Episode 7: A Twist to Being an Entrepreneur feat. David Ponraj

David offers such vulnerable insight into his journey and what he has learned along the way including the good he took from his corporate environment experiences and how he’s approached fulfilling all of his entrepreneurial talents. His suggestions and viewpoints on how others can make the shift is spot on.
#7 NEW Episode on Shifting Inside Out podcast – A Twist to Being an Entrepreneur feat. David Ponraj
 
What a great conversation with David Ponraj, CEO Startup Space, a social networking and resource platform for entrepreneurship ecosystem building. David is a serial entrepreneur and also has extensive experience leading tech platforms in corporate America where he served as an evangelist for intrapreneurship and innovation. 

In this episode we talk about what it means to be an entrepreneur and how to create an accountable approach to starting your own business.  It may be quite a bit different then you’ve heard before, but actually simpler!

 Join us to hear the conversation and learn about how he:
·       Renews his energy through others.
·       Is actually considering giving up his guilty pleasure.
·       Needs to be useful and use all of his talents.
·       Views failure and success versus experience.
·       Views what leaders should shift the focus internally.
·       Believes in setting the premise for starting a company is to become RICH!
·       Appreciates the learnings he has from corporate experiences.
·       Put it all on the line without putting it all on the line.
·       Has learned to lead without power.
·       Puts his team first.
·       Advocates for those wanting to start a business, but don’t have the support and resources they need.
·       Listens to his customers to determine direction.

David offers such vulnerable insight into his journey and what he has learned along the way including the good he took from his corporate environment experiences and how he’s approached fulfilling his entrepreneurial spark.  His suggestions and viewpoints on how others can make the shift is spot on. 

The conversation is important as the work David and his team does to help build the startup community and overcome challenges, fear and limitations is impressive!

Awarded the Business Observer 40 under 40 in Tampa Bay recently.  “With stints at two of Tampa Bay’s top tech companies — Tech Data and Nielsen —on his résumé, David Ponraj felt like he had what it took to launch his own company, Startup Space, in 2018.”

David launched Startup Space in June 2018 with the vision to help connect entrepreneurship ecosystem builders and their resources to small businesses in their communities and measure the impact of programmatic support to unlock investments back into the community.
 
Today, cities using Startup Space for connecting entrepreneurs to resources include Detroit, Denver/Boulder and Minneapolis. We also work with state governments like Maine and universities like University of Nevada to support entrepreneurship and economic development across statewide initiatives. You can learn more about the communities we work in here: https://www.startupspace.us/community/

 Recommendations from David:
·       Feeding Tampa Bay or your local chapter.  Hear why he got involved!
·       Drive by Daniel H. Pink – the book that has stuck with David throughout his leadership journey.
·       Breaking Down Barriers podcast hosted by David featuring leaders in the community working to break down the barriers for many struggling to get their business started. Check it out here https://startupspace.captivate.fm/ 
·       Love Your Gifts: Permission to Revolutionize Authenticity in the Workplace (thank you for the plug David!)
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