's really about the community that you find.

And as someone who works with entrepreneurs on a regular basis, you have to look past even their their story or their, ideas and find that person behind there.

Because in particular case Western Reserve, our students are wired to get A's.

Right.

And but they're on a very their workload is is not for the faint of heart.

And so trying to coach them also to pace themselves to make sure that they've got the support at home they need.

Because, you know, there's also some parents that aren't so thrilled about their paying for their child to go to at Case Western Reserve.

And then they start thinking about, well, I really want to focus on my startup, but being there for them and coaching them through that and listening, like you said, just listening is a really important component to that.

Yeah, we we do find that our entrepreneurs, overcome a lot of barriers just to take that first step, right?

Whether it's fear of failure or whether it's just I don't know how to start first.

I don't know, I'm I'm not working.

I don't have the transportation to get to the next place.

Can I bring my child to whatever resource center is going to provide me with assistance?

So there are a lot of early first steps that, keep our entrepreneurs from moving forward.

And I want you guys to start thinking about your questions because we're going to come to you for, audience questions and answers in a little bit.

So you got a few more minutes, but start thinking about them.

So, ladies, what advice would you give the next generation of entrepreneurs that's breaking into this space?

Let's start with you, Kate.

Sure.

So I think picking, picking up on what Tiffany just said, I think your lived experience experience is really what sets you apart and to to remember that, that oftentimes I think folks walk in and they're so passionate and they're and super smart and all of those other things and then sometimes can forget that, you know, what you're talking about because you've lived it.

And so many of those ideas.

And I think what drives innovation and entrepreneurship comes from that personal side of your experience, and that it is just as important as anything that you've learned in a textbook and everything else.

And so to not ignore who you are and where you came from.

And Tiffany, so I mean, I do I, I agree with that completely.

I also think when you're starting something, you're your own worst enemy, right?

You have these doubts and I'm generalizing, right?

We, we, we work with some people that just know what they're going to do.

And you can tell that they have it in them.

But you know, making sure that you are around the people that are going to push you to do it.

Right.

I mean, I'm up here because I, you know, speak to entrepreneurs all the time that are afraid to take the first step.

But I'm like, well, if I'm selling, you should do it.

It's scary.

Well, I better I better walk the walk.

Right.

And so making sure that they know that there's really nothing wrong with failure.

And you learn, you know, it's that that same old saying failure is really the most important component to life.

And that's where you get information.

I mean, I have that on my my board in my office.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So so really having someone to push you I think is a really important piece.

If I were to wrap it up into one thing.

Yeah.

And I think I'm a great example of, of lived experience.

Right.

I've had lived experience of hunger, hardships in my life.

And I am going to share just a personal story.

During the pandemic, my husband lost his job and he had been thinking about starting his own business, which he did, and he started a waste hauling removal business, and he didn't have a clue on what he was doing.

By the way.

But what he did have was a support system, also known as a wife at home, that was able to connect him to, an organization ran by PNC Fairfax Connection.

And he was able to go to some business planning classes, understand what dollars of his own that he needed to contribute.

Also low interest loans to help start up the business.

And so that is had been his trajectory with once again support from his assistant, also his wife.

But really, I want to go back to, you know, Tiffany talked about you really need that grit.

You need someone in your corner to continue to provide guidance and motivation.

And while there are a number of nonprofit organizations that help people do just that, and we know case is a great example of that as well.

And so I just think having that plan in mind, also understanding the resources that are available, really helps to keep someone on the right path as they can think about starting their own business.

You bring up a really good point, and I, I've heard Ronna say this to some of our entrepreneurs out at the at Corbett College.

You need when you're starting a business, you need your family support.

If your family is going to really beat up on you every day, you come home and say, you know, why don't you have a job?

This isn't working.

Go get a paycheck.

It's, you know, you're going to fail.

And you know, you know, we got folks like that right?

So yeah, having that family support at home is really very important.

And also, I mean, it's all consuming, right?

When you get into something and you set your sights on something, it in, especially when you start your most often working full time job or in your case, you know, thinking about what that could replace and having that sense of, you know, I can certainly as a community get support for that.

And you said, you know, the kind of resources that you have, is really important to have back up, because it's, you know, being an entrepreneur can be very isolating.

And so not having support is really tough.

Absolutely.

All right, ladies, very quickly as we wrap up our, our what's a barrier that you've personally broken that you want to start.

Sure.

Starting with me.

Okay.

Let's start with tip.

Let's start with.

All right.

I will have my friend Kate, and Kate's actually giving me looks because I invited her to join the panel.

So we have a little thing going.

You know, I think that I'm a living example, right?

What we're doing at our community resource center, providing access to those that need it the most.

I live and breathe the food bank.

I'm in my dream job, but it's been my entire career.

And so I think that is just one example of how I'm a reflection of doing just that.

To break barriers, for our community.

So now I'm going to pass it right to you.

I really like to challenge you this question.

At first, I really wanted to answer this question from a from our patients perspective, because there is nothing more satisfying than watching someone can, you know, walk through one of our clinics and see their trajectory and just sort of celebrate their successes.

But it said on the question that it needed to be personal.

And I kid you not, I asked ChatGPT for what?

That's real personal.

Well, it isn't like, what to they I to say about this?

So I didn't grow up here, so I am I'm not from Cleveland, I'm from Atlanta.

This is not weather that I ever really signed up to learn to deal with for an extended period of time.

There are a handful of folks in this room that I've known since the moment I walked in the door.

I walked into this city, as I came in, like many people, I was a trans, I was a transplant, I was a trailing spouse, and I had big ideas of what I wanted my career to look like.

And I was like, what am I going to do in Cleveland?

And I think that I wear my villain sweater very proudly.

But I think that it's something to be said for anybody who finds themselves somewhere that you never expected to be, and the people that you can meet and and collect in your corners over the years to help you shape and grow into, you know, who knows?

It could have been a sliding door moment of what you might have ended up being and then what you end up being today.

And so I think you never know.

But I, I think just having to sort of shape myself in a way that I didn't know I would need to do, can I first comment on the weather?

Because I've been in Atlanta and let me tell you something, it's the weather.

I mean, I know I don't disagree.

I feel like I, you know, you don't really want to be there in the summer.

So I couldn't let that go because I love it, I love it.

It was not just Cleveland, Cleveland like August all year.

So I've been in this space for the better part of my career and for a long time, as I think a lot of you can imagine, I was the only female in the room, and that repeatedly kept me somewhat stifled.

I hadn't found my voice.

I wasn't quite sure if I could contribute.

They all had more experience.

At least, I thought in my head.

Right.

And as I came up through the ranks, fortunately, I had people around me, that just said, you can't.

That's not how this is going to go.

And if you have a seat at the table, you belong at the table.

And so I walked in one day.

I think my colleague Michael Goldberg was at this meeting and probably heard me say this, but there were 17 men around the table, and me and I walked in and I said, we have a problem here.

Like we're not.

We're supposed to be representing entrepreneurs.

We're supposed to be representing innovation.

Right?

And that that's not going to happen with this type of mindset.

Right?

So breaking through that fear of speaking up and being firm about how important it is that all voices are heard, in particular in innovation, you cannot innovate with understanding lived experiences, even simply how bodies work are wildly different.

And so having the voice to actually say something and do something about it took me too long.

But, now I'm I'm quite open about it.

Yes.

That's right.

Yeah.

And I would venture to say we probably have all had that experience.

And, I think that, that's one of the beauties of entrepreneurship.

There is the diversity of perspective, and it is an inclusive environment.

It can be an inclusive environment, and you get to shape it for yourself.

Right.

All right.

Well, thank you guys.

I think do you have your questions ready.

Getting ready.

All right okay.

All right.

So we're about to begin the audience Q&A for those just joining via our live stream and radio audience.

I'm Rene Rashad, president and CEO of Corporate College at Tri-C and moderator for today's conversation, I'm joined by leadership in Northeast Ohio discussing how to break barriers and build futures and entrepreneurship.

Here with me on stage is Tiffany Cashon, senior director of strategic partnerships and business development at Sears Think Box at Case Western Reserve University.

Kate Fox Nagel, chief executive officer at MetroHealth Community Health Centers and deputy chief operating officer and senior vice president of community health enterprise at the MetroHealth system.

And Tiffany Scruggs, vice president of community access and executive director of the Community Resource Center at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

We welcome questions from everyone City Club members, guest and those joining via our live stream at City club.org or live radio broadcast at 89.7 KSU.

I do stream public media.

If you'd like to text the question, please text it to (330)541-5794.

That's (330)541-5794, and city club staff will work to try to work it into the program.

May we have the first question?

Think notwithstanding the weather.

Thank you for coming to the city.

Ladies, I think it's fair to say immigration has always been, part of the interpret in trap ownership, effort in this country.

And I think that that has even magnified in the digital age.

How has the is a classic city club question?

How has the, current attack on immigration affected your efforts?

And perhaps in the words of, this forum is ice.

Is ice a a barrier to and trap ownership?

In your efforts?

And do you have any personal stories, that you might share with us?

And if it has impacted your efforts, have you communicated that to people who might be able to correct this trend?

So I'm happy to start.

I will say that that obviously, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank exists to ensure that folks has the foods they need.

And so we're working closely with organizations that support refugees and immigrant communities to make sure that they have those resources.

We also are doing our due diligence to make sure that we're providing clear information as it relates to for example, Snap changes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance programs for that population.

We've been working closely with leadership to understand how that's impacting those populations.

But food is a human right, right.

So we are working closely to make sure that they can have access to food.

So from our organization's perspective, that's what we've been focused on.

And I'll let Kate and Tiffany contribute additional thoughts.

Sure.

I think my answer would sound very similar.

We're very focused on making sure that if someone walks through the door at Metro Health that they have access to care.

It's a hard stop.

And that we take care of anyone who walks in, regardless of their ability to pay.

There are a number of other organizations across the city that are in similar positions, and so we're really focused on trying to take care of the whole person and address what we need to address, which may come up during their time at Metro Health, either in an outpatient visit or during their hospital stay.

And manage manage that accordingly.

I would add, not necessarily directly related to Ice, although that's part of this conversation.

It's been a really rough year for some of our students.

We have students that are from out of, the United States, and they haven't been able to go home because they're not sure they could be able to get back in.

I mean, think about that.

They can't see their families sometimes for years at a time.

And so we, you know, we wrap ourselves around those students and sometimes they're at our house for dinner or, you know, we look at them as people.

And again, they're most of them are entrepreneurs that we work with.

And thinking about doing that well, under this pressure and then doing a start up at the same time, it's you can see it on them.

It's wearing on them for sure.

Yeah.

For the next question.

Hi.

Thank you.

So there was a topic that you brought up during the, forum that I thought was very critical, which is the loneliness of an entrepreneur.

So I'm the husband of an entrepreneur.

And so when I come home, I'm the guy that's at the office cooler listening to the gossip, the challenges, the angry rants of the day.

So that's one way I try and really be supportive of my wife in her.

She's a solopreneur, so she's on her own.

I'm just wondering, any suggestions on what are other things family, friends, educators can do to support entrepreneurs and solopreneurs?

You know, in just in terms of, you know, or what are what are some things we should be aware of to, you know, possibly that maybe, you know, we take for granted or we're not thinking about.

Thank you.

Marriage advice, marital status.

I'll start.

So I think ask ask her what she needs the most.

You know, we work with so many different students in that space, and they all need something different, right?

Solo means something different to each of them.

One of my favorite entrepreneurs is here in the audience, and we happen to be neighbors.

And I can tell when something's up.

He'll text me and say, you want to go for a walk?

And we walk around the area and he's telling me all the stories and I'm just listening, right?

So don't underestimate the importance of you being there to listen, because I think that's a really important part of this.

They just need someone who needs to get it out and maybe not even act on it, but it feels better to get it out.

And I'll echo that, you know, I think, something that for entrepreneurs to be mindful of, there's a lot of information, a lot of the unknown.

So for me personally, in the example that I shared regarding my husband, he had no clue about tax laws, right?

Starting a business, the tax implications and changes.

And so I saw a lot of frustration.

And so my, my role really was to go on the website and pull information down and also reconnect him to the organization, the Fairfax Connection, who could provide additional support based on expertise, and opposed to his assumptions that he had.

So once again, it's to acknowledge that folks won't know I'll have all the answers, but to try to point them to a resource that has the expertise or banking bank to also help expand financial resources.

Right.

Which part of the stress as an entrepreneur is just that?

Yeah.

I mean, I think at the core it's don't be afraid to ask for help and don't be embarrassed about what you don't know.

I think that's awesome.

When I was teaching, I would always say, I don't know is an okay answer.

You can say, I don't know.

I'm going to go and look that up and figure it out.

And I still do that today where I'm like, oh, that was a great question.

I've no idea.

Let's figure it out.

So I think just to sort of create a space where it's okay to have it be a little fuzzy and a little, you know, winding path to figure out how you're going to get from one place to the next.

I think I would add to that part of that panel, but I'm going to add to that, I think, yes, you are.

I, I think that I yeah, I would add to that is a lot of solopreneurs are truly by themselves and working from home and you, embed yourself in the community, have come out to different events like this, or go to PNC, Fairfax or the center for entrepreneurs and interact with other entrepreneurs physically, not just virtually.

You know, like we do too much in the box these days.

You know, that human interaction is important.

And so I think just being around other entrepreneurs and bouncing your ideas off other entrepreneurs, so you don't think you're crazy for thinking this pie in the sky idea.

We're so fortunate in the Cleveland area that this is such a philanthropic and supportive community.

Have any of you ever encountered someone who you knew needed assistance but wouldn't ask for it?

And if so, how did you try to get them to ask for it without them feeling insulted or less than?

I mean, I'll start again.

Hesitation to ask for help.

In our arena, in the nonprofit community exists all the time.

Pride sometimes gets in the way.

Also, embarrassment gets in the way.

So, yes, absolutely.

For entrepreneurs and those that just general community members who are not necessarily looking to start a job, we know there's a lot of research just around the hesitation and stigma associated with asking for help.

So to continue to be a listening ear, but also just to remind folks that it is okay to need help.

And so when folks are ready, I think just by having someone in their corner, they will then divulge how that folks can help them to make sure that they move forward and start trying to start their career or business.

Yeah, it makes me think of the stages of change, right?

Like you need to be patient enough just because you may know what you know, or you may know what you don't know, and you have to listen and participate.

Be an active participant in a relationship to move with someone through the stages of change.

It's not.

You don't get to tell them.

And I think for many folks who want to be like, just let me step in and do it.

But I think Tiff really captured a lot of that can break a relationship, too, if you step in when you shouldn't.

I think patience is a good reminder.

We all need it.

Yeah.

Yes.

And I think somebody started out earlier with the word listening, you know, really listening to what an individual is saying and, you know, not imparting where you're not supposed to be.

But if you listen oftentimes you can hear the underlying question without the question having to be said.

Exactly.

You know what you might expect.

It.

I will, and I've been really impressed and thankful over the last year.

Year and a half, Case Western Reserve has done a tremendous service to our students by offering all kinds of funds.

They have emergency funds.

They are, President Kaler and his wife are serving Thanksgiving meals.

They they've taken every opportunity to increase mental health and wellness.

And there was a newsletter recently that the majority of it was about mental health and wellness.

And that's something we keep really front of mind as mentors to these entrepreneurs because, you know, they're often very brilliant people right there.

We've talked about how lonely it can be.

And then if you're if you're in need of just your basic everyday food and, and shelter, it's very difficult.

And I think Casey's doing a great job in a way that I haven't seen before.

And it it leaves it open for students to seek it.

They don't in a way that's, you know, maybe not so uncomfortable for them.

And it's it's very appreciated.

Hello.

This is a text question.

How can Cleveland's business and civic ecosystem better support local entrepreneurs with better quality mentorship?

Sometimes it feels like there is a lot of gatekeeping when it comes to power and leadership, making it hard to break through as a new business owner.

So I know there are a number of local organizations that will provide mentors, in in Cleveland.

And so that's one way.

But I often will tell students or other folks who for a period of time, anyone who moved to Cleveland that had a background in public health was sent my way.

And I knew what that felt like to land in Cleveland and not know anyone.

So I was always like, great, talk to me.

And what I would always say, people really like talking about themselves, so don't be afraid to ask for an informational interview.

Don't you know the best thing that we can as leaders?

The best thing that we can offer someone is our time.

And I know that that can be it.

Believe me, I know how challenging that can be.

But I think that it's also one of the most valued resource that we can give away.

One of the things that I have noticed over, over my career is mentors come in different shapes and different sizes and and in different ways.

And oftentimes as a younger person, whether you're young in the business or just young in your career, you're waiting for somebody to volunteer to be your mentor.

And and people are really busy and they're not especially thinking about your need.

But so you have to ask sometimes and sometimes it's just conversations.

It's not, you just have conversations and conversations and relationships build.

But you don't have to especially say, I'm going to pencil you in for 2:00 on Friday.

We're going to talk for 30 minutes.

You know, it's you just have to just have conversations and accept the mentorship in the form that it comes.

But first and foremost, if you really feel like you need a mentor, ask for one.

We have another text question, specifically for Tiffany Cash on, but I suppose others may have a point of view on it as well.

Sorry, hot seat.

What can Cleveland and Northeast Ohio do to keep more entrepreneurs from Case Western Reserve University in our region after they finish their degrees?

That is a great question.

And it's something that we talk about quite often in our group and with our, our student entrepreneurs.

A couple things.

First of all, you know, access to capital.

Everybody's heard that right.

We need more money in the region to help them stay.

Scaling is not happening here.

It's happening in other cities because there's a lot of early money, and we have a lot of people in Cleveland doing a great job in a lot of ways.

But the scaling of some of these, companies, really the money isn't here for it.

I would also say talent, some of the talent, we have a lot in this area, but what they're looking for may not be here because maybe they have left as well.

So we we work hard.

I mean, I, I drive students crazy.

I'm like, what's going to keep you here?

What's going to keep you here?

And then when they graduate, I'm like, you're staying here, right?

And because I am not from Cleveland either, but I just, I love the city.

It really is home to me.

And so besides, you know, capital and, I think that there needs to be more of a cohesive, I don't know, like, there's several groups doing very many things, and we get together and we support each other, but, it made me to be a little bit more cohesive in a sense that you go to one and, you know, you can get access to all the rest of them.

You know, sometimes it can be a little winding, right?

But pulling everything in a way that makes a lot of sense, I think would also be helpful or organized.

Yeah.

Well, I don't want to throw a curveball at you or anything like that, but I'm just you all.

You're all parts of wonderful organizations that have needs and different elements that are being met based on internal needs.

I mean, I've worked as an independent contractor for most of my life and went from home improvement to media arts to working at hospitals and this and that.

But the whole thing is there's always a need.

There's always something missing in organizations and like your organization.

So what what are some of those needs where entrepreneurs stepped up to help you in each of your endeavors?

And where are those needs that you see that you need in you, in your organizations right now, that entrepreneurs could step in right now and help you out with to be in the pinch for you.

What are those?

Sorry if I threw your curveball.

We all looked at Tiff and she's so good.

I know she is.

Why?

We're thinking.

Yeah, you know, I'll just go back to making sure that folks have access to basic needs.

That is critical.

I'll.

I'll repeat it again.

If folks don't know where their next meal is coming from, they won't think about how they can start their new business.

But also, once again, just that support system, is important as well.

But in terms of I'm going to kick it to Kate when I think of another response to your question, because I'm a food banker and my expertise is about making sure that folks have what they need to move forward before even starting a business.

Kate or Tiffany?

Yeah.

I mean, I think that Metro, I think in healthcare overall, there is so much innovation and opportunity for folks to say because there are so many gaps.

It just depends on who you're talking to.

Right?

Like and there is it's some of those are inherent.

Some of those are structural.

Some of those are manmade.

I think it just depends.

So there's so many I think it's knowing the industry that you want to go into and studying that industry and determining, you know, how I can help them.

I could create this database that connects all these different aspects.

So this is a, you know, of, of a person's care kind of making this up as I go, sort of, that, you know, that then we have access to partners, have access to etc., and they're aspects of like a health information exchange that get you so far, but only so far.

And how how do you do that?

How do you we all want to collaborate.

There is an understanding that, especially when it comes to a place like Metro that they may be with.

Can a care alliance tomorrow, and then they may be with me at Metro Health the next day.

And we need to be able to communicate about that person's health and that we can have business agreements and all sorts of things in place that allow us to talk.

But there's got to be a better way to do this right in real time.

So I think it's just a matter of studying the industry.

Health care adds that other layer of like patient privacy and transparent, you know, some some other legal issues that you've got to pay attention to as well.

But I think that health care is ripe for people to, you know, not only for those in health care to take something out to the but also for folks to come in.

And I think there are a lot of examples of where other industries have said, hey, I can let me help you.

Let me help figure out how we can use AI and make your lives easier.

Those sorts things.

I think there's a lot of opportunity in healthcare.

I heard the question is how to entrepreneurs help us?

So I'm gonna have to pitch it.

If that wasn't that was that was the question.

Oh, okay.

So I think listening to them and having them be very honest about what programs that we are supporting or supplying, if they're working and listening to that, hearing how it's so difficult to be carrying that workload.

And how do you help them?

Is there a way to to change that in the system?

Right.

How do you change their could they get credit for it or whatever?

But I think the best way that they help us is by telling us the best way to help them.

And I our group is, I would say we have one of the best groups at the VA Institute to do that.

I think I'm really proud of the work that we're doing at the center for entrepreneurs, because we have entrepreneurs training entrepreneurs, and we have, like many Hall, who's here, he has many home associates, and he does brand.

He he's teaching our auctioneers branding and marketing, and he's serving as our Huntington entrepreneur and resident in this program.

And we have 85 to 95 entrepreneurs that are coming out to hear from him directly.

How do you market your business?

How do you brand your business?

How do you use social media in today?

In today's world, we have CPAs that will come in and train the entrepreneurs on using QuickBooks.

On getting using wave, on the importance of filing those taxes that your husband didn't think about, but all of those.

But I think that if we we take entrepreneurs that are already in the ecosystem here locally and have them train other entrepreneurs, there's a direct relationship and they have instant credibility.

And I do want to share an example.

I was sitting here thinking about how we're dedicated to helping to build future leaders at our organization.

So we partner with, local high schools as an example.

And I'll tell you, there's a lot of talent out there in terms of the younger generation and their ability to help us as an organization learn more about AI and technology.

And so we hosted an intern.

He was able to quickly create a platform in like five minutes, in terms of similar to a food finder.

And so he was able to offer that feedback and help us just be mindful of access and also presenting information in a clear way.

And so he's now an aspiring entrepreneur who wants to have a tech startup business.

So, what do you think high school students need to hear more of when you are encountering would be entrepreneurs at the in their 20s and 30s and 40s, what are you wishing they learned as high school students upstream that would have prepared them for this moment?

And Tiffany Scruggs, you can start with your husband.

Code name your name and then thank you.

Thank you.

That would take a whole nother, panel for me to, to discuss that.

But really, I think, you know, being mindful of just the emphasis of technology, we've kind of lost sense of just the basic fundamentals, decision making, problem solving, conflict management, being mindful of social skills that are needed to have a conversation and, and make a business deal, if you will.

And so those are things that come to mind.

I love my husband, but he's a man of few words.

Right.

So I am always the spokesperson.

I'm the one to coordinate things, and that's okay.

But I will say in terms of really that mentorship component, I do think it's important for, you know, the high school students as one population to be grouped with a mentor who can take them through the different phases as they build and grow their business.

I think that's that's something critically important.

Okay.

Well, I, I think I agree, I think critical thinking, we don't see a lot of critical thinking anymore.

And that's tough.

And I think you know, you've sometimes you've got to fail and you've got to be okay with failing.

And I think and you know, we've got a lot of helicopter parents or whatever you want to say, but there's a level of like, if you're going to own your kids successes, then you also need to own your kids failures.

And so making sure that they have the space to grow and try and fail and, and figure out who they are in high school so that they're not then doing it in that, you know, as, as they ate and then having the first time they failed to be like, I don't know what to do with this.

So I think sort of creating space for failures.

And I would think my advice would be to actually the administrators we entrepreneurship in in if you don't even call it entrepreneurship, it's problem solving, right?

It's coming up with ideas and make it just standard.

Right?

I have math, science and entrepreneurship Huge thanks to Tiffany, Tiff, Kate Fox Nagle and of course, Renee Richard for joining us at the C club today.

Forums like this one are made possible thanks to generous support from individuals like you.

You can learn more about how to become a guardian of free speech at City club.org.

Today's forum is part of the City Club's Building Success Series in partnership with Huntington.

Thank you to Carrie Carpenter, new team at Huntington for all of your support.

And we would also like to welcome guests at the tables hosted by the Abington Foundation, Cuyahoga, Cuyahoga Community College, Case Western Reserve University, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Huntington, and Metro Health.

Thank you all for being here with us today.

Coming up next week at the City Club on Thursday, November 13th, we'll be joined by University of Akron president RJ Namer and Timothy Fields with Emory University.

They will be making the case for college.

Doctor Michelle Scott Taylor with college now will be moderating.

And then on Friday, November 14th, we will be talking about rock and roll.

Patrick Carney with the Black Keys will be in conversation with John Panza of the Panza Foundation to discuss the band's journey to success and how we can all support musicians in an increasingly complicated music industry.

You can learn more about this form and others and get your tickets at City club.org.

Thank you once again to our speakers and to our members and friends.

The City Club aims of the econom For information on upcoming speakers or for podcasts of the City Club, go to City club.org.

Right.

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