You Caught the Entrepreneurship Bug Early. Why Did It Find You Before Others Your Age?

I didn’t have an allowance growing up. I had a lot of things I wanted to buy! It forced me to look around for problems I could solve that would generate the funds I needed.

A Restaurant and a Sports Startup Seem Like Two Totally Different Pursuits. How Are They Similar From Your Standpoint?

Any startup business has the same common thread in that there are multiple people with completely different, but good, skillsets coming together to make something happen. What makes it both easy and difficult is that everyone thinks differently which makes them uniquely suited for their piece. It’s like being in a band. You need different talents and personalities to make good music.

Can You Speak to a Few of the Initiatives You’re Working on to Boost Entrepreneurship and Resources in the Urban Core?

The city of Kansas City, Missouri is doing a great job taking lead on creating a truly innovation-friendly city. Now however, they’re starting to look more and more at how they can innovate within. That’s great to be a part of it. Mayor Sly James and Chief Innovation Officer Ashley Hand don’t get nearly enough credit for the work they do on that front…but they should!

One of the big things I’m working on will be the emergence of Twenty30CEO. It’s a connector organization and resource provider for entrepreneurs in Kansas City who may not get access otherwise. We will be funding our own mini-marketing campaigns to make sure that we reach everyone who would benefit. We will also begin doing fun activity-based networking events in the second half of 2015 so entrepreneurs can get to know marketers who can get to know PR professionals, etc. It’ll be a fun environment more conducive to becoming friends than just professional acquaintances.

What’s the Most Rewarding Part of Your Involvement in Youth Leadership?

With youth leadership it’s definitely seeing the students turn that corner to where they’re getting the amazing internships or jobs. When they start going faster and higher than anyone else their age you can’t help but get a little bit of the proud parent syndrome.

What Is Your Latest Epiphany?

For an innovation ecosystem, or any community to flourish, all of the leaders should be friends. So if they’re not friends yet, they need to be.