Nisan Trotter is an entrepreneur, public speaker, author and owner of TROTFITNESS in Lewisburg, Penn. (population: 5,730). Trotter was raised in Silverhill, Ala. (population: 997), where he was brought up by a loving support group of family and friends. He said he cut his teeth on the pews of the local church and learned about hard work early on, citing his mother and … [Read more...]
Episode 31: Duivenvoorden Farms
Duivenvoorden Farms is a third-generation family-owned dairy farm in northern California. Originally started by partners Jerry and Rita Duivenvoorden, and John and Nel DeJong, Duivenvoorden Farms has been operating for over 50 years. Owners Marc and Lori Duivenvoorden took over the farm in 1993 - doing everything from custom farming, running a beef herd, raising calves, and … [Read more...]
Episode 30: Sync.Space
Heath Guinn is an entrepreneur, community advocate and strategist based in Northeast Tennessee. Guinn has launched multiple successful companies and his most recent project is Sync.Space, an entrepreneur center with accelerator programs geared toward startups considering Northeast Tennessee as a place to grow or expand their business. The idea is to connect innovative … [Read more...]
Episode 29: Rural Journalism
Community newspapers have served rural areas for hundreds of years, providing news and useful information to small-town residents. Local editors and reporters attend meetings, sporting events, and other community gatherings and provide an ongoing account of what’s happening in their town. Most papers are mainly supported by advertising dollars, but with economic struggles … [Read more...]
Successful Wisconsin cheese business energizing rural community
A New Beginning After being dismissed following 12 years at Kraft Foods, Paul Scharfman was at a crossroads. The Wisconsin resident considered next career steps that would fit his food industry sales experience. Having owned his own small business in his teens and early 20s, Scharfman decided to reenter the entrepreneurial world. In 1991, he piled up all he had and … [Read more...]