What you do matters. A tribute to my fellow ecosystem builders.

I remember staring out the window of Lamplighter on a sunny afternoon in November of 2017. Lamplighter is a local coffee shop in Richmond, VA, that became my office away from the office when I needed to think. I was devouring my one Americano a day and Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs were playing on vinyl. That afternoon, I remember looking over at Amy and Patricia — the baristas — and thinking to myself, “Why didn’t I become a barista? They always seem to have a good time. They work for a great local business, get to play their favorite music, and smell freshly roasted coffee all day. And when they’re done cleaning up right around 4:30, they go join the living.”

My office away from the office.

During that time, I found myself running a business model validation program for fledgling entrepreneurs, launching a three-day conference for entrepreneurial women, working part-time as a community builder for local B Corps, helping accelerate high-growth startups, and mentoring alumni from a previous cohort of startups. I was also eight months pregnant. I was working like a madwoman because I wanted to lower barriers and create opportunity for entrepreneurs in Richmond, VA.

And that, my friends, is what’s called ecosystem building. While a fancy title on your business card, it is neither lucrative nor is it going to get you any awards for…