Kim Lane’s Post

Nearly a decade ago, I traveled to South Africa to serve as a U.S. Delegate to the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC). The minute the wheels touched down in Johannesburg, I was engulfed in discussion around international entrepreneurship and economic development, the power and universality of entrepreneurial dreams, the pathways to entrepreneurship that varied greatly based on location, governance structures, and systemic barriers. The conversations completely changed my life and the way I approach my work. After the trip to South Africa, I started mentoring and supporting startup communities internationally (many 3am meetings with entrepreneurial leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nepal, etc., when Zoom was barely a thing). I later became a Senior Advisor to the Global Entrepreneurship Network, and have since served as a Delegate to gatherings in Turkey, Bahrain, Australia, and Saudi Arabia. For the first time in 15 years, the GEC is returning to the US next month in Indianapolis, from June 2-5. In addition to an amazing lineup of programming and events (including a keynote from Mark Cuban), Right to Start is hosting the Celebration of Entrepreneurship Groundbreaking Event -- our first-ever in-person gathering of our network -- on June 4 at 5:30pm, where we'll "break ground" and unveil an exciting new announcement about the future of our movement. Join Right to Start and thousands of entrepreneurial leaders, founders, investors, and policymaker at GEC to share and strengthen innovative approaches to empowering entrepreneurs. Register at GEC.co (+ contact me for a discount code on your ticket if you want to come). I highly recommend making the trip, if it's feasible. The conversations could change your life.