Beyond Collisions: A Mini-Review

My longtime friends and colleagues, Maria Meyers and Kate Pope Hodel, have just published a new book that’s worth your time if you’re working in economic development or entrepreneurial ecosystem building.  Beyond Collisions is a how to guide on “how to build your entrepreneurial infrastructure.”  Maria and Kate have been doing this for decades, so they have deep experience and an understanding of what works and what doesn’t if you’re trying to get more startups and more growth businesses in your community.  It’s a quick and easy read that’s works like a playbook that you can refer to on a regular basis.   The book’s real benefit is that it is chock full of real life stories and examples that come from the authors’ long experience building entrepreneurial communities in Kansas City and elsewhere.   This real world focus means that you can also learn about the less sexy sides of ecosystem building:  how to measure your impacts, how to fund it, and how to sustain momentum in the face of hard times.   This is a useful guide for new ecosystem builders and as a refresher course for those with more experience in the field.